Many beginner bakers are SHOCKED at how easy creme brûlée is! You only need 6 ingredients, and if you follow my success tips, you’ll be gifted with the smoothest, creamiest dessert ever.
One reader, Madison, commented: “Made this recipe for my mother on Mother’s Day, and she LOVED it! Creme brûlée is her all-time favorite and this recipe did more than curb her craving. Saving this recipe for many more occasions to come! It might just be a new dessert staple in this household—it’s incredibly easy to make! ★★★★★”
Another reader, Mary, commented: “My husband keeps inviting people over to our house for dessert so I can make this for them. I asked for a torch for Christmas so I could learn how to make it. This is the second recipe I’ve tried, and it’s a keeper. Tonight will be my 3rd time making this recipe since Valentine’s Day. Save this recipe FOREVER. ★★★★★“
Flecked with espresso and flavored with pure vanilla, this is my favorite crème brûlée recipe. The brilliantly creamy custard can only be reached by cracking through a crisp caramelized sugar ceiling. The textural difference between the two layers is unbelievable and separates this dessert from every other. Simply put, crème brûlée tastes like luxury and has always been a baking bucket list recipe for me, and for good reason.
The GREAT news is that you don’t need to dine at a fancy restaurant for the best crème brûlée experience. Not many realize how easy it is to make at home, especially for occasions like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, anniversaries, etc. Like crème brûlée, homemade chocolate mousse is also surprisingly approachable in your home kitchen.
Overview: How to Make Crème Brûlée at Home
The full printable recipe is available below, but let me walk you through the process so you can understand the steps before beginning.
- Start with kitchen staples: heavy cream, sugar, egg yolks, salt, vanilla. I like adding a little espresso powder for added flavor. What a difference it makes! I know many may not have espresso powder at the ready, so it’s an optional ingredient. But trust me when I say that espresso powder makes a good crème brûlée the best crème brûlée. You can find espresso powder in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or online.
- Cook: Heat the heavy cream + salt on the stove. Off heat, add vanilla to flavor. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly whisking in some of the warm heavy cream. Pour into ramekins and bake. Let them cool down, then chill for at least 4 hours or even overnight. (Overnight makes crème brûlée an AWESOME make-ahead dessert, and your guests will be entertained when you whip out that kitchen torch for the topping!)
- Top with: sugar, then caramelize it under the broiler or with a kitchen torch.
That’s it… you’re done. Yes, it really is this easy.
Heavy cream and egg yolks are the key ingredients in crème brûlée. It took a little bit of testing to figure out the best ratio, but I loved 5 egg yolks with 3 cups of heavy cream the most. This produces a VERY creamy and lush crème brûlée. Save the leftover egg whites and add them to omelets and scrambled eggs the next few mornings.
Why are we using just the egg yolks, and not whole eggs? Egg whites help set a firmer pudding texture, but with crème brûlée you want a silky-smooth creamy texture, and the fat in egg yolks provides that. We use this same yolks-only trick for the custard in butterscotch pie and banana cream pie, too.
Crème Brûlée Success Tips
- Temper egg yolks: If you’ve never done it before, tempering egg yolks is nothing to fear—all you’re doing is slowly raising the temperature of the egg yolks so they don’t scramble. Whisk *some* of the warm heavy cream into the egg yolks + sugar, then whisk it all into the pot of warm heavy cream. You can watch me temper the egg yolks in the video tutorial.
- Should I strain it? Straining the custard before cooking it is, in my opinion, optional. If you notice the custard is thick with any lumps, definitely use your sieve to strain it before baking.
- Shallow ramekins: Serve crème brûlée in individual ramekins. The small ramekins ensure the custard cooks evenly, though you could use a large wide ceramic dish instead. See my recipe note below. I love using individual wide, shallow ramekins so there is more surface area for the caramelized sugar! I suggest these oval ramekins or these circle ramekins. (This recipe yields about 8 crème brûlées so you’ll need 2 sets of the oval ramekins OR you can bake the extra custard in other ramekins you may have.)
