You won't believe that you can make this Keto Creme Brulee with just 5 simple ingredients. It's classy, elegant, and filled with traditional flavors that are utterly irresistible. Enjoy this treat as part of a keto, low carb, gluten-free, or grain-free diet.
Smooth and creamy custard with a caramelized top...need I say more? I love creme brulee and it is one of the few desserts my husband orders any time we are in a restaurant.
Using a torch to make the topping caramelized is more fun than you might think, and obviously, it makes it taste even more decadent. If you are a little hesitant to use a torch in the kitchen, it truly is easy, and you can take your keto recipes to the next level.
You can serve low carb keto creme brulee for holidays, dinner parties, or any other excuse you want to make something gluten free that is sophisticated. But, I do need to let you in on a little secret...it's not even hard to make! Most of the time is spent waiting for it to chill, so you have to be a little bit patient. BUT it's so worth it when that first bite hits your tongue.
Ingredients Needed
You aren't going to find any long list of hard-to-work ingredients in this low carb creme brulee recipe! They are all simple, and there is a great chance you already have them.
Egg Yolks - You simply need the egg yolks, not the entire egg, to achieve the beautiful texture of this creme Brulee.
Sweetener - Of course, you will need a little bit of sugar free sweetener, so you end up with a sweet dessert.
Heavy Cream - There isn't a substitute for using heavy cream, and when you eat the keto creme brulee, you will understand why.
Vanilla - I like to use a teaspoon of vanilla to really enhance the flavors of the keto dessert. If you are feeling extra bold, you can add a little bit more, but I wouldn't add more than ½ teaspoon extra.
Allulose - I tested every sweetener I could find to get that perfect browned topping for creme brulee and allulose worked the best. Other sweeteners, like monk fruit sweetener, melt but do not caramelize before the custard melts too. I normally use my sweetener blend in keto dessert recipes but I do recommend allulose for this particular recipe.
Options for Sweeteners:
If you want to use a different sweetener for the topping I suggest the alternative method of melting and browning that sweetener separately in a small saucepan and then pour it on top of the custard.
I still used my homemade sweetener in the custard but used allulose for the topping. You can use allulose in both if you prefer.
How To Make Keto Creme Brulee
With a few simple steps and a little bit of time, you will be ready to devour this easy keto creme brûlée. It is one of my favorite easy keto desserts.
Step One: Heat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Step Two: Combine the egg yolks and sweetener together with a mixer until it's pale yellow. Slowly add in the heavy cream and the pure vanilla extract. Then divide the egg yolk mixture among six shallow ramekins or creme brulee dishes. Place them in a large rimmed pan, then add hot water, so you end up with a water bath.
Step Three: Bake for 45 minutes or until they barely jiggle when you shake them.
Step Four: Allow them to cool to room temperature, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of allulose. Use a kitchen torch to melt the sweetener and turns golden brown.
Expert Tip: If you don't have a kitchen torch you can melt the allulose under the broiler in your oven. It only takes 1-2 minutes so watch closely!
Step Five: Chill in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
Variations
Vanilla Bean - If you have vanilla beans you can replace the vanilla extract with the seeds that are in the pod. Just cut in half lengthwise and then scrape the seeds out. I love seeing those tiny black seeds in vanilla desserts.
Extracts - I almost always use vanilla extract, but you can certainly swap it for your favorite extract. Almond, maple, banana, and coconut extracts would all be pretty tasty too.
Common Questions
What Is The Purpose Of A Water Bath?
You might want to skip using a water bath, but I highly recommend it. It's going to add steam and moisture into the air of the oven. This will keep your keto crème brûlée from cracking, so it's as beautiful as it is delicious.
How Far In Advance Can You Make Creme Brulee?
You can cook and chill the keto creme brulee up to 2 days in advance. But make sure not to brown the tops of the keto creme brulee recipe until right before you serve the dessert. Otherwise, the top isn't going to be crispy and delicious. Making it advance is ideal when you are hosting a dinner party or are bringing it to a potluck. It saves time the day of and it transports easily.
How Do You Store Keto Crème Brûlée?
It needs to be covered very tightly with some plastic wrap. You'll also want to make sure this low carb sugar free creme brulee is kept in a location in the fridge that is away from any foods that have a strong odor. You don't want it to take on any weird flavors. It will last 2-3 days in the fridge. Be sure never to let it sit out longer than 2 hours at a time.
Here are a few more of our favorite creamy keto low carb recipes for desserts: Cottage Cheese Cheesecake, Keto Chocolate Cheesecake, and Keto Panna Cotta.
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📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- ¼ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoon allulose
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300.
- Beat egg yolks and sweetener until they are a pale yellow. Gradually add the cream and vanilla. Divide between 6 creme brulee dishes.
- Place in a large rimmed pan and add about half an inch of hot water to the rimmed pan to create a water bath.
- Bake for 45 minutes until they only jiggly barely when shaken. Cool to room temperature.
- Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of allulose. Using a torch melt the sweetener until it is golden brown.
- Chill for 3-4 hours or overnight.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published May 12, 2021. Revised and Republished May 1, 2023.
Brenda says
I was so happy to find this recipe because I've been wondering if I could use Allulose. To be perfectly honest, I have my own custard recipe that works in my Instant Pot.
But I'm wondering if I did something wrong during the finish. Before I started Keto, I used to top with 1 tsp sugar, spread it around and create a crisp brown crust in 20-30 seconds with my torch. I tried using the same technique with the allulose and it just didn't come out the same. First of all, it took longer to melt. It finally started to bubble before turning a beautiful golden brown... at which point, I turned off the torch. But instead of having a crispy torch, I had something that was more gummy.
Any ideas about where I went wrong?
Taryn says
The crust won't be as crisp without regular sugar, unfortunately.
Diana says
I have never made this before but you make it look doable and I'm excited to tackle this dessert!
Jenn says
I had no idea Keto Creme brûlée existed and I'm so so excited for it! Thanks for sharing the recipe! xo
Roberta says
Unfortunately who lives in EU can't have access to allulore since it's not approved yet: I have read your consideration about the better result with this sweetener, but in the lack of this one, what would you suggest to obtain a decent top on this custard? I was thinking about Brown Swerve, or Golden Monkfruit, or Sukrin Gold (the most easy to find here, since lately the other 2 options mentioned are often unavable and/or really pricey and with high duty/taxes for import fees)... I'd use the broiler method since I do not have a torch (but I have it in my wish-list for future purchases!).
Lastly: if usinig real vanilla beans instead of the extract, how much would you think could be the proper dose?
Thank you for your detailed recipes!
Taryn says
I think sukrin gold would work. You may need to chill the custards again after caramelizing if the heat from the broiler softens the inside.
For vanilla beans, I would just add the seed from one pod.
Kelly says
Do you have a brand of allulose that you prefer? Do you use powdered allulose or granular?
Taryn says
I've only tried granular allulose. The brand was Hoosier Hill Farm from Amazon.