Incredibly delicious, Natillas are a Spanish Homemade Custard. It is super creamy and smooth, it just melts in the mouth. This dessert combines the flavors of vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon to produce a magical result. I grew up watching my mom make a big batch of this dessert on the weekends, and now I am glad to share it with you.
Natilla is an old-style Spanish homemade Custard for the ultimate cozy custard treat. Every spoon is filled with a lovely vanilla cinnamon lemon taste. Natillas are a popular dessert in Spain and are served in almost every restaurant.
This homemade custard is perfect for any occasion or just as a dessert to finish a nice meal. You can make them ahead of time and keep them refrigerated.
Every time I make my Spanish Natilla, I am always amazed at how a few everyday ingredients from my kitchen can turn into something so special. I use things like whole milk, egg yolks, lemon peel, cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch, which are stuff I usually have on hand. It’s funny how these simple ingredients come together to create something so creamy and comforting. It always ends up tasting just like home to me.
Making this Natilla left me with a lot of egg whites, so I used them to make a Cloud Cake. Sure you and your family will love these desserts!
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⭐Why You'll Love Natillas
- Simple Ingredients: Just milk, eggs, sugar, and cornstarch, things you probably already have at home. No need for a special grocery trip!
- Creamy Comfort: Every spoonful is silky smooth and melts in your mouth. It’s the perfect balance of creamy and light.
- Make Ahead: Since it needs time to chill, you can prepare it in advance, great for entertaining or a no-stress treat.
- Everyone’s Favorite: Whether for a party or a cozy night in, natillas are always a crowd-pleaser. Kids and adults alike love its classic, comforting flavor.
🧾Natillas Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make these natillas:
- Milk: I love using whole milk as the base for the custard. It’s creamy, smooth, and neutral, which makes it perfect for carrying the flavors of spices and aromatics. Plus, it brings all the ingredients together, giving the custard its rich, velvety texture.
- Cinnamon: A cinnamon stick is my favorite way to add a warm, comforting spice to the custard. It gives a gentle depth of flavor and fills the kitchen with the coziest aroma, just that you want in traditional natillas.
- Vanilla: A splash of vanilla adds such a lovely touch. It brings out the sweetness in the custard and has a rich, floral aroma that blends beautifully with the other ingredients.
- Lemon Rind: Adding a little bit of lemon rind brightens everything up. That hint of citrus balances the custard’s richness and gives it a light, refreshing flavor that’s just perfect.
- Egg Yolks: Using room-temperature egg yolks is key to getting that thick, silky texture that makes natillas so special. They add a luxurious creaminess and a rich, custardy flavor that ties it all together.
- Sugar: I like to use granulated sugar to sweeten the custard just right. It enhances the natural flavors of the milk and spices. If you want to mix things up, you can try brown sugar, honey, or even maple syrup for a different twist.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is my go-to for thickening the custard. It gives it that smooth, silky consistency and helps it hold its shape without feeling too heavy.
- Maria Cookies: I love layering Maria cookies into the natillas. They add a subtle crunch and a lightly sweet, buttery flavor that pairs so well with the creamy custard.
- Cinnamon Powder: A sprinkle of cinnamon powder on top is the perfect finishing touch. It adds a warm, fragrant spice that makes the custard look and taste even better.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Natillas
These step-by-step instructions and photos will help you to visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for a printable version of this recipe.
1. Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the cinnamon stick, vanilla, and lemon peel.
2. Heat the milk until it boils and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with a little milk until fully dissolved. Add it to the yolks and sugar mixture and mix well.
5. Strain the infused milk into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until combined.
6. Pour the mixture into a saucepan over low heat and whisk constantly to prevent sticking.
7. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.
8. Take 6 dessert glasses and place 3 Maria biscuits at the bottom of 3 of them.
9. Pour the custard into 3 dessert glasses with biscuits and the rest into 3 plain glasses. Let them cool.
10. Place 3 Maria biscuits on top of the custard in 3 dessert glasses without biscuits at the bottom.
11. Sprinkle with cinnamon and refrigerate for 4 hours.
12. Serve the natillas cold.
💭Tips for Recipe Success
Milk: I always go for whole milk to get that rich, creamy texture in the custard. Skim or low-fat milk just doesn’t give the same luscious result, so it’s worth sticking with whole milk for the best flavor and consistency.
Simmer, Don’t Boil: Warm the milk gently over medium-low heat. This gives the cinnamon, lemon peel, and vanilla plenty of time to infuse their flavors into the milk. Rushing this step can make the milk too hot and overpower the delicate balance of flavors.
Temper Carefully: When mixing the warm milk with the egg yolk mixture, take your time to pour the milk into a slow, thin stream while whisking nonstop. This keeps the eggs from cooking too quickly and ensures a smooth, creamy custard.
Low and Slow Heat: Always cook the custard over low heat, stirring constantly. This keeps the custard silky and smooth by preventing curdling or scrambling. Patience here really pays off!
Cool Before Chilling: Let the custard cool for 10–15 minutes before popping it in the fridge. This prevents condensation from forming, which can make the custard watery.
Storage: To keep the custard perfect, press plastic wrap directly onto its surface before refrigerating. This simple trick stops the skin from forming and keeps your custard creamy and smooth.
🍮More Custard and Pudding Recipes!
I have also made a few more custard and pudding recipes:
🍰More Homemade Dessert Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite dessert recipes! Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Natilla (Spanish Custard)
Ingredients
- 1 l Milk
- 1 stick Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Rind of Half Lemon
- 6 Egg Yolks
- 125 g Sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon Cornstarch
- 20 ml Milk
- 6 Maria Cookies
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon Powder
Instructions
- Pour the milk into a saucepan, and add cinnamon stick, vanilla, and lemon peel.
- Cook the milk over medium heat and let it boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat, and let the flavors infuse for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, place the cornstarch, add a little milk, and mix well until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
- Pour the milk and cornstarch mixture into the bowl with the yolks and sugar and mix well to combine.
- Strain the infused milk through a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl containing the egg yolk mixture, and mix with a whisk until you get a homogeneous texture.
- Pour the mixture in a saucepan over low heat, and stir constantly with a whisk, so the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
- Take 6 dessert glasses and place 3 Maria biscuits or any tea biscuits on the bottom of 3 glasses only.
- Pour the custard (natilla) mixture into 3 dessert glasses with biscuits and pour the remaining custard into 3 dessert glasses, let them cool down.
- Place 3 Maria biscuits on top of the custard in 3 dessert glasses that do not have the biscuits at the bottom.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and place in the fridge for 4 hours.
- Serve them chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
Thanks for the recipe