Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies – Recipes Using Lemon Curd for Dessert

If you’re obsessed with all things lemon, get ready to meet your newest dessert crush: Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies. Think chewy, buttery Lemon Cookie base + silky lemon pastry cream + that iconic crackly brûléed sugar top. One bite and you’ll wonder where these have been your whole life.

These treats bring all the gourmet vibes without the fuss. Craving inspo for What To Make With Lemon Curd? Or hunting down Recipes Using Lemon Curd that aren’t the same old cupcakes or Lemon Curd Bars? Say less. These babies deliver everything you love about a classic crème brûlée—just in cookie form. Portable, pretty, and dangerously addictive.

Let’s talk texture, because IMO, that’s what makes or breaks a cookie. These are the soft, chewy Lemon Stuffed Cookies you dream about—sweet, buttery, and bursting with zest. And the filling? Imagine a velvety, bright, ultra-luscious lemon pastry cream… like sunshine you can eat. It’s the kind of flavor that makes you close your eyes for a sec just to appreciate it.

And then comes the fun part: fire. Whether you’re using a kitchen torch or your broiler, that caramelized sugar layer takes these Lemon Curd Crème Brûlée Cookies from “yum” to OMG, fancy! You get that satisfying crack before the creamy center hits—total dessert ASMR moment.

If you love Lemon Baking, these are the show-stealer you whip out for brunch, birthdays, or whenever you want to casually flex your baking skills. They slot perfectly into your Lemon Curd Recipe Desserts lineup and seriously outperform every Lemon Curd Cookies Recipe out there.

So, grab your lemons, warm up that torch, and get ready to impress your taste buds—and everyone you share these with (if you decide to share at all). Ready to bake a batch?

Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies – Recipes Using Lemon Curd for Dessert

These Lemon Crème Brûlée Cookies are a total game-changer for lemon dessert fans! Picture a soft, chewy lemon sugar cookie, crowned with a silky lemon custard and finished with that irresistible glassy brûléed sugar crackle on top. If zesty sweets make your heart skip a beat, these will be your new obsession.

Yield: 24 cookies
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Assembly: 20 minutes
Total Time: ~2 hours
Author: Aleda
Category: Cookies

Ingredients

Lemon Pastry Cream

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

Lemon Sugar Coating

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

Lemon Sugar Cookies

• 2 3/4 cups (344 g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg, room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar (for torching on top)

Instructions

Make the Lemon Pastry Cream

1. Warm the milk in a medium pot over medium-low heat until it starts to steam. Once heated, turn the stove to low just to keep it warm.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch until smooth and pale. It’ll feel thick at first, but keep whisking until silky.
3. While whisking, slowly drizzle in about a quarter of the warm milk to temper the egg mixture. Once combined, pour in the remaining milk and mix again.
4. Return the mixture to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, constantly whisking for 8–12 minutes, until the cream thickens and holds soft peaks. (Depending on your cookware, this may need a bit more time.)
5. Remove from heat, stir in the butter until melted, then pour into a bowl. Lay plastic wrap directly on the surface so a skin doesn’t form. Refrigerate until completely chilled.

Make the Lemon Sugar

1. Stir the sugar and lemon zest together in a small bowl until the zest releases its oils and the mixture feels fragrant. Set aside.

Make the Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
3. In another large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on high for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
4. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest on medium speed until the mixture looks pale and airy (around 1–2 minutes).
5. Add the dry ingredients gradually and mix on low just until a dough forms.
6. Scoop the dough into large balls, roll into smooth rounds, then roll each one through the lemon sugar mixture.
7. Place on baking sheets, gently press to slightly flatten, and bake only 6 cookies per sheet for even baking.
8. Bake for 9–10 minutes. Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. (For picture-perfect edges, use a round cookie cutter to “scoot” the cookies into shape while still warm.)

Assemble the Cookies

1. Once the pastry cream is chilled, spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe a swirl of cream on top of each cooled cookie.
2. Sprinkle around 1 teaspoon of sugar over each cookie, then torch the tops until the sugar melts, amber-browns, and smells like toasted marshmallow.
3. Let the tops cool for about 10 minutes to set. Enjoy immediately!

Tip: Assemble only when you’re ready to serve—once topped with cream, these cookies soften after a few hours.

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