This Vegan Crème Brûlée is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to “burnt cream”. By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.

This Vegan Creme Brulee is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to "burnt cream". By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.

My oh my, has this recipe been on my to-do list for a WHILE.

Back in high school, a family friend bought me a blow torch, butane fuel, and a set of ramekins after I expressed my interest in making creme brulee, but not having the tools to do so. I quickly learned to make the classic French dessert traditionally – with heavy cream, eggs, and sugar. Not exactly vegan.

This Vegan Creme Brulee is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to "burnt cream". By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.

Since I’ve gone dairy-free and mostly plant-based, creme brulee has not been on the menu. EXCEPT, when I went to Stanford Inn Resort in Mendocino, CA. It’s an all-vegan resort with an incredible restaurant, and you guessed it – they had a bomb vegan creme brulee for dessert. Every time I’ve seen the torch since I got home from that trip, the need to make a vegan creme brulee worms it’s way back into my brain. 

A few weeks back, I asked for any recipe requests for Valentine’s Day. Vegan creme brulee came through a few times, and I knew it was time. Thankfully, it turns out that vegan creme brulee is way easier than I thought it would be to make, and way easier to make than traditional creme brulee.

This Vegan Creme Brulee is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to "burnt cream". By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.

Ingredients for Vegan Creme Brulee:

Well first, let’s chat ingredients. To make this paleo vegan creme brulee, you’ll need:

  • Full-Fat Coconut Milk – make sure to use full-fat, as it’s super important for adding creaminess to this recipe. 
  • Tapioca Starch – this is used for thickening. It can be replaced with arrowroot starch or cornstarch. However, cornstarch will make this recipe not Paleo.
  • Maple Syrup – you can substitute with any other liquid sweetener if preferred. 
  • Agar Powder – this is a vegan gelatin replacement derived from algae. You can find it at most health food stores or buy it on Amazon.
  • Sea Salt
  • Vanilla Bean Powder or Vanilla Extract – this is the vanilla bean powder I use, and a little goes a long way!
  • Cane or Coconut Sugar, for the caramelized top
This Vegan Creme Brulee is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to "burnt cream". By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.

I made this recipe a few times to simplify the process and get the creamiest creme brulee possible. The final result makes this a SIMPLE recipe to make! Let’s walk through it…

How to make dairy-free creme brulee:

Blend all the ingredients. Everything into the blender together. This helps make sure we don’t have any clumps of the tapioca starch when everything goes into the pan. Clumpy creme brulee is no good!

Pour the mixture into a saucepanWhisk it constantly while it comes up to heat, not letting it boil. It will gradually thicken.

Whisk for 10 to 15 minutes. It will get thicker and thicker as the starch and agar activate. You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture is similar in thickness to pudding. When you run your whisk through it, you should be able to see the trail of the whisk for a second or two before it disappears.

This Vegan Creme Brulee is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to "burnt cream". By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.

Divide between your ramekins and let it cool for about an hour at room temperature before moving to the refrigerator to cool and set completely.

Dust the top of each with sugar and torch it! You’ll want to use a blow torch (or see below if you don’t have one) to caramelize the sugar on top until it’s browned and bubbling. In about a minute, it will set into that crunchy, delicious top that we love about creme brulee!

Serve immediately and enjoy alone or with berries on top!

This Vegan Creme Brulee is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to "burnt cream". By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.

What if I don’t have a blow torch?

Well, I’d recommend getting one because they’re A) cheap and B) SUPER fun to use (s’mores, anyone?). But if you’re not interested in buying another kitchen gadget, you can always caramelize the top of your creme brulee using the broiler setting on your oven.

I’d recommend putting the sugar-dusted creme brulees on the top rack of your oven, under the broiler, for about three to five minutes. The top won’t get as crunchy as with a blow torch and it will heat the custard a bit, but it should do the trick!

This Vegan Creme Brulee is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to "burnt cream". By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.

This recipe is perfect for Valentine’s Day, dinner parties, or any other time you want to impress someone…or just your own tastebuds ;)

Want more Valentine’s Day Recipes?

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This Vegan Creme Brulee is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to "burnt cream". By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.

Vegan Creme Brulee

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  • Author: Rachel Conners
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6 creme brulees 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: French
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This Vegan Creme Brulee is a twist on the traditional French dessert that translates to “burnt cream”. By using coconut milk and all-natural sweeteners, we make a paleo and vegan version of this classic dessert.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cans (15 oz. each) full-fat coconut milk
  • ¼ cup (30g) tapioca starch, you can also use arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • ¼ cup (84g) pure maple syrup
  • ¾ teaspoon agar powder, this is the one I use, you can usually find it in health food stores
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 to 6 teaspoons cane sugar or coconut sugar, for the caramelized top

Instructions

  1. Set out four to six ramekins (depending on size) on a small baking sheet.
  2. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Pour into a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisking frequently, cook the mixture until it’s thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do NOT let it come to a boil, and turn down the heat if necessary. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s thickened significantly and is a smooth, creamy texture, similar to pudding. You should see the trail of the whisk when you whisk the mixture.
  4. Divide between your prepared ramekins. Let cool for about an hour at room temperature, and then transfer to the refrigerator to firm up.
  5. When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle one teaspoon of sugar evenly over each creme brûlée. Use a blow torch to caramelize the top. If you don’t have a blow-torch, you can put the sugar-dusted creme brûlées under the broiler on the top rack of your oven for about 3 to 5 minutes.
  6. Make sure to only caramelize as many as you’ll be serving immediately, otherwise the sugar will soften in the fridge. The pre-caramelized creme brûlées will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

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