Go Back
–+ servings
Dairy-free crème brûlée with a crackly caramelized sugar top, garnished with fresh berries in a white ramekin.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Dairy-Free Crème Brûlée

This dairy-free crème brûlée brings all the elegance of a French bakery to your own kitchen. Coconut milk creates a smooth, creamy custard, and the caramelized sugar topping gives it that signature crackly finish.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Chill Time6 hours
Total Time7 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: dairy-free creme brulee
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Ashley Barbey

Equipment

  • 4 4-6 oz Ramekins

Ingredients

  • 13.5 oz full-fat unsweetened coconut milk (400ml) 1 can
  • 5 egg yolks
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67g) + more for sprinkling on top
  • 1½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract use vanilla bean paste if you want the classic speckled look and stronger aroma

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300°F and place four 6 oz. ramekins in a medium baking dish (9x9 pan)
  • In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup coconut milk and sugar to a boil, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add vanilla. Cover with a lid and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, bring a kettle of water to a boil. Stir in the remaining coconut milk to the hot milk/sugar mixture.
  • Whisk yolks in a medium bowl.
  • Slowly stream the coconut milk mixture, whisking constantly until well combined.
  • Divide the mixture evenly into the ramekins. Fill the pan with hot water, ⅔ of the way up the sides of the ramekins.
  • Bake for 30-35 mins until 175°F and the center is barely set. It should jiggle slightly in the center.
  • Cool for 2 hours at room temperature in the water bath. Then chill for 4 hours until completely chilled through.
  • Sprinkle each chilled crème brulee with 2 tsp of sugar.
  • With a kitchen torch, heat the sugar until all the sugar is dissolved and it is bubbly and brown. Chill again for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Light coconut milk won’t work the same way—stick to full-fat for the creamiest texture.
  • Swap vanilla paste for almond extract for a different flavor.
  • Coconut sugar works inside the custard but not on top because it doesn’t melt the same way.
  • For a faster chill: Use shallow, wide ramekins for a thinner custard that chills faster.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 243mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 235mg | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 324IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 4mg