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Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe

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4.6 from 87 reviews

Delight in the luscious Creme Brûlée Cookies, featuring a rich homemade vanilla pastry cream atop a soft sugar cookie base, finished with a crisp, caramelized sugar topping. This recipe combines classic French custard with a buttery sugar cookie, creating a unique and indulgent dessert perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself.

Ingredients

Scale

Vanilla Pastry Cream

  • 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) whole milk
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp (225 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 3 1/2 tbsp (28 g) cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cut in cubes

Sugar Cookies

  • 2 1/2 cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cup (250 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

For Rolling and Brûlée Topping

  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar (for rolling the dough)
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar (for the brûlée topping)

Instructions

  1. Heat Milk: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat until steaming, then reduce the heat to low and keep warm until needed.
  2. Prepare Egg Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until combined and pale yellow; mixture will thicken as you whisk.
  3. Temper Eggs: Gradually add 1/4 of the warm milk into the egg mixture while stirring vigorously to temper; then add the remaining milk and stir until fully combined.
  4. Cook Pastry Cream: Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously for 8–12 minutes until thickened and soft peaks form.
  5. Finish Pastry Cream: Remove from heat, stir in cubed butter until smooth, then cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation; chill in the refrigerator until completely cold.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  8. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy and light, about 2 minutes.
  9. Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla bean paste on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 1–2 minutes.
  10. Combine Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low speed until just combined and dough forms.
  11. Shape Cookies: Scoop dough using a large cookie scoop and roll into balls, then roll each ball in granulated sugar for a crunchy coating.
  12. Arrange and Flatten: Place sugared dough balls on prepared baking sheets, slightly flattening each; bake 6 cookies at a time for even heat distribution.
  13. Bake Cookies: Bake for 9–10 minutes until edges are set; cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  14. Pipe Pastry Cream: Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip with the chilled pastry cream; once cookies are cooled, pipe a generous amount on top of each cookie.
  15. Brûlée Topping: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over each pastry cream-topped cookie; use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden and fragrant like toasted marshmallows.
  16. Cool and Serve: Allow the brûlée topping to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Add pastry cream only just before serving to prevent cookies from becoming soggy.

Notes

  • Ensure pastry cream is completely chilled before piping to maintain its structure on the cookies.
  • Use a kitchen torch carefully to avoid burning the sugar or the pastry cream underneath.
  • Cookies are best served immediately after adding the pastry cream and brûlée topping to avoid sogginess.
  • You can prepare the pastry cream in advance and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
  • For best texture, do not overmix the cookie dough once dry ingredients are added.

Keywords: creme brûlée cookies, vanilla pastry cream, sugar cookies, brûlée topping, French dessert, caramelized sugar cookies

Find it online: https://victoriablair.com/creme-brulee-cookies-recipe/