Lemon Brûlée Cookies (Print View)
Bright and tender cookies, covered with smooth lemon filling and a crunchy caramelized sugar topping for perfect sweetness in every bite.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lemon Pastry Filling
01 -
540 ml whole milk
02 -
6 egg yolks
03 -
225 g white sugar
04 -
1/8 tsp salt
05 -
2 tbsp lemon zest
06 -
1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
07 -
42 g unsalted butter, diced
08 -
28 g cornstarch
→ Zesty Lemon Sugar
09 -
1/2 tbsp lemon zest
10 -
100 g granulated sugar
→ Lemon Drop Cookies
11 -
1/2 tsp salt
12 -
344 g all-purpose flour, leveled carefully
13 -
224 g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
14 -
200 g granulated sugar
15 -
1 egg, room temperature
16 -
1/2 tsp baking powder
17 -
1/2 tsp baking soda
18 -
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
19 -
2 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
→ Golden Brûlée Top
20 -
100 g granulated sugar
# Directions:
01 -
Gently heat the milk in a medium pan on medium heat until you see it steaming. Lower the heat and keep warm.
02 -
In a large mixing bowl, mix the egg yolks with sugar, lemon zest, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch until smooth and creamy.
03 -
Pour about one-fourth of the warm milk into the egg mixture while stirring quickly. Then combine with the rest of the milk.
04 -
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat, whisking constantly for about 8-12 minutes until it’s as thick as soft peaks.
05 -
Take off the heat, stir in butter, and pour into a bowl. Lay plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill completely in the fridge.
06 -
Mix sugar and lemon zest in a bowl to bring out the citrus aroma. Set aside for later.
07 -
Turn your oven to 175°C (350°F). Get two cookie trays ready with parchment paper.
08 -
Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl. Set this aside.
09 -
With a hand or stand mixer, whip butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. This should take about 2 minutes.
10 -
Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest into the butter mixture. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
11 -
Gradually add the dry ingredients on low speed, just until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix.
12 -
Scoop dough into balls with a large cookie scoop. Roll in the lemon sugar and press slightly flat on the baking sheets. Use about six cookies per sheet for even baking.
13 -
Bake for 9-10 minutes and let them sit on the trays for 5 minutes. Round them with a cookie cutter while warm for a perfect shape.
14 -
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool fully before topping.
15 -
Use a piping bag with a small round tip to pipe chilled cream onto the fully cooled cookies.
16 -
Dust each cream-covered cookie with about 1 teaspoon of sugar. Melt it into a golden, sweet crust with a kitchen torch.
17 -
Wait 10 minutes for the brûlée top to cool down. Assemble and torch just before serving because the cookies become soft after a few hours.
# Notes:
01 -
Top with the cream when you’re ready to serve, as cookies will lose their crispness if left too long.
02 -
Use a circular cookie cutter for shaping right after baking for neat, rounded cookies.