🎉 Introduction
These Homemade Custard Cream Cookies are soft, delicate, and filled with a silky smooth vanilla custard cream that melts on your tongue. The cookie dough is buttery and tender with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, while the creamy custard filling adds elegance, warmth, and bakery-style charm.
These cookies taste like tea-time pastries from a sweet little café. They’re perfect for holidays, hosting, gifting, or cozy afternoons with coffee, tea, or warm milk. Once you make them at home, you’ll never want store-bought again.
🧰 Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
🛒 Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Custard Cream Filling
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
👩🍳 Directions
Step 1: Make the Custard Filling
- In a saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Add milk slowly while whisking.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and chill completely.
Step 2: Make the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla extract, mix well.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Roll dough into small balls and gently flatten with your palm or fork.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are just lightly golden.
- Cool completely before filling.
Step 3: Assemble
- Spoon custard cream onto the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich with another cookie.
- Chill briefly to help the cream set.
🍽️ Servings & Timing
- Servings: ~18 sandwich cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Bake Time: 8–10 minutes
- Cooling & Assembly: 20 minutes
- Total Time: ~50 minutes
🧊 Storage
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze unfilled cookies for 2 months (fill after thawing).
- Avoid freezing filled cookies to maintain cream texture.
🥄 Variations
- Lemon Custard Cookies:
Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the cream for a bright flavor. - Vanilla Bean Bakery Style:
Use vanilla bean paste for speckled gourmet custard. - Cocoa Dust Finish:
Lightly dust finished cookies with cocoa powder. - Almond Version:
Add ½ teaspoon almond extract to the cookie dough for nutty warmth. - Holiday Twist:
Add a pinch of cinnamon + nutmeg to the cookie dough.
❓ 10 FAQs
- Can I use store-bought custard?
Yes — but homemade has better flavor and texture. - Why use cornstarch in the cookies?
It gives them a soft, bakery-style crumb. - Can I make the custard ahead?
Yes — up to 24 hours in advance. - Do the cookies stay soft?
Yes — they stay tender and delicate. - Can I add fruit?
Yes — a spoonful of raspberry jam under the custard is delicious. - Can I make them gluten-free?
Yes — use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. - Why chill the custard?
It thickens and becomes easier to spread. - Can children help?
Yes — shaping the dough is easy and fun. - Can I overbake these?
Yes — remove when lightly golden to keep them soft. - Are they good for gifting?
Yes — gift them chilled in small bakery boxes.
🏁 Conclusion
These Homemade Custard Cream Cookies are soft, elegant, creamy, and unforgettable. They taste luxurious but feel comforting — a treat that turns an ordinary day into something special.
Buttery. Delicate. Creamy.
A cookie that feels like a warm hug.

Homemade Custard Cream Cookies — Soft, Buttery & Filled with Silky Vanilla Cream
Method
- In a saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Add milk slowly while whisking.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and chill completely.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla extract, mix well.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Roll dough into small balls and gently flatten with your palm or fork.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are just lightly golden.
- Cool completely before filling.
- Spoon custard cream onto the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich with another cookie.
- Chill briefly to help the cream set.
Notes
Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the cream for a bright flavor. Vanilla Bean Bakery Style:
Use vanilla bean paste for speckled gourmet custard. Cocoa Dust Finish:
Lightly dust finished cookies with cocoa powder. Almond Version:
Add ½ teaspoon almond extract to the cookie dough for nutty warmth. Holiday Twist:
Add a pinch of cinnamon + nutmeg to the cookie dough. ❓ 10 FAQs Can I use store-bought custard?
Yes — but homemade has better flavor and texture. Why use cornstarch in the cookies?
It gives them a soft, bakery-style crumb. Can I make the custard ahead?
Yes — up to 24 hours in advance. Do the cookies stay soft?
Yes — they stay tender and delicate. Can I add fruit?
Yes — a spoonful of raspberry jam under the custard is delicious. Can I make them gluten-free?
Yes — use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Why chill the custard?
It thickens and becomes easier to spread. Can children help?
Yes — shaping the dough is easy and fun. Can I overbake these?
Yes — remove when lightly golden to keep them soft. Are they good for gifting?
Yes — gift them chilled in small bakery boxes. 🏁 Conclusion These Homemade Custard Cream Cookies are soft, elegant, creamy, and unforgettable. They taste luxurious but feel comforting — a treat that turns an ordinary day into something special. Buttery. Delicate. Creamy.
A cookie that feels like a warm hug.
