Description
Luxurious creme brulee cookies blend French pastry elegance with classic American cookie charm. Caramelized sugar tops buttery shortbread, creating a delightful dessert you’ll crave with afternoon tea or coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large egg
- 190 g (6.7 oz) unsalted butter (softened)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) brown sugar (firmly packed)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) granulated sugar
- 250 g (8.8 oz) all-purpose flour
- 15 ml (0.5 fl oz) pure vanilla extract
- 10 g (0.35 oz) cornstarch
- 5 g (0.18 oz) baking soda
- 1.25 g (0.04 oz) kosher salt
- 225 g (7.9 oz) cream cheese (softened)
- 155 g (5.5 oz) powdered sugar
- 5 ml (0.17 fl oz) pure vanilla extract
- 50 g (1.8 oz) granulated sugar (for caramelizing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange parchment paper on two cookie sheets to prevent sticking during baking.
- Using an electric mixer, whip butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and airy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Blend egg and vanilla extract into the creamed mixture, ensuring even distribution for consistent flavor throughout the dough.
- Sift flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and kosher salt in a separate bowl, then gradually fold into the wet ingredients until a thick dough forms, being careful not to overmix.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized dough balls onto prepared sheets, gently flattening each one. Bake for 9-10 minutes until edges turn golden brown.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to complete cooling process.
- Whip cream cheese until smooth, then incorporate powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until frosting becomes completely uniform.
- Spread approximately one tablespoon of frosting on each cooled cookie, then delicately press the frosted surface into granulated sugar for even coating.
- Immediately before serving, use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar-coated frosting, creating a crisp, glassy surface reminiscent of traditional creme brûlée.
- Let caramelized cookies cool completely to ensure the sugar topping hardens to a delicate, crackling texture.
Notes
- Ensure butter and cream cheese are at room temperature for smooth, even mixing that prevents lumpy textures and ensures consistent cookie quality.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients carefully to maintain a light, tender cookie structure and prevent tough, dense results.
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch, place cookies under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning the sugar coating.
- Swap regular flour with gluten-free blend and use dairy-free cream cheese and butter alternatives to create allergen-friendly versions of these indulgent cookies.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 183
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg