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Crème Brûlée Cookies – Soft Vanilla Sugar Cookies with a Crackly Caramelized Brûlée Top

These Crème Brûlée Cookies combine everything you love about classic crème brûlée — silky vanilla custard flavor, caramelized sugar topping, and luxurious creaminess — with the soft, chewy texture of a bakery-style sugar cookie. Each cookie features a soft vanilla cookie base, a creamy dollop of luscious pastry-cream–style filling, and a signature brûléed sugar crust that crackles when you tap it with a spoon. It’s the ultimate fusion dessert: elegant, decadent, and surprisingly easy to make. Perfect for holidays, dinner parties, gifting, or anytime you want a showstopping treat that looks fancy but takes no special skills.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 20 Cookies
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes
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Ingredients
  

For the Cookies
  • ½ cup 113 g unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • For the Cream Filling
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the Brûlée Topping
  • ¼ –⅓ cup granulated sugar for torching
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Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Whisk
  • Saucepan
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Cookie scoop
  • Kitchen torch (for brûlée top)
  • Cooling rack

Method
 

Step 1: Make the Cream Filling
  1. In a saucepan, whisk together:
  2. heavy cream
  3. egg yolk
  4. sugar
  5. cornstarch
  6. pinch of salt
  7. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and creamy (like pastry cream).
  8. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract.
  9. Cool fully in the refrigerator — it will thicken more.
Step 2: Make the Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Line baking sheets with parchment.
  3. Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 2–3 minutes until fluffy.
  4. Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
  5. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  6. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until a soft dough forms.
Step 3: Scoop & Bake
  1. Scoop cookies into 1½–2 tablespoon balls.
  2. Flatten slightly with your palm.
  3. Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
  4. Cool completely before filling.
Step 4: Fill and Brûlée
  1. Use a small spoon to make a shallow indentation in each cookie.
  2. Add a spoonful of the chilled cream filling to the center.
  3. Sprinkle the tops generously with granulated sugar.
  4. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it becomes golden and glass-like.
  5. Let the sugar cool and harden.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate: Up to 3–4 days (because of cream filling)
Freeze cookie bases (unfilled): Up to 2 months
Important: Do not freeze after brûlée — sugar will melt.

🥄 Variations

Cinnamon Sugar Brûlée: Add a pinch of cinnamon before torching.
Maple Crème Brûlée: Add ½ teaspoon maple extract to the cream.
Brown Sugar Brûlée: Use half white, half brown sugar for caramel depth.
Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies: Add lemon zest to cookie dough and filling.
Espresso Brûlée Cookies: Add ½ teaspoon espresso powder to the filling.
Salted Caramel Brûlée: Add flaky salt after torching.
Biscoff Brûlée Cookies: Add 2 tbsp Biscoff to the cream filling.
Chocolate Crème Brûlée: Add 2 tbsp melted chocolate to the filling.
Pumpkin Spice Brûlée: Add pumpkin spice to dough + filling.
Vanilla Bean Version: Use real vanilla bean for gourmet flavor.

❓ 10 FAQs

Do I need a kitchen torch?
Yes — broiling melts the cream filling before caramelizing the sugar.
Why is my sugar burning fast?
Keep the torch farther away and move in circles.
Can I make the filling in advance?
Absolutely — up to 2 days ahead.
Are the cookies supposed to be soft?
Yes — they’re meant to be tender like crème brûlée.
Can I make them without the filling?
Yes — but then they’re crème brûlée inspired cookies.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes — they scale beautifully.
Can I use custard instead of making the cream?
Yes, but pastry cream holds up better.
Can I freeze filled cookies?
No — the sugar topping will melt.
Why did my brûlée crack weirdly?
Too-thick sugar layer — use a thin, even sprinkle.
How do I transport them?
Torch right before serving or transport un-brûléed and torch later.

🏁 Conclusion

These Crème Brûlée Cookies deliver everything you love about the classic dessert — velvety vanilla cream, caramelized sugar crunch, and a luxurious bite — in a handheld, irresistible cookie form. Elegant yet easy, decadent yet comforting, they’re perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to something extra special.
Once you crack through that caramel top and reach the creamy center, you’ll know exactly why these cookies are unforgettable.