Description
Delight in these Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Cupcakes, a perfect blend of creamy cheesecake and caramelized brûlée topping. These mini cheesecakes feature a crunchy graham cracker crust, infused with real vanilla bean flavor for an elegant dessert that’s easy to make and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Brûlée Topping
- 2–3 tablespoons granulated sugar (for brûlée topping)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare crust: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a muffin pan with 12 paper cupcake liners. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and melted butter. Mix until the crumbs are evenly coated. Divide the mixture among the liners and press down firmly to form the crusts. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Mix cheesecake batter: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and mix until fully incorporated. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in sour cream, vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until the batter is smooth and creamy.
- Assemble and bake: Divide the cheesecake batter evenly over the prepared crusts in the muffin liners. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the centers are set but still slightly jiggly.
- Cool cupcakes: Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, chill the cupcakes in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to set fully.
- Caramelize topping: Just before serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of granulated sugar on top of each cupcake. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it forms a golden, crisp brûlée topping. If you do not have a kitchen torch, briefly broil the cupcakes under high heat, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve: Let the caramelized sugar sit for a few minutes to harden, then serve chilled for a perfect balance of creamy and crunchy textures.
Notes
- If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, substitute with an additional teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
- A kitchen torch yields the best brûlée effect, but you can use the broiler of your oven for caramelizing the sugar if you don’t have one; watch carefully to prevent burning.
- These cupcakes are best served chilled with the brûlée topping freshly torched to maintain crispness.
