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Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe

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★★★★

3.9 from 71 reviews

These Creme Brûlée Cookies combine the luscious, creamy texture of classic vanilla pastry cream with crisp, buttery sugar cookies topped with a caramelized sugar crust. A perfect blend of creamy and crunchy, these cookies feature a rich homemade vanilla pastry cream filling piped onto soft sugar cookies and finished with the signature brûlée topping seared with a kitchen torch. Ideal for an elegant dessert or special occasion treat.

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

Brûlée Topping

  • 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 just until it’s steaming. Then lower the heat to low and keep warm until ready to use.
  2. Mix Egg Yolk Base: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until combined and the mixture turns a pale yellow color, initially thick but smoothening as you whisk.
  3. Combine Milk and Egg Mixture: Add one-quarter of the heated milk to the egg mixture while stirring vigorously. Then add the rest of the milk and stir to combine thoroughly.
  4. Cook Pastry Cream: Transfer the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 8-12 minutes, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and forms soft peaks.
  5. Cool Pastry Cream: Remove from heat, mix in the butter cubes until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator until completely cold.
  6. Preheat Oven: Set oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  7. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  8. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. This can also be done with a stand mixer and paddle attachment.
  9. Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla bean paste on medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
  10. Combine Dough: Gradually mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until the dough pulls together.
  11. Form Cookie Balls: Using a large cookie scoop, portion out dough and roll into balls.
  12. Roll in Sugar: Place granulated sugar for rolling in a bowl and roll each dough ball coat it evenly.
  13. Arrange and Flatten: Place sugared dough balls on the prepared baking sheets spaced apart and slightly flatten each ball to prepare for baking.
  14. Bake Cookies: Bake 6 cookies at a time for 9-10 minutes. After baking, allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  15. Prepare Pastry Cream Piping: Transfer cold pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small circular tip.
  16. Pipe Pastry Cream: Once cookies are fully cooled, pipe a dollop of pastry cream onto each cookie surface.
  17. Sprinkle Sugar and Brûlée: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over the cream on each cookie. Using a kitchen torch, carefully brûlée the sugar until golden brown and caramelized, giving off a roasted marshmallow aroma.
  18. Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes after torching, then serve immediately. Add the pastry cream topping only right before serving to avoid sogginess.

Notes

  • Keep the pastry cream chilled and cover it tightly to prevent a skin from forming.
  • Add the pastry cream topping only just before serving, as the cookies will become soggy if left too long.
  • If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can briefly place the sugared cookies under a broiler to caramelize the sugar, but watch carefully to prevent burning.
  • The vanilla bean paste gives the pastry cream a rich vanilla flavor; you can substitute with vanilla extract but the paste adds flecks and depth.
  • Be sure to whisk the pastry cream continuously to avoid lumps when cooking.
  • You can prepare the pastry cream a day ahead and store in the refrigerator.
  • Ensure cookie dough balls are uniformly sized for even baking.

Keywords: Creme Brûlée Cookies, sugar cookies, pastry cream, vanilla cream cookies, caramelized sugar cookies, dessert cookies, kitchen torch, French dessert inspired cookies

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