Crème Brûlée: a classic French dessert featuring a velvety vanilla custard made from egg yolks and cream, finished with a crisp, caramelized sugar crust. The contrast between the smooth custard and the glassy sugar shell is irresistible — part of the fun is breaking that caramelized top to reach the silky custard beneath.
This luxurious dessert is surprisingly simple to prepare in an Instant Pot using a handful of common ingredients. The method below walks you through the whole process with tips to get a perfect texture and a beautiful caramelized finish.
How I made it
Start by pouring 2 cups of heavy cream into a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Warming the cream slightly helps it incorporate more easily with the egg yolks.
If you want a holiday twist, swap up to 1/2 cup of the cream for egg nog for a festive flavor variation.
Warm the cream briefly in the microwave — just long enough to take the chill off. This makes mixing smoother and helps prevent seizing the custard when the yolks are added.
Separate six egg yolks from the whites. You can save the whites for another use, such as an omelet or meringue. Using a yolk separator makes this step quick and tidy.
Add the yolks to the warmed cream and whisk gently to combine. Then stir in 6 tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of cinnamon, and 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
Carefully divide the custard mixture among four 8-ounce ramekins, leaving a little room at the top. Cover each ramekin with foil to prevent condensation from altering the texture during cooking.
Pour two cups of water into the Instant Pot and set the trivet inside. Arrange the ramekins in a criss-cross stack — two across the base and two resting on top perpendicular to the bottom pair — so they fit snugly on the trivet.
Secure the lid and cook on high pressure (Manual/Pressure Cook) for 15 minutes. Allow a 15-minute natural pressure release, then perform a quick release if necessary. Let the ramekins sit in the pot for about five minutes after opening the lid.
Remove the foil. The custard should be slightly wobbly in the center — this is the correct texture at this stage. Transfer the ramekins to the refrigerator and chill for at least four hours, or overnight for best results. The custard will firm up to a rich, pudding-like consistency.
When chilled and ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar evenly over each custard. You can use granulated white sugar for a smooth, glassy crust or raw sugar for a slightly coarser, textured finish. Both yield excellent results; it’s a matter of personal preference.
Use a culinary torch to caramelize the sugar. Move the flame evenly across the surface until the sugar melts, bubbles, and forms a golden to deep amber crust — choose the color you prefer. Allow the caramel to cool and harden briefly before serving so it forms that signature brittle shell.
Serve immediately after the caramel sets. Crack the caramelized top with a spoon to reveal the silky custard beneath, then enjoy the contrast of textures and flavors.
Tips and notes: the custard is best when chilled thoroughly, so plan ahead and refrigerate for at least four hours. If you like subtle seasonal notes, swapping a portion of the cream for egg nog adds a warm, festive touch. Save the separated egg whites for another recipe to avoid waste.
Enjoy this elegant dessert with minimal fuss — a perfect treat for dinner parties or a special weeknight indulgence.
Instant Pot Creme Brulee
A crystalized sugar top that gives way to a lush, creamy custard — that’s Crème Brûlée in a nutshell.
5 minutes
20 minutes
25 minutes
Ingredients
The Crème Brûlée Custard (for four 8 oz ramekins):
- 6 egg yolks (save the whites for another use)
- 2 cups heavy cream (optional: substitute 1/2 cup with egg nog for a festive twist)
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Caramelized sugar crust:
- About 2 tsp granulated white sugar or raw sugar per ramekin, evenly sprinkled on top before torching
Instructions
- Pour the cream into a 4-cup Pyrex and warm in the microwave for about 45 seconds to take the chill off.
- Whisk the egg yolks into the warmed cream, then add sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Combine until smooth.
- Divide the custard into four 8 oz ramekins and cover each with foil.
- Place the trivet and 2 cups of water in the Instant Pot. Arrange the ramekins in a criss-cross stack on the trivet.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow a 15-minute natural release, then quick release if needed. Let the ramekins rest in the pot for 5 minutes after opening.
- Remove foil. The custard should be slightly jiggly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to fully set.
- When ready to serve, evenly sprinkle sugar over each custard and caramelize with a culinary torch until the sugar bubbles and forms a hard, amber crust.
- Serve immediately and enjoy the contrast of the crisp sugar shell and the silky custard beneath.
Tips
Helpful tools: a 4-cup Pyrex for warming cream, an egg yolk separator to save whites, 8 oz ramekins, and a culinary torch for perfect caramelization. Chilling thoroughly improves texture; overnight refrigeration yields the best results.