Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Cupcakes
Crème brûlée is definitely one of them. So is a truly perfect, dense, creamy cheesecake.
Putting them together? It sounds borderline reckless. But what you get is this… a cupcake with a buttery graham cracker floor, a ridiculously smooth vanilla bean cheesecake filling, and that iconic, glassy sugar ceiling that cracks when you look at it. It’s the kind of dessert that gets you a standing ovation.
Forget the fancy bakery. This is magic you can make. I’ll walk you through it.
The Lineup: What You’ll Need
Getting all your ingredients measured and ready before you start—what the pros call ‘mise en place’—is the single best thing you can do to make baking feel less like a frantic scramble and more like, well, fun.
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (150g) graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages (450g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temp!
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- ¼ cup (60ml) full-fat sour cream, room temp
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
- A tiny pinch of salt
For That Crackly Top:
- ⅓ cup (about 65g) granulated sugar
Your Kitchen Arsenal
Having the right stuff on hand makes everything go smoother. Here’s the gear you’ll want to grab.
| Tool | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Standard 12-cup muffin tin | For perfect portions. |
| Cupcake liners | No sticking. Easy cleanup. |
| Mixer (Hand or Stand) | For a lump-free filling. |
| Roasting pan (for water bath) | The secret to creamy texture. |
| Kitchen Torch | For that perfect sugar crust. |
You’ll also need the usual suspects: mixing bowls, a spatula, measuring cups, and a small knife.
The Game Plan: Step-by-Step
Let’s do this. I’ve broken it down into four main parts. No skipping steps.
Part 1: Building the Foundation (The Crust)
Step 1: Get the oven hot. Set it to 325°F (165°C) and pop some liners in your muffin tin.
Step 2: Mix the crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl. It should feel like wet sand.
Step 3: Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons into each liner. Really pack it down tight with the bottom of a glass or a spice jar. A solid floor is crucial.
Step 4: Bake ’em for 5-7 minutes. Just until they smell amazing. Let the pan cool while you whip up the filling.
Part 2: The Creamy Middle (The Filling)
Step 1: Slice that vanilla bean down the middle and use the back of your knife to scrape out all those glorious little seeds. That’s pure flavor right there.
Step 2: Beat the room temp cream cheese in a big bowl for a couple of minutes. Scrape the sides. Beat it again. You want it completely, utterly smooth. This is the step that makes or breaks your cheesecake. No lumps allowed.
Step 3: Toss in the sugar and cornstarch and mix on low. Then add the vanilla seeds and extract.
Step 4: Add the sour cream, mix until smooth. Then, the eggs. One at a time, on low speed. Stop mixing the second you don’t see yellow yolk. Over-mixing now adds air, and air is what causes cracks later.
Step 5: Your filling should look like silk. Fill up those liners, almost to the very top.
Part 3: The Hot Tub & The Cooldown
Step 1: Put your muffin tin inside a bigger roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the big pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the muffin tin. Don’t splash any in the batter! This is the infamous “water bath.”
Step 2: Gently slide the whole contraption into the oven. Bake for 22-25 minutes. They’re done when the edges are set but the middle has a little jiggle. Not a slosh, a jiggle.
Step 3: Turn the oven off. Crack the door open. Let the cheesecakes just hang out in there for an hour. This slow cooldown is your best defense against cracks.
Step 4: Take them out of the water bath and let them cool completely on the counter. Then, into the fridge for at least 4 hours, but honestly, overnight is better.
Part 4: The Grand Finale (The Brûlée)
Step 1: Do this part *right* before you serve them. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of sugar evenly over each cold cheesecake.
Step 2: Grab your kitchen torch. Hold it a few inches away and move it in circles until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a gorgeous amber-brown. It happens fast, so stay focused.
Step 3: Let them sit for a minute for the sugar to harden. Then serve them and prepare for the applause.
Things I’ve Learned the Hard Way
I’ve made a few… or a few dozen… cheesecakes. Here’s the stuff that actually matters.
| The Tip | The Unfiltered Truth |
|---|---|
| Room Temp Ingredients | Not a suggestion. It’s a command. Cold cream cheese = lumpy cheesecake. Period. |
| The Water Bath | It’s annoying, I know. But it’s your insurance against a dry, cracked mess. Just do it. |
| Slow Cooldown | Patience is a virtue. Rushing this is asking for sunken, sad cheesecakes. |
| The Torch | A broiler is a gamble. The torch gives you control and that perfect, even crackle. Plus, it’s fun. |
Let’s Get Creative: Swaps & Twists
Once you’ve got the basic recipe down, you can start playing around.
- Crust Ideas: Tired of graham crackers? Go for crushed Biscoff cookies, vanilla wafers, or even Oreos (ditch the filling).
- Flavor Riffs: Add a little lemon zest to the batter. A swirl of raspberry jam or salted caramel before baking is never a bad idea.
- No Vanilla Bean?: It’s fine. Just bump up the vanilla extract to 2 full teaspoons. It won’t have the little specks, but it’ll still be delicious.
FAQs: Your Questions, Answered
Q1. Help, my cheesecake cracked! Why?!
Ans: Deep breath. It’s okay. It’s usually one of three culprits: you overmixed the eggs, you skipped the water bath, or you cooled it down too fast. The good news? The sugar topping will hide it completely. No one will ever know.
Q2. Can I really do this without a kitchen torch?
Ans:You can try the broiler… but it’s a high-stakes game. Put the cheesecakes on a sheet pan on the top rack and watch them like a hawk. It’ll take less than a minute. You risk melting the cheesecake underneath, but it can work if you’re feeling brave.
Q3. Why is my filling lumpy? I’m so frustrated.
Ans:99.9% of the time, this is because your cream cheese was still a little chilly. It has to be totally soft to blend smoothly. Beat it by itself first, before anything else goes in the bowl, until you’d swear it was frosting.
Q4. Can I make these ahead of time?
Ans: Absolutely, that’s the beauty of cheesecake. You can bake and chill them up to 3 days in advance. Just keep them covered in the fridge. But—and this is a big but—wait to torch the sugar top until right before you serve.