- Water bath: Place the ramekins in a large baking dish (I used a 9×13-inch baking pan), pour the custard in each, then fill the pan with hot water. The water bath creates a moist and humid environment for the crème brûlée, which is imperative for their texture. (Same story for lemon pudding cakes.) A regular hot oven typically produces rubber-y tasting crème brûlée with cracked surfaces.
- Best bake time: You will likely over-bake the crème brûlée your first time. That’s what my friend told me before I began my crème brûlée adventures. They key, he said, is to look for a jiggly center. The edges will be set, the centers will jiggle like jello. (Anyone ever watch My Best Friend’s Wedding with Julia Roberts? Crème brûlée can never be jell-o. YOU could never be jell-o.) For a more accurate answer, use an instant-read thermometer. They’re done when the thermometer registers 170°F (77°C).
By the way… my friend was right, I over-baked them my first try. The next few tries, pictured in this post, are texture perfection. You want that creamy custard. Learn from my mistake and take those custards out of the oven early.
Burnt Sugar Topping
Crème = cream. Brûlée = burnt. Burnt cream. So as many times as I say “caramelized sugar” it’s really burnt sugar. It’s the CRUNCH on the CREAM and it’s so so tasty!
After the custards bake, cool, and chill, it’s time for that special finishing touch. All we’re doing here is sprinkling the surface with granulated sugar. Some recipes insist on superfine sugar for the topping and some recipes call for coarse sugar. I tested the recipe with both, but ended up just using regular granulated sugar—the same sugar we’ll use in the custard. It produced a thick and sturdy caramelized sugar topping, just the kind we want!
One important note: Cover the entire surface with a thin layer of granulated sugar. No exposed custard. When applied to heat, the cooled custard will curdle.
Kitchen Torch or Oven Broiler?
For caramelizing, you need intense heat. A kitchen torch is magic. Kitchen torches are surprisingly inexpensive and the couple times a year that I need it, I’m glad I have one. It really makes a difference. Other recipes where I use my kitchen torch:
See the recipe Notes (below the recipe) for using the oven broiler instead.
Burnt sugar on creamy custard = simple beauty and decadence. Doesn’t this make you feel fancy? We should be wearing pearls and eating our crème brûlées with crystal spoons while sitting on our gold thrones calling each other on our diamond-encrusted phones talking about how fancy we are.
Bonus: Crème brûlée is always a favorite for those in need of gluten-free dessert recipes!
Print
Easy Crème Brûlée
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours, 50 minutes
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Description
This is the BEST and creamiest crème brûlée recipe! Flecked with espresso and vanilla, you only need 6 simple ingredients and they’re ready to bake in only 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 8 shallow 4-ounce oval ramekins
- 5 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar, divided
- 3 cups (720ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream*
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (optional but recommended)*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 cup (100g) of granulated sugar together. Set aside. (At this point or before you temper the egg yolks in the next step, bring a small kettle or pot of water to a boil. You’ll need hot water to pour into the baking sheet for the water bath.)
- Heat the heavy cream, espresso powder, and salt together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. As soon as it begins to simmer, remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract. Remove about 1/2 cup of warm heavy cream and, in a slow and steady stream, whisk into the egg yolks. Keep those egg yolks moving so they don’t scramble. In a slow and steady stream, pour and whisk the egg yolk mixture into the warm heavy cream.
- Place ramekins in a large baking pan. If you don’t have 1 pan large enough, bake them in a couple pans. Divide custard between each ramekin, filling to the top. Carefully fill the pan with about a 1/2 inch of the hot water. The baking pan will be hot so use an oven mitt to carefully transfer the pan to the oven.
- Bake until the edges are set and centers are a little jiggly. The time depends on the depth of your ramekins. My ramekins are 1-inch and the custard takes 35 minutes. Begin checking them at 30 minutes. For a more accurate sign, they’re done when an instant read thermometer registers 170°F (77°C).
