Description
These decadent Creme Brûlée Cookies combine chewy, buttery sugar cookies with rich, creamy vanilla pastry cream topped with caramelized sugar for a delightful dessert experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 3 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut in cubes
Sugar Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar (for rolling the dough in)
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar (for the brûlée topping)
Instructions
- Prepare the Vanilla Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, heat the whole milk over medium-low heat until steaming, then reduce heat to low. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until pale yellow and smooth. Slowly add 1/4 of the heated milk while stirring vigorously, then add the remaining milk and mix well. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8-12 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened and soft peaks form. Remove from heat, add cubed butter, and mix to combine. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin formation and chill until fully cold.
- Prepare the Sugar Cookie Dough: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla bean paste, mixing on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the dry ingredients on low speed until dough just comes together.
- Shape and Bake Cookies: Scoop dough into large balls with a cookie scoop. Roll each ball in the 1/2 cup granulated sugar reserved for rolling. Place the dough balls onto parchment-lined sheets and slightly flatten each. Bake for 9-10 minutes until edges are set. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.
- Assemble the Cookies: Fill a piping bag with the chilled pastry cream. Pipe a dollop on top of each cooled cookie. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over each cream topping. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until golden brown and fragrant like roasted marshmallows. Let cool for 10 minutes after torching before serving. Add the pastry cream only when ready to serve to avoid sogginess.
Notes
- Use plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming while chilling.
- Only pipe the pastry cream onto cookies just before serving to maintain the cookies' texture and prevent sogginess.
- If you don't have vanilla bean paste, pure vanilla extract can be substituted, though paste provides a richer flavor and speckled appearance.
- Use a kitchen torch to properly caramelize the sugar topping; alternatively, a broiler can be used carefully.
- Cookies can be stored separately from the pastry cream in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
