Name: Creme Brulee Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 cups heavy cream; 1 cup whole milk; 6 large egg yolks; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt; 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, for topping

Creme Brulee Recipe tastes like silky vanilla custard with a glassy caramel sugar top that shatters under your spoon, and it suits anyone who loves a simple dessert that feels fancy without much fuss, ready in about 1 hour plus chilling time. It works perfectly for date nights, dinner parties, or a solo “I deserve this” moment on the couch. I first learned this in a tiny apartment kitchen with a wobbly oven, so if I pulled it off there, you can absolutely nail it at home too.

Why Make This Creme Brulee Recipe at Home

You control everything at home, from the sweetness level to how thick you want the caramelized sugar crust. You also skip restaurant prices while serving a dessert that looks like it came from a white-tablecloth place.

This Creme Brulee Recipe uses basic ingredients, simple technique, and a regular oven. You can even skip a fancy torch and still get that caramelized top with your broiler.

This Creme Brulee Recipe tastes like a restaurant dessert but comes together with simple ingredients and reliable results every time. ★★★★★

Ingredients You Need

Custard base:

Heavy cream: 2 cups
- Use full-fat heavy cream for the creamiest custard. Avoid half-and-half, which turns the texture thin and less rich.
Egg yolks: 5 large
- Separate them carefully so no whites sneak in, which can toughen the custard. Save the whites for meringues or omelets.
Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup for the custard
- Regular white sugar works best. Superfine sugar dissolves faster but does not change flavor much.
Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons
- Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation, for deeper flavor. You can also use vanilla bean paste for pretty specks.
Fine sea salt: a small pinch
- Salt sharpens the vanilla flavor and keeps the custard from tasting flat.

For the caramelized sugar top:

Granulated sugar: 4–6 tablespoons
- Use just enough to cover each custard in a thin, even layer. A thicker layer turns too hard and bitter.

Optional flavor boosters:

Vanilla bean: 1 whole bean, split and scraped, instead of extract
Orange zest: a small pinch for a light citrus note
Instant espresso powder: a tiny pinch for a deeper, almost caramel-like flavor

Equipment list:

4 to 6 ramekins, 4 to 6 ounces each
Large baking dish or roasting pan that fits all ramekins
Medium saucepan
Heatproof mixing bowl
Whisk
Fine mesh strainer
Kitchen torch or oven broiler
Kettle or pot for hot water
Kitchen towel
Plastic wrap

Tips & Mistakes

Use only heavy cream for the custard and skip milk, which makes the texture less silky.
Warm the cream gently and stop before it boils, since boiling can curdle the eggs later.
Temper the egg yolks by adding hot cream slowly while you whisk, so the eggs stay smooth and do not scramble.
Strain the custard before pouring into ramekins to catch any bits of egg or foam.
Tap the ramekins lightly on the counter to pop surface bubbles, which helps the top bake smooth.
Bake the custards in a hot water bath so they cook gently and evenly.
Pour hot water into the pan after you place it on the oven rack, so you avoid splashing water into the custard.
Pull the custards from the oven while the centers still jiggle slightly, since they continue to set as they cool.
Chill the custards at least 4 hours, or overnight, so the texture turns thick and creamy.
Sprinkle sugar in a thin, even layer on very cold custards, since warm custard softens under the torch.
Move the torch in circles and keep it moving, so the sugar caramelizes instead of burning in spots.
Use the broiler if you do not own a torch, but keep the ramekins on a chilled baking sheet to protect the custard.
Avoid stacking ramekins in the fridge, which can crack the sugar top and dent your hard work.
Serve the Creme Brulee Recipe soon after you caramelize the sugar, so the top stays crisp and glassy.

How to Make Creme Brulee Recipe

Step 1: Prep the oven and ramekins

Set your oven to 300°F. Place the ramekins in a large baking dish or roasting pan in a single layer. Set a kettle or pot of water on the stove and heat it until it steams and almost boils.

Step 2: Warm the cream

Pour the heavy cream into a medium saucepan. Add vanilla extract or the scraped vanilla bean and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium-low until the cream steams and tiny bubbles form around the edges, then turn off the heat and let it sit a couple of minutes.

Step 3: Whisk the yolks and sugar

In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until the mixture turns slightly pale and thick. This step dissolves the sugar and gives the custard a smooth texture. Keep whisking until the mixture looks glossy and ribbons off the whisk.

Step 4: Temper the eggs

Slowly drizzle about 1/2 cup of the warm cream into the yolk mixture while you whisk constantly. Continue to add the rest of the cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking the whole time. This method warms the yolks gently and keeps them smooth.

Step 5: Strain and portion

Place a fine mesh strainer over a clean bowl and pour the custard through it. This step removes any cooked egg bits or foam and gives a silky Creme Brulee Recipe. Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins.

Step 6: Set up the water bath

Slide the baking dish with ramekins onto the middle oven rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the baking dish around the ramekins until the water reaches about halfway up the sides. Make sure no water splashes into the custard.

Step 7: Bake the custards

Bake at 300°F for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of your ramekins. Check by gently nudging one ramekin; the edges should look set while the center still jiggles like soft jelly. Pull the pan from the oven as soon as it reaches that stage.

Step 8: Cool and chill

Use tongs or a towel to lift each ramekin from the water bath and place them on a cooling rack. Let them cool to room temperature. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge at least 4 hours or overnight.

Step 9: Add the sugar topping

When you feel ready to serve, remove the custards from the fridge and blot any moisture from the surface with a paper towel. Sprinkle about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard and tilt the ramekin to spread it in a thin, even layer. Shake off any big clumps.

Step 10: Caramelize the sugar

Use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelize the sugar, moving the flame in small circles until the sugar bubbles and turns deep golden. Let the sugar cool 1 to 2 minutes so it hardens into a crisp shell. Serve right away or within 30 minutes for the best texture.

Broiler method if you do not have a torch

Place the chilled custards on a baking sheet and sprinkle them with sugar as above. Chill the baking sheet in the fridge 15 minutes so the custards stay cold. Slide the baking sheet under a hot broiler on the top rack and watch closely, rotating as needed, until the sugar turns deep golden, then cool a couple of minutes before serving.

Variations I've Tried

I swap vanilla extract for vanilla bean paste when I want those pretty black specks and a slightly stronger vanilla flavor. I also add a tiny bit of orange zest to the warm cream for a citrus twist that feels bright and fresh. A small pinch of instant espresso powder in the cream deepens the caramel notes and pairs nicely with the sugar crust.

Chocolate Creme Brulee Recipe tastes rich and cozy, and I make it by whisking a few ounces of chopped dark chocolate into the hot cream until smooth. I also like a maple version, where I replace part of the sugar with real maple syrup and reduce the vanilla slightly. You can even make a lighter coconut version by swapping part of the cream with full-fat coconut milk, which adds a gentle tropical flavor.

How to Serve Creme Brulee Recipe

Serve Creme Brulee Recipe cold with the sugar top freshly caramelized and still crisp. Add a few fresh berries on the side, such as raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries, for color and a bit of tartness. You can also add a tiny spoonful of whipped cream and a mint leaf if you want a restaurant-style look. I like to serve it after a simple dinner so the dessert steals the spotlight without competition.

How to store

Chill leftover Creme Brulee Recipe without the sugar topping, covered tightly, for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Add the sugar and caramelize it right before serving, since the sugar top softens in the fridge.
Avoid freezing the custards, since freezing changes the texture and turns them grainy.
If the custards taste too cold from the fridge, let them sit at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes before you add sugar and caramelize the tops.