Known in France as “Flan Coco”, this famous Coconut Flan hails from the French Antilles. With the exotic flavors of coconut milk, shredded coconut and vanilla, this recipe may be a stretch from what you would expect of a classic French dessert, yet it is a very popular flan in mainland France too. Most French, myself included, love to indulge in the cuisine from the French Antilles Islands, and this flan may be one of their most beloved recipes to recreate at home.
What makes this French Antilles Coconut Flan (Flan Coco) special?
The singularity of the French Antilles Coconut Flan is in its texture, which divides itself into two different layers while baking. The shredded coconut magically separates to float to the surface and creates a biscuit-like crust.
Once flipped upside down, the flan showcases two different layers: a luscious creamy flan topped with caramel and a soft shredded coconut biscuit at the bottom. I love the contrast of these two textures!
This Coconut Flan is an easy, light and refreshing tropical dessert that’s welcome anytime during Spring and Summer. I love that it is also naturally gluten-free and a great dessert to make ahead. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can you make this coconut flan ahead of time?
Yes, you definitely can. The flan actually needs at least 4 hours to fully set before it is served. This makes it the perfect make-ahead dessert.
How to Keep this Coconut Flan?
- Any leftovers? You can keep the flan in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- I do not recommend to freeze this coconut flan. As with most desserts made with dairy, the freezing and thawing process will seriously alter the texture.
Cooking notes & Substitutions:
- I like to use vanilla extract to flavor the flan, or even better, the seeds of half a vanilla bean. You can also opt for rum or almond extract.
- Make sure you use sweetened condensed milk and unsweetened shredded coconut. Using sweetened shredded coconut would result in a flan that is just too sweet.
- Use the freshest eggs possible.
- If the top of the flan is browning too much when baking, simply place a sheet of foil on top to prevent it from darkening further.
- Make sure the flan is fully chilled (at least 4 hours) before you un-mold it. If it isn’t chilled enough, it will likely collapse when you flip it.
- Likewise, make sure you leave the mold in 2 inches of hot water for about 10 minutes before you unmold the flan, to allow the caramel at the bottom to soften itself and release the flan.
More French desserts you may like:
- Classic French Crème Brûlée
- Classic French Apple Cake
- Chocolate Moelleux Cake
- Classic Cherry Clafoutis
- Strawberry Flaugnarde
- Classic French Lemon Tart
I hope you’ll love this French Antilles Coconut Flan as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment.
97 comments
Hi Audrey. This looks amazing and I’m going to try it tonight. I wonder if you have the can volume measurements switched around? My can of coconut milk is 400 ml and my can of sweetened condensed milk is 300 ml.
Hi Shauna. The volume measurements are correct – 300ml coconut milk and 400ml condensed milk. I know that most cans of condensed milk are 300ml so you will need to purchase 2 of them, and you won’t need the entire coconut milk can. Enjoy!
Hi Audrey, This looks awesome. Can’t wait to make it. Is there any particular size loaf pan I should use? Also, usually I buy Thai Coconut Milk. Will that work, or just a can of regular (not lite) coconut milk? Thanks!
Hi Susan. I use an “average” pan size (8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches). Thai Coconut milk works – as long as it is unsweetened, and I suggest using full fat/regular, rather than lite. I hope this helps and Happy baking!
Hi Audrey,. Made this yesterday. It was really easy and tastes amazing! The hardest part was resisting the urge to stir the caramel. After 3 hours in the fridge, put it in a larger pan of very warm water, but couldn’t get all the caramel out of the bottom. Will definitely make this again. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Susan, thank you for your feedback! Don’t hesitate to leave the pan in warm water a little longer next time to get all the caramel out. 🙂
I made this last night and served it today. It was met with rave reviews. A truly decadent dessert.
Amazing, thank you for your review Juley!
This looks a lovely recipe
I used to buy some sort of coconut flan from the french market in the U.K. many years ago. I wonder if this is the same recipe. It was delicious 😋
Thanks! I have seen quite a few variations of this coconut flan, but this one with the double layer (flan/crust) is probably my favorite 🙂
just made this. chilling in fridge. taste mixture before pouring in pan. Delicious! I used bundt pan. cant wait to serve it at family gathering tomorrow
Thank you, enjoy!
I made it this weekend and it was fabulous! I did try to eat it a little too early, only 2 hours chilling time, and it was softer than I normally like. However, the following day it was more solid and we devoured it — even my husband who doesn’t normally eat sweets. He’s from the Philippines and flan is the national dessert, so that’s saying something.
