Dairy Free Crème Brulee- rich and creamy vanilla custard with that perfect caramelized sugar crack. Easily made in your Instant Pot, or in your oven.
Some desserts are easily made gluten-free, because they are naturally gluten free.
Crème Brulee is one of those decadent, naturally gluten-free desserts. Which is awesome.
Until you can’t eat dairy.
It seems like all the naturally gluten-free dessert options are very dairy-full. Ice cream, pudding, gelato, and of course crème brulee.
Dairy Free Crème Brulee
Dairy free vanilla crème brulee can seem challenging to make, but it really isn’t very complex.
The mark of a good crème brulee is a creamy, silky smooth mouthfeel and the crack of the caramelized sugar on top.
If you are a pumpkin fan, you have to try my dairy free pumpkin crème brulee recipe! It has the same texture as this vanilla custard, but with the festive flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
Can you make keto or low carb creme brulee
Do you try and eat low carb or keto? The custard part of this dairy free creme brulee is easily adapted to be keto friendly by substituting a sugar-free sweetener for the sugar.
You'll have to skip the "brulee" part, unless you have a low carb sweetener that will caramelize like sugar does.
If you are looking for more creamy keto dessert recipes I think you'll love this easy keto chocolate mousse. It is made in the blender!
Choosing your Milk
To make your dairy free crème brulee creamy and silky, like a traditional crème brulee, the dairy free milk you choose is very important.
I used canned coconut milk in this recipe because it is thicker and has a higher fat content, similar to heavy cream.
There is a bit of a coconut flavor, but you can help to disguise the coconut flavor with a little extra vanilla.
what vanilla do you use for creme brulee?
I splurged and used a vanilla bean in my dairy free vanilla custard. The flavor is amazing!
However, I've also made this dairy free vanilla creme brulee with vanilla extract and/or vanilla paste.
Vanilla paste will get you those pretty vanilla speckles and no one will know that you didn't splurge on a vanilla bean!
How to cook creme brulee in an Instant Pot?
Crème brulee custard cooks best when you place it in a water bath. The water helps the custard to cook and set evenly, preventing cracking as it cools.
I like using my Instant Pot to cook my crème brulee. It takes just a few minutes and is perfectly cooked.
If using an Instant Pot be sure to tightly wrap your crème brulee ramekins so that water doesn’t get in the custard. If water splashes in, the custard won’t set.
Pressure Cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 9 minutes (6 minutes if you use smaller "espresso" cups) and open your InstaPot using the natural pressure release.
Cool them at room temperature for at least 45 minutes, and then chill for 3-4 hours, or overnight.
How to bake dairy free creme brulee?
First, preheat your oven and set a kettle of after on to boil.
You'll bake your creme brulee in a water bath. A water bath helps your creme brulee to cook evenly, and helps to prevent it from cracking or overcooking.
To cook your creme brulee in a water bath, place your ramekins in a baking dish and fill the baking dish with hot water so that it comes half-way up the side of the ramekin.
Be careful to not splash water into the custards, they won't set if any water gets in the ramekins!
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the custard is "set." They should be nearly solid, be set on the edges, and still have some good jiggle in the center.
Carefully remove the custards from the hot water. Cool at room temperature, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes.
Then chill for 3-4 hours or overnight.
The Secret to Perfectly Brulee’d Caramelized Sugar
The secret to getting the perfect brulee on your crème is to use a blowtorch.
You can use a broiler, technically.
I’ve tried to use a broiler to caramelize my sugar, but every time I have my crème has turned to soup!
You can purchase a crème brulee torch on Amazon, it is useful for so many things beyond crème brulee. I also use mine to make S’mores and to crisp of skin on poultry or brown meat.
The other secret to a good caramelized sugar on your brulee is how much sugar you add and ensuring it is spread evenly.
To coat the top of your crème with sugar, make sure it is dry (meaning no condensation has settled on the surface of your custard).
If there is some water, gently blot it with a paper towel.
Add a teaspoon of sugar to the center of your custard and gently tip and rotate it so that there is an even layer of sugar across the top of your custard.
