Creme Brûlée Cookies
Crème brûlée cookies are a delightful fusion of the classic French dessert and buttery cookies, offering a creamy center and caramelized topping. Perfect for any special occasion, they are as visually stunning as they are delicious.
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- 2 ¼ cups 540 ml whole milk
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp 225 g granulated sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 3 ½ tbsp 28 g cornstarch
- 3 tbsp 42 g unsalted butter, cubed
- For the Sugar Cookies:
- 2 ½ cups 313 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups 250 g granulated sugar
- 1 cup 224 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- ½ cup 100 g granulated sugar (for rolling the dough)
- ½ cup 100 g granulated sugar (for the brûlée topping)
Instructions
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat until it begins to steam. Once steaming, reduce the heat to low and set aside until ready to use.
- 2 ¼ cups (540 ml) whole milk
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch until smooth and pale yellow. The mixture will be thick at first but will smooth out as you continue to whisk.
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (225 g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 3 ½ tbsp (28 g) cornstarch
- Slowly add ¼ of the heated milk while stirring vigorously, then incorporate the remaining milk and stir until well combined. Transfer the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8-12 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened and soft peaks form.
- Remove from heat and transfer the pastry cream to a bowl. Stir in the butter until fully combined. Cover with plastic wrap directly on top of the cream to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until completely cold.
- 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cubed
For the Sugar Cookies:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.
- 2 ½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- In another large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.)
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
- Add the egg and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until the dough comes together.
- Scoop the dough into balls using a large cookie scoop, then roll them into balls.
- Place sugar in a small bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar to coat.
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar (for rolling the dough)
- Place the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, slightly flattening each one. Bake 6 cookies at a time.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, then allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Assembling the Cookies:
- Transfer the cooled pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a small circular tip. Once the cookies are fully cooled, pipe a generous amount of pastry cream onto each cookie.
- Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of sugar over the top of each cookie and use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden brown and fragrant, resembling roasted marshmallows.
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar (for the brûlée topping)
- Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes after torching, then enjoy!
- (Note: Add the pastry cream only when you're ready to serve the cookies, as they may become soggy after a few hours. Best enjoyed immediately.)