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
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 in)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar (for the brûlée topping)
Instructions
- Heat Milk: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat just until steaming. Then reduce heat to low and keep warm.
- Mix Egg Yolk Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until pale yellow and smooth.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- 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.
- Add Egg & Vanilla: Mix in egg and vanilla bean paste on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until dough forms.
- Shape & Sugar Coat: Scoop dough into large balls using a cookie scoop. Roll each ball in 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
- 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.
- Pipe Pastry Cream: Once cookies are cooled, pipe cold pastry cream on top using a piping bag with a small round tip.
- Brûlée Topping: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon sugar over each cookie’s cream topping. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize sugar until golden brown and fragrant.
- 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
