These custard crumble cookies are buttery rounds filled with thick vanilla custard and cranberries, then covered with a shower of grated frozen dough. The result is a festive cookie with a soft center and a crumbly top.
The dough does not stick, the custard stays creamy, and the shredded topping looks like a little cloud. The vanilla and tart cranberries are an easy match. Is your oven heating?
How do you make custard crumble cookies?
Start with a buttery dough and divide it in half. Roll out one half, cut rounds and pipe on thick custard and cranberries. Grate the frozen second half of the dough over the top to form the “cloud” topping. Bake hot and short.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 25 min (plus cooling and chilling)
- Baking time: 20 min
- Servings: 12-15 cookies
- Difficulty: Medium
- Calories: about 280 kcal per cookie
- Trend: Quick / Holiday baking
Ingredients
(US cups, with grams in brackets)
For the custard
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons (about 20 g) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix (dry powder, not instant), or cornstarch plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar)
- 1 egg yolk
For the dough
- 2 1/3 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 g) powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons (90 g) cold butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- grated zest of 1 lemon
For filling and finishing
- cranberries (canned whole-berry cranberry sauce or cranberry jam)
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Cook a thick custard. Whisk the pudding powder and egg yolk with a little of the milk. Bring the remaining milk to a boil with the sugar and vanilla, stir in the pudding mixture and cook until thick. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and let it cool completely.
- Make the dough. In a food processor or bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar, cold butter, eggs, baking powder and lemon zest. Quickly work into a smooth dough.
- Divide and chill. Cut the dough in half. Wrap one half in plastic and put it in the freezer (it grates more easily). Leave the other half in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
- Prepare the bases. Roll out the chilled half on a floured surface. Cut out rounds and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Fill the cookies. Pipe the cooled custard onto each round with a piping bag, leaving the edges free. Add a teaspoon of cranberries in the center.
- Grate the “clouds.” Take the dough out of the freezer and grate it on the coarse side of a box grater directly over the filled mounds to cover the filling.
- Bake until golden. Bake in a heated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes. Watch the color; they should be lightly golden. Dust with powdered sugar once cooled.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect Custard Crumble Cookies
- Keep the topping dough cold: The dough for grating must be rock-hard. If it softens, return it to the freezer for a few minutes, or it will stick to the grater.
- Thick custard: Cook the custard really thick. A thin custard runs out during baking and burns on the sheet.
Easy Variations
- Chocolate version: Add cocoa to the dough and use chocolate pudding for the filling.
- Fruit swap: Instead of cranberries, use thick apricot preserves or sour cherries.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I freeze custard crumble cookies? Yes, after baking and cooling you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Why did my custard leak out? The custard was probably too thin, or too much of it was piped all the way to the edge of the dough round.
Can I make them ahead for Christmas? Yes. They are even better the next day, because the dough absorbs a little moisture from the custard and softens.
How should I store them? In an airtight container they stay soft for about 4 days. Because the filling is a milk-and-egg custard, keep them in the refrigerator.
What if I cannot find vanilla pudding mix? Use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch plus 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract; the custard will be just as thick.
These cookies are best with good coffee or hot cocoa.
The recipe is based on a version by Einfache Rezepte, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
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