REESE’S Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Flan {Recipe}

I’ve always loved eating flan, but had never made flan myself. The process of making flan intimated me and I always thought it was super complicated. When REESE’S recently challenged us Walmart Moms to create a fun recipe for their Baking Bracket Challenge, I thought of making flan. I didn’t want to make cookies or cupcakes, since I knew there are already many variations that use REESE’S. So, I figured this would be a good chance to dive in and try something new – plus the idea of chocolate, peanut butter, and flan (all together) sounded spectacular!

I’m happy to report that my chocolate peanut butter flan came out just as delicious as I imagined. After a little mistake with the sugar on my first try, I got the hang of the flan process by the second time. I have to tell you, I was so happy with how my very first flan ever came out that I literally jumped up and down!

If you want to try your hand at making flan, here is the recipe I submitted to REESE’S Baking Bracket Challenge: Free Throw Flan, a REESE’S Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Flan. Be sure to also check out the video below to learn more about REESE’S Baking Bracket Challenge and how you can vote for your favorite recipe and enter to win a daily prize of a $100 Walmart gift card!

REESE’S Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Flan (Free Throw Flan) {Recipe}

Skill Level: Intermediate
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 6 eggs
• 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 8 REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups (full size)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pour the sugar into a saucepan and caramelize it on low-medium heat until golden. You’ll want to watch this process carefully so the sugar won’t burn and become too brown. You can swirl the pan as it caramelizes, but do not stir or it will clump up.
3. Once the sugar is caramelized and golden-brown, pour the caramel into a 9 or 9 1/2 in. round baking pan with at least 2-inch sides. Swirl the caramel so it coats the bottom of the entire pan. (If it starts to harden before you are able to coat the entire bottom, don’t worry. It will redistribute later while baking.)
4. Mix the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer (on low-medium) until smooth.
5. Add the eggs and mix again until blended.
6. Add the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Mix again until blended and smooth.
7. Mash the REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups into small pieces with a fork to get them crumbly. Add to mixture and mix again until blended. You will see some chunks, but try your best to get the REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups blended as much as possible with the rest of mixture.
8. Pour mixture into caramelized pan, being careful not to overfill your pan. (Some mixture may be leftover.)
9. Cover pan with foil and place entire pan into a large roasting pan or deep baking pan.
10. Pour hot water into the outer baking pan, being careful not to get any water inside your flan. You’ll want to pour enough water so that it comes to about the middle point of the inner pan.
11. Place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, until knife comes out clean.
12. Once done, carefully go around the edge of the pan and slightly under the flan with a knife to loosen. Invert flan onto a large plate.
13. Let flan refrigerate at least 1 hour so it can set and serve cold. It just tastes better that way!

What type of flan do you like the most?

Disclosure: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I received samples and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

All photos © Melanie Edwards/modernmami™