Is Flan Typically Gluten-Free?

Flan is a fancy-looking party dessert of caramel and custard with a velvety texture that sometimes verges on gelatinous. It's a caramel-lover's dream, a creamy, milky treat typically baked in a water bath and turned upside-down before plating. It's served drenched in caramel sauce, which is what makes flan different from crème brûlée, as the latter has crusted caramel on top. Flan is a unique dessert with just the right amount of sauciness and just the right amount of jiggle. It has a chic coffee hour aesthetic, an almost oppressive sweetness that begs for a ristretto-style espresso. And the traditional, classic version of flan is gluten-free.

It may seem too good to be true for a dessert so scrumptious to be gluten-free, but you're not dreaming. Indeed, flan does not contain any of the typical elements someone on a gluten-free diet has to worry about — things like pie crust, wheat-based dough, and gluten thickeners in fillings and frosting. Essentially, flan is a dessert made from only eggs, sugar, and milk. Some recipes include ingredients like vanilla and even gelatin, both of which are gluten-free. The caramel and custard creation is made in a mold, like this Globe Rocket flan mold with a lid.

There are fruity types of flan that incorporate mango, pineapple, and lime, as well as versions that include rum, chocolate, and cream cheese. One of Ina Garten's favorite desserts of all time is pumpkin flan during the holidays. But at its core, flan is made of gluten-free ingredients: evaporated milk, egg, sugar, and vanilla. They're combined in different ways to create the iconic creamy custard served dripping in caramel sauce. Those ingredients are safe for those avoiding gluten, but there are variations on classic flan that contain toppings that could be problematic.

Watch out for flan made with graham cracker crust or toppings like cookies and candy bars that could include gluten. Cross-contamination is always a concern for those avoiding gluten, so if you didn't make the flan yourself, inquire about the kitchen conditions. Another gluten red flag is when flan is combined with other desserts to make hybrid sweets. Chocoflan cakes, butter cakes, and other cake-flan hybrids contain wheat in the cake mix, making it something you'd want to avoid if you are saying no to gluten.