This Almond Vanilla Crème Brûlée recipe is a luxurious sweet treat, where your spoon cracks through crisp caramelized sugar to reveal a delightfully creamy custard. With only 5 ingredients and my tips for success with this classic French dessert, you will be amazed at how easy crème brûlée is to make at home!
If you’ve ever ordered crème brûlée at a fancy restaurant, I’m betting you had the same response as I did after my first experience. All I could think was how heavenly it was, and how I needed more of it in my life. I also assumed that it was difficult to make. But after some research and development in our little kitchen, I was proven so very wrong. Just come along with me, and I’ll walk you through my Almond Vanilla Crème Brûlée recipe – it’s easy, I promise. Just like my homemade Chocolate Mousse, these desserts are easy to make in your own home kitchen!
Everyone Deserves to Know How Easy Crème Brûlée Is To Make!
Many years ago, after sharing an almond crème brûlée dessert with work friends, I set my sights on mastering the classic crème brûlée. I bought a small kitchen torch, a few of those iconic white porcelain dessert dishes; I was set. I married that tantalizing almond with vanilla beans, and the rest is history. This recipe has been my go-to crème brûlée ever since, perfect for celebrating Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays, and anniversaries!
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
- A showstopping dessert that’s totally approachable. Crème brûlée appears to be difficult, but that is really just an illusion. It’s actually easy to make, at home, in a regular ol’ kitchen. And actually delicious!
- Creamy + crunchy contrast. Crème = cream. Brûlée = burnt. Put them together and you’ve got burnt cream. What makes this dessert so special is that perfectly caramelized sugar top that cracks with the most satisfying tap of your spoon, shattering the burnt sugar into jagged pieces to reveal the smooth, velvety cream below.
- Beautiful almond-vanilla flavor. Almond extract and vanilla bean lend real, authentic French flavor to this dessert, as it’s a common duo in patisserie treats.
- A great make-ahead dessert. I like to make these earlier in the day, or even a day ahead of time, before treating my friends and family to this sweet treat. When it’s time for dessert, I just take them out of the fridge, grab my kitchen torch, and entertain our guests with a little flame show!
For another custard with French flair, try my Caramel Pots de Crème.
Enjoy!
“Creme Brulee is hubby’s favourite dessert. He says this was the best he has had. Thanks!”
Sarah
What You’ll Need
Heavy cream and egg yolks are the main ingredients in any crème brûlée. I love that this recipe calls for just 5 ingredients! Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.
- Cream – Heavy whipping cream is key to the rich, silky texture thanks to its higher fat content. Don’t even think about using milk.
- Vanilla bean – You’ll scrape out the beans, but you’ll also add the pod to the cream to infuse it with extra flavor.
- Egg yolks – The fat in the yolks provides the silky, creamy texture. (But don’t waste the whites – save them to add to your next omelette or make Angel Food Cake!)
- Sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar for the custard itself, and some for sprinkling over the top to create that caramelized-burnt sugar top.
- Almond extract – My family adores the flavor and scent of almond, and it’s amazing in this dessert.
How to Make Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Let me show you how truly easy this classic dessert is!
- Heat the cream. Warm the cream with the scraped vanilla bean seeds and the pod until bubbles form. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and discard the pod.
- Finish the custard. Whisk the egg yolks until pale, then whisk in the sugar until it dissolves. Gently whisk in the cream, then stir in the almond extract.
- Fill the ramekins. Divide the custard into ramekins set in a pan and add hot water halfway up the sides.
- Bake and chill. Bake at 275°F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until slightly jiggly in the center. Cool briefly, then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Caramelize the topping. Sprinkle more sugar evenly over each custard, then brûlée with a torch until golden and crisp.
- Serve right away. Once the sugar top has been burnt, garnish with a little freshly whipped cream and some berries. And enjoy!
Brenda’s Tips for Perfect Crème Brûlée
As you can see, the process for this vanilla bean crème brûlée is very straight-forward. I do have a few additional pointers for you, though.
- Use wide, shallow ramekins. These ramekins ensure even cooking and a good amount of surface area for the caramelized sugar top. Also – for each person to experience all the contrasting, crunchy-creamy delightfulness of this dessert, you really want individuals to have their own personal serving.
