Last updated on March 12th, 2025

Learn how to make Crème Brûlée in your kitchen. This keto-friendly and low-carb recipe uses just four ingredients to produce a delectable custard dessert with a crunchy caramelized surface. Serve it in ramekins to enjoy with your partner after an evening out or as a delightful treat for family and friends.

How to make Crème Brûlée: Low Carb & Keto

Creating homemade crème brûlée is an inspiring experience that ignited my passion for this classic dessert. With just cream, egg yolks, sweetener, and vanilla extract, you can craft a luxurious and smooth custard beneath a delicate, caramelized shell waiting to be cracked open.

It brings me joy to know that I can transform this cherished dessert into a low-carb version.

And you can, too!

Crème Brûlée is a classic French dessert that sounds much more appealing in French than its English translation, ‘burnt cream.’ Can you imagine reading or ordering ‘burnt cream’ on a dessert menu?  I guess that doesn’t matter when you know what it tastes like, and my hubby and I loved the burnt cream we ordered whenever we ate out. Haha!

However, since I’ve been on a low-carb diet for a couple of years, it is tough watching my husband enjoy rich crème brûlée at restaurants while I miss out. So, I decided to create a sugar-free version at home!

Now, I have this delicious dessert waiting in the fridge after our nights out. No more watching him indulge alone – it’s my turn to enjoy too, right? And now, he can’t wait to dive into my homemade crème brûlée as soon as we get home!

Why you’ll love Low-carb and Keto Crème Brûlée

• Imagine a sugar-free caramelized hard top resting over a creamy, smooth, low-carb custard bottom – this dessert is an inspiring low-carb, high-fat delight for those on keto.
• With just four simple ingredients, you can create this classic signature dessert in the comfort of your home. Isn’t that a wonderful opportunity?
• You can prepare the custard base a day ahead and chill it in the fridge until you’re ready to add the perfect caramelized finish.
• Just like with real sugar, the sweet, crispy shell invites you to break through it, creating a delightful experience.
• In just 30 minutes, you can bake a creamy, silky custard base that is free of any eggy taste, turning a simple moment into something extraordinary.

How Does Low Carb Creme Brulee Compare to the Classic version?

After making my first batch of crème brûlée, I was pleasantly surprised at how much the creamy custard bottom tasted like a classic. This experience inspired me to continue experimenting with the recipe! It became a fun way to enjoy our favourite dessert, a low-carb treat I could share with my husband, Raj, who isn’t particularly concerned about carbs.

Raj taste-tests all my recipes and assures me he can’t tell the difference between the low-carb version and the classic. That’s a great sign! Some people find low-carb sweeteners a bit strong, so I decided to cut back on the sweeteners from the start. This way, everyone can enjoy the creme brulee, whether following a low-carb lifestyle or not!

Expert Tips for the Best Low-Carb Creme Brulee

• I find it easier to beat the eggs in a large measuring jug. Once the cream is mixed in, it’s easier to pour the custard base into the ramekins.
• Beating the egg, sweetener, and vanilla extract until they are smooth and fluid helps prevent lumps when you slowly add the warm cream.
• Continuously whisk the egg mixture as you drizzle in the cream to ensure the custard becomes silky and even.
• The water bath method, often referred to as Bairn-Marie, is essential for creating delectable crème brûlées, and a keto version like this recipe is no different.
• The caramelized sugary top does not require much sweetener for it to caramelize; just a light layer is sufficient to achieve that crispy finish. Otherwise, the crème brûlée might be overly sweet for some.
• Utilizing a kitchen torch or placing the ramekins beneath a broiler helps caramelize the sweetener, creating a hard-shelled topping.

Ingredients Notes for Low Carb & Keto Creme Brulee

Whipping Cream

In Canada, whipping cream contains 35% milk fat. For this recipe, any cream with a similar percentage, like heavy cream, will work well. Alternatively, I have successfully used canned coconut milk as a dairy-free option.

Egg yolks

Separate the egg yolks and store the whites in the fridge for later. You can also use them to make ricotta crepes.

Sweetener

In this recipe, I use Lakanto’s monk fruit and erythritol mix, but you can stick with erythritol if you want. It helps get a nice crispy top, but if you’re after a more golden, caramelized finish, it’s OK to sprinkle on some regular white sugar if you’re not doing keto.