You want to avoid any gaps, because anywhere there isn’t sugar the custard will melt when you apply the torch.
If there is too thick of a layer of sugar it will take so long to melt it will burn.
No one likes burnt caramel on their crème brulee.
Using a superfine or “caster” sugar will melt easier.
I usually use normal granulated sugar with fine results, but if you want it to melt easier pulse it in a food processor or blender so the sugar grains are smaller.
Smaller sugar grains means they will melt easier and caramelize without burning.
📖 Recipe
Dairy Free Crème Brulee
Dairy Free Crème Brulee- rich and creamy vanilla custard with that perfect caramelized sugar on top. Easily made in your Instant Pot, or in your oven.
Ingredients
Dairy Free Custard
- 1 vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract)
- 1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 5 egg yolks
- ¼ cup white sugar
For Topping Dairy Free Creme Brulee
- 4 Tablespoons sugar
Instructions
For the Dairy Free Crème Brulee
- Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. Discard the bean it self, using only the seeds you removed. You can add the bean to a container of sugar to make vanilla sugar, if you'd like.
- Whisk all ingredients, except sugar for topping, until smooth.
- Evenly divide the creme mixture between 6 ramekins.
To make in your Instant Pot:
- Tightly cover ramekins with aluminum foil. Add 2 cups of water to your Instant Pot and place your trivet or steamer basket inside.
- Pressure cook on Manual for 9 minutes (6 minutes if you make smaller "espresso cup" creme brulees".) Open using Natural Pressure Release.
- Carefully lift out the custards, they should be nearly solid but still have some good jiggle.
- Cool at room temperature, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes. Then chill for 3-4 hours or overnight.
To Bake:
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Place ramekins in a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with hot water so that it comes half-way up the side of the ramekin. Be careful to not splash water into the custards, they won't set.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the custard is "set." They should be nearly solid but still have some good jiggle.
- Carefully remove the custards from the hot water. Cool at room temperature, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes. Then chill for 3-4 hours or overnight.
To Serve:
- Sprinkle the top of each custard with a thin, even layer of sugar. Melt the sugar with a kitchen torch, or slide them under your broiler (I have yet to succeed in melting the sugar without also melting the custard using my broiler, if possible, use a kitchen torch.)
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 185Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 154mgSodium 12mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 0gSugar 17gProtein 3g
All nutrition info is a guestimate and will vary depending on the ingredients you use.
Jules Shepard
You have covered all the bases here and this looks delicious!
Evan Williams
Honestly, this recipe does NOT work at all in instantpot. I made it for friends yesterday, and 9 minutes was nowhere enough. Then tried another 4 minutes, and a bit better but still not really set. I would recommend you try it again and see if it actually works. And yes I did the long natural release (took like 45 minutes).
flippindelicious
Hi Evan,
I've tested this recipe multiple times (once just last week) and haven't had any issues with them being underdone. The only issue I've had with them being over-or under done has been because of different sized ramekins making a deeper or more shallow creme brulee (the shallow one cooks a bit quicker, and the deeper one needs a little longer). May I ask what size your ramekins were? If they were smaller and deeper, it may have needed a little longer. Were your ramekins tightly covered in foil? If water gets into the custard that will also prevent it from setting. Please comment back, or email me at flippindelicious(at)gmail(dot)com so that I can help figure out what happened. Best, Brianna
Aly
Worked just fine for me
Aly
No need to be rude to this awesome recipe creator!
Kathleen
I made this today and it looked good but when I tried it the consistency was like Tapioca. Was in it.
flippindelicious
Hi Kathleen, The custard can "seize" or curdle if water gets in it or if it overcooks, and it will have a clumpy texture. Wrapping them tightly in aluminum foil is essential, and sometimes despite best efforts it can seize. It can also happen if it over-cooks. I'm sorry your batch curdled! I'd try wrapping them more tightly, and cutting back on the time they cook or shorten the the release time if you used your Instant Pot. If you baked them in the oven, I'd also pull them out a little earlier, or bake at a slightly lower temperature and be very careful that no water splashes into the ramekins.
