Is Crème Brûlée Gluten Free?
Cream brûlées are delicious desserts that remind me of the holidays. But with all of the different types of dietary restrictions out there, it can be difficult to know whether or not creme brûlées are safe for everyone at the holiday table.
Traditional creme brûlés contain cream, vanilla, sugar, and eggs. While most traditional creme brûlês don’t contain any wheat products, they do contain dairy products. So, unless you’re allergic to milk or dairy products, you should be fine eating creme brûlèe.
But, what if you’re trying to avoid gluten, soy, nuts, grains, or anything else that may cause an adverse reaction? Well, here are two great alternatives to consider instead of creme brûlère:
Wegman’s Crème Brûleé Ice Cream – This ice cream is made with rice milk, coconut milk, almond milk, and organic cane sugar. It is available in several flavors including chocolate chip cookie dough, salted caramel, and peanut butter cup. You can find this product online at Amazon.com and Walmart.com.
Jello Crème Brûléesugar-free Rice Pudding – These puddings are made with coconut milk and sweetened with pure maple syrup. They come in many flavors including strawberry cheesecake, banana walnut, and lemon poppy seed. You can find this pudding online at Target.com, Whole Foods Market, and Costco.com.
These are just a couple of examples of gluten-free creme brûlées. Be sure to check out our list of other gluten-free alternatives for dessert ideas.
What Is Crème Brûlée?
Crème brûlées are decadent desserts made with a rich custard base and topped with a thin layer of caramelized sugar that is then burned off. It’s a classic French dessert that’s traditionally served after dinner, usually accompanied by coffee or tea.
There are two main types of crème brûléés; sweet and savory. Sweet crèmes brûlées are typically made with vanilla bean paste and flavored with rum, chocolate, orange zest, etc. Savory crèmes brûlée are made with ingredients like bacon, cheese, mushrooms, olives, anchovies, etc.
Is Creme Brûlée Good For You?
Creamy desserts are delicious, decadent treats that we enjoy every day. However, there are certain types of cream-based dishes that shouldn’t be eaten if you have celiac disease or another gluten intolerance. One of those foods is crème brûlé.
Creme brûlée is made by baking a custard base under a layer of caramelized sugars. It’s traditionally served with a dusting of powdered sugar. While it may seem intimidating, it’s quite simple to make. All you need is a basic understanding of food chemistry and a few kitchen tools.
This is my brother-in-law’s favorite dessert and even my sis, who isn’t a baker, can make it! There are a couple of techniques you need to know and a few tools to keep on hand. Soon you’ll be on your way to Crème Brûlée Bliss!
Making A Creme Brûlée
Cream brûlée is a classic French dessert made by baking custard in a mold topped with caramelized sugar. It’s a great way to impress your guests during the holidays because it looks beautiful and tastes amazing. You’ll need the following ingredients to make creme brûlé:
- 1-quart heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scrapped
- 1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 quarts of hot water
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Place the cream, vanilla bean, and its pulp into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Once boiling, remove the vanilla bean and save it for another use. Cover and let it sit for fifteen minutes. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
Whisk together 1/2 cup of sugar and the egg yolk until well combined and it starts to lighten in color, add the cream a little bit of it at a time, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into six eight-ounce ramekins and place them into a large cake pan. Pour enough hot tap water into the pan to reach halfway up the side of the ramekins and bake in the oven for forty-five minutes.
Remove the ramekins from the pan and put them in the fridge for at least two hours, but they can be kept in the fridge for up to three days. Take it out of the fridge for thirty minutes before topping it with the caramel.
Divide the remaining half a cup of sugar between the ramekins and spread it evenly on top. Using an open flame, melt the sugar and cook it until golden brown. Let the creme brûlee cool down for at least five minutes before serving.
Known Creme Brûlée Manufacturers
You don’t need to spend hours making creme brulées at home if you don’t feel like doing so. There is plenty of delicious creme brulés available from various companies. Here are some popular brands:
Favorite Day Creme Brûlée
Cream brûlée is a delicious dessert that’s great for entertaining guests. However, if you’ve ever tried making it yourself, you’ll know that it takes quite a bit of effort. So, if you’re hosting a party and want to impress everyone with a delicious dessert, try this brand of frozen creme brulee instead.
You can easily prepare this dish without any hassle thanks to its convenient packaging. Simply heat and serve! There’s no need to worry about overcooking your dessert either since it only needs to be heated through. Plus, there’s no need to add extra sugar to sweeten it up. Just sprinkle some sugar on top after heating and serving.
These are the Gluten ingredients found in this brand of frozen creme brûlées: cream, white sugar, eggs, egg yolks, rice starch, natural vanilla flavor, carrageenan, and xantham gum.
