Rich, smooth, and lightly flavored with pure maple syrup, this maple creme brulee is a lovely twist on the French classic. With its warm maple sweetness and crisp caramelized top, it’s the perfect fall dessert!
Maple crème brûlée is a classic French-inspired custard dessert that is creamy, silky and rich yet surprisingly simple to make at home. With its smooth custard and crisp caramelized sugar topping, every spoonful offers the perfect contrast of creamy and crunchy textures.
In this version, the custard is lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup for a flavor that’s warm, rich, and perfectly balanced. It’s a delicious twist on the classic French dessert, a cozy choice for fall and perfect for maple syrup lovers, along with my maple glazed pumpkin cake and maple leaf sandwich cookies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Smooth and flavorful: The creamy baked custard has a delicate maple sweetness that pairs beautifully with the crisp, caramelized sugar topping.
- Make ahead friendly: Chill the custards in advance, then caramelize the tops just before serving. It’s a restaurant-style dessert that’s perfect for entertaining or the holidays.
Ingredient Notes
- Cream: Use whole, whipping, or heavy cream with at least 30% fat for the best texture. It gives the custard that silky, rich consistency classic to crème brûlée.
- Egg yolks: They thicken the custard and create that smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Make sure they’re at room temperature so they blend easily with the hot cream.
- Maple syrup: The star ingredient! Pure maple syrup adds a warm, caramel-like sweetness that makes this maple creme brulee recipe uniquely delicious. Do not use imitation syrup.
- Sugar: A mix of granulated and brown sugar adds depth to the maple creme brulee custard. Use granulated, turbinado, or even maple sugar for the golden caramelized top.
Equipment Notes
- Ramekins: Choose shallow, oven-safe ramekins for even baking and the ideal custard-to-caramel ratio.
- Baking dish or roasting pan: You’ll need one deep enough to hold the ramekins and a water bath (about ½ inch of hot water). This gentle baking method keeps the custard smooth and prevents curdling.
- Kitchen torch: This is the best tool for melting and caramelizing the sugar topping. It gives the top that perfectly crisp, glass-like finish. (If you don’t have one, the broiler can be used as a backup.)
How to Make Maple Creme Brulee
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugars, and maple syrup until smooth and slightly thickened. You don’t need to beat in air, just whisk until everything is well combined.
In a saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until it just starts to boil. Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This step tempers the eggs so they don’t scramble. Once the mixture is smooth, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve.
Place four shallow ramekins in a deep baking or roasting pan, then carefully pour the custard mixture into each.
Add some hot water to the pan to create a gentle water bath, then bake until the edges are set and the centres still have a slight wobble.
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool to room temperature, then cover loosely and refrigerate until completely chilled. When ready to serve, sprinkle each custard with a thin, even layer of sugar. Use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelize the top until golden and crisp, or briefly broil them in the oven, watching closely. Allow the sugar to harden before serving for that classic, crackly top.
tips for success
- Temper the eggs: When adding the hot cream, pour it in slowly while whisking constantly. This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
- Strain the mixture: Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve before baking to remove any bits and ensure a perfectly smooth texture.
- Use hot (not boiling) water: When creating your water bath, pour in hot tap water, it helps accelerate the baking process without drying out the custard.
- Chill completely: Don’t rush the cooling time. Letting the custards chill for at least 4 hours helps them set properly and makes torching easier.
- Torch evenly: Move the kitchen torch in a slow, circular motion to melt the sugar gradually. This gives a beautifully even caramel layer to the maple creme brulee without burning.
Variations
All of these variations make this maple-flavored dessert a lovely choice for fall gatherings or the holidays.
- Maple bourbon: Add a tablespoon of bourbon to the custard mixture for a richer, more complex flavor that complements the maple syrup beautifully.
- Maple sugar: Use maple sugar in place of granulated sugar in the custard or as the topping for an even more pronounced maple flavor.
- Vanilla extract: For a softer, more classic crème brûlée flavor, add ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract along with the maple syrup.
- Maple pecan: Sprinkle finely chopped toasted pecans over the caramelized top just before serving for a subtle crunch and nutty sweetness.
So simple, creamy, and full of maple sweetness, this crème brûlée is the kind of dessert that feels elegant yet wonderfully homey — a sweet way to finish any meal. 🍁✨ If you give it a try, let me know how it turned out — I’d love to hear what you think! Enjoy!
- 1½ cups + 1 tablespoon cream (whole, whipping or heavy cream, at least 30% fat content)
- 3 large egg yolks (room temperature)
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2½ tablespoons brown sugar
EXTRAS
- 4 tablespoons granulated, turbinado or even maple sugar
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Pre-heat oven to 320F/160C.
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In a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and maple syrup.
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In a large pot add the cream and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, continuously whisking until combined.
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Slowly pour the mixture through a fine sieve. Pour the mixture into 4-5 oven proof / ramekin bowls. Place the ramekins in a baking dish (2 at a time if needed), carefully fill the pan with approximately ½ inch / 1.2 cm of hot water. Carefully (with oven mitts) place the pan in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the edges are set and centres will jiggle a little. Or when an instant read thermometer registers 170F (77C).
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Carefully with oven mitts remove the baking pan from the oven and again using oven mitts, remove the ramekins from the pan. Place them on a wire rack to cool for at about 1 hour. Then place them in the refrigerator, loosely covered, and chill for approximately 4-6 hours or even overnight.
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When ready to serve, remove from the fridge, sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the top of each. Use a kitchen torch to melt and lightly toast sugar topping until brown and bubbly, about 30 seconds. If you don’t have a torch, pre-heat oven to broil, place the ramekins on a baking sheet, about 3-4 inches / 7-10 cm from the broiler, broil for about 1 to 5 minutes, be sure to watch constantly to prevent burning, until the sugar is golden brown and bubbly. Let sugar topping cool to harden before serving. Enjoy!
How to store the creme brulee
Store any leftover crème brûlée (without the sugar topping) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add the sugar and torch just before serving to keep the top crisp.
Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 239mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 120mg | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 1496IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg | Phosphorus: 102mg
recipe FAQs
Line the bottom of your roasting pan with a couple of paper towels before adding the ramekins, this keeps them from sliding. Place the pan on the oven rack first, then carefully pour in the hot water using a pitcher or funnel. This prevents splashing and keeps water out of the custard.
If you don’t have a kitchen torch, preheat your oven’s broiler and place the ramekins on a baking sheet about 3–4 inches from the heat source. Broil for 1–5 minutes, watching closely, until the sugar turns golden and bubbly. Let the tops cool for a few minutes to harden before serving.
Yes! You can make the custards up to 2-3 days in advance. Keep them covered and refrigerated, then caramelize the tops just before serving for the best contrast of creamy and crisp.
Store any leftover crème brûlée (without the sugar topping) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add the sugar and torch just before serving to keep the top crisp.
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