Mexican · Sweets

Pumpkin Flan

Leanne Valenti

by Leanne Valenti

Valentiful, Bento Picnic

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Tested by
Valentiful
Cooked and tested by the Valentiful team

This Pumpkin Flan combines the velvety texture of traditional flan casero with the cozy, spiced flavor of pumpkin pie. A touch of cream cheese makes the custard extra silky and more forgiving than classic versions — no curdling, no cracks, just a smooth set every time. Easy to make and impressively elegant, it's sure to become your go-to holiday dessert!

Reasons To Love This Recipe

  1. Simple Ingredients: Pantry staples like eggs, sugar, canned milk, and pumpkin puree make this an easy dessert to whip up at home.
  2. Gluten-Free: Naturally grain-free, it’s a great choice for those with dietary restrictions.
  3. Holiday-Worthy: Perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any family gathering, this crowd-pleasing flan will wow everyone!
Tastes
Colors
Techniques
DietaryPescatarian · Gluten-Free · Soy-Free · Nut-Free · Allium-Free · Fish-Free · Sesame-Free · Shellfish-Free
Yield2 flans (9")
Serves16 (1 slice)
TimeActive 30m · Inactive 5h · Total 5h 30m

Ingredients

⅔ cup Sugar1/3 cup per flan
⅛ tsp Kosher Salt
5 Large Eggs

Instructions

••
Preheat oven 350 °F.
CHECK YOUR WATER BATH FIT: Before anything else, confirm your 9" pie pan fits inside your baking dish with at least half an inch of space on all sides, and that the baking dish is tall enough to hold water halfway up the pie pan.
• If you're baking both flans at once, your baking dish needs to hold both pie pans with space between them; otherwise, plan to bake in two rounds.
Heat sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula until fully melted and smooth.
Once the sugar turns an amber color, quickly pour it into the pie pan(s), swirling to coat the bottom evenly.
• Never walk away from caramel—it can burn in seconds! And never taste caramel while it’s hot—it can cause serious burns.
In a blender, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth (about 30 seconds). Add the eggs and blend briefly (about 10 seconds).
Pour 1 quart of custard into each of the caramel-coated pans.
Cover the pans tightly with foil.
• If you’re only making one flan now, pour the remaining custard into a quart-sized container and refrigerate for later.
Place the flan pan in a larger baking dish or deep oven-safe pan. Gently pour water into the larger dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan pan.
Bake for about 60 minutes, or until the center is slightly jiggly but mostly set.
Remove from oven and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Run a sharp knife around the edges of the chilled flan to loosen it from the pan. Place a large plate over the pan and invert quickly to release the flan. The caramel will flow beautifully over the top creating a glossy sheen. Serve chilled.
Finished cooking?

Serving & Keeping

Serve: Chilled
Make ahead: Chill the flan at least 4 hours, or better yet make it a day ahead so it can chill overnight to fully set and release cleanly.
Keeps: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 5–6 days.
Serve with: For extra flair, top with edible flowers, toasted pepita seeds, or fresh berries.

Menus

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