Creme brulee is one of those desserts that feels really special, but it is actually not that hard to make at home. This low carb creme brulee gives you that same rich, creamy custard and that satisfying crack when you tap through the top, without all the sugar.
If you are eating low carb or following a keto diet, finding desserts that actually taste like the real thing can be tricky. This one genuinely does. It uses erythritol instead of sugar, so the carb count stays low while the flavor stays right where it should be.
The texture is smooth and silky, and the brulee topping gets golden and crispy just like the classic version. You do need a kitchen torch for that part, but other than that, the process is pretty simple.
It does take a bit of patience since the custard needs time to chill in the fridge before serving. But most of that time is hands off, so it is a great dessert to make the day before you need it.
Whether you are making this for a dinner party or just treating yourself on a quiet evening, this is a recipe worth having on hand.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It Actually Has a Real Crunchy Topping – The granular erythritol on top caramelizes with a kitchen torch just like a traditional creme brulee, so you still get that satisfying crack when you tap through it with a spoon.
Only 6 Ingredients – This recipe uses heavy whipping cream, egg yolks, erythritol, vanilla, sea salt, and nothing else, so there are no hard to find specialty ingredients that will send you searching through three different stores.
Perfect for Meal Prep – The custard has to chill for at least 4 hours anyway, so you can make all four ramekins the night before and have dessert ready to go whenever you need it.
A Fancy Dessert That Fits Your Macros – Heavy cream and egg yolks are both keto staples, and erythritol has zero net carbs, so this dessert is naturally high fat and low carb without any awkward substitutions.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 5 large Egg Yolks
- 1/4 cup Powdered Erythritol
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Sea Salt
- 4 tsp Granular Erythritol (for the brulee topping)
How to Make
Step 1
Preheat oven to 325°F. Place four 6-oz ramekins in a deep baking dish. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
Step 2
In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream over medium heat until it just begins to steam and tiny bubbles form around the edges. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat.
Step 3
In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks, powdered erythritol, vanilla extract, and sea salt together until pale and smooth. Very slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly to temper the eggs without scrambling them. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer for an ultra-smooth texture.
Step 4
Divide the custard evenly among the four ramekins. Pour boiling water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the custards are set around the edges but still have a gentle wobble in the center.
Step 5
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely chilled and set.
Step 6
When ready to serve, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of granular erythritol evenly over each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the surface until golden and crackly. Let the topping harden for 30 seconds, then serve immediately.
Helpful Tips
Use Powdered Erythritol for the Custard
The recipe calls for powdered erythritol in the custard base, and that matters. Granular erythritol won’t fully dissolve into the cream mixture, and you’ll end up with a gritty texture in your finished custard.
If you only have granular on hand, blend it in a small blender or coffee grinder until it turns into a fine powder before adding it to the egg yolks.
Temper the Eggs Slowly
Pouring hot cream into eggs the wrong way will scramble them, and you’ll end up with sweet, vanilla-flavored scrambled eggs instead of a smooth custard. The key is to pour the cream in a very slow, thin stream while whisking the whole time.
If it helps, have someone else pour the cream while you whisk, or rest your mixing bowl on a damp towel so it stays still. Go slow and don’t rush this step.
Always Strain the Custard
Even if you tempered the eggs perfectly, there can still be small bits of cooked egg or air bubbles in the mixture. Running it through a fine mesh strainer before pouring it into the ramekins takes care of that and gives you a perfectly silky custard.
Don’t skip this step thinking it won’t make a difference. It really does, and it only takes an extra 30 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my erythritol topping not crack like a real creme brulee?
This is a common issue with erythritol because it behaves differently from regular sugar when heated. It can caramelize, but it tends to recrystallize as it cools, which means the topping may not stay glassy and crackly for very long.
The best trick is to serve it immediately after torching, within about 30 seconds to 1 minute. You can also try a blend of erythritol and a small amount of allulose, since allulose caramelizes much more like real sugar and helps the topping stay crisp longer.
Low Carb Creme Brulee
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Place four 6-oz ramekins in a deep baking dish. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream over medium heat until it just begins to steam and tiny bubbles form around the edges. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks, powdered erythritol, vanilla extract, and sea salt together until pale and smooth. Very slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly to temper the eggs without scrambling them. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer for an ultra-smooth texture.
- Divide the custard evenly among the four ramekins. Pour boiling water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the custards are set around the edges but still have a gentle wobble in the center.
- Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely chilled and set.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of granular erythritol evenly over each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the surface until golden and crackly. Let the topping harden for 30 seconds, then serve immediately.