These Creme Brûlée Cookies topped with silky vanilla pastry cream and a crackly caramelized sugar layer taste like your favorite French dessert in cookie form. I made my first batch last winter when I wanted something fancy but didn't feel like pulling out the ramekins, and honestly, these might be even better than the original. The cookies stay soft and chewy, the cream is lusciously smooth, and that torch-kissed sugar top adds the perfect crunch.
If you're looking for more show-stopping Creme Brûlée Cookies ideas, you'll love these Stamped Chocolate Espresso Cookies or my Sugar Cookie Cheesecake that always gets rave reviews.
The Story Behind These Creme Brûlée Cookies
My sister Karla came over one Saturday afternoon and caught me with the kitchen torch in hand, carefully caramelizing sugar on top of what looked like very fancy Creme Brûlée Cookies. "Are those tiny crème brûlées?" she asked, leaning in for a closer look. "Even better," I told her. "Cookie version." I handed her one that had just cooled enough to eat, and she took a bite. Her eyes went wide. "Oh wow, the cream is so good!" Then she laughed because a little bit of the pastry cream had squeezed out the side onto her thumb. "I'm not even mad about it," she said, licking it off. "Can I have three more?"
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Creme Brûlée Cookies Ingredients
Here's everything to make these cookies from scratch.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For ingtedient Quantites
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
Whole milk: Creates the silky, creamy base for the pastry cream that makes these cookies so luxurious.
Egg yolks: Add richness and help the cream thicken to that perfect pipeable consistency.
Granulated white sugar: Sweetens the pastry cream and balances the vanilla flavor beautifully.
Salt: Just a pinch enhances all the other flavors and keeps the sweetness in check.
Vanilla bean paste: Gives you those gorgeous vanilla flecks and deep, aromatic flavor throughout the cream.
Cornstarch: Thickens the pastry cream and helps it hold its shape when you pipe it onto the cookies.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness and a silky finish to the cream once it's cooked.
For the Sugar Cookies:
All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cookies and keeps them soft and tender with a nice chew.
Baking powder: Gives the cookies a gentle lift without making them puffy.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the buttery vanilla flavor.
Granulated white sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps create those slightly crisp edges.
Unsalted butter: Creates that rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture when creamed with sugar. Make sure it's softened to room temperature.
Egg: Binds everything together and adds moisture to the dough.
Vanilla bean paste: Adds beautiful vanilla flavor and those classic specks throughout the cookies.
Granulated white sugar (for rolling): Gives the cookies a sparkly coating and slight crunch on the outside.
Granulated white sugar (for brûlée topping): Gets torched into that signature crackly caramelized layer.
How to Make Creme Brûlée Cookies
Let's walk through each step together.
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
Heat the milk: Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat until you see steam rising from the surface. Turn the heat down to low and keep it warm while you prepare the egg mixture.
Whisk the egg mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until everything is well combined and the mixture turns a pale, creamy yellow color.
Temper the eggs: Slowly pour about ¼ of the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously (this step is important so the eggs don't scramble). Once that's mixed in, add the rest of the milk and stir until smooth.
Thicken the pastry cream: Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and set it over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly for 8-12 minutes until the cream thickens noticeably and you can see soft peaks forming when you lift the whisk.
Finish and chill: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter cubes until they melt completely and the cream looks glossy. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming, then chill it in the refrigerator until it's completely cold.
For the Sugar Cookies:
Preheat and prep: Set your oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside for now.
Cream butter and sugar: In another large bowl, use an electric mixer on high speed to beat the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture looks light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add egg and vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla bean paste on medium speed until everything is pale and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Combine wet and dry: Gradually add your flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough just comes together. Don't overmix.
Shape the cookies: Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough into balls, then roll each ball in sugar until coated.
Bake: Place the dough balls on your prepared cookie sheets and gently flatten each one just a bit with your palm. Bake 6 cookies at a time for 9-10 minutes, until the edges look set but the centers still seem slightly soft.
Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they'll firm up a bit), then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Assembling the Cookies:
Prepare the cream: Transfer your chilled pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small circular tip.
Pipe the cream: Once the cookies are completely cool, pipe a generous swirl of pastry cream onto the top of each cookie.
Add sugar and torch: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of sugar evenly over the pastry cream on each cookie. Use a kitchen torch to carefully caramelize the sugar, moving the flame in circles until the sugar turns golden brown and smells amazing.
