Description
At their heart, Creme Brulee Cookie Bars are a creative reimagining of the classic French Crème Brûlée. Instead of a loose, spoonable custard, we use a sturdy yet tender sugar cookie base to provide structure. This allows the dessert to be sliced into neat squares, making it much more versatile for gatherings and parties. The “cream” portion of the recipe is a rich, stabilized filling that mimics the flavor profile of a vanilla bean custard but offers enough body to stay put on top of the cookie.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookie Base
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
For the Cream Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Brûlée Topping
Instructions
- Prepare the pan
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make the cookie base
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- Bake
- Press dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Let cool completely.
- Prepare the cream layer
- Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth.
- Spread evenly over cooled cookie base.
- Add brûlée topping
- Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly on top.
- Carefully caramelize using a kitchen torch until golden and crisp.
- Chill and serve
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing into bars.
Notes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 340 kcal
Keywords: Caramelized sugar cookie bars, custard topped cookies, burnt sugar dessert bars, creme brulee sugar squares