- Remove pan from the oven and, using an oven mitt, remove the ramekins from the pan. Place on a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour. Place in the refrigerator, loosely covered, and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days before topping.
- Using the remaining granulated sugar, sprinkle a thin layer all over the surface of the chilled custards. Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch and serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour before serving. (Caramelized topping is best enjoyed right away.)
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare the custard mixture through step 4. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking. You can bake the custard up to 2 days ahead of time. See step 6.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Medium Saucepan | Oval Ramekins | Large Baking Pan (such as a 9×13-inch baking pan) | Cooling Rack | Kitchen Torch
- Heavy Cream: 3 cups of half-and-half may be substituted for heavy cream. The custard’s texture will be a little lighter.
- Espresso Powder: I know many may not have espresso powder at the ready, so it’s an optional ingredient. But trust me when I say that espresso powder makes a good crème brûlée the best crème brûlée. Leaves great flavor, but the custard doesn’t necessarily taste like coffee. Rather, it’s hinted with espresso flavor. You can find espresso powder in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or online. Instead of espresso powder, you can use 2 teaspoons quality instant coffee.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract is stirred into the heavy cream after it’s heated. You can use the seeds scraped from 1/2 a vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste instead. Either can be whisked into the heavy cream when you add the salt and espresso powder.
- Ramekins: Small ramekins ensure the custard cooks evenly, though you could use a large wide ceramic dish instead. I love using individual wide and shallow ramekins so there is more surface area for the caramelized sugar. I suggest these oval ramekins or these circle ramekins. If you don’t have ramekins, use a large wide ceramic or glass dish. Do not use metal. The bake time will increase with a larger size pan.
- Oven Broiler Directions: If you don’t have a kitchen torch, use the oven broiler to caramelize the sugar in step 7. After the custard has chilled as directed in step 6, dust the tops with reserved granulated sugar, then place them on a baking sheet on an oven rack directly under the broiler. Broil on high until caramelized. Keep a close eye on it.
- Adapted from Allrecipes and Mark Bittman
Reader Comments and Reviews
Recently, at a restaurant, I had a coconut crème brûlée that was so good! Can I substitute any of the heavy cream for unsweetened coconut milk or do you have another suggestion on how to make a coconut version?
Hi Christy! We haven’t tested any non dairy substitutes but full fat canned coconut milk or cream would be the closest in terms of fat content and texture. Again, we haven’t tested it so we’re unsure of the results and if it will set up the same. Let us know if you try anything!
This has been my go to recipe for a few years. Just started adding the espresso powder the last three times. It’s unbelievably delicious. Not over powering. So worth it!
First time I’ve ever made this and it was amazing!!! Got rave reviews. Thank you for the detailed instructions. They were so good everyone thought I was a pro at making these.
Any idea why mine, after cooling, are separating into a curdled layer on top (or maybe not curdled, but it’s a harder, somewhat fatty layer) on top, with a pudding layer under it? It’s happened the last 3 times I’ve tried, though the first 2 times I made this, it was perfect. As far as I can tell, I’m following the directions. (Scalding the milk, slowly pouring into yolks to temper, straining through a fine seive, boiling the water bath before putting it all in the oven). I even cooked just to 25 minutes at 325. I do have a mandatory convection oven (can’t turn the fan off). The top layer always browns slightly (I’ve read that’s not good) but I don’t know how to avoid it. I’ve even added enough water so that it goes up 3/4ths of the way up the ramekins. Are my ramekins maybe too deep? But then… Not sure why they worked at first (unless I was just too new to making these to even notice the texture?).
Hi Gina, thanks for trying this. It sounds like the ramekins you’re using could be too deep. Though a deeper ramekin is usually fine, I do find the thinner ramekins (as pictured) produce a more evenly textured baked custard. You could also be over-baking them. They set up nicely in the refrigerator, so err on the side of under-baking.
1 problem: although the taste was perfect and I removed at correct temperature in middle, the custard was soupy. ramekins we’re slightly larger than yours.
would appreciate a suggestion.
