Description

These Creme Brûlée Cookies combine the rich, creamy vanilla pastry cream with soft sugar cookies, topped with a caramelized brûlée sugar crust. Inspired by the classic French dessert, this recipe features a homemade vanilla pastry cream tucked atop tender sugar cookies, finished with a crisp, caramelized sugar topping using a kitchen torch for that perfect burnt sugar flavor.

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)

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Instructions

Heat Milk: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat 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 smooth and pale yellow.
Temper Eggs: Gradually add 1/4 of the hot milk to the egg mixture while stirring vigorously, then add the remaining milk and mix well.
Cook Pastry Cream: Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8-12 minutes, whisking continuously until thickened and soft peaks form.
Finish Pastry Cream: Remove from heat, stir in cubed butter until melted and combined. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until cold.
Prepare Oven and Dry Ingredients: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat softened butter and sugar on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla bean paste on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Combine Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the flour mixture on low speed just until dough forms.
Shape Cookies: Scoop dough into balls, then roll each in granulated sugar (for rolling). Place on parchment-lined sheets and slightly flatten.
Bake: Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.
Assemble Cookies: Fill a piping bag with chilled pastry cream. Once the cookies are fully cooled, pipe cream on top of each cookie.
Brûlée Topping: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over the cream-topped cookie. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden and crisp.
Serve: Let cool 10 minutes after torching, then enjoy immediately to prevent sogginess.

Notes

Apply pastry cream only just before serving to prevent cookies from becoming soggy.
If you don’t have a kitchen torch, briefly broil the sugar-topped cookies in the oven until caramelized, watching carefully to avoid burning.
Ensure the pastry cream is fully chilled before piping to achieve the best texture.
Cookies can be baked ahead but assemble just before serving for optimal freshness.
Use vanilla bean paste for the best flavor if available; vanilla extract can be substituted.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 220
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 85 mg
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg