These Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies combine the crisp caramelized sugar crust of a classic crème brûlée with the bright, citrusy punch of lemon sugar cookies. Topped with luscious lemon pastry cream and a glass-like brûléed shell, each bite delivers a gorgeous contrast of textures and flavors. This elegant treat is made for dinner parties, brunches, and whenever you want to impress — with surprisingly little effort.
🌟 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crème brûlée meets soft lemon cookies — a unique hybrid dessert
- Light, bright citrus flavor paired with a creamy custard center
- That signature crack from torched sugar on top
- Can be made ahead in components for stress-free assembly
- Great for holidays, tea parties, or springtime desserts
📝 Ingredients
🍋 For the Lemon Pastry Cream
- 540 ml whole milk
- 6 egg yolks
- 225 g granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- ½ tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 28 g cornstarch
- 42 g unsalted butter, cubed
🍋 For the Lemon Sugar
- 100 g granulated sugar
- ½ tbsp lemon zest
🍪 For the Lemon Sugar Cookies
- 344 g all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 224 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2½ tbsp lemon zest
🔥 For the Brûlée Topping
- 100 g granulated sugar (for caramelizing)
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Lemon Pastry Cream
In a saucepan, gently heat milk until steaming — don’t boil. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch until pale and smooth. Slowly pour in ¼ of the hot milk while whisking continuously to temper the yolks. Then, add the remaining milk and transfer the mixture back to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 8–12 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter until fully melted. Cover with plastic wrap (touching the surface) and chill until cold.
2. Make the Lemon Sugar
In a small bowl, rub lemon zest into sugar with your fingertips until fragrant. This helps release citrus oils for a more intense lemon flavor. Set aside for coating cookie dough.
3. Bake the Lemon Sugar Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until pale. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.
Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon balls, roll each in lemon sugar, and place 2 inches apart on lined sheets. Slightly flatten tops. Bake for 9–10 minutes until the edges are just set. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
4. Assemble the Cookies
Pipe or spoon chilled lemon pastry cream onto the center of each cooled cookie. Use a round piping tip for a neat dome shape. Sprinkle 1 tsp granulated sugar over the cream. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it melts and turns golden brown.
Let the brûléed tops cool for 10 minutes to harden before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- Only brûlée the sugar topping just before serving to keep that crackly crunch.
- Use room temp ingredients for smooth pastry cream and even baking.
- Want round cookies? Use a cookie cutter to shape them immediately after baking.
- No torch? Carefully broil for 1–2 minutes, watching constantly.
🍋 Final Thought
These Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies are a brilliant fusion of French elegance and nostalgic cookie comfort. They’re sweet, tangy, and dramatic — especially with that torch-to-table crunch. Whether you’re baking for a bridal shower, spring brunch, or dessert platter, these cookies steal the spotlight. One crack and you’ll be hooked!