Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe

If you love the idea of rich, creamy custard nestled atop a sweet, soft cookie, then you’re going to fall head over heels for this Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe. These treats perfectly capture that indulgent, caramelized sugar crunch on top that creme brûlée is famous for, but in a fun, handheld form. I absolutely love how these cookies combine the best of both worlds—a buttery sugar cookie base with velvety vanilla pastry cream and a crackly brûlée topping that’s seriously irresistible.

When I first tried this recipe, I was amazed at how elegant and sophisticated these cookies felt, yet they’re surprisingly easy to pull off. You’ll find that they make for a stunning dessert at dinner parties or just a fancy afternoon snack to savor with your coffee. Plus, making your own vanilla pastry cream from scratch is easier than you might think, and it really takes the cookie game to a whole new level. Trust me, once you try this Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe, it’ll become a staple in your baking repertoire.

this …

Ingredients You’ll Need

Each ingredient in this Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe plays its part in creating the perfect balance of buttery, sweet, creamy, and crisp. From the basic pantry staples for the cookies to the special ingredients for making rich vanilla pastry cream, these are items worth sourcing fresh for the best results.

• Whole milk: Makes the pastry cream rich and smooth, and heating it gently helps develop those lovely creamy flavors.
• Egg yolks: Essential for thickening and giving the custard its golden color and velvety texture.
• Granulated sugar: Used three times in this recipe—to sweeten the cream, the cookie dough, and the brûlée topping.
• Salt: Just a pinch enhances all the flavors without overpowering.
• Vanilla bean paste: This is a game changer, giving an intense vanilla punch that’s much better than vanilla extract.
• Cornstarch: Helps thicken the pastry cream perfectly so it’s not too runny.
• Unsalted butter: Provides richness in both the cream and the cookies; make sure it’s softened for easy mixing.
• All-purpose flour: The base for the sugar cookies—spoon it into your measuring cup to avoid packing and ensure accuracy.
• Baking powder: Gives your cookies a little lift so they’re tender and light.
• Egg: Binds the cookie dough together and adds moisture.
• Sugar for rolling dough and brûlée topping: This sugar adds a final sparkle and crunch, especially when torched to create that signature brûlée crust.

Variations

I love how adaptable this Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe can be. Whether you want to play with flavors or dietary tweaks, there’s tons of room to make these your own and have fun experimenting.

• Flavor Swap: I’ve tried adding a pinch of cinnamon or a splash of almond extract to the pastry cream for a cozy twist that my family went crazy for.
• Gluten-Free Version: You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend—just watch the dough’s texture as it may need a slight tweak with moisture.
• Vegan Adaptation: I haven’t perfected this yet, but using plant-based milk and a vegan butter with egg replacer is a promising start if you want to take on the challenge.

How to Make Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Whip Up the Vanilla Pastry Cream

Start by gently heating your milk until it’s steaming—don’t let it boil or scorch. Meanwhile, whisk your egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until pale and smooth; it’ll look thick at first but keep going. Slowly temper the eggs by whisking in a quarter of the hot milk, then add the rest and pour everything back to the pan. Here’s where patience pays off: keep whisking over medium-low heat for 8-12 minutes until the cream thickens and soft peaks form—it’s like magic! Remove from heat, stir in the butter until silky, then cover with plastic wrap right on the surface to prevent a skin and chill until cold.

Step 2: Bake Your Sugar Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prep your cookie sheets with parchment – you want to make cleanup easy. Mix your flour, baking powder, and salt in one bowl, and in another, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy—this is important for light cookies. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until pale and airy, then slowly combine the dry ingredients without overwhipping. Scoop the dough into balls, roll them in sugar for that sweet crunch, and place on the sheet slightly pressed down. Bake six cookies at a time for about 9-10 minutes until edges just start to soften—my oven bakes them beautifully without brown edges. Let cool slightly before moving to a wire rack.

