Description

Creme Brûlée Cookies combine the creamy, rich texture of vanilla pastry cream with soft, sugar-coated cookies, topped with a caramelized sugar crust that mimics the classic dessert crème brûlée. These delightful treats feature a light, fluffy sugar cookie base filled with homemade vanilla pastry cream and finished with a crunchy brûlée topping for a perfect balance of textures and flavors.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the 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

For the 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)
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar (for the brulee topping)

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Instructions

Make the Vanilla Pastry Cream: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming, then reduce the heat to low to keep warm. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until smooth and pale yellow. Gradually add one-quarter of the warm milk while stirring vigorously, then add the remaining milk. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8-12 minutes, whisking continuously until thickened and soft peaks form. Remove from heat and stir in butter cubes until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until completely cold.
Prepare the Sugar Cookies Dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla bean paste and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the dry ingredients on low speed, mixing until the dough just comes together.
Shape and Bake Cookies: Scoop dough into large balls using a cookie scoop. Roll each ball in 1/2 cup granulated sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets, slightly flattening each ball. Bake 6 cookies at a time for 9-10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Assemble and Brûlée the Cookies: Once the cookies are cool, transfer the chilled pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe a generous amount of pastry cream on top of each cookie. Sprinkle approximately 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over the cream, then use a kitchen torch to brûlée the sugar until golden brown and caramelized. Let the cookies rest for 10 minutes after torching before serving.

Notes

Add the pastry cream only just before serving to prevent the cookies from becoming soggy.
You can use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to cream the butter and sugar.
The brûlée topping adds a delicious crunchy caramelized sugar layer that emulates a classic crème brûlée.
Cookies can be baked in batches and stored in an airtight container, but assemble with pastry cream and brûlée fresh before serving.
Using vanilla bean paste imparts a richer vanilla flavor compared to extract.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 210
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 85 mg
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 0.1 g
Carbohydrates: 24 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 75 mg