Final rest: Let the cookies sit for about 10 minutes so the caramelized sugar can harden into that signature crackly top before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
Ingredient Swaps:
- Vanilla bean paste → Vanilla extract: Use 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract in both the cream and cookies (you'll lose the vanilla specks but keep the flavor)
- No kitchen torch: Place cookies under the broiler for 30 seconds to 1 minute (watch closely to prevent burning)
Fun Variations:
- Add a little espresso powder to the pastry cream for a mocha twist
- Add a pinch of cinnamon to the Creme Brûlée Cookies
- Fold mini chocolate chips into the dough
- Flavor the pastry cream with almond extract
Equipment For Creme Brûlée Cookies
- Medium saucepan
- Large mixing bowls
- Electric mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment)
- Cookie scoop
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- Piping bag with small circular tip
- Kitchen torch
How to Store These Creme Brûlée Cookies
Best enjoyed: The day you assemble them for maximum crunch
Make ahead: Bake Creme Brûlée Cookies and make pastry cream up to 2 days in advance
Unbaked cookies: Store in airtight container at room temperature
Pastry cream: Keep covered in the fridge
Assembly: Torch just before serving for best results
Assembled Creme Brûlée Cookies: Store in refrigerator in single layer for up to 2 days (sugar will soften slightly)
Top Tip
Make sure your butter is truly softened to room temperature before you start - it should leave a slight indent when you press it but not be greasy or melted. When you're tempering the eggs for the pastry cream, go slowly with that first addition of warm milk and whisk constantly to prevent scrambling. The pastry cream needs to be completely cold before you pipe it, or it'll be too runny. Don't skip chilling the assembled Creme Brûlée Cookies before torching - the cold cream helps prevent it from melting under the flame. When caramelizing the sugar, keep the torch moving in smooth circles and don't hold it too close, or you'll burn the sugar instead of caramelizing it.
FAQ
What are some common mistakes when making Creme Brûlée Cookies?
The most common mistake is not tempering the eggs properly, which can give you scrambled bits instead of smooth cream. Another issue is overbaking or using too high heat, which makes the texture grainy instead of silky. Make sure you whisk constantly while cooking the cream and remove it from heat as soon as it thickens. My mom always reminds me that patience is key with custards - low and slow wins the race.
What is a fun fact about crème brûlée?
Crème brûlée means "burnt cream" in French, and while France claims it, England and Spain both have similar desserts that might be even older. The signature caramelized sugar topping became really popular in the 1980s when chefs started using kitchen torches to create that dramatic tableside finish. Now you can make that same magic happen right in your own kitchen with these Creme Brûlée Cookies.
How long do you bake Creme Brûlée Cookies for?
Traditional crème brûlée custard bakes in a water bath for about 40-50 minutes, but these Creme Brûlée Cookies only need 9-10 minutes in a 350°F oven. The pastry cream cooks on the stovetop instead, which actually makes this recipe faster and easier than the classic dessert. Keep an eye on the cookies and pull them when the edges look set but the centers still seem a tiny bit underdone.
What is the secret to a creamy crème brûlée?
The secret is all about low heat and constant whisking. When you cook the pastry cream, medium-low heat gives you control so the eggs thicken gradually without curdling. Whisking constantly ensures even cooking and that silky-smooth texture. Using egg yolks instead of whole eggs makes it extra rich and creamy. Grandma always said that custards can't be rushed, and she was absolutely right about that.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Creme Brûlée Cookies
Creme Brûlée Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Medium saucepan For heating the milk
- 2 Large mixing bowls One for wet ingredients, one for dry ingredients
- 1 Electric mixer For creaming butter and sugar (or stand mixer with paddle attachment)
- 1 Cookie scoop For portioning dough evenly
- 2 Parchment paper For lining cookie sheets
- 1 Cooling rack For cooling the cookies after baking
- 1 Piping bag with small circular tip For piping the pastry cream onto cookies
- 1 Kitchen torch For brûléeing the sugar topping
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- 2 ¼ cups 540 ml whole milk For the base of the pastry cream full-fat milk works best
- 6 egg yolks Room temperature for better emulsification
- 1 cup granulated white sugar For sweetness and thickening the cream
- ⅛ teaspoon salt Balances the sweetness
- 1 ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste For rich natural vanilla flavor
- 3 ½ tablespoon 28 g cornstarch Thickens the cream
- 3 tablespoon 42 g unsalted butter cut in cubes Adds richness and smooth texture
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 2 ½ cups 313 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled Main flour component use regular or gluten-free for a twist
- ½ teaspoon baking powder Helps cookies rise slightly
- ½ teaspoon salt Enhances flavor and balances sweetness
- 1 ¼ cups 250 g granulated white sugar Sweetens the dough
- 1 cup 224 g unsalted butter softened Creates a tender texture use unsalted for more control over seasoning
- 1 egg Room temperature for smooth dough
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste Imparts natural vanilla flavor
- ½ cup 100 g granulated white sugar For rolling the dough in adds extra sweetness
- ½ cup 100 g granulated white sugar For the brulee topping caramelizes beautifully
Instructions
- Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until it begins to steam. Reduce heat to low and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla paste, and cornstarch until smooth and pale yellow.
- Gradually add ¼ of the warmed milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Then, pour in the remaining milk and whisk to combine.
- Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8-12 minutes, whisking continuously until the cream thickens and forms soft peaks.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter until fully melted and incorporated. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge until completely cold.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, then set aside.
- Cream together the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until the dough is light and pale, about 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until a dough forms.
- Scoop the dough using a large cookie scoop and roll into balls. Roll each dough ball in sugar until coated.
- Place the dough balls on the parchment-lined baking sheets, gently pressing them down to slightly flatten. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Transfer the cooled pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Once the cookies are cool, pipe the pastry cream onto each cookie.
- Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of sugar on top of each cookie and use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden brown and bubbly.
- Allow the cookies to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. (Serve immediately after topping with pastry cream to prevent the cookies from becoming soggy.)
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