Caramelized Crème Brûlée Cookies
If you love the creamy, rich flavor of crème brûlée. But wish you could enjoy it in cookie form. These Caramelized Crème Brûlée Cookies are for you! Soft, buttery sugar cookies form the base. Topped with silky vanilla pastry cream. And finished with a crispy caramelized sugar topping. That you brûlée to perfection. It’s a sophisticated dessert. That blends familiar comfort. With a touch of elegance. Whether for a special occasion. Or an indulgent treat. These cookies are pure magic!
24 Servings
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- 2 1/4 c 540 ml whole milk
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 c + 2 tablespoon 225 grams granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 3 1/2 tablespoon 28 grams cornstarch
- 3 tablespoon 42 grams unsalted butter, cubed
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 2 1/2 c 313 grams all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 c 250 grams granulated sugar
- 1 c 224 grams unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 c 100 grams granulated sugar (for rolling the dough)
- 1/2 c 100 grams granulated sugar (for the brûlée topping)
Instructions
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- In a medium saucepan. Warm the milk. Over medium-low heat. Until it starts steaming. Once it's heated. Reduce the heat to low. Until you're ready. To use it.
- In a separate large bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch. Until the mixture is smooth. And pale yellow. It may start out thick. But it will smooth out. As you whisk.
- Slowly pour. About a quarter of the heated milk. Into the egg mixture. Stirring vigorously. To avoid curdling. Gradually add the remaining milk. And stir. Until combined.
- Return the mixture. To the saucepan. Cooking over medium-low heat. For 8-12 minutes. Whisking constantly. Until it thickens. And forms soft peaks.
- Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the butter. And mix. Until it's fully incorporated. Transfer the pastry cream. To a bowl. And place plastic wrap. Directly on the surface. To prevent a skin from forming. Let it chill in the fridge. Until fully cooled.
For the Sugar Cookies:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). And line two baking sheets. With parchment paper.
- In a large bowl. Whisk together the flour. With baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl. Cream the butter. And sugar. With an electric mixer. On high speed. For about two minutes. Until it's fluffy. And light. You can also use a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment if preferred.
- Add the egg and vanilla. And beat on medium speed. Until the mixture is pale. And fluffy. About 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients. To the wet ingredients. Mixing on low speed. Until the dough. Just comes together.
- Scoop the dough. Into balls. Using a large cookie scoop. And roll them. In granulated sugar.
- Place the dough balls. On the parchment-lined baking sheets. Flattening them slightly. Bake 6 cookies at a time. For 9-10 minutes. Let them cool. On the baking sheet. For 5 minutes. Before transferring them. To a wire rack. To cool completely.
Assembling the Cookies:
- Once the cookies. Are completely cooled. Transfer the chilled pastry cream. Into a piping bag. With a small circular tip. Pipe the cream. Onto each cookie.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar. Over the top of each cookie. And use a kitchen torch. To caramelize the sugar. Until golden brown. And fragrant. Like roasted marshmallows.
- Let the cookies rest. For about 10 minutes after torching. Then they're ready to enjoy!
Notes
To make these Caramelized Crème Brûlée Cookies gluten-free. Simply substitute the all-purpose flour. In both the pastry cream and cookie dough. With a high-quality gluten-free 1:1 baking mix. Make sure your vanilla bean paste, cornstarch, and other ingredients. Are certified gluten-free as well. To avoid any cross-contamination. With these easy swaps. You can enjoy all the creamy, caramelized goodness. Without the gluten!