My only tiny change is that I think I will make more caramel last time, there really wasn’t much when I turned it out of the pan. We like a LOT of caramel in our family. And I might have to double the recipe because we ate it so quickly!
Hi Karen! Thank you for this great feedback! And yes, coming from someone from the Philippines it’s a HUGE compliment – I do know coconut flans are a big deal over there! 🙂
I made this recipe for NYE and it was a hit! Thanks for sharing!!!
Amazing, thank you Eliana!
Looks amazing! “Prepare an un-greased loaf pan within arm reach.“. Not exactly sure about your instructions here. Do you want the pan to remain plain, without grease? Or do I need to grease the pan?
Hi Susan! The pan should remain un-greased (you do not need to grease it). You then pour the caramel in it (step 1)- you have to act fast, which is why it is best to keep it within arm reach. I hope this helps!
I made this tonight to bring to a dinner with my boyfriend’s family and they LOVED it! What an amazing dessert with rich yet light flavours! Thank you so much for the recipe
Amazing, thanks so much Emily!
OMG OVER THE TOP DE-Lish! This was such a hit way out of the ballpark! Family & guest raved and will be making this again ! What a delight
Amazing, thank you for your feedback!
Delicious dish. Have made it 3 times. After rereading the recipe I realise I am not leaving in the hot water long enough to get the caramel toffee out. Last time I just broke it up and stabbed it into the top. Looked classy even though it wasn’t meant to be like that,
Thank you for your feedback!
Hi,
Can I use freshly grated coconut?
Hoping to make it tomorrow
Thank you
I don’t see why not! Enjoy!
Would like to make this for Easter. Will a 91/2 x 5 loaf pan do?
Hi Mary, I usually use a 8.5×4.5 pan for this flan recipe, but a 9.5×5 will do too. The flan will be slightly less high, but just as good!
Should have put inches in there.
Hi Audrey, I just love your blog, so many good recipes. I made the French Antilles Coconut Flan right after seeing it on your blog. Not only was it easy and quick, it was amazingly delicious and I will be making it again soon. I used organic cane sugar and it worked fine, I was afraid it wouldn’t. Thank you and happy spring!
Thank you Kathleen!
I made it for Easter and it was a hit. The only change I made was to use coconut sweetened condensed milk because my grandsons have a problem with dairy. No one noticed. I will be making this again. Thanks for sharing this.
Great, thank you for your feedback!
I made this today and it turned out beautifully. Thank you so much . I will be making this again .
Thank you!
I made this for my husband’s birthday and it was incredible! It had a decadent crust, the flan was smooth and creamy and the caramel was great!
It was my first time ever making caramel or flan, so I’m elated that it all turned out well!
I used a silicone baking dish and that worked wonders for getting all the caramel out.
What an easy, but SO lovely recipe!
Fantastic, thank you!
[…] 28. Flan Coco […]
This looks so good! What a fun dessert for summertime!
It’s delicious for summertime, absolutely. Coconut just screams sun!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
I’d be comfortable saying it lasts 2-3 days in the fridge after baking, at most. Never had it last that long though, as it’s all eaten up.
Hello, have you ever made this with egg substitute? I really want to make this, but cant have eggs.
Hello Frances. I am sorry to say I have never cooked or baked with egg substitute, and truly cannot guarantee the outcome by using them. The eggs are pretty vital to the texture and stability of the flan, and not sure substitutes will work with that. If you’re willing to be adventurous, give it a shot and I’d love to know if it worked or not!
Great flan! I loosened the edges with a knife and gave it more time in the warm water to release it. It came out beautifully. I made extra of the carmelized sugar but it didn’t really need it. If I wanted it less sweet do you think I could substitute half of the sweetened condensed milk with a heavy cream? I’ll definitely make this again 🌺
Happy to hear you enjoyed it! As for your question, and it’s a good one, I’m really not quite sure. It’s not a common ingredient in my repertoire (condensed milk) so I’m not sure how exactly it affects recipes. That being said, condensed milk is VERY thick and flans are already very moist, so I’m afraid it’d just make it collapse.
Thanks for your response. I look forward to trying more of your recipes!
Outstanding flan. The differences in texture make it fun to eat with the plus of a great taste. I used dedicated coconut moistened with a little dark rum to up the flavor.
Thank you for your feedback, so glad you enjoyed it!
I love flan but this recipe with coconut milk and coconut brings it to another level. Delicious!
