Pumpkin Flan: a simple, delicious recipe for a festive flan de calabaza

With its incredible pumpkin and warm baking spice flavor and rich, creamy texture pumpkin flan is a phenomenal dessert to make this fall. This decadent recipe is known as flan de calabaza, and it's popular in many Latin American countries.

Pumpkin flan is a wonderful, easy-to-make dessert you can serve at Thanksgiving dinner if you're looking for something delicious but different from the traditional pumpkin pie. It has a stunningly creamy, silky-smooth texture and the right amount of pumpkin flavor. Once they try a bite, your friends will be begging you for the recipe!

Easy Pumpkin Flan Ingredients

To make homemade pumpkin flan, you'll need a few key ingredients. To start, you'll need sugar to make the caramel. Regular white granulated sugar will do the trick but you can use brown sugar if you prefer.

To make the custardy pumpkin flan, you'll need evaporated milk and condensed milk – this will make your flan gorgeously creamy, eggs, and of course, some pumpkin puree.

Pumpkin spice mix will add a warming spicy note to your dessert, while a dash of vanilla extract ties the dish together.

How to Make Pumpkin Flan

If you've never made flan before, don't worry. It's easy! Preheat your oven to 350F. Pour the sugar into your saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it caramelizes. Don't be tempted to stir it! This will cause the caramel to crystalize. Gently pour the caramel into a pie pan and set it aside.

Next up, grab a large bowl and whisk the eggs. Beat in the evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and pumpkin spice until the mixture is smooth. Pour the milk mixture over the caramel. Put the pie dish into a large bundt pan and pour enough water into the pan so it comes about halfway up the side of the pie dish. Bake the flan for 1 hour or until it sets.

Take the flan out of the oven and let it cool down to room temperature. Once it's cool, pop it in the fridge overnight to set. To remove the flan from the pie dish, run a knife around the edges. Place the serving platter over the pie dish, then flip it over. That's it!

Tips for the Best Easy Pumpkin Flan

You can make keto pumpkin flan by swapping out the sugar for a sweetener like erythritol and using sugar-free condensed milk.

Leaving your flan in the fridge overnight will help it set and give you the perfect texture.

While the caramel is cooking, don't stir it. If you need to, you can gently swirl the pan.

Don't skip the water bath! This will allow your flan to cook gently, which will give you that indulgent, ultra-creamy texture.

How to Store Pumpkin Flan

Flan tastes best when enjoyed within a day of baking. However, it can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

More Recipes You'll Like

Spanish flan

Brazilian flan

Chocolate flan cake

Egg custard

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Put the sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until it caramelizes. Transfer the caramel to the pie pan and set it aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Beat in the evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and pumpkin spice. Pour the milk mixture over the caramel.

Put the pie pan into a large bundt pan. Pour enough water into the pan so it comes about halfway up the pie dish. Bake for 1 hour, or until the flan sets.

Remove from the oven and let the flan cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate overnight.

To remove the flan, gently run a knife around the edges of the pie dish. Place the serving platter over the pie dish, then flip it over.

Notes

Use an 8-inch pie pan to make your flan.