Here is some important nutritional information for this brand: calories per serving, total fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, total sugars, and protein.
Rians Creme Brûlée
Cream brûlées are decadent desserts that feature a rich custard filling topped with a crunchy caramelized crust. While most brands of creme brûlés are not gluten-free, some are. One of those brands is Rian’s creme brûlé.
You’ll notice that the ingredient list for Rian’s creme bruleé does include wheat flour. However, if you look at the nutrition label, you’ll find that it only lists two grams of total carbohydrates per serving. Since the carbohydrate count is less than 20 grams, it doesn’t meet the criteria for being classified as a grain product. Therefore, it’s safe to eat.
While Rian’s creme broulée isn’t technically gluten-free, it does contain fewer carbohydrates than traditional versions. Plus, since it doesn’t contain any grains, it’s easier to digest. So, if you’re trying to lose weight, you may want to consider giving this dessert a try.
Dr. Oetker Creme Brûlée
Cream brûlée is a delicious dessert that’s simple to prepare at home. You can find recipes online that require minimal preparation but taste just as good as those prepared from scratch.
These are the ingredients found in the Dr. Oetker brand cream brûlée:
- White Sugar
- Corn starch
- Brown sugar
- Whey
- Egg yolks
- Nonfat milk
- Cream
- Carrageenan
- Disodium phosphate
- Artificial flavor
- Tetrasodium pyrophosphates
- Beta carotene color
- Soy lecithin
- BHA (preservative)
Here is some important nutritional information for this brand (per half-cup serving):
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 20 mg
Sodium: 90 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 23 g
Total Sugars: 17 g
Protein: 0 g
Alternatives To Creme Brûlée
Creme brûlée is a delicious dessert made with vanilla custard topped with a crunchy sugar crust. It’s very rich and creamy custard, making it a favorite among foodies everywhere. However, if you’re trying to eat healthier, there are plenty of alternatives to cream brûlées that won’t leave you feeling guilty afterward. Here are some great options:
Jell-o Creme Brûlée Sugar-free Rice Pudding
Cream brûlées are delicious desserts that are made using gelatin and cream. However, if you have celiac disease, you may not be able to enjoy them anymore. Fortunately, there are now several brands of cream brûlées available that are gluten-free.
This brand of cream brûlée is made without any gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, nuts, peanuts, shellfish, fish, seafood, yeast, or sesame seeds. It’s also low in calories and sodium, making it a great option for those watching their weight.
Here is some important nutritional information for this product (per 1 cup serving)
Calories: 70
Total Fat: 2 grams
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 170 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 12 grams
Total Sugars: 0 g
Protein: 2 grams
Birch Benders Keto Maple Pancake Cup
These keto pancakes are made with almond flour and coconut flour and topped with a delicious maple syrup glaze. You’ll never feel guilty eating them because they taste amazing. Plus, they’re low-carb and high-protein, making them the perfect breakfast to start your day off right.
Almond flour is naturally rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Coconut flour is great for adding extra nutrients to baked goods and is high in fiber. Together, they provide a healthy alternative to traditional pancake recipes.
You won’t believe how light and fluffy these keto pancakes are until you try them yourself. They’re not only tasty, but they’re also super filling thanks to the protein and fiber they contain.
Nutrition Facts per 1/4 cup serving:
Calories: 210
Total Fat: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Cholesterol: 95 mg
Carbs: 10 g
Protein: 7 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 210 mg
Here is some important nutritional information for this product (per 1/2 cup serving):
Calories: 420
Total Fat: 25 g
FAQs
Is Creme Brûlée Keto?
It may be best to avoid creme brulee if you’re following a strict keto diet because it contains too many carbohydrates.
Is Creme Brûlée Paleo?
If you follow a paleo diet, then making creme brulées using coconut cream instead of regular cream is fine. You just need to avoid the butter and sugar.
Conclusion
Creme brûlée is delicious, but it isn’t necessarily healthy. Traditional versions are loaded with unhealthy fats and sugars, so it’s important to look for healthier options. You can find plenty of recipes online that include healthy substitutes for traditional creme brûlés.
These healthy alternatives are lower in calories, saturated fat, and added sugars, making them great choices for anyone who wants to enjoy a decadent treat without sacrificing their overall health.
As a bonus, there are even vegan creme brûlées out there! So no matter what kind of diet you follow, you’ll still be able to indulge in creme brûlé whenever you feel like it.
Hey'all I'm Amy, a born foodie and diagnosed with celiac disease 7 years ago. I refused to cave into tasteless, boring gulten free food and create my own!
On my blog you'll find info & cool facts along with recipes, all on gluten free foods!