Hi Don! Did you happen to make any ingredient substitutions? With so few ingredients here, each one is important. Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (not anything with less fat) is imperative to the filling setting.
exact ingredients. maybe not cooked long enough?
I’ve always wanted to make creme brulee(and use a torch) and after comparing a few recipes, I chose this one. OMG!!! It was soooo delicious!!! I didn’t have the espresso powder, but I think I love just the traditional vanilla. It was easy to make, just have to be careful tempering the egg and pouring the hot water into the pans. I used 6 ramekins instead of 8. My ramekins are oval and wide and hold a little less than a cup. I cooked them for 45 min and they came out perfectly. I think the ratio of custard to sugar topping was perfect. It was a nice, generous portion, everyone scraped their dish clean it was soooo good. This is my new go to for an impressive, delicious dessert. Thank you!
Amazing! My family loved it! Thank you for all the time you put into perfecting your recipes.
This was amazing! I appreciate all of your tips to make this successfully. It turned out perfectly.
This was so easy and delicious!!! Thank you for a wonderful, special treat.
I love crème brûlée. Recently started using my sous vide to make the custard in individual mason jars. Excited to try your recipe
I have a creams brûlée recipe that I have used for years with great success. I tried this recipe and it didn’t disappoint. I left out the expression powder and used vanilla bean in the cream and after placing in the ramekins I added raspberries as it’s served this way in my favorite restaurant. I added a touch of whip cream and a raspberry. My family raves about this and said it was better than the restaurant version
I was sesrching for a recipe that would yield 3-4 servings and decided to scale this one with 3 egg yolks and a 0.6 multiplier for the rest of the ingredients. I got the perfect yield for 3 generously filled shallow ramekins. I was 100% convinced I had overbaked them at 30 min, but to my surprise and delight, they came out perfect. I even had a water bath splash and nobody noticed after sugar and torching. This will now be my go to creme brulee recipe. Can’t wait to experiment with flavor variations!!
I don’t have espresso powder or instant coffee But I noticed that 1 person used earl gray tea. I’m thinking of maybe steeping a chai tea In the cream.
Oh my gosh!! I’ve always wanted to try make Creme Brulee and this seemed like great recipe. This was so easy to follow and my whole family absolutely loved it! Thank you so much
This was so easy and my husband loves it thanks so much!!
Hello! Such an amazing recipe.
…My family is now asking for Flan.
I didn’t see a recipe for flan on your website.
Am I missing it or do you have one?
Thanks so much!
Hi Susan, so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Unfortunately, we don’t have a recipe for flan. Sorry about that!
Hello! I was wondering if I were to add Baileys, how much would you recommend, and should I take out that amount from the cream? Thank you 🙂
Hi Bridget, we haven’t tried adding Baileys to this recipe. Please let us know how it turns out if you do!
Hello! Lovely recipe. Is it possible to add raspberries to the bottom? If so, when do you recommend adding them? Thanks!
Hi Claire, I’m sure you could but I haven’t tried and tested it myself.
This recipe for creme brûlée is not only easy, but absolutely delicious! I cut the recipe half, since there are only 2 of us- I used 3 egg yolks and it turned out great! I also used vanilla sugar instead of regular granulated sugar, and omitted the espresso because I didn’t have any on hand. Rave reviews from my husband. If you are intimidated by creme brûlée, just make this recipe, you won’t regret it!
I cook and bake a lot, I would consider myself a great cook, and a decent baker who is still learning to bake things other than breads. I’m so thankful that your recipes are easy to follow and have never let me down. Because they’re so approachable and have been right every time, I lean on your site so much these days.
I vaguely remember making crème brûlée many years ago, so tonight was like starting all over again.
I followed your recipe exactly, checked mine at 30 minutes and despite them being at 170 degrees, they were still very jiggly, so I put them back in for 5 minutes. (6 Oz circular ramekins in case that helps anyone).
Cooled properly, let the kids torch them, and they were perfection. Will be sharing with hubby, dad, and dad in law tomorrow for Father’s Day.
