Soft, cake-like cookies with a cream cheese frosting and burnt sugar topping. These Crème Brûlée Cookies are a unique dessert that will have everyone asking for more!
Kitchen Torches
Last December I started making Crème Brûlée and fell in love with using a kitchen blow torch. Before December, I was afraid I’d burn myself or start a giant fire. I was wrong. So far, I’ve only had delicious, crunchy results.
A month or two ago Jo Chef Culinary Tools reached out to me on Instagram and asked if I would be interested in trying their kitchen torch. The reviews were great, and since I now love cooking with fire, I was pumped! Yes, they gave me a torch, but no this is not a sponsored post. Honest opinion: I tried out the Jo Chef torch and it was fabulous. It caramelizes sugar much better than my older torch. You can purchase it from Amazon here.
I then began looking for new ways to use my torch besides making Crème Brûlée. I will be sharing many of those ideas in the near future, but today, I’ll start with using it on cookies.
Crème Brûlée Sugar Cookies
Cookie Base
I wanted these cookies to be soft, and not overly sweet. I made several iterations and finally landed on my version of Crème Brûlée cookie perfection. These cookies are soft, cakey (without being dry), vanilla bean flavored, and lightly sweetened.
To make these cookies, you will use:
- Unsalted Butter
- For most of my baked goods, I use unsalted butter so that I can control the salt content.
- Sugar
- Salt
- All Purpose Flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking Powder
- Eggs
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- I prefer the taste of vanilla bean paste over vanilla extract. And the paste is easier than using whole vanilla beans!
- Almond Extract
Frosting
Next comes the frosting. I tried this several different ways as well. Initially I tried coating the top of the cookies with simple syrup, then sprinkling sugar over the top, which I caramelized with the torch. It was fine, no doubt about it. But it was too easy to burn the cookie. No one is happy about a burnt cookie.
Also, I missed the custard part of Crème Brûlée. Although the cookie was excellent, it needed a custard-like addition. Answer: Cream cheese frosting.
The frosting is made with:
- Cream Cheese
- Salt
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Powdered Sugar
- Whipping Cream
Topping
Finally, the grand finishing touch: Sugar, caramelized with a blow torch.
Pro tip: Dip the top of the frosted cookie in sugar, and then let the frosted cookies sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before torching. This helps prevent the cream cheese from melting.
Serve these just after torching, or store them in the refrigerator up to a few days. Either way, they are delicious as can be!
These cookies are soft with a crunchy sugar topping that will be the hit of any cookie exchange or dessert table!
Crème Brûlée Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon whipping cream
- ~4 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (Note: it is okay to use ungreased cookie sheets, although I prefer lining the pans for a softer cookie bottom).
- Use mixer to beat butter and sugar until lightened and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Mix in eggs one at a time, scraping down sides as needed. Then mix in vanilla bean paste and almond extract.
- Whisk together flour, salt, cornstarch and baking powder. Then gradually beat into butter mixture.
- Form dough into ~1.5 tablespoon sized balls. Place on baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake until golden brown, about 8-9 minutes. Cool on sheets for 3-4 minutes before transferring to wire rack to finish cooling. Let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Use mixer to beat cream cheese until creamy and smooth.
- Mix in salt and vanilla bean paste until well combined.
- Then, mix in powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, until well combined. Finally, mix in whipping cream and beat until smooth.
- Spread frosting over the top of cookies.
- Pour sugar on a plate. Press tops of the frosted cookies into sugar, then shake off any excess sugar.
- Use kitchen torch on the top of the sugar until sugar has browned and caramelized.
Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.
If you enjoyed these Crème Brûlée Cookies, you might also enjoy these other SugarSpicesLife recipes:
Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee
Sugar Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Chocolate Strawberry Creme Brûlée
Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookie Cake