Thanks, Sandra! It is definitely a delicious twist on flan.
Looks wonderful! How big of loaf pan did you use? I have three sizes and want to make sure I cure the correct size. Mahalo!
The size of pan used here (as pictured) is 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches. Happy baking!
Hi Audrey! Can the coconut milk be substituted with coconut cream?
While I think it could work, I don’t know if I would suggest it. Coconut milk is significantly more liquidy than coconut cream, which would then affect both the baking time as well as the consistency of the flan.
If you do try it, I’d love to know how it worked out. But again, for me, I don’t think I’d risk that substitution.
Came out yum
Glad to hear it, happy it was enjoyed!
Hi Audrey. Well, I just popped this in the oven and I’m excited! I’m making it in large muffin tins. I do have a question. My creme brulee recipe calls for hot water to be poured in to the larger pan. I had prepared hot water and then realized that your recipe doesn’t specify a temperature so I used tap water. Is that correct?
Hello, Margie. Sorry for the late response, but the time difference makes it difficult to respond during the night. You made the right call using just tap water, room temperature. I hope it turned out and you enjoyed the taste. Out of curiosity what kind of cooking time did you use on the muffin tins?
Oh, not a problem at all. I didn’t expect an immediate response but knew I’d forget if I didn’t post as I was putting it in the oven. I used a 6 cup giant muffin tin, and had enough caramel for 5 cups so I made 5. I used the recommended temp of 350 and it took just over 50 minutes to turn golden on top, although it may be a bit overbaked. I didn’t leave in hot water long enough so had the same problem with not all the caramel releasing but otherwise they came out beautifully. I soaked the tins a bit longer and spooned the rest of the caramel over. I like my caramel just on the verge of burnt and the bitterness played beautifully with the smooth sweet coconut. Really, really good. Thanks so much!
Oh, so glad to hear it turned out and you enjoyed the taste! Obviously a bit tricky with cooking times when you use a different vessel, but it seemed to work out quite well regardless. Thanks for letting me know!
I made this last week. It seemed so easy I was dubious. I adore flans and this didnt disappoint. It was delicious and two of my guests asked for the recipe!! Thanks so much and congratulations Audrey!
Love to hear that, Murrae. It’s sometimes hard for us to grasp the idea that simple can be so delicious, but it can very often be true. Thanks for the support!
Do you use unsweetened coconut milk or sweetened?
Hello, Beth. Unsweetened!
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Thank you so much, Theresa. Hope you enjoy!
Absolutely FANTASTIC Audrey! I followed all your directions it is perfection. All excellent precision of advice. In addition, I broiled on low for the last 3 minutes until crust was golden. Also, I LOVE your chicken fricassee with bacon and shallots. New subscriber. Have a wonderful week! Thank you!
So very kind of you, Crystal. Making these recipes as easy to follow as possible is very important to me, so I am beyond glad to hear when they’ve done just that! Enjoy your stay and hope to hear back if and when you try more recipes!
this was simple and delicious, even though i misread the coconut milk amount as a whole can rather than just 10 ounces. (you might want to make that more explicit in the instructions but perhaps i’m the only one with this problem!) with the extra 4 ounces of liquid i had to cook it about 20 mins longer but it still set up pretty well and was delicious.
So glad it turned out and you were able to remedy the accidental addition of extra coconut milk! The sign of a true chef! Also very happy you enjoyed the taste, much appreciated!
Made it today… came out excellent!!
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
You’re very welcome, Sanchita! Thank you for the kind words. Enjoy!
This Flan was amazing! It’s a little creamier texture than traditional flan which I loved and the coconut layer gave it a wonderful contrast. I will definitely be making it again.
Thank you so much, Lisa! You’re absolutely right about the texture being creamier, and I think it’s a big reason why so many people love it.
Hi Audrey. This looks amazing! Thank you for sharing recipe. I want to make it was wondering if you could tell me the brand for me to buy, where you mention to put water inside in oven and the one you use to put the medium hot water for it to unstick? I don’t have anything to use that would fit the loaf pan (which I actually have). Thank you!
Hello Isabel! I hope I’m understanding your question… For the pan to put in the oven with water, you can purchase ANY pan you’d like to that is oven safe. Just make sure the edges are fairly high since you will be filling the loaf pan 3/4 of the way up with water. You can then use the same pan after, filled with warm water, to “unstick” the loaf/caramel when you’re ready to serve.