- Celebrate not needing to temper egg yolks: My crème brûlée recipe takes a detour from tempering egg yolks by letting the warm cream mixture come to room temperature first, before mixing with the yolks. Some may call this avoidance. I call it assurance! (Tempering is simply raising the temperature of the egg yolks by very slowly adding warm cream/milk to the yolks, so the yolks don’t “scramble” and turn into a chunky mess. For a great example, see my Butter Pecan Ice Cream recipe.)
- Do not skip the hot water bath. For the classic creamy-silky texture, it’s important to stick to the classic instruction. A water bath provides a moist, humid environment for the crème brûlée, just like it does when making Lemon Custard Cups. If you skip the water bath, you’ll likely end up with a rubbery, cracked texture.
- Sugar the tops evenly: To avoid curdling the custard when torching the surface, be sure to sprinkle the entire top evenly with sugar, so the flame burns the sugar and not the cream.
- Enjoy right away, after you torch them. There is so much pleasure in breaking through that crunchy top, to spoon up the cold and creamy custard below. Do not dilly-dally to enjoy this dessert right away, when all the textures and temperatures are contrasting most!
Serving Suggestions
While you can certainly enjoy this almond and vanilla bean crème brûlée all alone, with its perfectly crackly sugar top…I absolutely recommend adding a dollop of homemade whipped cream and fresh raspberries even more. Strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries are lovely too!
How to Store Crème Brûlée
Fridge: Keep baked custards (without the sugar topping) covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Once brûléed, be sure to enjoy immediately, as the sugar topping will soften in the fridge.
Freezer: If you want to freeze crème brûlée, do not add the sugar top. Wrap a tight layer of plastic wrap over the baked and fully cooled custards, then place the ramekins in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then sprinkle with sugar and torch just before serving.
More Really Amazing Desserts
Almond Vanilla Crème Brûlée Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 inches vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 6 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract (use a bit more if you like intense almond flavor)
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, for topping
Instructions
- Pour cream into a medium saucepan and scrape seeds from vanilla bean into the cream. Then add the vanilla pod, too. Place over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan, then immediately remove from the heat. Let custard mixture cool to room temperature, then remove the vanilla pod.
- Preheat oven to 275°F.
- In a medium bowl, briskly whisk egg yolks until pale in color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the ⅓ cup of sugar until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Gently whisk in cream, taking care to not over-beat. You don’t want to see bubbles form. Stir in almond extract.
- Place 6 crème brûlée dishes or wide, shallow ramekins (mine are 5" in diameter, 1" tall) in a baking pan with sides. Divide custard mixture evenly between the 6 dishes, allowing at least ¼’’ of head space for the sugar topping. Pour warm water into pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake in oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the center of each custard jiggles just slightly. Remove from the oven and carefully lift dishes from the hot water. Let cool briefly, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- When ready to serve, place dishes on a baking sheet. Evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each custard. With a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it is browned evenly. Serve simply, unadorned. Or with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and fresh raspberries (my preference!).
Nutrition Information:
This post was originally published in 2012, then updated in 2026.
Guess what book I have out from the library right now? ! Love the almond twist on the basic recipe. Thanks and have a great weekend.
John
Delicious recipe, love the results!
Alice
Thank you! This is one of our favorite desserts!
I am looking for an awesome dessert that is not chocolate or pumpkin. I think this one will be great, but, how long do you think I should bake “minis?” I want to make little ones in my 4-6 oz. ramekins. Start checking at 25 minutes? Jon bought me a torch for the same Christmas you bought yours, but mine is still in the box. You have inspired me!! Hope all is merry!
Hi Danae! I have not experimented with minis with this recipe, although I made some mini lemon custards, sans torching, using 4.5 oz. ramekins: https://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2012/05/10/mini-lemon-custard-cups/. It will depend on how many ramekins you use = how much custard is in each ramekin, etc. I can only guess, but if I were to divide this recipe between 10 to 12 smaller ramekins, I think checking at 25 minutes sounds fine. Have fun! Hope you like this, it’s one of our favorites! Merry Christmas!!
I just saw Heidi/Foodiecrush link this up. I love creme brulee & this is great!
I received a torch for Christmas and am excited that I found this recipe! (I just recently found your blog) I can’t wait to try it. Thanks so much for sharing.
