This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Vegan Matcha Crème Brûlée is luxuriously creamy, surprisingly simple, and infused with the bold, earthy flavor of matcha. All you need is 7 simple ingredients!
Vegan crème brûlée is one of our all time favorite desserts. So much so we’ve found a way to make Vegan crème brûlée Cinnamon Rolls! It’s ultra rich, creamy, and surprisingly easy to make at home without any eggs or dairy.
This matcha version incapsulates everything we love about the classic French version—from its rich, silky base to the crisp sugar shell—all brightened with the bold, green tea flavor of matcha!
If you love this matcha twist, be sure to try our Ube Crème Brûlée next. It’s just as indulgent and creamy, but infused with nutty purple yam instead!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the custard and is necessary for creating that signature brulee topping. To ensure your sugar is vegan-friendly, opt for organic sugar from brands like Wholesome to avoid bone char.
- Cornstarch: Gives the custard its rich, smooth consistency without using eggs. You could experiment with arrowroot powder as a thickening agent, though we haven’t tested it ourselves.
- Non-dairy milk: A combo of full-fat coconut milk and your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk makes the velvety-smooth custard.
- Vegan butter: Melted vegan butter adds richness and helps the custard set. We recommend buttery sticks over soft, tub-style butter spreads, but buttery spreads will work in a pinch!
- Matcha powder: Any ceremonial grade matcha of choice will work best.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds out the flavor of the matcha and gives the custard its classic warmth.
How to Make Vegan Matcha Crème Brûlée
Making crème brûlée from scratch sounds intimidating, but it’s a lot easier than it sounds! This matcha version requires just 5 simple steps:
- Whisk the matcha with hot water until smooth and fully dissolved.
- Simmer the sugar, cornstarch, and milk until thickened, then stir in the matcha and coconut milk. Remove the custard from the heat.
- Stir in vegan butter, vanilla, and salt until silky smooth.
- Pour into ramekins and chill overnight until set.
- Sprinkle with sugar and torch until golden and crisp.
Then serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
What brand of matcha do you use?
We always use ceremonial grade matcha powder, and have used Ippodo Tea’s Ikuyo Matcha for a long time. It’s great for making matcha lattes as well as matcha-infused desserts.
Our friend Remy, who first introduced us to the world of matcha, also recently launched her own 100% Japanese matcha called Frauth!
Can I make crème brûlée at home without a torch?
A culinary torch is certainly the best, easiest way to make crème brûlée at home, but you may be able to caramelize the sugar topping using the oven broiler.
Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and position on the top oven rack directly below the oven broiler and let the sugar caramelize until golden and crunchy.
Depending on your oven, this could take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes so watch carefully!
Can I make crème brûlée in advance?
Once the sugar on top is caramelized and golden, this dessert is best enjoyed immediately.
If you’re planning to make this dessert ahead of a party, prepare the custard up to 48 hours in advance, then sprinkle with sugar and torch right before serving.
Quick Tips
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the custard. Once you pour the custard evenly between individual ramekins, we recommend pressing a piece of plastic directly onto the surface of the filling to prevent the crème brûlée from developing a skin.
- Whisk constantly as the custard thickens. This will keep the custard silky smooth and help prevent curdling and lumps!
- Don’t swap in lite coconut milk! Full-fat coconut milk is essential for creating that rich, thick custard texture that makes crème brûlée so luxurious. Swapping the full-fat coconut milk with lite coconut milk will keep the custard from thickening properly and the overall dessert will lack flavor.
More Vegan Matcha Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
Print
Vegan Matcha Crème Brûlée Recipe
- Total Time: 8 hours 22 minutes
- Yield: About 4 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Matcha crème brûlée is luxuriously creamy, surprisingly simple, and infused with the bold, earthy flavor of matcha. All you need is 7 simple ingredients!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup hot water (not boiling)
- ½ tablespoon matcha powder
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (26.66g) cornstarch
- ⅓ cup non-dairy milk
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- About ¼ cup granulated sugar, for topping
Equipment
- Whisk
- Plastic wrap
- Bamboo matcha whisk
- Small sifter
- Individual ramekins
- Culinary torch (kitchen torch)
- Medium saucepan
Instructions
- Prepare the matcha. Sift the matcha into a small bowl (preferably a matcha bowl). Add the hot water. Using a bamboo matcha whisk, whisk the matcha in a “W” or “M” formation until smooth and frothy, about 15-20 seconds. Once smooth and dissolved, set aside.
- Begin the custard filling. Combine the cornstarch and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan (over no heat). Add the non-dairy milk and whisk until the cornstarch and sugar completely dissolve and no clumps remain. Then, whisk in the coconut milk and prepared matcha.
- Thicken over medium heat. Set the saucepan over medium heat, and cook the mixture for 4-6 minutes, mixing constantly. When ready, the consistency should be slightly thinner than condensed milk.
- Stir in the remaining custard ingredients. Remove the crème brûlée custard from the heat and continue to stir for another minute. Then add the vegan butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir through until the butter is melted and the custard is completely smooth.
- Transfer to a serving dish. Pour the mixture evenly between individual ramekins or any shallow, heat-proof serving dishes. Press a piece of plastic directly over the surface of the filling to prevent the crème brûlée from developing a skin.
- Allow the custard to thicken. Place the ramekins in the fridge overnight to set.
- Torch. Once ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from the top of the custard and sprinkle each with granulated sugar, about one tablespoon each. The surface should be covered in sugar, but it should be a thin layer. Using a culinary torch, caramelize the sugar until hardened and golden.
- Serve. Allow the sugar topping to set for 1 minute, then serve immediately. Enjoy
Notes
- Matcha: Use ceremonial grade matcha powder for the best flavor. We recommend the brands Ippodo or Frauth.
- Broiling: You may be able to caramelize the sugar topping using the oven broiler. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and position them on the top oven rack directly below the oven broiler and let the sugar caramelize until golden and crunchy. Depending on your oven, this could take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes so watch carefully!
- Make ahead: If you’re planning to make this dessert ahead of a party, prepare the custard up to 48 hours in advance, then sprinkle with sugar and torch right before serving.
- Storage: Once the sugar on top is caramelized and golden, this dessert is best enjoyed immediately.
- Prep Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
