Crème brûlée cookies are simple to make and are an elegant addition to any celebration! They are soft sugar cookies with a silky vanilla custard and a crisp caramelized topping.
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This post is sponsored by Cook Flavoring Company. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
I've been baking cookies for decades now and one of the important things I've learned is we can make the best recipes simple too!
Crème brûlée is often seen as an elegant, decadent and fancy dessert. Today I'm going to show you how we can turn this classic dessert into a cookie.
And not just any boring cookie. This one is a soft vanilla sugar cookie {that uses cold ingredients and requires no chill time} topped with a simple no bake vanilla custard and a sprinkle of sugar. The finishing touch is using a kitchen torch to create the signature crackly sugar top.
💗 why you will love these homemade cookies
- Flavor ~ from the vanilla sugar cookies to the silky vanilla custard, these crème brûlée cookies are loaded with rich vanilla.
- Texture ~ soft sugar cookies, creamy custard and a crisp caramelized topping.
- Easy ~ a no bake custard and the sugar cookies use cold ingredients.
🛒 ingredients
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
- All-purpose flour ~ use your favorite brand. If you aren't using a kitchen scale, be sure to spoon and level your flour. {Fluff the flour in the container, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a spoon}.
- Baking soda and baking powder ~ gives a little lift to the cookies.
- Kosher salt ~ helps to balance the flavors; if you only have table salt, use half the amount.
- Granulated and confectioners' sugar ~ bring the sweetness, softness and some structure to the cookies. It's also sprinkled over the silky vanilla custard and burnt with a torch to create the crackly top.
- Unsalted butter ~ use your butter COLD and cut it into small cubes.
- Cream cheese ~ the cream cheese adds softness to the crème brûlée cookies, the cream cheese is also used COLD and cut it into small cubes too. You will want to use full fat cream cheese for the best cookies.
- Egg ~ one large egg is needed for the cookies, this can also be cold. The egg helps to bind the cookies together. Three large egg yolks are needed for the creamy custard, use the leftover whites to make meringue cookies.
- Heavy cream ~ used to make the no bake vanilla custard.
- Vanilla ~ a full tablespoon of Cook's 100 Year Anniversary vanilla is used in the cookies to add a rich vanilla flavor. It is also used in the vanilla custard.
Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.
the secret to amazing vanilla sugar cookies
Cook Flavoring Company's extracts have been a staple in my kitchen for the last 30+ years. I love the careful sourcing and slow, cold percolation process that they use for the best tasting vanilla. I also love, love, LOVE that the company is in the third generation of family ownership and management; it's truly a family business and that makes my heart pitter patter.💕
Cook's released a special 100 year anniversary barrel aged vanilla this holiday season. Made in aged in French oak and has a bold, rich and smooth complexity to it. Using it makes these crème brûlée cookies extra special!
Grab your own bottle of this special edition, limited batch release vanilla and get 15% off until January 31, 2024 using the code tasia15 at checkout.
👩🏻🍳 how to make the no bake crème brûlée
Start by adding the heavy whipping cream to a small saucepan and bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer.
While the cream is coming to a simmer, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a bowl that will fit over a pot of simmering water {these are the glass bowls I use}. Then place over a simmering pot of water and whisk constantly until pale yellow, creamy and the sugar has dissolved.
Now take the warm cream and slowly whisk into the egg mixture. Continue to whisk until the mixture becomes thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. The mixture will be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and it will lightly hold it's shape over the custard if you drizzle it over itself. If you want to ensure you got the mixture warm enough, it should register 160°F on a thermometer.
Remove the hot bowl from the pot of simmering water and whisk in the vanilla. Then pour into a shallow bowl and press plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Can be made up to two days ahead of baking the cookies.
🥣 how to make no chill sugar cookies
Start by preheating the oven to 375°F. Prepare baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Now place the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse a few times to blend. Add the cold butter cubes and cold cream cheese as well as the granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar to the flour mixture.
Pulse until the mixture becomes sandy in texture.
Then add the egg and vanilla and blend until the dough comes together.
Roll dough into 1 ½ tablespoon balls {a size 40 scoop} and then roll in the extra granulated sugar. Place cookies on prepared baking pans, spacing 1-2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a glass or flat bottom measuring cup {or your clean hand} to flatten the cookies to between ¼ and ½ inch tall.
Bake for 8-9 minutes until they look slightly under baked. If the cookies appear puffy, wrap the pan against the counter or stove top and few times to deflate them while they are still hot or you can use the bottom of a glass to lightly press them down while they are cooling. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
how to assemble
Top a cookie with a teaspoon of crème brûlée and then sprinkle an even layer of granulated sugar over the custard. Use a kitchen torch to brûlée the sugar. I cannot find the torch I use online {mine is old}, but this kitchen torch gets great reviews.
