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Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.1 from 29 reviews

These Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies combine a crisp, zesty lemon sugar cookie base with a luscious homemade lemon pastry cream topped with a crunchy brûléed sugar finish. Soft yet crisp, tangy yet sweet, these cookies are a sophisticated twist on classic lemon treats, perfect for spring gatherings or elegant dessert tables.

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 into 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

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Lemon Pastry Cream: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming, then reduce to low to keep warm. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until smooth and pale yellow. Gradually whisk in a quarter of the warm milk, then the rest, until combined.
  2. Cook the Pastry Cream: Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly for 8-12 minutes, until thick and soft peaks form. Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until completely cold.
  3. Make Lemon Sugar: Combine sugar and lemon zest in a bowl and set aside.
  4. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Mix Dry Ingredients for Cookies: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  6. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  7. Add Wet Ingredients: Add egg, vanilla bean paste, and lemon zest to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
  8. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low just until the dough comes together.
  9. Form Cookie Dough Balls: Scoop dough into large balls using a cookie scoop. Roll each ball in the prepared lemon sugar to coat completely.
  10. Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place dough balls on parchment-lined cookie sheets and slightly flatten each ball. Bake 6 cookies per sheet at a time.
  11. Bake Cookies: Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. For perfect shape, gently use a circular cookie cutter around each warm cookie.
  12. Assemble Cookies: Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip with chilled lemon pastry cream. Once cookies are fully cooled, pipe a dollop of cream on each cookie.
  13. Brûlée the Sugar Topping: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over the cream on each cookie. Use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelize the sugar until golden brown and aromatic, resembling roasted marshmallows.
  14. Final Cooling and Serving: Let the brûléed cookies rest for 10 minutes before serving. Add pastry cream topping just before serving to prevent sogginess; best enjoyed fresh.

Notes

  • Ensure the pastry cream is fully chilled before piping to achieve best texture.
  • Use a kitchen torch carefully to brûlée the sugar topping evenly without burning.
  • Cookies are best served the day they are assembled to prevent sogginess from the cream.
  • For a more intense lemon flavor, use fresh organic lemons for zest.
  • You can substitute vanilla bean paste with vanilla extract but the paste adds a richer flavor and speckled appearance.

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

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