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Pumpkin Flan

This Pumpkin Flan recipe is a great addition to your Thanksgiving table! A crowd-pleasing holiday dessert with the silky, creamy texture of a baked custard and the festive taste of pumpkin pie!  

Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword flan recipe, pumpkin flan, Thanksgiving dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 38 minutes
Total Time 43 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 399 kcal
Author Denisse

Ingredients

  • cooking spray
  • 1 cup sugar divided
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 cup pureed or canned pumpkin
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. allspice
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray six ramekins with nonstick cooking spray and arrange ramekins in a baking pan with high sides.

  2. Heat 1/2 cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until sugar caramelizes and turns dark brown about 7-8 minutes. Working quickly so that sugar does not harden, divide caramel equally among ramekins.

  3. Bring heavy cream to a simmer in a saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside. Add remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, eggs, egg yolks, pumpkin, vanilla, spices, and salt to a medium-sized bowl and mix until smooth. Slowly add hot cream to the mixture, whisking until combined.

  4. Divide filling evenly among ramekins and fill the baking pan halfway with boiling water. Transfer baking pan to oven and bake until custard is just set about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

  5. When flans have cooled, place a dessert plate on top of each ramekin and invert (carefully run a butter knife around the edge if flans do not slide out easily). Allow caramel syrup to pour over the top of each flan and garnish with pomegranate seeds if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • Do not walk away from the stove when you're making the caramel or your caramel might over brown and burn. Do not be tempted to turn up the heat and hurry the caramelization process. Be patient, the sugar will melt and turn golden brown.
  • To prevent a grainy texture with air pockets, try to avoid whisking air into your flan batter. It's best to stir with a silicone spatula as opposed to a whisk.
  • Check your oven temperature with a thermometer. Cooking your flan at too high a temperature can cause the custard to curdle and result in graininess.  Low and slow  is the key to a silky smooth flan and DO NOT forget to cook it in a water bath.
  • As soon as you see your pumpkin flan has set and stopped jiggling, turn off the heat and let it cool.