It’s once again that time of year when delicious pumpkin recipes (hello pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!) filled with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice are all the hype.
So, in the spirit of Fall, I’m giving creamy, custardy classic flan a pumpkin twist!
My favorite flan recipe is cream cheese flan, however, I have to say this pumpkin flan definitely did not disappoint!
Think pumpkin pie flavors with a creamy custard texture. YUM!
Let me show you how to make it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fall flavors. Yup, all those warm spices you know and love about this season are in this flan. Think of this flan de calabaza as a pumpkin pie without the crust!
- Simple ingredients. I don’t know about you but I love desserts that I can make on a whim. Most of these ingredients are sitting in my pantry year-round. You can do the same! This way whenever the mood hits (even when it’s not Fall!), you can enjoy this pumpkin flan too.
- Family-friendly & Crowd-favorite. No one has ever denied a slice of sweet & creamy flan. Whether you’re taking this flan de calabaza to a Thanksgiving potluck or your next family gathering, it will for sure be a hit!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Granulated sugar. This is what you need to make the caramel.
- Sweetened condensed milk. This adds creamy texture and sweetness to the flan.
- Evaporated milk. This also adds a creamy texture because it uses less water than regular milk. You can also substitute evaporated with coconut milk for this pumpkin flan recipe!
- Pumpkin purée. The star of the show! I use Libby’s. This brand only has 1 ingredient which is perfect for this recipe. If your pumpkin puree is too watery, it will ruin the flan so make sure to blot it with a paper towel so it doesn’t add more liquid to this batter.
- Eggs. Always use room-temperature eggs as they will blend better with the milk mixture.
- Vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, salt, and nutmeg. All the Fall flavors we know and love!
- Water bath. Similar to a cheesecake, a water bath (baño maria) is key for custards to cook evenly.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Make the caramel. 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.
- Blend the flan ingredients. In a high-speed blender, add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, pumpkin purée, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin spice, and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour the milk mixture over the set caramel in the round pan.
- Prep the water bath. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Carefully fill the roasting pan with about 2 inches of hot water.
- Bake the flan at 350ºF for 50-55 minutes or until the center is just set. If the outer rims look set but the middle jiggles when you gently shake the pan, the flan is done. You will be tempted to continue to bake it but then you run the risk of it getting a rubbery texture. Don’t do it!
- Chill the flan. 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 be fully set.
- Flip it! Remove the 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.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make this flan up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge. Don’t flip it until you’re ready to serve. All I would recommend is to wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. They will incorporate better with all the ingredients so you get a super smooth milk mixture for the custard.
- Use a water bath to bake the flan. Similar to a cheesecake, a water bath (or a Bain-Marie) adds moisture to the oven helping flans cook evenly without drying them out, curdling the eggs, or resulting in a rubbery texture.
- Give yourself ample time. Above all else, this isn’t a recipe you want to rush. Make sure you plan ahead before making this recipe. Measure out your ingredients, use high-quality brand products, and take your time.
Storage Tips
You can leave the flan in the same plate you transferred it to for 1 day covered with aluminum foil however you definitely want to eventually store it in an airtight container to avoid it from spoiling.
It lasts about 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you have a bunch of caramel left over in the pan after you flip over the flan, you can transfer it to a jar and use it to top each individual slice of flan as you serve it.
Questions About Flan de Calabaza
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.
An overcooked flan does not have a smooth texture. It has a lumpy texture and tastes very eggy which is no bueno.
If your baking time is too long or the baking temperature is too high, it could result in the custard boiling and overcooking.
Yes, yes it does. It’s actually better served cold! If you leave the flan out, at room temperature, for too long after it’s baked, the consistency will not hold up and will probably spoil. Leave it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Flan de Calabaza (Easy Pumpkin Flan)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 15 ounces pumpkin purée (Libby's is the best brand)
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
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 350°F.
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. In a high-speed blender, add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, pumpkin purée, eggs, vanilla, spices, and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour the milk mixture over the set caramel in the round pan.
- Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Carefully fill the roasting pan with about 2 inches of hot water.
- Bake the flan for 50-55 minutes or 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. If it is watery meaning it is not jiggly but liquidy, continue 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. The flan will continue to set as it cools and the rest of the 'setting' process will continue in the fridge.
- Carefully remove the pan from the water bath and allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. After 30 minutes, place the flan in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight so the flan can fully set.
- Remove the 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!
Jane Burt says
I made this today. I don’t know what happened – after 55 minutes it was still watery. After another 10 minutes it was firm around the edges – about 1/2 inch Flavor good. The only thing I did extra was strain before putti9ng i9n oven. Will try again. But maybe just 4 eggs and ONLY strain the eggs.
Jamie Silva says
Hi! You definitely don’t want to over bake it so overall, the outer rim of the flan should look set while the middle jiggles like Jello-O. That’s how you know it’s cooked but not over cooked. The rest of the process is done in the fridge where it will fully set. No straining needed! :)