OK, You Got A Kitchen Torch For Christmas—Here Are 14 Crème Brûlée-Inspired Recipes To Use It On
We all know the excitement of looking at a dessert menu and seeing crème brûlée listed. It feels like an extravagance—something that is to be enjoyed on the rare occasion when you feel up to shelling out for dessert on a night out, or are trying to impress a date. But come the holidays, many a home chef receives an update to their kitchen tools, and sometimes, that includes a kitchen torch. If that's you and you're ready to try your hand at this favorite dessert, fear not—crème brûlée really isn’t very difficult. Once you get it down, the hardest part will be not making it all the time, especially since the possibilities go way beyond the classic dessert. When the obsession hits, crack the top of this list to see our 14 favorite crème brûlée recipes inside.
Look, I know that breakfast is sacred, but all I’m saying is it is nice to give things an update sometimes. When you’re feeling adventurous, give our crème brûlée French toast or crème brûlée banana bread a try. They’re just as good for dessert too! Speaking of dessert, our crème brûlée sugar cookies or our sweet potato crème brûlée bars make the decadent dessert extra shareable. Because crème brûlée is so sweet, it's easy to assume it is only for desserts, but it works just as well as a savory-sweet side with breads and cheeses. Try our brûléed Brie crostini or crème brûlée brie for proof.
Want even more cool kitchen gadget ideas? Check out our best gifts for the home cook who has everything—you might find something on there for yourself too!
Creme Brûlée Sugar Cookies
Transform the classic decadent dessert into bite-sized cookies, topped with a cream cheese frosting and caramelized sugar crust, for the ultimate sweet end to your night.
Get the Creme Brûlée Sugar Cookies recipe.
Crème Brûlée
Thanks to its elegant French name and famous sugar crust, crème brûlée can sound a little intimidating. But that moment of pure bliss when you crack through that caramelized sugar to find warm, velvety custard underneath is actually pretty simple to re-create at home.
Get the Crème Brûlée recipe.
Crème Brûlée Banana Bread
Why have just a classic banana bread when you can have one with caramelized sugar on top? This quick bread gets frosted with a simple cream cheese frosting to slightly mimic the custard of a crème brûlée, then topped with sugar so that it can be torched into a beautiful crackly top.
Get the Crème Brûlée Banana Bread recipe.
Eggnog Crème Brûlée
We love any opportunity to combine two desserts into one, and this eggnog crème brûlée is no exception. The creamy, crackling sugar-topped custard you already love gets an eggnog base, a splash of whiskey, and plenty of fresh nutmeg to help you celebrate the holiday season in style.
Get the Eggnog Crème Brûlée recipe.
Crème Brûlée Martini
These martinis taste just like crème brûlée, with much less effort. Be sure to keep the caramel in the freezer until you are ready to serve. The caramel will eventually melt into your drink making it extra indulgent.
Get the Crème Brûlée Martini recipe.
Crème Brûlée French Toast
The kingdom of French toast has expanded to dessert territory, and I’m inviting you in. The custard mixture, inspired by crème brûlée, is made with rich egg yolks, cream, and granulated sugar. Allowing the bread to soak will lead to a softer creamier pudding-like texture; however, it’s okay if certain sections, such as the center of the piece, are drier.
Get the Crème Brûlée French Toast recipe.
Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée Bars
Have you seen the viral Japanese crème brûlée baked directly inside a roasted sweet potato? Here’s a recipe inspired by that dish with a few twists for you to wow your guests. Get the best out of two great desserts by making these sweet potato crème brûlée bars.
Get the Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée Bars recipe.
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars
Our pumpkin spice gooey bars are pretty spectacular, but the crème brûlée-inspired sugar topping will make these stand out above all the rest. With a simple Oreo crust, these pumpkin crème brûlée cheesecake bars are EVERYTHING.
Get the Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Brûléed Brie Crostini
These gorgeous crostini are proof brûléeing isn't just for crème brûlée. Here, a crunchy sugar topping gives way to an oozy slice of brie and sweet jam. Assemble the toasts and wait to brûlée the top for when you’re ready to serve them; that way, the brie is warm and melty, and you get to show off a bit.
Get the Brûléed Brie Crostini recipe.
Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
To get that perfect caramelized sugar topping we highly recommend using a torch. We tested broiling the cheesecake to caramelize the top, but some parts started to burn before other parts were even melted at all and the butter started to leak out of the crust.
Get the Crème Brûlée Cheesecake recipe.
Crème Brûlée Brie
Baked brie is incredible, but baked brie with a torched sugar topping? Out of this world. Served with crostini, this brie will be the star of any gathering.
Get the Creme Brûlée Brie recipe.
Crème Brûlée Pancakes
These decadent pancakes get topped with pudding, then are torched to caramel-y golden perfection. These could easily pass as dessert and are the perfect thing to serve at brunch. Your guests will be so impressed!
Get the Crème Brûlée Pancakes recipe.
Crème Brûlée Cake
We're BIG fans of boxed cake mix, and all the different hacks there are for jazzing it up into something extra special (hint: it's not all just cake!). Our latest obsession? Baking a simple vanilla cake, topping it with some pudding from a box mix, then brûléeing the whole thing under the broiler.
Get the Crème Brûlée Cake recipe.
Crème Brûlée Cupcakes
Crème brûlée is great and all, but it's not the most shareable dessert for say, a birthday or a casual party. When you're craving that caramelized flavor but don't want all the fuss, make these cupcakes instead.
Get the Crème Brûlée Cupcakes recipe.
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