Creamy Caramel Vanilla Cupcakes (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Crust Prep
01 -
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, set aside to cool
02 -
About 1 cup of crushed graham crackers (roughly 8 or 9 whole crackers)
03 -
2 tablespoons of plain white sugar
→ Cheesecake Filling Mix
04 -
Two 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese (16 ounces total), brought to room temp for half an hour
05 -
Half a cup of white sugar
06 -
1/4 cup sour cream, ideally at room temperature
07 -
One heaping tablespoon of regular flour
08 -
The scraped seeds from a single fresh vanilla bean (keep the pod for later)
09 -
2 large eggs, use them at room temp
10 -
A teaspoon of high-quality vanilla extract
→ Topping for Crème Brûlée Style
11 -
1/4 cup granulated sugar to sprinkle over the top
# Instructions:
01 -
Start by heating your oven to 325°F and put cupcake liners in your muffin tin. Stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a mixing bowl, then add the melted butter and mix until it clumps like damp sand. Drop about a tablespoon of the mix into each liner and press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 5 minutes to set, then take the tray out and let it cool while working on the next step.
02 -
Grab a big mixing bowl and beat together the softened cream cheese and sugar until it's smooth and creamy. Scrape the bowl's sides often to ensure everything blends well. Toss in the sour cream, the flour, and those vanilla bean seeds, then mix again until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time—just until each one disappears. Stir in that teaspoon of vanilla for an extra fragrant punch, and give it a final mix. It should be silky.
03 -
Evenly divide the cheesecake filling among the crust-filled liners, filling them almost to the top since they won't puff up too much. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes. You'll know they're ready when the centers look firm but jiggle slightly when shaken gently. Be careful not to overbake! Let them cool fully at room temperature after pulling them out of the oven.
04 -
When they're no longer warm, put the tray in the fridge and let those desserts chill for at least 2 hours. Overnight chilling will make them taste even better and bring out their creamy texture.
05 -
Before serving, grab the chilled cupcakes and sprinkle each one with a teaspoon of sugar. Use a torch to heat the sugar, moving the flame around so it slowly melts and caramelizes. In about a minute, it should harden with that delightful crunch. Let the topping set for a moment, and then they're ready to enjoy!
# Notes:
01 -
If you can't find vanilla beans, replace them with 1-2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. You'll miss the specks and bold flavor, but it'll still taste great.
02 -
No torch? Try broiling the sugar-coated cupcakes for a minute or two, keeping a close eye so they don't scorch.
03 -
Store these in the fridge for up to three days. For best results, caramelize the sugar just before serving.