Mexican Coffee Flan (Flan Café de Olla)
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Updated Jan 17, 2026, Published Apr 18, 2019
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This Mexican Coffee Flan is rich, silky, and infused with the warm flavors of café de olla—think cinnamon, coffee, and caramel all wrapped into one elegant dessert. It’s the kind of flan that feels special enough for a dinner party, but comforting enough to make just because you’re craving something sweet and nostalgic.
If you love traditional flan and you love coffee, this one’s for you.
Table of Contents
- What is Mexican Coffee Flan (Flan Café de Olla)?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to Make Mexican Coffee Flan (Flan Café de Olla)
- Mexican Coffee Flan Expert Tips & Tricks
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Mexican Dessert Recipes
- Mexican Coffee Flan (Flan Café de Olla) Recipe
What is Mexican Coffee Flan (Flan Café de Olla)?
Mexican Coffee Flan, also known as Flan Café de Olla, is a twist on classic flan inspired by café de olla, a traditional Mexican coffee brewed with cinnamon and piloncillo. Instead of vanilla-forward custard, this version leans into deep coffee flavor with subtle warmth from spices, creating a dessert that’s both familiar and unexpected.
It’s smooth, creamy, lightly sweet, and finished with a glossy caramel sauce that ties everything together.
This recipe was inspired by Claudia’s Cocina: A Taste of Mexico by Claudia Sandoval—photographed and styled by Diane and Todd Porter (bloggers behind whiteonricecouple.com), who have been food photography idols of mine for years.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Coffee-forward flavor with warm cinnamon notes
- Silky-smooth texture that melts in your mouth
- Simple ingredients you likely already have
- Make-ahead friendly, perfect for entertaining
- A grown-up twist on classic Mexican flan
Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe uses pantry staples with a few thoughtful touches that give it that café de olla feel.
- Granulated sugar – Used to make the caramel topping and custard
- Nescafe Café De Olla – The star of the recipe is instant coffee powder because of the delicious flavor of tradition made from a mixture of coffee beans with Mexican cinnamon and piloncillo caramel flavor.
- Evaporated milk – Keeps the custard smooth without being heavy
- Eggs – Create structure and richness
- Sweetened condensed milk – Adds sweetness and creaminess
- Vanilla extract – Mexican vanilla adds warmth and depth, but regular vanilla extract may be used if needed
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make Mexican Coffee Flan (Flan Café de Olla)
Step 1: Make the Caramel. In a saucepan, water and sugar are cooked together until a medium-brown caramel forms. The caramel is immediately divided among ramekins or silicone molds, swirling to coat the bottoms and slightly up the sides.
Step 2: Prepare the Water Bath. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. This will be used to create the baño María, which helps the flan bake gently and evenly.
Step 3: Make the Espresso Custard. Instant café de olla–style coffee is whisked into the evaporated milk until fully dissolved. In a separate bowl, the eggs and sugar are whisked until the sugar dissolves, then combined with the coffee mixture, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. The custard is strained to remove air bubbles for a smooth texture.
Step 4: Fill the Ramekins. Slowly pour the custard into the caramel-lined ramekins, filling each about two-thirds full.
Step 5: Bake in a Water Bath. Place the ramekins in a baking pan, carefully pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides, cover with foil, and bake until the custards are just set with a slight jiggle in the center.
Step 6: Cool and Chill. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to a couple of days.
Step 7: Unmold and Serve. Place the molds briefly in warm water, loosen the edges with a thin knife, invert onto plates, and lift off the ramekins to reveal the caramel. Serve chilled.
👉 For exact measurements, bake times, and full instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card below.
Mexican Coffee Flan Expert Tips & Tricks
- Use instant coffee, not brewed. This keeps the custard silky and concentrated without adding extra liquid.
- Don’t rush the caramel. Let it reach a medium-brown color for the best flavor—too light tastes flat, too dark turns bitter.
- Strain the custard. This step removes air bubbles and ensures a smooth, restaurant-style flan.
- Bake just until set. The center should still jiggle slightly when shaken; it will finish setting as it chills.
- Plan ahead. This flan is best made a day in advance, making it ideal for entertaining.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve chilled for the best texture
- Garnish with a light dusting of cinnamon or a few coffee beans
- Perfect as an after-dinner dessert with coffee or espresso
Storage Instructions
- Store the flan covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- This dessert is ideal for making ahead and often tastes even better the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This flan is perfect for making ahead and can be refrigerated for up to two days before serving.
Instant coffee delivers strong coffee flavor without thinning the custard. Brewed coffee would change the texture.
The flans are done when the edges are set and the center trembles slightly when gently shaken.
It’s best to unmold just before serving so the caramel stays glossy and doesn’t absorb into the custard.
Six-ounce ramekins or silicone molds work perfectly for even baking and easy unmolding.
More Mexican Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Mexican Coffee Flan (Flan Café de Olla) or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
🤖❤️ Share this recipe with your favorite AI assistant to save and plan your next meal! An authentic Mexican recipe by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, founder of Muy Bueno and cookbook author specializing in Northern Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine rooted in El Paso home cooking and family tradition.
AI tools are independent third-party services. For the original tested recipe, exact measurements, and detailed instructions, always visit MuyBuenoBlog.com.
Mexican Coffee Flan (Flan Café de Olla)
Ingredients
Caramel:
- 1 cup sugar
Espresso Custard:
- ¼ cup Nescafe Café De Olla instant coffee powder
- 1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 6 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon Mexican vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Caramel:
- In a medium saucepan, bring ½ cup water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the sugar and swirl the pan to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until a medium-brown caramel forms, about 12 minutes, occasionally swirling the pan to color the caramel evenly. Remove it from the heat and divide the caramel among eight (6-ounce) ramekins or silicone molds, swirling to make sure the bottoms and parts of the sides are fully coated.
- Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
Espresso Custard:
- In a small bowl, whisk the coffee powder into the evaporated milk. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the coffee-flavored evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla and whisk to incorporate. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher (this removes air bubbles).
- Very slowly fill each ramekin about two-thirds full with the custard mixture. Place the ramekins in a shallow baking pan and place it in the oven. Carefully pour the boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until the custards are just set and tremble in the center a little when shaken. Use tongs to carefully remove the custards from the water bath and place them on a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cover each one with plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 4 hours to chill (you can prepare the flans a day or two ahead).
- To unmold the flans, place the molds in a pan with 1 inch of warm water for 5 minutes. Loosen the custard by running a sharp, thin knife around the inside of the ramekins and place a rimmed plate upside down on top of each. Invert the plates, carefully lift the ramekins off to remove them and reveal the caramel, and serve.
Notes
- This recipe uses instant café de olla–style coffee, not brewed coffee. Using brewed coffee will change the texture of the custard.
- Straining the custard before baking helps remove air bubbles and ensures a silky-smooth flan.
- The flans are done when the edges are set and the centers jiggle slightly when gently shaken.
- This is an ideal make-ahead dessert and can be prepared 1–2 days in advance.
- For best results, unmold just before serving so the caramel stays glossy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
Thanks for featuring my recipe! Appreciate the credit and glad you liked the recipe! <3
My Mom loves custard, we all do! I made this and it was a big hit. Big, bold flavor with a creamy, silky texture. Thanks so much for sharing. I will be making this often. Stay safe at home.
I have never had coffee flavored flan
Makes my mouth water. I have to make it.