Crème Brûlée Sugar Cookies

I have had this recipe pinned for a while. I really love Crème Brûlée. I see all sorts of different flavors out there, and sometimes I give those a try. What’s funny is that I don’t like flan, which is very similar to crème brulée, but somehow it is different. I love the warm, crunchy top of the crème brulée, and it’s fine that the rest of it is cold. I can only think of one time that I didn’t like this dessert, and it was an occasion where the top wasn’t broiled, it was burned. That occasion had all sorts of other issues, too.

To see a cookie version of one of my favorite desserts was hard to pass up. There are differences, but I was curious how it would translate to a cookie. The cookie itself is a relatively standard sugar cookie. You add a little cornstarch to add to the chewy nature of the cookie. It is then topped with cream cheese frosting. I haven’t made cream cheese frosting in ages, and I forget how good it can be.

What makes these similar to crème brulée, is that after frosting the cookies, you dip them in granulated sugar and then brulée them. This does take a little time, but it makes for an interesting cookie. I have a small kitchen torch, which is what you need for this recipe, but it is hard work to use my torch. It takes a couple of moments to brown the top, and my hand was getting so sore! These cookies have great flavor and remind me a lot of crème brulée. You don’t get the hot/cold of the original, but these are very tasty.

Crème Brûlée Sugar Cookies
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium until light. Add the egg and vanilla and stir again on medium to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour mixture, stirring just until the dough comes together.

Shape the dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten the cookies slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, until barely starting to turn golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting: in a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth. Place the sugar in a small bowl.

Frost the top of each cookie, then press into the sugar, coating the frosting with sugar. With a small kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar and allow to cool before serving.

Recipe from Lindsay Conchar via Delish