Thank you so much for all of your hard work! ❤️
Woud using 10% cream still work but not be as rich ?
Hi Nel! We’ve successfully used half and half in the place of cream, which can have as low as 10% cream. It should work but will be less rich and creamy.
Do you happen to know how many calories are in a serving. I intend on enjoying myself but will need to make up for the yumminess by eating extra greens.
Hi Jax, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
This is truly easy and absolutely delicious! 100% my go-to recipe for creme brulee from now on!
i have to make creme brullee for 6 people this weekend ( may 2022) how many eggs and othere ingredients must i neeed
Hi Linda, this recipe yields 8 individual ramekins, so we’d recommend making the recipe as written and having two leftovers (we’re confident your guests will love having an extra bite or two of the leftovers!). Individual ramekins are best, but see recipe notes for making in a large dish if you’d prefer.
Tried this for the first time and it came out great. I halved the recipe (3 full yolks, size large eggs) and was able to fill 3 ramekins (4.5 inch, shallow) perfectly. I only baked for 25 minutes and they were silky and creamy on the inside. The tops were quite set, so I was worried about overbaking but they were lovely. The milk smelled slightly burnt when I scalded it, but the end product had no burnt flavor. Love how easy the recipe was, minimal prep time and a great make ahead option. Will definitely make again, a wow for a dinner party.
This creme brulee us absolutely delicious. My husband says it is better than what he has ever had in any restaurant.
I have always been afraid to make creme brulee, because recipes made it look so difficult, especially tempering the eggs. I’m afraid no more. Your recipe and video walked me through each step, and it was amazingly easy to make. Some hot water splashed into one of the ramekins when I was pouring it into the pan, but I now know how to avoid this next time — and there will be many more next times for this recipe.
I used six 6-ounce ramekins, and I still had some left over, so I just used my everyday ramekins, and kept them a shalllow depth.
I did find these a tad bit too sweet for my taste. Will reducing the sugar in the eggs by a third affect the consistency of the custard?
Sheila, I’m glad this recipe gave you the confidence to try this fancy dessert– pretty easy once you get going, right? You can try reducing the sugar down. In this particular recipe, I don’t think doing so would really alter the texture.
I’ve tried your recipe in the oven before and it was so delicious, but do you think it would work in the instant pot? I’m thinking of making 25 for a family reunion and, it may not be faster, but it seems so much easier to do that rather than dealing with multiple water baths.
Hi Trina! We’ve never tested our crème brûlée recipe in an instant pot but let us know if you give it a try 🙂
I halved this recipe which was the perfect amount to fill four 1.5 in high round ramikins, using three larrge eggs and withput espresso powder and they came out PERFECT and delicious, restaurant quality. Bake time was exactly 35min and I used the thermometer to ensure 170 degrees, set perfectly. Creamy and wonderful. This recipe was a keeper and my first time making it was a success thanks to your tips and video. Thank you!
I halved everything and used 3 yolks and got the same amount. Instead of espresso powder, I steeped a couple earl grey tea bags in the simmering milk. So good!
That sounds amazing.
I used this recipe for my first attempt every♡ they turned out great and I LOVED the added espresso. But it made way more than I was expecting (I think my dishes are small compared to normal). How would I half this recipe?
I halve this all the time and just use 3 egg yolks. Comes out great.
Made them but completely forgot to use boiling water for the water bath! Took longer to heat but eventually did once I turned up the heat a little. Will that be ok?
Tried this recipe yesterday and it turned out amazing! I made it for a friend who’s favorite dessert is crème brûlée and she said it was incredible as every drop was devoured. I am confused on the size of the ramekins, though. The link for the oval ramekins says 4 oz and the circle are 6 oz. I bought 6 oz ramekins and was only able to fill 5 out of the 6. What is the correct size for your recipe? Do you have suggestions on how to size the recipe up or down? Thank you!!
Hi Jessica, both 4 and 6 oz ramekins work great! The yield will depend on the size ramekins you use. We’re so glad you and your friend loved it!