These Boston cream pie cookies or bites are a delicious mashup of butter cookies and the creamy and chocolaty flavors of Boston cream pie.
If you love cookies, you're going to love these. If you love Boston cream pie, you're going to love these boston cream pie crumbl cookie copycats. I know because I love both, and these cookies are pure bliss.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This crowd-pleasing recipe uses easy-to-find ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry.
- Transforms the popular Boston cream pie into portable, bite-sized cookies that are perfect for any occasion from special celebrations to a cozy night at home.
Boston Cream Pie Cookies
This was inspired by my other cookie bite recipe on this site and makes a great summer dessert paired with this delicious hot dog recipe.
Ingredients
These boston cream pie cookie bites are made up of three distinct parts, and each of them are made with easy ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store.
For the Cookies
- Unsalted Butter - Offers rich flavor and a tender, crumbly texture for your cookies.
- Powdered Sugar - Adds sweetness and texture to cookies.
- Salt - Necessary flavor enhancer.
- Egg - Holds the cookie dough together and adds moisture.
- All-Purpose Flour - Provides structure and forms the foundation of your cookies.
For the Pastry Cream
- Sugar - Sweetens the pastry cream.
- Milk - Adds creaminess and serves as the base for the custard filling
- Vanilla - A universal flavor enhancer.
- Egg Yolks - Help create a rich, smooth and flavorful texture for the pastry cream.
- Cornstarch - This thickener creates the desired consistency to your pastry cream.
For the Chocolate Ganache
- Milk Chocolate or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - Melts smoothly and creates a luxurious, shiny ganache.
- Heavy Cream - When mixed with the chocolate you get a rich ganache that tastes great with these cookies.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this boston cream pie crumbl cookie copycat recipe.
- Chocolate Chips - If you don't have milk chocolate chips, you can use dark or semi-sweet chips. Use semi-sweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate for the ganache for a richer flavor. Remember for a change caramel, butterscotch or peanut butter chips too.
- Semi-Homemade - Use refrigerated sugar cookie dough and custard pudding mix or your favorite pudding mix like banana or chocolate to make this recipe semi-homemade.
- Your Favorite Cookie Recipe - Use your favorite butter, chocolate chip or sugar cookie recipe for these cookies.
- Add Toppings - Add some seasonal sprinkles, chopped nuts, toffee bits or a drizzle of caramel. A dollop of whipped topping or whipped cream also tastes great.
Instructions
Making these boston cream pie cookies is super easy. It only takes a few simple steps.
Step 1: Combine the Wet Cookie Ingredients
Mix the softened butter, powdered sugar, salt, and egg in a stand mixer until creamy. Add the flour a little at a time to the wet ingredients, mixing well with each addition. Scraped won the sides of the bowl and mix again.
Step 2: Bake the Cookies
Roll the cookie dough into 24 balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown.
Step 3: Remove the Cookies
When removing the cookies from the oven, press down the centers gently to create an indentation. Then, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4: Boil the Milk for the Pastry Cream
Combine the milk and ¾ cups of sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the milk from the heat.
Step 5: Make the Egg Mixture
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, ¼ cup of sugar, and vanilla until it becomes a light yellow color and is smooth.
Step 6: Combine the Egg and Milk
Add half a cup of the warm milk to the egg and mix until completely blended. Then add another half cup of milk to the mixture and whisk again.
Slowly pour the egg mixture into the saucepan, whisking continually, until all the egg mixture has been added. Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk continually until the mixture thickens. Remove it from the heat and let it cool completely. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour, stirring one or two times during the process for even cooling.
Step 7: Chocolate Ganache
When cookies, are completely cool, and Pastry Cream is chilled, make the Chocolate Ganache.
Place the Chocolate and the heavy cream in the microwave, in a medium size bowl. Microwave on high at 10 second intervals, stirring in-between, until the chocolate is completely melted, and blended with the cream. Remove from microwave.
Step 8: Build Cookies
Fill the center of each cookie with the chilled pastry cream.
Pipe the Chocolate Ganache over the top of each cookie. Use an offset spatula to flatten the ganache gently over the custard. Allow the Chocolate to set, or harden slightly, about 30 minutes inside your fridge.
Hint: It's imperative that you slowly add the warm milk mixture to the egg mixture initially to temper it and prevent eggs from scrambling.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy these croissant cookies.
Storage
You can store these boston cream pie cookie bites in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days in an air-tight container.
While freezing is possible, it's not recommended due to the filling and topping which may lose their consistency and texture when frozen and thawed.
