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Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe

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4.8 from 144 reviews

Delight in these decadent Creme Brûlée Cookies that combine a rich, creamy pastry cream center with a crisp, sugary cookie exterior. Inspired by the classic French dessert, these cookies feature a luscious vanilla bean-infused custard filling baked inside buttery sugar-coated cookies, finished with a signature caramelized sugar topping for that iconic brûlée crunch.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Cookie Dough:

  • 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

Sugar Coating & 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. Prepare the Pastry Cream: In a saucepan, gently heat the whole milk until just simmering. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar, salt, cornstarch, and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Slowly temper the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the cubed unsalted butter until fully incorporated. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to avoid a skin, and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
  2. Make the Cookie Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste. In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and blend until just combined into a smooth dough. Chill the dough if necessary to firm up for easier handling.
  3. Preheat Oven and Prepare Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each ball thoroughly in the 1/2 cup granulated sugar designated for rolling. Place the sugared dough balls spaced evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using your thumb or the back of a spoon, gently press an indentation in the center of each dough ball to create a small well for the pastry cream.
  4. Fill and Bake: Spoon a small amount of chilled pastry cream into each cookie indentation, careful not to overfill. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9 minutes or until the edges turn a beautiful golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
  5. Brûlée the Cookies: Once cooled, sprinkle about a teaspoon of the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar evenly over the pastry cream on each cookie. Using a culinary torch, carefully caramelize the sugar topping by moving the flame evenly over the sugar until it melts and forms a crisp, golden-brown crust reminiscent of the classic crème brûlée topping. Allow the sugar to harden before serving.

Notes

  • Ensure the pastry cream is fully chilled and firm before filling the cookies to prevent leakage during baking.
  • When caramelizing sugar with a torch, move the flame continuously to avoid burning any spot.
  • If you don’t have a torch, you can place the cookies under a broiler briefly, watching closely to prevent burning.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container and refrigerate; consume within 3 days for best freshness.
  • For a deeper vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste instead of extract as recommended in this recipe.

Keywords: Creme Brûlée Cookies, French dessert cookies, pastry cream cookies, vanilla bean cookies, caramelized sugar cookies, homemade cookies

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