Description
These Creme Brûlée Cookies combine soft, chewy sugar cookies with a rich, creamy vanilla pastry cream filling, finished with a caramelized brûlée sugar topping. Perfect for dessert lovers, these cookies offer the classic flavors of creme brûlée in an irresistible cookie form.
Ingredients
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 in)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar (for the brûlée topping)
Instructions
- Heat the Milk: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat just until steaming. Then reduce heat to low to keep warm until needed.
- Mix Egg Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until smooth and pale yellow in color.
- Temper the Eggs: Slowly whisk in 1/4 of the warm milk into the egg mixture to temper it, then add the remaining milk and mix thoroughly.
- 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. Remove from heat.
- Add Butter & Chill: Stir in the cubed unsalted butter until fully incorporated. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the pastry cream and chill it in the refrigerator until completely cold.
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the softened butter with granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla bean paste at medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing until the dough just comes together.
- Shape Dough Balls: Scoop dough into balls using a large cookie scoop, then roll each ball in granulated sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets and slightly flatten each ball.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 9-10 minutes, then cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Pipe Pastry Cream: Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip with chilled pastry cream. Pipe cream onto each cooled cookie.
- Brûlée Sugar Topping: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over the pastry cream on each cookie. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden and aromatic.
- Cool & Serve: Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes after torching. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Only add the pastry cream on top of cookies when ready to serve to prevent sogginess.
- Using a kitchen torch is key to achieving the classic caramelized brûlée topping.
- Cookies can be baked in batches of 6 for best results.
- Pressing plastic wrap directly onto pastry cream prevents skin formation during chilling.
- Store leftover cookies without pastry cream sealed at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-inspired