Hey!! I made the recipe it was soo good!! I thought I followed the recipe perfect but it came out a little watery :(
any tips on making it more like a firm custard? thanks!
Hi Rachel…so sorry to hear that. I just made my 4th batch last night since I got my torch a few weeks ago, and have had no issues with this recipe. All I can suggest is to take a look and make sure you used exactly the named ingredients and quantities. Did you use “heavy whipping cream” and “large” sized egg yolks? I found a few places online that suggested yours might have been cooked too long. Did yours still have a little jiggle in the middle when you took them out of the oven? When cooled and eaten, the custard should be silky smooth, like a very fine pudding. It should not be overly thick. Please let me know if you try it again…best wishes!
Oh man! I wish I could trade bodies with one of your family members today!!! I love Creme brulee!
This treat is almost a little too easy to have whenever I want now, though. Not sure it’s a good thing! ;)
So I’m on Tasty Kitchen and look who I see on the front page! And I can see why – the photo is stunning and the recipe sounds delicious.
Hope all is wonderful with you! xo
Hi Kristy!! Thanks for letting me know, what a pleasure it is to be featured there. It’s so delicious, I had to make it again for dinner tonight! Happy Valentine’s Day, my friend!
What a pretty dessert!
Thank you, Maria! :)
This is one of my favorite desserts when we go out to dinner. Yours looks fantastic.. I’ve used my broiler for the top.. this reicipe makes me want to go out and get the ‘torch’… MMMMM
Does the broiler do a “great” job or a “good enough” job? I’ve gotten some questions on that. Guess I just need to test it out! Thanks, Jan!
I agree with your assessment of this dessert. I first had it a year ago at my husband’s annual company Christmas party hosted by his boss and wife. They are fantastic cooks and I will choose eating at their house any day over dining out for the company party. Love, love, loved this creamy, rich, delectable dessert.
I simply can’t stop thinking about it. I had to make another batch this evening – just put it in the fridge, to torch on Valentine’s Day! Thanks, Audrey – hope you’re having a great week – and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Sounds delicious :) – – and that crust that forms on top … gorgeous :)
I just baked up another batch this evening, for Valentine’s Day tomorrow. It’s so good!!
I have never made creme brulee, but oh-how you have inspired me to try! :)
It really is very easy to make. And I especially like that most of it can be done the day before. It’s an extra special treat with some “wow” for guests. Nice to hear from you, Natalie!
This looks so pretty. I have two creme brule ramekins, but I’ve never made creme burl before; I should probably get on it soon
Thank you, Becca. I’m only sad I didn’t try it sooner. I’ve been missing out! ;)
GORGEOUS!
THANKS!
Aren’t those little vanilla beans adorable and delicious? I can only imagine how wonderful this brulee tasted. You are a wizard with that torch by the way.
P.S. I know I already said how much I love you new blog look but it bears repeating. So fresh and vibrant! Have a great weekend.
Completely adorable and delicious, those vanilla beans are!! ;) And thank you so much about the new design…it’s been alot of fun! Happy weekend to you, too!
Another great recipie from you! What would you suggest using instead of a blowtorch to brown the top? I don’t have one and don’t really have the money to get one at the moment but I’d like to try this recipie. Would putting it under the grill work?
The book I used, plus other sources, say you can use your oven’s broiler – “place dishes about 4″ from the heat source, turning dishes if necessary to brown the custards evenly.” It also says that the dishes are then super hot, so you should put them in the refrigerator for 5 minutes before serving. If you try this, please let me know how it works for you!
Thanks! I’ll definatley let you know if this works :)
Can I put this on my “wish list” for when I visit???
Most definitely! If I don’t think of it, be sure to remind me – it’s easy to put together. We’re trying a spiced pumpkin variation this weekend, too, – Hatti’s choice. :)
I love creme brulee, and this looks amazing!
Thank you, Deborah! :)
Crème Brûlée has got to be one of my favourite desserts. Although I am yet to invest in those gorgeous shallow ramekins! Your presentation is beautiful! I might have to go get some so I can make this!
I agree, it is an investment to go all-out with making it at home. But I am convinced I’ll be making crème brûlée for the rest of my life. So much yumminess awaits. We’re trying a spiced pumpkin variation this weekend…