Low Carb Crème Brûlée: The Classic French Dessert Without the Sugar
In short
My go-to dessert whenever it’s on the menu, made without sugar. Warm 3 cups of heavy cream until it just bubbles at the sides, whisk it into eggs and half a cup of monk fruit sweetener with 2 teaspoons of vanilla, pour it into ramekins in a water bath, then bake at 300°F for 45 to 50 minutes. Chill it, sprinkle more sweetener on top and torch it until it melts and sets crisp.
Key points
- What you need: eggs, half a cup of monk fruit sweetener (Lakanto, Swerve or whatever replacement you like), 3 cups of heavy cream, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and extra sweetener for the top.
- Kit: a kitchen torch, some ramekins and a dish to sit them in as a water bath.
- Don’t boil the cream. You want it warmed through and just bubbling at the sides, not a rolling boil.
- The water bath matters. Filling the dish about halfway up the ramekins stops the custard cracking, splitting or drying out.
- 300°F (150°C) for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is just starting to set.
- Don’t forget the vanilla. I left it sitting on the bench while filming, so learn from me and add it to the cream, egg and sugar mix.
- Rest, then chill. 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature, then into the fridge for at least an hour. Mine had a couple of hours.
- Torch gently. Keep the torch moving so the granules melt without burning, then give them 2 or 3 minutes to set before serving.
Crème brûlée is a crowd favourite, and if it’s on the menu when I go out to eat, it’s my go-to dessert. In this video I make a low carb version at home, swapping the sugar for monk fruit sweetener so you still get the silky custard and the crisp caramelised top.
There’s a little bit involved, but it’s not beyond anybody watching. The full written recipe, with quantities, is on my keto crème brûlée recipe page.
Method in brief
- Pour 3 cups of heavy cream into a saucepan and warm it until it’s just bubbling around the sides. Don’t let it come to a rolling boil.
- While the cream heats, whisk the eggs in a bowl with half a cup of monk fruit sweetener. My written recipe uses 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg.
- Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla. (I forgot mine in the video.)
- Slowly incorporate the warm cream into the egg mixture, then pour it into a jug to make filling easier.
- Fill the ramekins about three quarters full and sit them in a baking dish.
- Pour water into the dish until it comes about halfway up the ramekins.
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for around 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is just starting to set.
- Let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Sprinkle monk fruit sweetener over the top and melt it with a kitchen torch, keeping the flame moving so it doesn’t burn.
- Give the top 2 or 3 minutes to set, then serve.
Why I make it
It’s an absolute classic and well worth the effort. Cutting sugar doesn’t mean giving up the treats you’d think you’d miss on low carb, and this one feels properly fancy for a handful of simple ingredients.
Want more sweet stuff? Watch me make my sugar free chocolate mousse, my low carb ice cream, my sugar-free brownies or a 60-second chocolate mug cake. If you’re after something savoury, try my low carb pizza.
New to all this? Grab the free Carb Guide, or watch my story and how I lost 23kg in four months.
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Not medical advice. I'm not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist, just a bloke telling the story of what worked for me. Check with your doctor before changing your diet or medication.