Allow to sit for a couple minutes and then enjoy! I recommend adding the sugar and torching when you want to serve them as the crispy topping will soften after 30 minutes or when stored in the refrigerator.
tips for the best cookies
- Measure your ingredients accurately. I know I'm a broken record, but using a kitchen scale will ensure you have the right amounts of ingredients. Measuring cups are the normal for baking in America, but I urge you to give weighing your ingredients a try. Once you get used to it, you'll never go back! #lessdishesforthewin
- Bake on lighter colored baking pans {these USA Pans are my favorite} as the vanilla sugar cookies will bake more gently, which equals a softer cookie.
- Once you've rolled the cookies in the granulated sugar, use the back of a flat glass to flatten the cookies to between a ¼ and ½ inch thickness.
- Don't over bake the cookies. In my opinion, this is the number one reason home baker's cookies don't come out like bakery cookies. These crème brûlée cookies never took longer than 9 minutes to bake in my oven. To keep the cookies soft and chewy we want the centers slightly underdone. They will continue cooking as they cool and the centers will firm up.
- If the cookies aren't as flat as you would like, rap the pan against the counter or stove top and few times to deflate them while they are still hot. You can also use the bottom of a glass to flatten them.
💬 frequently asked questions
Granulated sugar works perfectly to get that crackly sugar top.
Yes, I believe you do. I haven't tested it, but suspect the crème brûlée would melt off the cookies if you try to use the oven's broiler.
🫙 how to store
Cookies can sit out for a couple hours, but should be stored in the refrigerator after the crème brûlée has been added. The crispy sugar topping will lose it's crispness, but they will still taste fantastic. They will stay fresh for up to three days in the refrigerator.
I prefer to add the crème brûlée and torch them as I serve them.
Baked vanilla sugar cookies {without crème brûlée} can be frozen for up to three months in an airtight container.
I also tested freezing the cookies after the silky vanilla custard was added and brûlée-ed; the cookies held up fine, but the crisp caramelized topping does lose it's crispness and gets a little sticky.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Crème Brûlée Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more decadent recipes to enjoy
- Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
- White Chocolate Cranberry Tart
- Tiramisu Cookies
- Butterfinger Pie
- Marshmallow Brownies
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
Crème Brûlée Cookies
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
crème brûlée
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream 180mL
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 28g
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
vanilla sugar cookies
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 313g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter cubed and cold (113g)
- ½ cup 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and cold (114g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar 90g
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g for rolling the cookies and caramelizing the tops
Instructions
for the crème brûlée
- In a small saucepan, add the heavy whipping cream (¾ cup/180mL) and bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer.
- While the cream is coming to a simmer, whisk together the egg yolks (3 large) and granulated sugar (2 tablespoons/28g) in a bowl that will fit over a pot of simmering water. Then place over a simmering pot of water and whisk constantly until pale yellow, creamy and the sugar has dissolved, about 4 minutes.
- Then take the warm cream and slowly whisk into the egg mixture. Continue to whisk until the mixture becomes thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. The mixture will be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and it will lightly hold it's shape over the custard if you drizzle it over itself. If you want to ensure you got the mixture warm enough, it should register 160°F on a thermometer.
- Remove the hot bowl from the pot of simmering water and whisk in the vanilla (1 teaspoon). Then pour into a shallow bowl and press plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Can be made up to two days ahead of baking the cookies.
for the vanilla sugar cookies
- Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Place all-purpose flour (2 ½ cups/313g), baking soda (½ teaspoon), baking powder (½ teaspoon) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse a few times to blend.
- Add the cold butter cubes (½ cup/113g) and cold cream cheese (4 ounces/114g) as well as the granulated sugar (½ cup/100g) and confectioners' sugar (¾ cup/90g) to the flour mixture. Pulse until the mixture becomes sandy in texture.
- Add the egg (1 large) and vanilla (1 tablespoon) and blend until the dough comes together.
- Roll dough into 1 ½ tablespoon balls and then roll in the extra granulated sugar (½ cup/100g). Place cookies on prepared baking pans, spacing 1-2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a glass or flat bottom measuring cup (or your clean hand) to flatten the cookies to between ¼ and ½ inch tall.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes until they look slightly under baked.
- Allow to rest for 2 minutes on the baking pan. If the cookies appear puffy, wrap the pan against the counter or stove top and few times to deflate them while they are still hot or you can use the bottom of a glass to lightly press them down while they are cooling. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
to assemble the cookies
- Top a cookie with a teaspoon of crème brûlée and then sprinkle an even layer of granulated sugar over the custard. Use a kitchen torch to brûlée the sugar. Allow to sit for a couple minutes and then enjoy! (I recommend adding the sugar and torching when you want to serve them as the crispy topping will soften after 30 minutes or when stored in the refrigerator).
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen says
What a great way to combine two delicious desserts into something totally different and unique! Loving this custard layer and the signature caramelized sugar, and the cookies look super elegant, too!
Tasia says
Aww, Ben...thank you.
Michelle says
This is so creative and delicious, Tasia! Perfect for my kids who have a super sweet tooth! 🙂
Tasia says
Yay, thank you Michelle!