Jericalla Recipe – Easy Mexican Dessert from Guadalajara To Make

This article has links to products and services we recommend, which we may make a commission from.

This jericalla recipe is for an easy to make tasty Mexican dessert from Guadalajara. Made with milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar, it is a delicious cross between flan and creme brulee.

Authentic Food Quest Page_Break

What is Jericalla?

JericallaTraditional Mexican Custard Dessert from Guadalajara by AuthenticFoodQuest
Jericalla a traditional Mexican dessert from Guadalajara

Jericalla is a traditional dessert from Guadalajara, Mexico. It is a cross between flan and crème brûlée. A relative of flan, it has a similar custard-like texture. While the top is burned to a golden color like creme brulee, it doesn’t have sugar on it.

This dessert  is a cross between the New and Old Worlds. It mixes European and Mexican ingredients like milk, sugar, cinnamon, eggs and vanilla.

Difference Between Jericalla and Flan

Jericalla is similar to flan with a Jalisco twist. Unlike flan, jericalla does not have caramel on the top or bottom. Flan, also known as crème caramel, are traditionally baked in ramekins lined with caramel sauce. 

Jericalla on the other hand are baked in ramekins which are placed in a bain marie or water bath. They are simply cooked until they set, with no caramel sauce.

Difference Between Jericalla and Creme Brulee

While similar, crème brûlée and jericalla differ on the finish. Creme brulee are typically caramelized or have a burnt top whereas jericallas do not. 

Depending on where you have crème brûlée, you’ll often find it topped with fruits or mint sprigs. Traditionally, jericalla does not have any toppings and are served as is.

Discovering Jericalla in Guadalajara, Mexico

Jericalla dessert one of the most famous Guadalajara foods by Authentic Food Quest
Pots of delectable Jericalla dessert at a local market

We spent 2.5 months discovering the local specialties in Guadalajara, and quickly fell in love with jericalla. This traditional dessert is the most famous dessert of the city and the state of Jalisco.

We ate jericalla everywhere and couldn’t get enough of it. From markets, bakeries and restaurants, we savored the flavors of this Jalisco food. Once we learned how easy it was to make, we excitedly made jericalla one Saturday afternoon. 

With only 5 ingredients, take your taste buds on a Mexican adventure with this simple jericalla recipe.

READ MORE: 15 Authentic Guadalajara Foods You Want To Have

Jericalla History – From Humble Beginnings to International Fame

Claire and Rosemary eating homemade jericalla dessert for food in Guadalajara
Claire and Rosemary savoring their easy to make jericalla dessert

There are many stories about the origins of this legendary dessert. The most popular is about Spanish nun who worked in an orphanage in Guadalajara. As the story goes, the children she looked after suffered from malnutrition. 

To increase the children’s protein and calcium intake, the nun blended milk eggs and sugar to form a custard.

Unfortunately, she forgot the custard in the oven and burned the top. Nonetheless, she went ahead and served it to the children who really liked it. And, it went on to become popular throughout. 

Jericalla is said to be named after Jérica, the region in Spain where the nun came from. 

How To Make Jericalla At Home

Ingredients for Jericalla Recipe by Authentic Food Quest
Ingredients for the jericalla recipe

This Guadalajara favorite dessert is easy to make at home. The simple preparation and delicious flavors have made it one of Mexico’s most recognized desserts. 

You need only a few ingredients for this jericalla recipe, though the better the quality, the better the flavors.

Jericalla Recipe Shopping List

Must Have Jericalla Cooking Tools

  • Ramekins – You’ll need durable dishes like ramekins to cook the jericalla in the oven.  The biggest advantages of ramekins are that they are affordable, can be baked, microwaved, frozen and put in the dishwasher without worry. And, they also make an elegant serving dish.
  • Bain Marie Technique – To cook the jericalla in the oven, you’ll use the bain marie technique. This simply involves cooking the ramekins inside of a baking dish filled halfway with hot water.

Tasty Tips To Make Jericalla at Home

Remove cinnamon pieces from the Jericalla dough by AuthenticFoodQuest
Using cinnamon sticks for the best flavor

Use High Quality Ingredients

Above all, for the best flavors, we recommend using high quality base products. Use real vanilla, Mexican preferred, over vanilla substitute. 

As opposed to cinnamon powder, cinnamon sticks are preferred for their subtle, sweet and spicy flavors.

Adjust Jericalla Recipe To Your Liking

After eating jericalla at several bakeries, markets and restaurants in Guadalajara, we noticed differences in flavors. Some had more vanilla while others more cinnamon. Depending on your tastes, feel free to adjust the jericalla recipe. 

Skim or Low Fat Milk?

If you don’t have whole milk, you can substitute using 2% milk or half-and-half. Skim milk is not generally recommended. For the best results use whole milk.

JericallaTraditional Mexican Custard Dessert from Guadalajara by AuthenticFoodQuest

Jericalla Recipe

Creamy and delicious, this simple jericalla recipe will have you tasting Mexico in no time. Similar to flan or creme brulee, discover jericalla, Guadalajara’s traditional dessert with this easy, step by step recipe.
4.77 from 21 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Recipes
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 139kcal
Author: Authentic Food Quest

Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Place milk, sugar and cinnamon, vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat
  • Stir constantly for about 20 minutes. After everything has mixed well, turn off the heat and let it cool slightly for about 10 minutes. The liquid should be smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until blended. 
  • Then add eggs to the milk mixture mixture, stirring constantly
  • Using a sieve or fork and remove the cinnamon pieces
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180C)
  • Pour mixture equally among 6 ramekin pots or heat-resistant dessert dishes
  • Place ramekin pots in a deep pyrex dish and add boiling water into the pyrex dish, taking care not to add water to ramekin pots.
  • Fill the pyrex dish about halfway of the pots or about 1 inch (bain marie)
  • Bake in oven for 35 minutes
  • To check if it is ready, place a toothpick in the center of one of the ramekin pots. If it comes out clean, the jericalla is ready.
  • Optional. To give the jericalla a burned effect, brown the ramekin pots under broiler for an extra 4 to 6 minutes or until tops are golden 

Notes

Enjoy your jericalla at room temperature or refrigerate and enjoy the next day.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating or tag us on @authenticfoodquest

36 Comments on “Jericalla Recipe – Easy Mexican Dessert from Guadalajara To Make”

  1. Oh! Thanks for sharing! We lived in Mexico for 8 years and tried this recipe once. I completely forgot the name and just came across your recipe! It was so easy to make and its genuine flavor took me back to our time in Mexico! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Oh! Thanks for sharing! We lived in Mexico for 8 years and tried this recipe once. I completely forgot the name and just came across your recipe! It was so easy to make and its genuine flavor took me back to our time in Mexico! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. This dessert looks like custard. We love such a texture of desserts, and I cannot wait to give it a try! The recipe sounds easy to make. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Looks like a comforting treat. I feel like I may have had this without realising, but either way looks worth trying at home.

    Reply
  5. I love how simple the ingredients are and how rich this dessert is! The cinnamon adds such a wonderful flavor to this dessert. Love this!

    Reply
  6. I’ve never had Jericalla before. It sounds like something I would love. My Ecuadorian friend is married to a Mexican man and are always making me authentic dishes. I will see if they make this one!

    Reply
  7. I appreciate Mexican food! I love guacamole and nachos! But I don’t think that I’ve ever tried any Mexican dessert yet.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Post a Comment

We love to hear from you, so tell us what you think.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked.

Recipe Rating