If you're a fan of custard-based desserts then this vegan crème brûlée is something you'll want to try. Similar to my pumpkin creme brulee and vegan creme caramel recipes, this recipe is based on an easy coconut custard.
With a rich and creamy vanilla-speckled custard underneath a shell of crackling caramelized sugar, you'll have a delicious fancy dessert with very little effort!
What is creme brulee?
Crème brûlee is a French custard-based dessert with a layer of hardened caramelized sugar. Traditionally creme brulee (translating to "burnt cream") is made using eggs and cream. But, it is surprisingly easy to make vegan, and perhaps even easier than the traditional version as there is no baking involved.
What to expect from this recipe
- Creamy and light
- No-bake and easy to make
- Made with only 6 ingredients
- Caramel and vanilla flavor
- Eggless, dairy-free, and gluten-free with a nut-free option
- A guaranteed crowd-pleaser
- Perfect for special occasions (Christmas, Valentine's day, etc.)
Ingredients overview
- Almond milk: I use almond milk because of its neutral flavor and creamy consistency.
- Coconut milk: For this recipe, you will need full-fat canned coconut milk. As well as adding richness and creaminess to the dessert that would usually come from egg yolks, and coconut milk sets when chilled helping to thicken the custard.
- Cornflour, or cornstarch if you live in the US is an egg replacement for vegan recipes. This is thanks to its thickening properties. Together with full-fat coconut milk, it creates a creamy and thick custard base for this recipe.
- Sugar: You can use caster sugar (superfine sugar) or cane sugar depending on what you have available to you. The sugar is dissolved into the custard to sweeten it. It also forms a layer on top of the puddings which is caramelized before serving.
- Vanilla: I recommend using both vanilla extract and a vanilla pod to get an intense vanilla-y flavor for the custard. The vanilla bean creates beautiful vanilla specs in the creme brulee while the extract adds an extra punch of flavor and a slightly beige color.
- Sea salt: This helps to enhance the vanilla flavor of the custard while balancing the overall sweetness of the dessert.
How to make vegan crème brûlée (with step-by-step images)
(Full ingredient quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post)
The first step to making this delicious vegan creme brulee is preparing the custard base. Add the almond milk, sugar, and cornflour to a saucepan and give everything a good whisk over low heat. Continue to whisk until the sugar has dissolved into the almond milk.
At this point add the remaining ingredients for the custard (vanilla pod, vanilla extract, and sea salt) and increase the temperature to medium-high. Continue to simmer the custard for 5 minutes, this will cook out the cornflour and thicken the mixture.
Make sure you're constantly whisking the custard as it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan.
Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the vanilla pod along and allow it to cool slightly for around 5 minutes.
Next, distribute the custard between the serving ramekins and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.
How to caramelize creme brulee
The easiest way to get that beautiful crisp shell on top of your egg-free creme brulee is with a kitchen torch.
Do this just before serving. Add a little sugar on top of each creme brulee and use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar until browned. Being hygroscopic, sugar attracts liquid. Humid environments are not good for your creme brulees once they have been blow-torched. If you caramelize the sugar before refrigerating, it will soften and turn into a caramel sauce!
Storage instructions
Store this vegan creme brulee in the fridge before caramelizing the top. Make sure they are airtight by sealing them with some cling film until ready to serve. They will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.
I do not recommend freezing vegan creme brulee.
Frequently asked questions
You can caramelize the sugar under the grill provided that you've used heat-resistant ramekins. You just need to make sure it is very hot, as you don’t want to leave them under there for too long as this could melt the pudding underneath.
Yes, you can substitute the almond milk for soy milk or oat milk to make this creme brulee nut-free.
Yes, this vegan creme brulee is also gluten-free.
You can use another heat-resistant cup or bowl to make these puddings. I also tested the recipe as a large creme brulee "to-share" (pictured below).
More custard-based desserts
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment as well, thanks!
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📖 Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- 250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened almond milk
- 70 g (⅓ cups) caster sugar (superfine)
- 40 g (⅓ cup) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 400 g (14.11 oz) chilled full-fat canned coconut milk, *see recipe notes
- 1 vanilla pod, optional
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (¼ tsp) sea salt
- 50 g (4 tbsp) cane sugar, or caster sugar
Instructions
- Place 4 large 180ml ramekins on a tray and set them aside.
- Add the almond milk, caster sugar, and cornflour to a saucepan and place on it a low heat. Whisk vigorously for a couple of minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Slice the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and pod to a saucepan along with the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
- Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, while continuously whisking. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes, the custard will start to thicken. Make sure you are constantly stirring the custard to avoid it burning to the bottom of the pan. I recommend alternating between a whisk and rubber spatula.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove any large particles from the vanilla pod. Allow it to cool slightly for 5 minutes. Distribute the custard between the serving ramekins, cover with clingfilm or a plate. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.
- Just before serving, add 1 tablespoon of cane sugar or caster sugar in an even layer on top of each dessert. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar until browned. Serve immediately.
Notes
Storage instructions
Nutrition
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How much do I use from everything???? I didn't find the measurements...
Found em thanks!!!!
And I gotta say! So far great recipe.
Hi Christina! Do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk?
Thanks, Pat
Hi Pat,
You want unsweetened full-fat coconut milk from a can, similar to coconut cream.
Haven't made it yet, just wondering what's the amount of coconut milk (top part only), that I should have in the end? Like in grams? How long can it stay in the fridge before serving? Would like to make in advance.
Hi Isabelle,
You will need 400g of the top part of coconut milk in total, that's why it can vary how many cans needed depending on the brand as they all differ slightly. I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
It came out great but the coconut taste was way to overpowering for my own taste 🙁
Hi Isabelle,
Oh I'm sorry to hear it wasn't to your taste. I don't personally taste it but totally understand it might be detectable more easily if you dislike coconut! Thank you for your feedback
Hi there ,
Can I batch this recipe x 40 as I will need 160 portions ?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
James
Hi James,
I would probably batch it off into 4-5 parts just to have a little more control of the mixture's consistency when cooking and to make sure it sets at the right stages etc. I hope this helps!
Super bummed! I don’t know if letting the full fat coconut milk top chunk melt in before simmering did me in or I missed a window of goodness somehow but the mix turned into a very weird clumpy mess- the liquid was seperated! I don’t know how to turn it back, I was going to surprise my friends with some 🙁 I didn’t have a vanilla pod and my friend didn’t have a sieve, but I don’t think a sieve would’ve made it smooth like custard
I think in the future, adding a few photos may help. I think I need to stick to video recipes, although it’s tedious rewatching the same video every time to get measurements 🫠
After thinking about it I must have overcooked it, but even when it was smooth the liquid was still separated. I did have to do Print to adjust to 3 servings since I only had that exact amount of coconut top cream
Hello!
Thank you so much for your feedback. Oh no - I´m honestly not sure why it could have separated. Did you use cornstarch as the thickening agent? To me, it sounds like there was either too much water/liquids vs fats, or there was acid in the mixture. If you hop up the page there is a section with step by step images in case that helps.
Could vanilla bean paste be used in this recipe instead of the vanilla & vanilla bean? If so, what amount would you recommend?
Hi Marce,
Absolutely, I would go with a full tablespoon of vanilla bean paste since it's the main flavor of the custard. Hope this helps!
do you think i could sub vegan heavy whipping cream for the coconut?
Hi Sierra!
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to test that out as it isn't available here. What I would suggest is trying a quarter of the recipe out first to see how it goes, just to avoid wastage. But I imagine it should work, the consistency will differ though. Please do let me know if you give it a try x
Can you taste the coconut milk?
Hi Diana,
I don't think it does at all, but then it depends on how sensitive you are to the taste I'd say
Can I use unsweetened coconut cream instead of coconut milk?
Hi Kimberly,
Yes you can 🙂
Hello Christina 🙂
I want to make this yummy dessert and was wondering if instead a blowtorch (I don't have one) I can just put it on the grill for a few minutes? Will that make the same effect?
Hi Mónica,
Yes, you can, I have included instructions in the FAQ section above the recipe. I will say though that a blowtorch gives a much better result 🙂
Hello. We can't do corn, is there anything you suggest using in substitution for this? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Caycee,
Sure you can use arrowroot starch 🙂
I rushed to make this loaf as soon as I saw it. It’s wonderful! Lovely spices flavour. I skipped the frosting to keep it healthy and it’s still quite indulgent!
Your recipes look delicious! I ame across your site searching for a vegan creme brulee recipe. I would like very much to try to make this. I'm confused about how much coconut cream is required per serving - especially since the notes say, "You may need more than one can," implying a specific amount of cream is required and it might take more than one can to produce that amount. Unless I'm missing something, and I could be, I don't see where it says how much cream is needed. Thanks for your help!
Thank you, Joy! So you need 400 g (14.11 oz) of coconut cream in total, this does not include the watery part from the can. Most brands of coconut milk vary in how much actual solid cream is yielded from a 400ml can once it has been chilled, so this is why you may need a few cans. Hope this helps
Thanks! It does!
This note right here is extremely valuable. I am reading the recipe and seeing coconut milk and coconut cream interchanged - which is confusing and only made clear in your note here. ❤️🙏