Description
These Crème Brûlée Cookies combine the rich, creamy flavor of vanilla pastry cream with the delicate crunch of a sugar cookie base, topped with a perfect brûlée finish. These cookies are a unique and delicious twist on the classic crème brûlée dessert!
Ingredients
Scale
Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) whole milk
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (225 g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (28 g) cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, cubed
Sugar Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups (313 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar (for rolling the dough in)
Brûlée Topping:
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Vanilla Pastry Cream
Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming, then reduce to low. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually add 1/4 of the milk to the egg mixture while stirring vigorously. Add the rest of the milk and stir to combine.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously for 8-12 minutes until thick and soft peaks form. Remove from heat, whisk in butter until smooth, and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pressed against the surface to prevent skin from forming. Chill until cold. - Make the Sugar Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla bean paste and mix until pale and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined.
Scoop dough (about 3 tbsp per cookie) and roll into balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten each ball and bake for 9-10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. - Assemble the Cookies
Transfer the chilled pastry cream to a piping bag with a small round tip. Once the cookies are completely cooled, pipe a generous swirl of pastry cream on each cookie. Sprinkle about 1 tsp of sugar on each. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden and crisp. Allow caramel to set for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the pastry cream is fully chilled before assembling the cookies.
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can place the cookies under a broiler for a minute or two to caramelize the sugar (watch carefully).
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg