Boston Cream Pie Cookies

These delicious Boston Cream Pie Cookies are handheld versions of the classic Boston Cream Pie dessert! The soft vanilla cookie base is made in a tart or cup shape to hold the rich vanilla pastry cream, then topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache, giving them an authentic taste just like the original cake!

My family always goes crazy for any dessert that combines vanilla pastry cream and chocolate. They love Classic Homemade Eclairs, No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake and of course, an impressive Boston Cream Pie, which is actually a cake despite its name.

This is a cookie version of the classic dessert cake, and in this case they do actually look like cute little pies, even though they're cookies. With homemade vanilla custard filling as well as homemade ganache in a sugar cookie shell, they taste absolutely amazing. Crumbl cookies sometimes has a version of these Boston cream pie cookies, but I'm not even calling this a copycat recipe because this version is far superior, in my opinion.

My preference is to make them in individual small tart pans for a ridged edge and a little more structure for holding the filling, but I've got some alternatives for anyone who doesn't already have a set of the tart pans.

There are a few different parts to this recipe - the cookies, the filling, and the ganache - but none of them are difficult. Just give yourself some time when making them and know that they are more involved than a regular drop cookie that you mix, scoop onto a baking sheet, and bake.

What You'll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• Flour - Use regular all-purpose flour for making the cookie dough.
• Butter - Use salted butter for everything here, it will enhance the flavors throughout these cookies.
• Oil - Canola oil or vegetable oil will work fine for making the cookie dough.
• Sugar - You'll need white granulated sugar for making the cookie dough and the pastry cream sweet!
• Eggs & egg yolks - You'll need eggs for making the cookie dough, and also egg yolks for making the pastry cream.
• Vanilla - We'll use vanilla extract in the cookie dough and in the pastry cream to give it a subtle warmth.
• Cornstarch - This will help give your cookies a more crumbly texture, to make them more pastry-like. We'll also use it for thickening the homemade pastry cream.
• Baking powder - A good raising agent to keep the cookies light.
• Salt - This helps balance out the flavors so that they cookies aren't overly sweet.
• Milk - Use whole milk for making the vanilla cream filling.
• Heavy cream - Used as the base of the pastry cream and the ganache. Full-fat heavy whipping cream will give you the best results.
• Chocolate chips - I think semi-sweet chocolate chips are best to make the chocolate glaze rich and decadent without being overly sweet. It balances better with the pastry cream than milk chocolate.

How to Make Boston Cream Pie Cookies

Make Cookie Shells

1. Prepare equipment. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper then set the 4” tart tins onto the baking sheet with space between each. Spray each of the tart tins with non-stick cooking spray if you like to ensure the cookies don't stick to them.
2. Beat butter and sugar. Make the cookie dough, firstly by beating together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed until combined.
3. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Next, add in the eggs and beat on medium-high until creamy. Then add in the oil and vanilla and continue to beat on medium-high speed until the texture is light and fluffy.

4. Add dry ingredients. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. You will end up with a very soft, light dough.

5. Put cookie dough into tins. Scoop about ¼ cup of the dough into each of the 4” tart tins. Then press the mound of cookie dough firmly into the tart tins creating a well in the center of each cookie for the filling using he bottom of a flat measuring cup or drinking glass. Be careful not to press too far, as you don’t want to have any holes in the bottom of the cookies.

6. Chill. Set the pan of cookies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill. While chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Bake cookies. Once chilled, bake the cookies or 12-15 minutes. They will just barely start turning golden on the edges when you remove them from the oven. If the cookie centers have puffed up, just give the pan a firm tap or two on the counter to help them deflate a bit, and let the cookies cool in the tins. When they have firmed up, remove them from the tins and let them finish cooling the rest of the way on a cooling rack.

Make Pastry Cream

1. Combine pastry cream ingredients. Whisk the sugar, milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan until combined. Then bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat while whisking frequently. As the mixture heats up it will start to thicken. Once the mixture reaches a boil where bubbles are popping, let it boil for 30-60 seconds then remove it from heat so it is thick, then press it through a fine mesh strainer into another bowl if needed to remove any bits of egg.

2. Add butter and vanilla. Add the butter and vanilla to the warm pastry cream and whisk until the butter has melted and is combined. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap, then press the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent skin from forming on top. Let the pastry cream chill in the fridge until completely cooled.

Make Chocolate Ganache

1. Heat cream. Heat the cream in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave until it begins to simmer, then pour over the chocolate chips in another bowl and DO NOT STIR. Let it sit for a minute or two to melt the chocolate, then whisk until the chocolate chips have combined with the cream.
2. Add butter. Next add the butter, and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes, to about room temperature. The ganache will thicken as it cools so it is pourable but doesn't just run off the cookies with you add it on top of the pastry cream. You will want the ganache to be cool enough so that it does not melt or slide off the pastry cream filling, but not so cool that it has firmed up yet.

Assemble Cookies

1. Fill cookies with cream. Scoop a large spoonful of the pastry cream into the wells of one of the cookies. Use the back of a spoon to spread it around, it is perfect if it is still mounded a bit in the middle.
2. Add ganache. Use a measuring spoon to spoon some of the ganache over the top of the pastry cream on the cookie, it does not need to be perfect, let the ganache run however it chooses.
3. Chill. It is best to let the cookies chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before serving (although you can absolutely serve right away!)

Recipe FAQ's

Tips for Success

• These cookies are best served chilled! After a few hours in the fridge, the moisture from the pastry cream softens the cookies into the most delicious melt-in-your-mouth texture!
• These cookies do become soft as they sit in the fridge, but they maintain their shape nicely!
• Don't be afraid of the custard. Sure you could cheat with a box of vanilla pudding, but the homemade custard really makes the cookies extra special. It is perfectly creamy and thick, without tasting like, well, a box of pudding.
• I used these baking tins (this is a 6-pack, the recipe makes 18 cookies, you can make them in batches or buy multiple sets).
• Use a mini muffin pan to make mini Boston cream pie cookie cups!

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Print Pin Rate

Boston Cream Pie Cookies

5 from 15 votes

Amy Nash

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chilling Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18 cookies

These delicious Boston Cream Pie Cookies are handheld versions of the classic Boston Cream Pie dessert! The soft vanilla cookie base is made in a tart or cup shape to hold the rich vanilla pastry cream, then topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache, giving them an authentic taste just like the original cake!

Ingredients

  

123

Cookie Dough

• ▢ 4¼ cups all-purpose flour (599g)
• ▢ 1 cup salted butter, softened (227g)
• ▢ ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt

Pastry Cream

• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
• ▢ 3 cups whole milk
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 8 egg yolks
• ▢ ½ cup cornstarch
• ▢ 4 tablespoons salted butter
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Chocolate Ganache

• ▢ ⅔ cup heavy cream
• ▢ ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ▢ 2 tablespoons salted butter

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Instructions

 

Make Cookies

• Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and setting the 4” tart tins onto the baking sheet with space between each.
• Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed until combined.
• Add in the eggs and beat on medium-high for a couple of minutes.
• Add in the oil and vanilla and continue to beat on medium-high speed until the texture is light and fluffy, this should take 4-5 minutes.
• Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• Scoop about ¼ cup of the dough into one of the 4” tart tins. Using the bottom of a flat measuring cup or drinking glass, press the scoop of dough firmly into the tart tin creating a well in the middle for the filling. Be careful not to press too far, as you don’t want to have any holes in the bottom of the cookie.
• Set the pan of cookies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill. While chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F. NOTE: This recipe makes 18 cookies. If you only have six mini tart pans, you might need to form and bake these in batches.
• After the cookies have chilled, bake them in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. The cookies should still look very light in color, just barely starting to turn golden on the edges when you remove them from the oven. If the middles of the cookies have puffed up a little, just give the pan a firm tap or two on the counter to help deflate a little. Let the cookies cool in the tins. When the cookies feel warm but firm it is OK to remove them from the tins and let them finish cooling the rest of the way on a cooling rack.

Make Pastry Cream

• To make the pastry cream, add the sugar, milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt to a medium-sized saucepan. Whisk until everything is well combined, then slowly over medium (or medium-low) heat bring to a simmer while whisking frequently. As the mixture heats up you will notice it begin to tighten up, keep whisking, once the mixture reaches a boil let it boil for 30-60 seconds then remove from heat and immediately pass the pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer.
• Add the butter and vanilla to the warm pastry cream and whisk until the butter has melted and is combined. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap, and press the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent skin from forming on top. Let the pastry cream chill in the fridge until completely cooled.

Make Ganache

• To make the ganache, pour the chocolate chips into a heat-safe bowl and the heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl.
• Heat the cream in the microwave until it begins to simmer, then remove it from the microwave and pour over the top of the chocolate chips. Let sit for a minute or two then whisk until the chocolate chips have all melted into the cream. Add the butter, and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes. You will want the ganache to be cool enough so that it does not melt your pastry cream filling, but not so cool that it has become firm.

Assemble Cookies

• To assemble the cookies, scoop a large spoonful of the pastry cream into the wells of one of the cookies, and use the back of a spoon to spread it around, it is perfect if it is still mounded a bit in the middle.
• Use a measuring spoon to spoon some of the ganache over the top of the pastry cream on the cookie, it does not need to be perfect, let the ganache run however it chooses.
• It is best to let the cookies chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before serving (although you can absolutely serve right away!) Keep cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

• Storage: You'll need to keep these cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 967IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 2mg

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