Easy Crème Brûlée (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option)

With a creamy rich custard base and a crispy caramelized sugar topping, this easy crème brûlée is a delicious French dessert that’s perfect for special occasions. Naturally gluten-free and can be easily made dairy-free too.

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Literally meaning ‘burnt cream’ in French, crème brûlée is a dessert made up of a creamy rich custard base that’s topped with a layer of caramelized sugar – with the extreme contrasts in texture making it a deliciously decadent dessert.

It is usually served in individual ramekins, which not only make a beautiful presentation, but is also great for individual servings.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

• Simple Ingredients: You only need 4 ingredients for this classic French dessert, all of which are easily accessible at the local grocery store (nothing fancy required!).
• Easy to Make: With just 5 minutes of prep time for this gluten-free creme brulee, most of work is done by the oven and the refrigerator. While there are a few steps involved, it’s essentially an uncomplicated process.
• Totally Gluten-Free with Dairy-Free Option: The best part is that this recipe is naturally gluten-free, and can easily be made dairy-free by swapping out the heavy cream for dairy-free heavy cream.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for making this easy gluten-free crème brûlée recipe.

(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

Recipe Notes + Substitutions:

• Cream: If you are lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use dairy-free heavy cream instead.
• Vanilla Paste: If you don’t have vanilla paste, you may use equal amounts of vanilla extract instead.
• Yolks: Egg yolks are a key ingredient in making the custard base, so make sure you add them in. (Since you’ll only need the yolks, make sure to separate the egg whites and keep them for a separate use.)
• Sugar: I use granulated white sugar, but cane sugar would work as well.

How to Make Crème Brûlée (Step by Step):

1. Preheat Oven

Preheat the oven to 265F.

2. Heat Cream with Vanilla

Pour the heavy whipping cream into a saucepan and add the vanilla bean paste, stir. Heat for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, without bringing to a boil, then let the cream mixture cool.

3. Beat Yolks and Sugar

Combine the yolks and sugar in a bowl. Beat for 4-5 minutes until fluffy and light yellow.

4. Add Cream to Yolk Mixture

Carefully, in small portions, pour the warm cream into the bowl with the yolks and stir.

5. Transfer Mixture to Ramekins

Place 5 medium ramekins (approximately 8 ounces per ramekin) in a suitable deep baking dish or a baking sheet with high sides. Fill the the ramekins with a mixture of yolks and cream.

Carefully pour enough hot water into the baking sheet, until the water is at least halfway up the ramekins with the crème brûlée (this creates a water bath which helps to keep the air in the oven moist, and prevents the custard from cracking).

6. Bake

Bake the crème brûlée for about 35-40 minutes. After baking, the custard can be slightly wobbly and seem liquid inside – this is normal.

7. Let Set

Take the ramekins out from the oven and let cool. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and let the crème brûlée chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

8. Prepare Caramelized Sugar Crust

Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the top of the custard and melt it with a butane torch (or kitchen torch), holding it for 6-7 seconds.

As it cools, the sugar will form a golden brown caramelized crust. You can either serve it immediately or let it cool for another 10-15 minutes.

9. Garnish and Serve

Garnish this delicious dessert with fresh berries, fresh mint and serve.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

• Let Chill: It’s important to let the custard base chill well, and only make the caramelized sugar crust when ready to serve. The cold, creamy custard base will go beautifully with the crunchy hot caramelized sugar for the most amazing contrast.
• Make it Dairy-Free: If you are lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use dairy-free heavy cream instead.
• Make Smaller Portions: I used medium ramekins (8 ounces each) which resulted in 5 servings. However, if you use small 5-ounce ramekins, you will be able to get 8 servings of this gluten-free creme brulee.

Other Gluten-Free Desserts to Make:

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Easy Crème Brûlée (Gluten-Free)

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Felicia Lim
• Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes
• Yield: 5 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

With a creamy rich custard base and a crispy caramelized sugar topping, this easy crème brûlée is a delicious French dessert that’s perfect for any special occasion. Naturally gluten-free and can be easily made dairy-free too.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the Custard Base:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 5 yolks
• 5 tablespoons sugar

For the Sugar Topping:

• 2 tablespoons sugar for the crust

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Instructions

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 265F.
2. Heat Cream with Vanilla: Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan and add the vanilla bean paste, stir. Heat for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, without bringing to a boil, then let cool.
3. Beat Yolks and Sugar: Combine the yolks and sugar in a bowl. Beat for 4-5 minutes until fluffy and light yellow.
4. Add Cream to Yolk Mixture: Carefully, in small portions, pour the warm cream into the bowl with the yolks and stir.
5. Transfer Mixture to Ramekins: Place 5 medium ramekins (approximately 8 ounces per ramekin) in a suitable deep baking dish or a baking sheet with high sides. Fill the the ramekins with a mixture of yolks and cream. Carefully pour hot water into the baking sheet, until the water is at least halfway up the ramekins with the crème brûlée.
6. Bake: Bake the crème brûlée for about 35-40 minutes. Crème brûlée can be slightly wobbly and seem liquid inside – this is normal.
7. Let Set: Take the ramekins out from the oven and let cool. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and let the crème brûlée chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
8. Prepare Caramelized Sugar Crust: Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the top of the cold custard and melt it with a butane torch, holding it for 6-7 seconds. As it cools, the sugar will form a caramelized crust. You can cool it for another 10-15 minutes.
9. Garnish and Serve: Garnish the crème brûlée with fresh berries, fresh mint and serve.

Notes

Cream: If you are lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use dairy-free heavy cream instead.

Vanilla Paste: If you don’t have vanilla paste, you may use equal amounts of vanilla extract instead.

Yolks: Egg yolks are a key ingredient in making the custard base, so make sure you add them in.

Sugar: I use granulated white sugar, but cane sugar would work as well.

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Chilling Time: 4 hours
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French