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Close-up of homemade Crème Brûlée Cookie Bars topped with crunchy toffee bits, featuring a soft chewy center and golden caramelized topping on a white plate in natural kitchen lighting.

Crème Brûlée Cookie Bars

Imagine all that dreamy flavor of a classic crème brûlée packed into an easy-to-make, shareable bar. These Crème Brûlée Cookie Bars are the perfect blend of a chewy cookie and a luxurious custard experience, topped with a crunchy toffee layer that mimics the traditional caramelized sugar crust.

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 24 bars 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter

12 oz (about 2 cups or 350g) white chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups (155g) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon (15ml) vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup toffee bits

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy lifting later.

2. In a medium saucepan, gently melt the unsalted butter and white chocolate chips over low heat, stirring continuously until smooth and glossy to prevent scorching.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully transfer the melted mixture into a large mixing bowl.

4. Stir in the granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until well combined and the sugar starts to dissolve into the warm mixture.

5. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well and fully incorporate each egg before adding the next.

6. Gently mix in the all-purpose flour until it’s just combined—do not overmix, or the bars can become tough.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly into all corners with a spatula.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden and the center is mostly set but still slightly soft.

9. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the toffee bits evenly over the top of the partially baked bars.

10. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, keeping a close eye on them until the edges are golden brown and the center is fully set.

11. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan to let them set properly before lifting out using the parchment overhang and slicing into squares.

Notes

For a deeper “brûlée” flavor: After sprinkling the toffee bits, you can sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over them and use a kitchen torch to caramelize it into a true, glassy top!

Don’t Overbake: Cookie bars can go from perfectly chewy to dry quickly. The center should be set, but not hard.

Cool Completely: Cutting these bars while warm will result in a messy, crumbly experience. They need time to firm up and let the flavors meld.

Using room temperature eggs will help them incorporate more smoothly into the warm chocolate mixture.

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

  • Author: Angelina
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American / French-inspired
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bar
  • Calories: 210
  • Sugar: 19g
  • Sodium: 65mg
  • Fat: 11g
  • Saturated Fat: 7g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4g
  • Trans Fat: 0.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 25g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Cholesterol: 45mg

Keywords: creme brulee cookie bars, white chocolate blondies, toffee bits dessert square, easy custard bars, no torch creme brulee