Vegan Crème Brûlée
This vegan crème brûlée gives you the same silky, custardy cream and crackly caramelized sugar top as the classic French dessert, with zero eggs and zero dairy. It comes together in one saucepan using coconut milk and agar agar to set, so you get that spoon-through-the-crust magic without ever turning on the oven or setting up a water bath. If you have been missing burnt cream since going plant-based, this is the recipe that brings it back.
Crème brûlée, also known as burnt cream or Trinity Cream, is a dessert of rich custardy cream topped with a thin layer of caramelized sugar. Its earliest mention dates from 1691, when it appeared in a cookbook by François Massialot called Cuisinier royal et bourgeois. The name burnt cream first showed up in an English translation from 1702, and by 1740 Massialot was calling it crème à l’Angloise, literally English cream. Quite an interesting ping-pong between culinary cultures, right?
Why I love making this eggless version
The classic dessert leans on egg yolks and dairy cream, but there are a few good ways to build the custard without them, and I believe the coconut-based method is the one that is more popular. You can definitely see why. Coconut milk is going to have a stronger flavor than the other plant milks, and it is the one I chose for today’s recipe because it carries all that richness a proper crème brûlée needs. The vanilla flavour is also going to be highly appreciated, and I am sure I do not need to tell you why. Full-fat coconut milk plus real vanilla is a combination that just works.
The ingredients that make it work
This is a short ingredient list, so each one earns its place. Here is what you are working with and why it matters:
- Full-fat coconut milk is the base. Reach for the thick canned kind, not the thin drinking carton, because the fat is what gives the cream its body and that luxurious mouthfeel. It is the star of many of my vegan recipes with coconut milk.
- Agar agar flakes are the plant-based setting agent that replaces the egg yolks. Agar is a seaweed-derived gelling agent that firms up as it cools, which is exactly how this custard holds its shape without any baking.
- Coconut sugar and coconut blossom syrup sweeten the cream and, later, form the sugar layer on top. Coconut sugar caramelizes beautifully under heat.
- Vanilla and caramel extract build that deep, dessert-y flavor. The vanilla does the heavy lifting; the caramel extract nudges it toward that burnt-cream character.
- Turmeric is not for flavor here. Just a pinch lends the cream that pale golden, egg-custard color that makes it look like the real deal.
- Chopped pecans finish it off with crunch. You can top this vegan crème brûlée with fruit if you would prefer, and berries would work wonderfully, though I am recommending pecan nuts for today’s recipe.
Why agar agar sets this custard
In a traditional crème brûlée, egg yolks thicken the cream as it bakes. Here, agar agar does that job. Agar needs to be brought to a simmer to activate, then it gels as the mixture cools, which is why the recipe has you heat everything together and then chill it. That is also why you stir continuously and pull the pan off the heat right before it boils. You want the agar fully dissolved and evenly distributed so the finished cream is smooth all the way through, with no grainy spots or uneven set. Chilling for a full three hours (or overnight) gives the agar time to firm the custard into that clean, sliceable texture.
Tips for the perfect caramelized top
The crackly sugar crust is the whole point of a crème brûlée, and it is where a little care pays off. Unmold each set cream onto a serving plate, then scatter coconut sugar over the top. To caramelize it, you can use a kitchen blowtorch held a few inches above the surface, moving it in small circles until the sugar melts and turns amber. If you decide to do this, I cannot stress this enough: patience is everything when it comes to this recipe, as only a few seconds can be enough to burn the sugar on top and ruin everything. Keep the flame moving, stop the moment the sugar glassifies, and let it cool for a minute so the crust hardens into that signature shatter.
- Use a thin, even layer of sugar. Too thick and the outside scorches before the inside melts.
- Work over a heatproof surface and keep the torch moving in small passes.
- Serve soon after torching, while the top is still crisp and the cream underneath is cold.
Make-ahead, storage and more desserts to try
This dessert is a great one to prep in advance. Pour the cream into your silicone molds and let it set in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight, so the make-ahead step is built right into the recipe. Keep the set creams covered in the fridge for up to three days, and add the sugar layer and caramelize it only just before serving, so the crust stays crisp instead of dissolving into the cold cream. I would not recommend freezing, as agar-set custards can weep and change texture once thawed.
If you love a creamy, spoonable finish to a meal, you will find plenty more in my collection of vegan pudding recipes. And since crème brûlée is a French classic, it sits right at home alongside the rest of my French cuisine recipes if you are planning a whole plant-based menu.
If you make this vegan crème brûlée, I would love to know how your caramel crust turned out and whether you went with pecans or berries on top. Please leave a star rating and drop a comment below, and as always: if you are trying it, make sure to tell me if you liked it or not!
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Vegan Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
For the cream:
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
- ½ tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
- ½ Tbsp agar agar flakes
- 1 tsp caramel extract
- ¼ tsp turmeric
For the topping:
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp coconut blossom syrup
- 1 Tbsp pecan chopped
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring continuously.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat before boiling.
- Make sure all the ingredients are creamy and fully incorporated.
- Let the cream cool for about 2 minutes, while continuing to stir.
- Pour the creme brulee into 2 silicone forms and let them set in the fridge for about 3 hours or overnight.
- Discard each creme brulee on a serving plate. Top with ½ Tbsp coconut syrup and ½ Tbsp coconut sugar and chopped pecans. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It uses full-fat coconut milk instead of dairy cream and agar agar instead of egg yolks, so there are no eggs, dairy, or honey anywhere in the recipe. Every ingredient, from the coconut sugar to the caramel extract and pecans, is plant-based.
Agar agar, a seaweed-derived gelling agent, does the job the egg yolks would normally do. It is brought to a simmer to activate, then it firms the cream as it chills in the fridge, giving you a smooth, sliceable custard without any baking.
The recipe finishes the top with coconut sugar, and a small kitchen blowtorch gives the most reliable caramelized crust. If you do torch it, keep the flame moving and watch it closely, because only a few seconds can burn the sugar and ruin the top.
The turmeric is purely for color, not flavor. Just a pinch gives the cream that pale golden, egg-custard look that makes this eggless version resemble the real deal.
It is designed to be made ahead. The creams need to set in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight, and they keep covered in the fridge for up to three days. Add and caramelize the sugar top only just before serving so the crust stays crisp.
Coconut milk is what this recipe is built around because its higher fat content gives the cream its rich body and mouthfeel. Coconut milk also has a stronger flavor than other plant milks, which suits the dessert. Thinner plant milks will not set as richly, so full-fat coconut milk is the recommended choice here.
My favorite dessert turned vegan! I couldn’t believe how good it is! Thank you so much, you are a real inspiration!
Thank you!