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Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 139 reviews

These Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies combine a crisp, zesty lemon sugar cookie with a luscious lemon pastry cream topping finished with a caramelized brûlée sugar crust. Perfect for those who love a tangy twist on a classic creamy dessert, these cookies offer a delightful texture contrast—powdery crust, soft creamy center, and a slightly crisp brûlée topping.

Ingredients

Scale

Lemon Pastry Cream

  • 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) whole milk
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp (225 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 3 1/2 tbsp (28 g) cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cut in cubes

Lemon Sugar

  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon zest

Lemon Sugar Cookies

  • 2 3/4 cups (344 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 2 1/2 tbsp lemon zest

Brûlée Topping

  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar (for caramelizing)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Lemon Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat until steaming, then reduce heat to low while you prepare the next steps.
  2. Mix Egg Base: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar, lemon zest, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until pale yellow and smooth.
  3. Temper Eggs: Gradually add 1/4 of the hot milk to the egg mixture while stirring vigorously to prevent curdling. Then add the remaining milk and combine well.
  4. Cook Pastry Cream: Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously for 8-12 minutes until thickened and soft peaks form.
  5. Finish Cream: Remove from heat, stir in butter cubes until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface and chill in the fridge until cold.
  6. Make Lemon Sugar: Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tbsp lemon zest in a bowl; set aside.
  7. Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl; set aside.
  9. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and 1 cup sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy.
  10. Add Egg and Flavorings: Mix in the egg, vanilla paste, and 2 1/2 tbsp lemon zest on medium speed until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes).
  11. Combine Dough: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until the dough forms.
  12. Shape Cookies: Scoop dough into balls using a large cookie scoop, roll each in the prepared lemon sugar to coat, then place on parchment-lined sheets and slightly flatten each ball. Bake in batches of 6.
  13. Bake Cookies: Bake for 9-10 minutes. Once out of the oven, wait 5 minutes on the sheet, then use a circular cookie cutter to perfect their shape. Transfer to a cooling rack.
  14. Assemble Cookies: Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip with chilled lemon pastry cream. Pipe cream onto each cooled cookie.
  15. Brûlée Sugar Topping: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over each cream-topped cookie. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden brown and fragrant like toasted marshmallows.
  16. Final Cooling and Serving: Let the brûléeed cookies cool for 10 minutes before serving. Add pastry cream topping just before serving to avoid sogginess.

Notes

  • Placing plastic wrap directly on the pastry cream prevents a skin from forming.
  • Caramelize the sugar topping just before serving to maintain the crisp brûlée texture.
  • Cookies are best enjoyed fresh as the pastry cream can make them soggy if left too long.
  • If a kitchen torch is unavailable, briefly broil the sugar topping in the oven watching carefully to avoid burning.
  • Use fresh lemon zest for the brightest flavor; avoid the bitter white pith.

Keywords: lemon cookies, crème brûlée cookies, lemon pastry cream, lemon sugar cookies, brûlée topping, lemon dessert

Find it online: https://todayquickmeals.com/lemon-creme-brulee-cookies-recipe/