Flan is one of Mexico’s most beloved desserts, a silky smooth custard with a glossy caramel top that wobbles enticingly on the plate. Horchata is the creamy, cinnamon-scented rice drink that’s been refreshing people across Latin America for generations. This Spicy Horchata Flan brings these two iconic treats together in one spectacular dessert that tastes like tradition with an exciting modern edge. The flan has all the creamy vanilla-cinnamon flavors of horchata, but with an unexpected kick of heat from cayenne pepper that sneaks up on you after the sweetness fades. The combination might sound unusual, but sweet and spicy desserts have a long history in Mexican cuisine, and this flan proves why that pairing is so irresistible. The heat doesn’t overpower the delicate custard but rather enhances all the other flavors and leaves you wanting just one more bite.
This recipe serves eight people and takes about one hour of active preparation plus four hours of chilling time, making it perfect for entertaining since you can make it a day ahead. Each serving contains approximately 285 calories, giving you a luxurious dessert that’s rich but not overly heavy.
1. Ingredients for the Caramel
- Granulated sugar – 1 cup
- Water – 1/4 cup
- Fresh lime juice – 1 teaspoon
2. Ingredients for the Flan
- Long-grain white rice – 1/2 cup (uncooked)
- Water – 2 cups
- Whole milk – 2 cups
- Sweetened condensed milk – 1 can (14 ounces)
- Evaporated milk – 1 can (12 ounces)
- Large eggs – 5
- Egg yolks – 2
- Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons
- Ground cinnamon – 2 teaspoons
- Cayenne pepper – 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt – 1/4 teaspoon
- Ground almonds – 2 tablespoons (optional, for authentic horchata flavor)
3. Prepare the Rice Base
Place the uncooked rice and two cups of water in a medium bowl. Let the rice soak at room temperature for at least four hours or overnight in the refrigerator. This soaking softens the rice and allows it to release its starch, which is what gives horchata its characteristic creamy texture. After soaking, transfer the rice and its soaking water to a blender. Blend on high speed for about two minutes until the rice is completely broken down and the mixture looks milky and smooth. You shouldn’t see any large rice pieces remaining.
4. Strain the Rice Mixture
Pour the blended rice mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth set over a large bowl. Use a spoon or spatula to press down on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. This rice milk is the foundation of the horchata flavor in your flan. Discard the solids that remain in the strainer. You should end up with about one and a half cups of smooth, slightly thick rice milk. If you’re short on time, you can substitute with store-bought horchata, but making it fresh gives you the most authentic flavor.
5. Make the Caramel
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and lime juice. The lime juice helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing as it cooks. Place the pan over medium heat and stir just until the sugar dissolves completely. Once the sugar is dissolved, stop stirring entirely. Let the mixture bubble and cook undisturbed for about eight to ten minutes. Watch it carefully as it transitions from clear to pale gold to deep amber. Swirl the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking, but don’t stir with a spoon. When the caramel reaches a rich amber color that looks like honey, immediately remove it from the heat.
6. Coat the Baking Dish
Working quickly because caramel hardens fast, pour the hot caramel into a round nine-inch cake pan or flan mold. Tilt and rotate the pan so the caramel coats the bottom and comes up the sides about an inch. The caramel will be extremely hot, so use oven mitts or a kitchen towel to protect your hands. Set the coated pan aside and let the caramel cool and harden while you prepare the custard. As it cools, it will become brittle and glassy. Don’t worry if it seems too hard because it will melt back into a liquid sauce when you bake and then chill the flan.
7. Prepare the Custard Base
In a large saucepan, combine the strained rice milk, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk. Place the pan over medium heat and warm the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it’s hot but not boiling. You want it steaming with tiny bubbles around the edges. This takes about five to seven minutes. Heating the milk before adding it to the eggs helps the flan cook more evenly and creates a silkier texture. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly for about five minutes.
8. Mix the Eggs and Spices
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt, and ground almonds if using. Whisk vigorously for about one minute until the mixture is light and frothy. The cayenne pepper should be evenly distributed so you get that gentle heat throughout the flan rather than concentrated in one spot. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with just a quarter teaspoon of cayenne and you can always add more next time.
9. Combine and Strain
Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This process is called tempering and it prevents the eggs from scrambling. Pour in a thin, steady stream and keep whisking the entire time. Once everything is combined, pour the entire custard mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl or large measuring cup with a pour spout. This straining step removes any bits of cooked egg or lumps and ensures your flan is perfectly smooth. Use a spoon to press any thick bits through the strainer.
10. Fill the Mold
Carefully pour the strained custard mixture over the hardened caramel in your prepared pan. Fill it almost to the top, leaving just a quarter inch of space. The custard should be smooth and uniform in color, a pale tan from the cinnamon and rice milk. If you see any bubbles on the surface, gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release them, or use a spoon to skim them off. Bubbles can create holes in the finished flan.
11. Create a Water Bath
Place the filled flan pan inside a larger roasting pan or baking dish. This water bath, called a bain-marie, is essential for gentle, even cooking that prevents the flan from cracking or curdling. Carefully pour hot water into the outer pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the flan pan. Be very careful not to splash any water into the custard itself. The water bath insulates the delicate custard and keeps it at a steady, gentle temperature throughout baking.
12. Bake Low and Slow
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Carefully transfer the water bath with the flan to the center rack of the oven, moving slowly so the water doesn’t slosh. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. The flan is done when the edges are set and slightly puffed, but the center still has a gentle jiggle when you shake the pan, like barely set gelatin. A knife inserted about an inch from the edge should come out clean. The center will continue cooking from residual heat as it cools. If you overbake flan, it becomes grainy and develops holes, so it’s better to underbake slightly.
13. Cool Completely
Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven. Let the flan sit in the water bath for about 15 minutes, then carefully lift the flan pan out of the water using oven mitts. Place it on a wire rack and let it cool to room temperature, which takes about an hour. Once it reaches room temperature, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least four hours, but preferably overnight. This chilling time is crucial because it allows the flan to set completely and makes it much easier to unmold. The caramel will also liquify and become a pourable sauce during this time.
14. Unmold the Flan
When you’re ready to serve, remove the flan from the refrigerator. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan, pressing it against the pan sides to avoid cutting into the flan itself. Place your serving platter upside down on top of the flan pan. Hold both the pan and the platter firmly together and quickly flip them over in one confident motion. Give the bottom of the pan a few firm taps to help release the flan. Slowly lift the pan straight up. The flan should release onto the platter with all the caramel sauce flowing down the sides, creating a beautiful glossy coating.
15. Slice and Serve
Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to cut the flan into eight wedges. Wipe the knife clean and dip it in hot water again between each slice for the cleanest cuts. Each slice should be silky smooth with a layer of golden caramel on top. The texture should be creamy and barely firm, melting on your tongue. The flavor starts with sweet vanilla and cinnamon, followed by the subtle nuttiness from the rice, and finishes with a gentle warmth from the cayenne that lingers pleasantly. Spoon extra caramel sauce from the platter over each slice before serving.
16. Nutritional Information Per Serving
- Calories – 285
- Protein – 9 grams
- Total fat – 9 grams
- Saturated fat – 5 grams
- Carbohydrates – 42 grams
- Fiber – 0 grams
- Sugar – 39 grams
- Cholesterol – 165 milligrams
- Sodium – 155 milligrams
17. Helpful Tips
The key to perfect caramel is patience and not stirring once the sugar dissolves. Stirring can cause crystallization that makes the caramel grainy. If your caramel does crystallize, you’ll need to start over because there’s no way to fix it. Watch the caramel carefully in the final minutes because it goes from perfect to burned very quickly. If you accidentally burn it and it smells acrid or turns black, discard it and make a new batch. The rice soaking step cannot be skipped because unsoaked rice won’t blend smooth enough and will create a grainy texture in your flan. If you’re really pressed for time, you can buy premade horchata from a Mexican market and use two cups of it in place of making the rice milk from scratch. The water bath is absolutely essential for this recipe. Without it, the edges of the flan will overcook and become rubbery while the center stays liquid. Make sure your water is hot when you pour it into the outer pan because cold water will lower the oven temperature and increase baking time. Some people prefer to place a kitchen towel in the bottom of the water bath under the flan pan to provide extra insulation and prevent any possible scorching. The jiggle test is the most reliable way to check if flan is done. It should wobble like gelatin when you gently shake the pan, but it shouldn’t slosh like liquid. Remember that flan continues to cook as it cools, so taking it out when it’s slightly underdone in the center is perfect. If you don’t have a round cake pan, you can use a loaf pan or even individual ramekins for personal-sized flans. Individual flans will bake faster, usually in 30 to 40 minutes. The cayenne pepper can be adjusted to your heat tolerance. A quarter teaspoon gives just a subtle warmth, while a full teaspoon will make it noticeably spicy. You can also substitute the cayenne with a combination of cinnamon and a tiny pinch of black pepper for warmth without as much heat. Ground almonds are traditional in horchata and add a subtle nutty flavor, but they can be omitted if you have allergies. For an even more luxurious version, you can soak a handful of blanched almonds with the rice and blend them together. Flan keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for up to four days, making it an excellent make-ahead dessert for parties and special occasions. The flavors actually improve after a day as everything melds together. This dessert pairs wonderfully with strong Mexican coffee or a glass of cold horchata to drink alongside it. You can garnish each slice with a light dusting of cinnamon, a few toasted sliced almonds, or a small dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream if desired. The contrast of cold, silky flan with warm spices is what makes this dessert so memorable and crave-worthy.
