Flan de Queso

Name: Flan de Queso
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: 1 cup sugar for caramel; 8 oz cream cheese, softened; 1 can condensed milk; 1 can evaporated milk; 5 eggs; 1 tsp vanilla extract; Pinch of salt

Flan de Queso (flahn deh KEH-soh)

Cream Cheese Flan

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour 15 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 344 kcal

A silky, dense caramel custard enriched with cream cheese, creating a uniquely Puerto Rican version of the classic Spanish dessert.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 8.0g

Carbs 42.0g

Fat 16.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

vegetarian gluten-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ dairy ⚠ eggs

Equipment Needed

flan mold or bundt pan blender bain-marie setup oven

Presentation Guide

Vessel: cake plate

Garnishes: caramel drizzle, mint

Accompaniments: coffee, whipped cream

Ingredients

1 cup sugar for caramel
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Instructions

1
Melt sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it becomes a dark amber caramel. Pour into the flan mold, tilting to coat the bottom.
2
Blend cream cheese, condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth.
3
Pour the custard mixture over the hardened caramel in the mold.
4
Place the mold in a bain-marie (water bath) with hot water reaching halfway up the sides.
5
Bake at 350F for one hour until the flan is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
6
Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Invert onto a plate so the caramel sauce pools on top.

💡

Did You Know?

Puerto Rican flan de queso is denser and creamier than traditional Spanish flan because of the cream cheese addition, which was inspired by New York-style cheesecake.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

flan mold or bundt pan
blender
bain-marie setup
oven

Garnishing

caramel drizzle, mint

Accompaniments

coffee, whipped cream

The Story Behind Flan de Queso

Flan de queso is Puerto Rico's most popular dessert variation, a fusion of Spanish custard tradition with American cream cheese that creates something entirely new. The classic flan came to the island with Spanish colonizers, but Puerto Rican cooks elevated it by adding cream cheese, resulting in a denser, richer custard that has become the island's signature version. Every celebration, birthday, and Sunday dinner in Puerto Rico seems to end with a wobbly, caramel-draped flan de queso.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed sunday dinner dessert and celebrations 📜 Origins: Spanish tradition with Puerto Rican twist

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