Hopefully that helps! Happy Baking! -Brianna
Stephanie
I love, love, love this recipe! My mom is gf/df so being able to make a dessert that turns out consistently is awesome!
For Easter I decided to mix it up a bit and added gingerbread spices and wanted to share. Here is what I did:
1T molasses
3/4t ground cinnamon
3/4t ground ginger
1/2t ground cloves
1/2t ground nutmeg
flippindelicious
Hi Stephanie, I'm so glad that this recipe turns out so consistently for you, that makes me so happy! I love the gingerbread spice twist! I'm a big gingerbread fan, and that just sounds delicious. I can't wait to try it myself. -Brianna
Ashlei
Hello! I’m baking mine in the oven at 325. I saw in the comments you mentioned putting foil on them, but I did not read that in the recipe steps. Should I foil them? Also would almond creamer be too thin?
Thank you!
flippindelicious
Hi Ashlei,
The foil is only for if you are cooking them in an instant pot, if you are baking them in the oven it is not needed. The foil prevents steam from getting inside of the custard, which will prevent the custard from setting.
I haven't tried using almond creamer, but it may work great. If the creme brulee custards are too loose with the almond creamer, I'd try adding an extra egg yolk.
Please comment back and let me know how the creamer worked! -Brianna
Louise
made this recipe with a rhubarb base. it was AMAZING! great to have a dairy free dessert that the whole family loves, not just the one who can't tolerate any dairy 🙂
flippindelicious
Hi Louise, Rhubarb sounds like an amazing addition! How did you add it? I'm so glad this recipe was a hit with your whole family, you made my day. -Brianna
Amy
Did a test of a single ramekin in the instant pot yesterday and it did not come out for us at all. The flavor wasn't gross but, it wasn't good and the texture was scrambled eggs rather than the smooth custard that a proper crème brulee should be.
It's possible that we did something wrong but, I'm really glad we did a test because we were going to use this method (fast and easy) for Christmas dinner. Because of how the test came out, we'll be going with a different recipe.
flippindelicious
Hi Amy, thanks for letting me know. If you get any moisture in the ramekin it will curdle like scrambled eggs. To prevent this from happening you have to wrap your ramekin very tightly so water doesn't get inside of it. This is all noted and explained in depth in the recipe post, but I know many people scroll down to the recipe card and miss this crucial info. I hope you had a Merry Christmas! -Brianna
Aline
Thank you so much. This recipe is so delicious and easy. I have made it four times and have used coconut sugar (homemade) and it is delicious. My ramekins (6) fit the whole recipe. However, I have dishes that would require doubling the recipe. Could I double the recipe and would I double the baking time?
flippindelicious
Hi Aline, you can absolutely double the recipe. The baking time probably won't need doubled, but they will take a little longer to bake. If you are using the Instant Pot I'd try adding 3 or 4 minutes onto the cook time. If you are baking in the oven, I'd do the "jiggle" test until they are done, starting to check at the original bake time, and then checking every 5 minutes. Hope that helps! -Brianna
Aline
I thought I left a message yesterday, but do not see it. First off, thank you for this wonderful recipe that I have made about 3 times and it is delicious. The ramekins that I have take the entire recipe. However I have other dishes that are twice as large. if I doubled the recipe, would that work and how long to bake it? Delicious - thank you so much.
flippindelicious
Hi Aline, Comments have to go through a manual approval process, so they usually aren't live right away. I'm so glad you have enjoyed this recipe! You can absolutely double the recipe. The baking time probably won't need to be doubled, but they will take a little longer to bake. If you are using the Instant Pot I'd try adding 3 or 4 minutes onto the cook time and test it with one. Then adjust the baking time from there. If you are baking in the oven, I'd do the "jiggle" test until they are done, starting to check at the original bake time, and then checking every 5 minutes. Hope that helps! -Brianna
Kimberly
Hi there! I tried mine after refrigerating the crème brûlée in the fridge, and due to the temperature there was a layer of coconut oil on top. Do you experience that too?
It seemed to interfere when I was torching it—as I was torching the sugar, the coconut oil was burning, and failed to yield a crispy crust. Any advice?