This flan recipe is so easy to make and only requires 5 ingredients. The best part about this dish is how it tastes. It will leave your guests asking for more!
You can make wonderful chilled desserts that are made in your slow cooker! Also, try my Banana Nut Cake and Peanut Clusters!
Why this recipe works
We love the fact that this rich and creamy caramel flan recipe is so easy to make with minimal ingredients, yet it tastes as you slaved over it for hours! The Slow Cooker is the perfect vessel to make moist and tender flans. You can also make baked custard in the crockpot!
This dish will impress your family and friends when they come over for dinner because of its fancy presentation and because it tastes amazing.
What is flan?
- Another name for flan that is often used is crème caramel or caramel custard.
- Flan is a type of custard dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar. The difference between this dish and others like a baked custard or crème brûlée is the caramel sauce on top!
How to make flan in the slow cooker
The flan comes out of the slow cooker beautifully set and creamy, with a delicious caramel sauce that’s ready to pour over top. It only takes about 15 minutes of prep time and is the perfect finale for Taco Tuesday!
- Sweetened condensed milk – This is what sweetens the recipe. Be sure to find sweetened condensed milk not evaporated milk, for evaporated milk will not work in this recipe.
- Milk – Use 2% or whole milk for the best results.
- Eggs – This is what thickens the flan.
- Vanilla – Adds great flavor the flan.
- Caramel Sauce– I use Smucker’s Caramel Sundae Syrup
- Ramekins – I got my six ounce ramekins from World Market. I only fill them up to the inner lip of the ramekin.
- Whipped Cream – For serving, Reddi whip works great.
Should I make a homemade caramel sauce?
There are many recipes that make a homemade caramel sauce, but I find that the bottled Smuckers caramel sauce works just as well and is much easier to use.
To get that restaurant-style sauce, add two tablespoons of the Caramel Sauce to each ramekin, swirling it around. To coat the sides of the ramekins, use the back of a spoon to spread the mixture evenly.
Should I add water to the slow cooker with the flans?
- Yes! You do not want to start the slow cooker without adding water around the bottom layer of ramekins.
- I add about 1 inch of water to the slow cooker around the ramekins. Add the ramekins first, then slowly pour the water on the edge, you don’t want to spill water into the flan mixture.
How long should I cook?
- The flans are done when the mixture starts to thicken and puff up a bit. Cook on HIGH.
- The flans should take 1 hour and 45 minutes to cook. The centers will be jiggly but not liquidy like when you started them.
How to remove flan for serving
- After the custard cools to room temperature, you can carefully remove the flan from the ramekin.
- The best way to do this is to run a butter knife around the edge of the pan and invert the ramekin onto your serving plate.
Flan FAQ’s
Flan is a chilled dessert. Wonderful served with whipped cream and a cup of coffee.
Yes! You can use butterscotch for a sweeter flavor. You can even use sea salt caramel sauce if you’d like. I have even tested this recipe with Smucker’s blueberry syrup and it works great!
Making flan in the slow cooker is pretty forgiving; as long as you keep an eye on it and don’t go over the cooking time, you’ll have great results.
The flan should be refrigerated after making. They will last one week in the fridge.
Yes, you can! Make sure to use plenty of caramel and spread it right in the slow cooker, then pour in the flan mixture. No need to add water. Cook on high for 1 hour and 45 minutes. You will not be able to flip the entire large flan onto a plate; instead, scoop each serving out of the slow cooker.
More easy slow cooker desserts:
- Slow Cooker Sea Salt Almond Clusters
- Slow Cooker Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
- Slow Cooker Lemon Spoon Cake
- Slow Cooker Blackberry Cobbler
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Slow Cooker Flan
Equipment Needed:
- 6 Ramekins
Ingredients:
- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/2 cup 2% or whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 12 Tbsp. Caramel Sauce
- Whipped Cream for serving
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, mix the sweetened condensed milk, the regular milk, vanilla, and eggs with a whisk until smooth. Keep whisking until you can not feel the heaviness of the sweetened condensed milk on the bottom of the bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the Caramel Sauce to each ramekin, swirl around with a back of a spoon, to coat all sides.
- Add the milk mixture to the ramekins, I only filled them up to the inner lip, so it would be easier to remove later. Depending on the size of your ramekins you may have extra flan mixture.
- Add the ramekins to the slow cooker. Depending on the size of your ramekins, you will have to stack (balance) these carefully. I usually do 4 at the bottom then stack the remaining two on top.
- VERY IMPORTANT! Add about an inch of water to the slow cooker around the bottom layer of ramekins.
- Cover, and cook on HIGH for 1 hour and 45 minutes, this is when I check on the flans. The flans are ready when they begin to puff slightly on the edges. The center will be jiggly but not liquidy.
- Remove the flans carefully with a pot holder . Put the flans of a wire rack to cool in the fridge for 3 or more hours.
- After the flans have chilled completley, take a knife and swirl around the edge of the ramekin, and flip over on a serving plate.
- Top each serving of flan with whipped cream. The spray can of whipped cream is actually really good on these, this is what restaurants do. Do this right before serving for this type of whipped cream melts within a few minutes.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Before you flip the flan onto a plate, briefly set the bottom of the ramekin in hot water. The caramel will melt slightly and have a silkier appearance.
- Make these individual flans the day before for stress-free entertaining.
- These flans last about a week in the fridge but taste best if you eat within 3 days.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
LOVE LOVE this Flan. I pinned it. Thanks for stopping by and linking up to Saturday Dishes Blog Hop.
Blessings,
Diane Roark
recipesforourdailybread com
Sarah, I’ve never tried to make flan, but have always wanted to. Now you tell me I can make it in the slow cooker? Genius! Love this. Thank you so much for sharing at Treasure Box Tuesday. PINNED twice- Treasure Box Tuesday AND Yesterfood. 🙂
what a pretty recipe! I’ve never made flan, can’t wait to try!
Mmm..Love that this is made in the Crock Pot! Love Flan!
This looks oh, so good! Can’t wait to try it.
I love this recipe and would never of thought of using the slow cooker. Amazing!
I”m not really as flan fan, it’s the texture I don’t like, but i LOVE the idea of making it in the slow cooker! Great recipe!
My husband loves me to try anything like this. It looks so good!
The coffee sounds fantastic and oh my does that flan look fantastic!! I really need to try making it in my slow cooker!
Yum! I want this tonight!
Flan in the slow cooker? Cool!! Thanks for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday.
yum!! what a creative way to make flan and a fabulous pairing 🙂
G’day! This looks delicious is now on my list to do! Thank you!
Cheers! Joanne
Really love how you used the ramekins! Perfect size for an individual touch 😉 I can’t live without dark rich coffee. What a great combination!
This looks so delicious and relatively easy and straight forward to make! I can’t wait to try this!