This sunshine citrus & cinnamon flan is pure dessert MAGIC! It’s silky smooth, bursting with zesty lemon, and wrapped in the warm hug of cinnamon. One bite and you’ll see why we keep saying this is the dessert your holiday table didn’t know it needed.
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The best part?! It looks like something from a fancy bakery, but it’s secretly SO simple! A few fresh ingredients, a gentle simmer, and some chill time in the fridge, that’s all it takes for this golden beauty to steal the spotlight at your next gathering.
Helpful Tips & Variations
- Infuse for full flavor. Let the milk, lemon zest, and cinnamon sticks steep for at least 10 minutes after heating. This step builds the bright, aromatic flavor.
- Strain for smoothness. For a silkier texture, strain the custard BEFORE pouring it into the molds to remove zest pieces or any cooked egg bits.
- Chill before unmolding. Give the flan at least 4 hours in the fridge to firm up. Overnight is even better for the perfect slice!
- Use orange zest. For a sweeter citrus note, replace the lemon zest with the zest of one orange.
- Add caramel for a twist. For a more classic flan style, pour a thin layer of caramel into each ramekin before adding the custard.
- Serve in the mold. If unmolding feels tricky, serve the flan directly in the ramekins with a dusting of cinnamon and coconut on top.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon (avoid the white pith for no bitterness)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon, for dusting
- Shredded coconut, for garnish
How to Make Sunshine Citrus & Cinnamon Flan
- Infuse the milk. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cream, sugar, lemon zest, and cinnamon sticks. Heat over medium until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the egg mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth.
- Temper the eggs. Slowly pour about ½ cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
- Combine and cook. Return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and able to coat the back of a spoon (about 5–7 minutes). Remove cinnamon sticks.
- Set the flan. Pour the custard into lightly greased ramekins or molds. Smooth the tops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
- Unmold and garnish. Run a thin knife around the edges of the flan, invert onto serving plates, dust with ground cinnamon, and sprinkle with shredded coconut. Serve chilled.
Make Ahead & Storage Tips
- Make ahead. This flan is an IDEAL make-ahead dessert! You can prepare it up to 2 days in advance and keep it chilled in the refrigerator until serving.
- Storage. Keep the flan covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Over time, it will remain safe to eat, but the texture may soften slightly.
- Unmolding later. If you want to unmold just before serving, keep the flan in the ramekins, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and unmold right before plating.
- Serving leftovers. Enjoy leftovers straight from the ramekin or unmold onto a plate with fresh cinnamon and coconut for garnish.
See? I told you this sunshine citrus & cinnamon flan would be a showstopper! It’s smooth, bright, and just fancy enough to impress without any stress.
Sunshine Citrus & Cinnamon Flan
This sunshine citrus & cinnamon flan is creamy, silky smooth, and full of bright lemon flavor with a cozy touch of cinnamon. A simple make-ahead dessert that’s perfect for holidays, dinner parties, or any special occasion!
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon avoid white pith
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon for dusting
- Shredded coconut for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cream, sugar, lemon zest, and cinnamon sticks. Heat over medium until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly pour ½ cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking, until thickened (5–7 minutes). Remove cinnamon sticks.
- Pour custard into lightly greased ramekins. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm.
- Unmold onto serving plates. Dust with ground cinnamon and sprinkle shredded coconut. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Let the milk mixture steep fully for maximum flavor.
- Chill for at least 4 hours, but overnight works best.
- For a SWEETER variation, replace lemon zest with orange zest!
If you make it, leave a comment, we’d LOVE to hear if you went with lemon or switched it up with orange! And if today’s not the day to make it, save this PIN for later (trust us, your future self will thank you).
Oh, and don’t forget to follow Panfetti on Pinterest for more desserts that look bakery-perfect but are secretly SO simple!
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