Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée Cupcakes (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Crust

01 - 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8-9 full crackers, crushed)
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

→ For the Cheesecake Filling

04 - 16 ounces cream cheese (2 blocks), softened at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
08 - 1 fresh vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out (save the pod for another use!)
09 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For the Crème Brûlée Topping

11 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar for that perfect crackly top

# Instructions:

01 - Heat your oven to 325°F and line your muffin tin with paper liners. In a bowl, mix up your graham cracker crumbs with the sugar, then pour in that melted butter. Mix it until it looks like wet sand. Grab about a tablespoon of this mixture for each cupcake liner and press it down firmly with the back of a spoon to make a nice compact base. Pop them in the oven for just 5 minutes to set, then pull them out and let them cool while you make the filling.
02 - In a big bowl, beat your softened cream cheese and sugar together until it's super smooth and fluffy - no lumps allowed! Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple times to make sure everything's mixed in. Now add in your sour cream, flour, and those precious vanilla bean seeds you scraped out. Mix again until it's all blended. Add your eggs one at a time, beating just until each one disappears into the batter. Finally, splash in that teaspoon of vanilla extract and give it one last mix. Your batter should look silky and smooth.
03 - Spoon your cheesecake batter evenly into those prepared cupcake liners with the pre-baked crusts. Fill them almost to the top - these won't rise much. Slide the tin into your preheated oven and bake for about 18-22 minutes. You'll know they're done when the centers are just barely set but still have a slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan. Don't overbake or they'll crack! Pull them out and let them cool on your counter until they reach room temperature.
04 - Once they've cooled completely, pop the whole tin in the refrigerator and let those babies chill for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better if you can wait that long. The flavors deepen and the texture gets even creamier with time.
05 - Just before you're ready to serve, take the chilled cheesecake cupcakes out of the fridge. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of granulated sugar in an even layer across the top of each one. Now for the fun part - fire up your kitchen torch and carefully melt that sugar by moving the flame in circular motions about an inch above the surface. The sugar will bubble, then turn a gorgeous amber color. Let the topping harden for about a minute before serving - that's what gives you that satisfying crack when you dig in with your fork!

# Notes:

01 - If you don't have a vanilla bean, you can substitute with an additional 1-2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract, but you'll miss out on those beautiful specks and the intense flavor.
02 - No kitchen torch? You can try placing the sugar-topped cupcakes under your oven's broiler for 1-2 minutes, but watch them like a hawk - they can burn in seconds!
03 - These cheesecake cupcakes will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but the caramelized topping is best done right before serving.

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