Step 3: Assemble and Brûlée Your Cookies

Once the cookies are fully cooled, transfer your chilled pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe a generous dollop on each cookie, then sprinkle about a teaspoon of granulated sugar on top. Now for the fun part—grab your kitchen torch and carefully brûlée the sugar by moving the flame in small circles until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns golden brown—you’ll smell that delightful aroma like toasted marshmallows. Let them cool for 10 minutes until the sugar hardens into a beautifully crisp top. Remember, the pastry cream will make the cookie a bit soft after a few hours, so these are best enjoyed fresh.

How to Serve Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe

Garnishes

I usually keep it simple and just let the brûlée top shine, but sometimes I add a few fresh berries or a tiny sprig of mint on the side to add a pop of color and freshness. A light dusting of powdered sugar can also be a lovely addition for a special occasion.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair beautifully with a cup of strong coffee or a creamy latte. For a more indulgent spread, serve alongside whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to mirror the custard flavors.

Creative Ways to Present

For parties, I like to arrange these on a pretty platter in layers or stack them with parchment circles in-between to avoid sticking. You could also pipe the pastry cream onto the cookies, brûlée them, then display each cookie in mini cupcake liners for a chic touch.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store the cookies and pastry cream separately—cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and the cream tightly covered in the fridge. Once filled and brûléed, these are best eaten within a few hours to avoid sogginess.

Freezing

You can freeze the baked sugar cookies before filling; just thaw them at room temperature and add the pastry cream fresh. I don’t recommend freezing the assembled cookies because the cream and brûlée topping don’t freeze well.

Reheating

If you want to refresh the brûlée top, you can sprinkle extra sugar and torch briefly again—just skip reheating the cookie itself, as it’s best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly chilled.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

This Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe has truly become one of my favorite indulgences to make for friends, family, or just as a treat to myself when I want to feel a little fancy at home. It’s a fun project that rewards you with a cookie that feels both nostalgic and elegant, creamy and crunchy. I promise, once you torch that sugary top and taste the luscious custard on a buttery cookie base, you’ll never look at sugar cookies the same way again. So grab your ingredients, fire up that torch, and savor something special—you deserve it!

Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 123 reviews

• Author: Anna
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 9 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 39 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Description

These Creme Brûlée Cookies combine a delicate vanilla pastry cream with soft sugar cookies, finished with a caramelized brûlée sugar topping. Inspired by the classic French dessert, these cookies feature a rich, creamy filling and a crisp, sweet caramelized sugar crust, perfect for serving as an elegant treat at any gathering.

---

Ingredients

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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat Milk: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat just until steaming. Then reduce heat to low and keep warm.
2. Mix Egg Yolk Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until pale yellow and smooth.
3. Temper Egg Mixture: Gradually add one quarter of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously to prevent curdling, then add the remaining milk and combine well.
4. Cook Pastry Cream: Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking continuously for 8-12 minutes until it thickens to soft peaks.
5. Add Butter & Chill: Remove from heat, stir in cubed butter until smooth. Cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate until completely cold.
6. Preheat Oven & Prepare Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
8. Cream Butter & Sugar: Using an electric or stand mixer, beat softened butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
9. Add Egg & Vanilla: Mix in egg and vanilla bean paste on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
10. Combine Dry Ingredients: Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until dough forms.
11. Shape & Sugar Coat: Scoop dough into large balls using a cookie scoop. Roll each ball in 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
12. Arrange & Bake: Place dough balls on prepared sheets, slightly flatten each. Bake 6 cookies at a time for 9-10 minutes. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
13. Pipe Pastry Cream: Once cookies are cooled, pipe cold pastry cream on top using a piping bag with a small round tip.
14. Brûlée Topping: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon sugar over each cookie’s cream topping. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize sugar until golden brown and fragrant.
15. Cool & Serve: Allow brûléed cookies to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Add pastry cream just before serving to prevent sogginess.

---

Notes

• Make sure to chill pastry cream thoroughly before piping to achieve firm texture.
• Only add the pastry cream to the cookies right before serving to avoid soggy cookies.
• If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can briefly broil the sugar topping in the oven but watch closely.
• Store leftover pastry cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• These cookies are best enjoyed fresh the day they are assembled.

---

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 190
• Sugar: 20g
• Sodium: 90mg
• Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 0.5g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 65mg