You can prepare the cookie dough, pastry cream, and chocolate ganache ahead of time. Store them separately in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the cookies.
What to Serve with Boston Cream Pie Cookies
When it's time to serve your Boston Cream Pie Cookies, remember to refrigerate them until just before eating to ensure the cream and chocolate layers stay appetizing. For the best presentation, arrange the cookies on a serving platter.
Tips
While this is a fairly straightforward recipe, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Always temper your egg mixture so eggs don't scramble or curdling by slowly adding hot milk while continuously whisking. This process gradually raises the temperature of the eggs, ensuring smooth and lump-free pastry cream.
- To prevent a skin from forming on top of the pastry cream while chilling in fridge place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface.
- Whisk your custard often as it thickens to prevent sticking or burning.
- Make sure all of your ingredients, such as butter and eggs, are at room temperature before starting to achieve a smooth texture.
- Mix the dough until it is just combined to avoid tough, dense cookies.
- Watch baking time and don't overbake. Cookies should be lightly golden around the edges but still soft in the center.
- Make sure to have a cool, smooth consistency for your custard or pastry cream filling. If it's too runny, it may not hold its shape between the cookie layers.
- Allow your cookies, pastry cream and ganache to totally cool before assembling your cookies to avoid melting,
FAQ
Do you have questions about this Boston cream pie cookie bites recipe? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about Boston cream pie cookie bites.
Yes, you can use store-bought custard or pastry cream to save time. However, homemade pastry cream often yields a creamier and richer taste.
Boston cream - a key ingredient in Boston Cream Pie - was invented by M. Sanzian, a chef at Boston's Parker House Hotel in 1856.
To transform a sugar cookie mix into Boston Cream Pie bites, you can begin by following the instructions for preparing the sugar cookie dough. After baking, you will need to use a spoon to create a well to fill the cooled cookies with a custard filling and top them with chocolate ganache.
More Custard Recipes
Do you like custard? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Boston Cream Pie Cookies
Equipment
- piping bag or resealable bag with corner cut off
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup Butter softened
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups Flour
Pastry Cream
- ½ cup Sugar Divided
- 1.5 cups Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Chocolate Ganache
- ¾ cup Milk Chocolate Chips
- ¼ cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
Cookies
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, blend the softened butter, powdered sugar, salt, and egg, until creamy. Add the flour a little at a time until well blended, and thick. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and mix again.
- Roll the cookie dough into 20 - 24 balls, and place on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Before removing from the oven, press down the center of the cookies with a tablespoon, gently, making a small indentation in the center of the cookie. Remove from oven to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pastry Cream
- While the cookies are cooling, make the pastry cream filling. Using a heavy bottom sauce pan, combine the milk and ¼ cup of sugar, bring to a boil, and remove from heat.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk the egg yolks, ¼ cup of sugar, and vanilla, until it's a light yellow color, and smooth. Add the cornstarch and whisk again until smooth.
- Add ¼ cup of the warm milk mixture, and mix into the egg mixture, tempering the eggs so they don't cook and scramble. Whisk until completely blended, and then add another ¼ cup of the warm milk mixture to the egg mixture, and whisk until smooth again.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture into the sauce pan where the milk mixture is, and, while continuously whisking add until all the egg mixture is blended with the milk mixture.
- Place the Sauce pan over medium heat, and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens. Remove the mixture from the heat, and cool completely. Once cool, place in the refrigerator to chill - about 1 hour, stirring a couple of times to cool evenly. To prevent a skin from forming on top of the pastry cream place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface while refrigerating.
Chocolate Ganache
- When cookies, are completely cool, and Pastry Cream is chilled, make the Chocolate Ganache.
- Place the Chocolate and the heavy cream in the microwave, in a medium size bowl. Microwave on high at 10 second intervals, stirring in-between, until the chocolate is completely melted, and blended with the cream. Remove from microwave.
- Fill the center of each cookie with the chilled pastry cream.
- Pipe the Chocolate Ganache over the top of each cookie. Use an offset spatula to flatten the ganache gently over the custard. Allow the Chocolate to set, or harden slightly, about 30 minutes inside your fridge.
- Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published May 2022. It has been updated with new images and content.
Suzanne says
Another great recipe Made several times now and prefer using semisweet chocolate chips for ganache instead of milk chocolate chips These cookies taste great and I will continue to make them throughout holidays We can’t stop eating them lol Thx KD 💕
Karin and Ken says
I’m so happy you’re enjoying these cookies they’re a favorite around here! Thank you for taking the time to let me know you made my day. All the best. Karin