Flan de Queso (Easy Cream Cheese Flan)
Of all the flans I’ve tried, flan de queso has always been my favorite. I mean flan de calabaza comes in a close second but I digress.
Cream cheese flan is a luscious cheesecake-like flan that mi tia would make every Noche Buena. Her kitchen always smelled like caramelized sugar and vanilla during the holidays. She swore that a little cream cheese made all the difference, and she was right!
This version turns the traditional flan custard into something extra creamy and velvety, the kind of dessert that melts on your tongue. And the best part? It’s surprisingly simple to make. Let me show you!
5-star review
“Amazing! I made this last night and loved it. I usually do not like flan made with cream cheese because I find them way to rich. This one was just a bit of cream cheese so the flan was not dense like those I have had in the past. Thank you for a great recipe!”
—May
How To Make Flan De Queso
Every time I make this flan de queso, I think of Titi standing over the stove, a wooden spoon in one hand waiting for the sugar to melt. She’d pour the sugar into the pan and say, “Don’t touch it, let it set.” I still follow her rule today.
The custard comes together with just 6 pantry ingredients, whisked until it’s smooth and creamy. I then bake the flan a la baño Maria until it’s jiggly. The full recipe is below!
Let’s talk about the cream cheese debate. My other aunt who is Puerto Rican adds an entire package of cream cheese into flan whereas Titi used to add a small amount (which is what I shared in the recipe below).
I tested both versions and I have to say… the 2 ounces of softened cream cheese goes a LONG way. It was the perfect amount. I found that adding more than that made the flan’s texture a bit rubbery. Less is more!
🍮 In case you were wondering, YES, you can make this flan up to 24 hours in advance! Once the flan is baked and cooled, just wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge before inverting it. When you’re ready to serve, invert the flan into a pan and enjoy!
Recommended For This Recipe
9-inch Round Cake Pan
I love this cake pan because it is made of heavy gauge aluminized steel to provide even heat distribution and consistent baking results. PLUS it’s dishwasher safe!
Actually, wait, let’s talk about when to know if the flan is cooked. If the outer rims of the flan look set but the middle jiggles like Jell-O when you gently shake the pan, the flan is done. This is what we want!
If it is watery, meaning it is not jiggly but liquidy, you can continue the flan to bake for 5-10 minutes until no longer liquidy. Careful not to over bake or you run the risk of it getting a rubbery texture.
6-Ingredient Flan de Queso (Cream Cheese Flan)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt sugar over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning until it turns an amber color. Don’t walk away. Sugar can burn so easily. Once you get liquid gold, remove it from the heat and pour the caramel into a 9-inch round cake pan, moving it around to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a high-speed blender, add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, softened to room temperature cream cheese, room temperature eggs, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour the milk mixture over the set caramel in the round pan.
- Place the round pan in a large roasting pan. Carefully fill the roasting pan with about 2 inches of hot water.
- Bake the flan for 45-60 minutes until the center is just set. If the outer rims look set but the middle jiggles like Jello-O when you gently shake the pan, the flan is done. The outer rim of the flan should feel firm to the touch while the center is jiggly, not liquidy, and smooth.
- If it is watery meaning it is not jiggly but liquidy, you can continue the flan to bake for 5-10 minutes until no longer liquidy. Remember jiggly is OK. It's what we want! Careful not to overbake or you run the risk of it getting a rubbery texture.
- It is actually better to slightly undercook than overcook since the flan will continue to set as it cools at room temperature. The rest of the 'setting' or 'cooking' process continues in the fridge as it chills.
- Carefully remove the pan from the water bath and allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight so the flan can fully set.
- Remove pan from the fridge. Run a knife around the sides of the round pan to slightly loosen the flan.
- Place a large plate on top of the round pan and invert the pan (flip it over) so the flan transfers onto a large plate. Slice, serve, and enjoy!*
Amazing! I made this last night and loved it. I usually do not like flan made with cream cheese because I find them way to rich. This one was just a bit of cream cheese so the flan was not dense like those I have had in the past.
Thank you for a great recipe!
So happy you enjoyed it, May! Thank you for your comment!
I tried this recipe and think the 350-degree cooking temperature is a bit high. My custard curdled despite being smooth at room temperature and placed in a preheated water bath. I will try again. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Dan! I’ve made this recipe for years and 350ºF has always worked for me. Next time, try not to over mix. Blending the mixture too much can introduce air and cause the flan to curdle. Also, you can try adding more water to the water bath just to be safe. Good luck!
Hi Jamie! Curious –why just 2oz cream cheese when most recipes call for 8 oz? Can’t wait to make this:)
Best wishes,
-Thanh
Hi! In my experience, the more cream cheese I added, the more rubbery the consistency. And I prefer a soft, creamy texture so 2oz is just right!
I made it last night, and it came out great
Hii, how would I use this recipe but with a grammar cracker crusted bottom..should I get a pre made pie crust? Thank you. !!
Hi! I’ve never made this recipe with a graham cracker crust so I’m not sure if it will work since it is more of a custard.
What do I substitute if I don’t want cream cheese?
Just leave it out and it’ll just be regular flan :)