Vanilla Extract

A small amount of flavouring, such as vanilla extract, enhances the custard flavour, but you can add any extract you prefer to change the taste of your crème brûlée.

Hot water

Boil water in your kettle. Pour the hot water into the baking dish. This will create a water bath for the ramekins that hold the crème brûlée mixture.

How to Make Low-Carb Creme Brulee

1) Preheat oven and set up the ramekins:

• Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°), set 6 (4oz) ramekins in a baking dish, boil water in a kettle, and let it sit while you prepare the creme brulee.

2) Prepare the egg mixture:

Beat the egg yolks, sweetener, and vanilla extract together in a medium-sized bowl, preferably with a spout like a measuring jug.

3) Warm the cream:

• Gently heat the whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, leaving it uncovered until bubbles form on the surface.
• Alternatively, you can warm the cream in a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute until it starts to bubble.

4) Mix the cream and egg mixture: 

• Remove the cream from the heat and let it sit on the counter to rest for 30 seconds, allowing the hot bubbles to settle.
• Slowly drizzle the warm cream into the egg mixture, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming. This is the custard base.
• If lumps form, strain the mixture into a large measuring jug or spouted vessel for easy pouring into ramekins.

5) Fill the ramekins:

• Pour the prepared custard evenly into the ramekins. Fill the ramekins halfway first, then top them all up to the same level.

6) Prepare the Water Bath/Bain-marie:

• Pour the hot water from the kettle into the baking dish around the ramekins and stop when it reaches halfway up their sides. This ensures the egg and cream are cooked together evenly into a silky spoonable texture and prevents a sweet scrambled result. 

7) Bake and cool:

• Place the baking dish carefully in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 30 minutes. The custard will be ready when the centres jiggle a little and the sides are dry and firm.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven, and let the ramekins cool in the water bath for 10 minutes.
• Transfer the brulees to a wire rack to cool down further, then chill them in the fridge until it’s time to caramelize the tops.

How to Caramelize Creme Brulee

Kitchen Torch:

Sprinkle ½ tsp sweetener over the tops of the custard base and use a culinary torch to caramelize the sweetener. Move the torch around the tops continuously to char the sweeteners evenly. This is best done in a ventilated room.

Oven broiler:

Sprinkle ½ tsp sweetener over the tops of the custard base. Place the ramekins on a baking tray 5 inches under a broiler on low heat. Caramelize for about 40 seconds until the sweetener begins to caramelize. Keep an eye on them as the tops burn quickly. Switch off the broiler and let the ramekins sit under the heat until the sweetener has caramelized.

Cool the Creme Brulees on a wire rack, then transfer them to the fridge.

Is Homemade Creme Brulee Served Hot or Cold?

These Homemade Creme brulees are best served cold, like traditional creme brulees. However, they are still delicious when left out at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: Transfer the chilled creme brulee (with or without the caramelized surface) into a covered container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.

Freeze: Bake the custard base as directed in the ramekins. When they are chilled, place them in an airtight, freezable container, covered, for up to one month.

Thaw: Remove the creme brulees from the freezer, refrigerate them overnight, and then caramelize them when you want to enjoy them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make crème brûlée with almond milk?

I haven’t made crème brûlée with almond milk yet, but I will update this post once I do. Since almond milk has a thinner consistency, I would likely add an extra egg yolk to help the custard base thicken while it bakes.

How can I make crème brûlée in the instant pot?

Again, I haven’t tried making these creme brulees in the Instant Pot. I know how to make it, and I will update this post when I do. But here is the gist of it:

• Place a trivet inside the instant pot bowl and pour water at the bottom.
• Once the ramekins are filled with the custard mixture, tightly cover them with aluminum foil. Place them on the trivet (you may have to stack 2 on top of 4 ramekins), then close the lid and pressure cook them on a low setting for about 12-14 minutes, followed by a 10-15-minute natural release.
• I will update you with the exact times once I have tested this recipe in the Instant Pot.

Can you make crème brûlée in the air fryer?

You can, I have tried it, but I need to test it further for better results. The first time I tried, the tops burned faster, and the custard was still runny.

What do you do with the egg whites?

I make my meringues with egg whites, but you can also make cloud bread, egg-white omelette, French macarons, and egg-white cups. Three egg whites are equivalent to one whole egg, and you may like to try my Carrot Cake waffles recipe, which uses one egg.

Did you make this recipe?

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