I would google “baking dish with high sides” and try to find an affordable dish in your area/online that you can use for other things like roasts.
This is so much easier than I thought it might be. After reading the ingredients-which I all have on hand I will make this later on in the week. I just was not sure of the water you put into the pan that you set the loaf pan into, before you set it in the oven. Is this just cold water and will it take awhile before it gets hot enough at 350 to cook the flan. I thought maybe it should be hot water?
Hello, Carol Anne! For the water to put in the pan that goes into the oven, just regular room temperature water is fine. You’re only putting enough water in the pan to go 1/4 up the side of the flan pan (which isn’t much at all). The cook time of 50-55min will take care of the rest, it needs to set nice and slowly. It will also set as it sits and cools to room temperture.
Hope it works out great for you!
This is a Puerto Rican Desert; I have been making this for the holidays. Just like my grandmother used to make only I add a little Kalua.
Yes, there are several islands that all have similar versions of this delicious coocnut flan. The addition of Kahlua sounds lovely!
[…] 12. Coconut Flan […]
Wow!! This is a real show stopper, and so delicious. A great way to usher in the new year. I find it much more interesting than creme caramel or creme brûlée. And I am not even a dessert lover! It was very easy to make, and lightened my cooking load as I prepared it the day before and unmolded it just before dinner. A good 30 plus seconds in a hot water bath did the trick, and it came out perfectly. I did have a little trouble with the caramel, as my sugar didn’t melt evenly despite a good heavy pan and good stove. It started to smoke a little on one side but I was able to resolve this by moving the pan around on the burner, without stirring (which I have to admit was tempting). I may try the caramel with the water method next time as I have done this in the past without difficulty. Thank you for all your great recipes and instruction Audrey; you contribute to much enjoyment in my life, and that of my friends and family.
Great to hear, Michele! You’re right, this dessert really is a showstopper, and takes little effort to realize. So glad you enjoyed it for a special day!
As for the caramel, feel free to try another method. It can be tricky at times. Perhaps lowering the heat just a touch more might do the trick… Otherwise there are many methods out there to try and that may work better for you. But by the sounds of it, you nailed it regardless. Compliments!
I made this with sweetened condensed coconut milk, canned coconut milk and coconut extract, it was absolutely amazing! Turned out perfect and sooo delicious! I will make again. The sugar was easy to melt and perfect when I warmed it up in hot water & flipped over on a plate. Thank you for posting this recipe, it’s 5-star!
Alright, Christine!!! Way to go! Sounds like a complete success. So happy you enjoyed this delicious Coconut Flan, and I hope you’ll enjoy it just as much the second time around 🙂
[…] Adapted slightly from Pardon Your French […]
I’ve made this quite a few times but I realised I’ve never left a review! It’s so simple but packs a lot of flavour into a small piece. Everyone that has tried it has absolutely loved it and quite a few people have asked for the recipe. It tastes as if it would be complicated to replicate but I can make it in a matter of minutes and let the oven and fridge do the hard work. Super delicious thank you!!
I really appreciate you taking the time to review the recipe, Amanda! So glad this has become a staple dessert for you, and thank you again for sharing it with your friends.
You’re absolutely right about its simplicity, despite seemingly being a complicated dessert. Make it once, and you’ll have the process down to a science! 🙂
+Cannot wait to try this recipe, looks daelicieux
Merci, I really hope you’ll enjoy it and would love to hear your thoughts on it! Bon appetit!
Can you double up the recipe and bake it in a larger flan plan? If so, will the baking time double as well? Thank you.
Hello Raquel, a great question. I can honestly say that I have never seen or made one of these flans any bigger than the one I’ve posted in the recipe. We even have an Antilles market stall at our local market and they sell this flan, and they’re all in this exact size/shape.
So, is it possible? It could be, but I really wouldn’t want to tempt fate too much. Just the way the flan is, and the way it sets… I fear any bigger might cause it to not firm enough throughout. All that said, a slightly longer flan pan I would definitely consider, but I don’t think any wider would be a safe bet.
I have this flan in the oven now. One trick i do is to make caramelized sugar right in the metal loaf pan on top of stove. No need to make it in another pan. My Cuban mother taught me that trick.
Great tip, Teresa! I guess the ability to do that depends on the quality and type of pan being used. Some pans definitely won’t survive the stovetop… But for the ones that do, this is a great idea!
SIMPLY woderful
Warms my heart, Alyce! I am so happy enjoyed this classic.Just the thought of a bite makes me smile 🙂