These cream puffs are a classy French dessert made with choux pastry, filled with whipped cream or pastry cream, and dipped in chocolate.
Cream puffs, also known as profiteroles, are delightful pastries made from choux dough filled with a creamy filling, typically pastry cream or whipped cream.
These light and airy treats originated in France and have since become popular worldwide.
The dough puffs up beautifully when baked, creating a hollow center perfect for holding the decadent filling.
Cream puffs are often topped with powdered sugar or a drizzle of chocolate for an extra touch of sweetness.
Whether enjoyed as a dessert at a fancy event or as a special treat at home, cream puffs never fail to satisfy cravings for something indulgent and delicious.
For more French desserts, check out my chouquettes, creme brulee cheesecake, mini fruit tarts, and lemon tiramisu.
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Why this recipe works
- Flavor- these have a buttery and slightly sweet flavor and can be filled with different variations of flavors like vanilla filling, chocolate filling, and a fruity flavored filling.
- Texture- the puffs feature a light, airy texture with a crisp outer shell. The dough, made from choux pastry, beautifully puffs up in the oven, creating a hollow interior perfect for cream filling or simply enjoying on its own.
- Light- these puffs are a light, airy snack that is perfect when you're craving a slightly sweet and light dessert or snack!
- Versatile- you can fill these pastries with various fillings like pastry cream, diplomat cream, whipped cream, chocolate pastry cream, whipped chocolate ganache, etc. The options are endless!
What is choux pastry?
Choux pastry is a light and airy type of pastry dough that is used to make various delicious treats like eclairs, profiteroles, and cream puffs.
It is known for its high moisture content, which creates steam during baking, leading to the characteristic hollow interior perfect for filling with creams or custards.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the choux pastry
Milk- I like using milk for choux pastry along with water, but you can also use water and make these dairy-free.
Butter- for this recipe, use unsalted butter only. Margarine and coconut oil are not suitable replacements, as margarine can alter the flavor of the puffs with its peculiar taste.
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe. You can also use cake flour for this.
Granulated sugar– we like to use granulated sugar, also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Eggs- you will need about 4 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Vanilla extract- vanilla extract adds extra flavor. For extra vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean extract or an actual vanilla bean!
Kosher salt- you will need about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
For the whipped cream
Heavy whipping cream- use cold heavy whipping cream.
Powder sugar- you will need powdered sugar for this recipe. you don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 218c (425f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a saucepan, add the butter, sugar, water, and salt, over medium heat, and mix with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted and the mixture is well mixed. Bring to a boil.
Add the flour and turn the heat to medium-low and stir constantly until you don't see lumps of flour visible and the mixture is well combined. Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes to release extra moisture from the dough.
The dough will come together into a ball and a thin film will form at the bottom of the pan.
Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer for about 2 minutes to cool down the dough.
Add 4 eggs, one at a time, and let each egg mix thoroughly into the dough. Mix for another minute to let the mixture mix well and be smooth.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag with a round piping tip and pipe the puffs 1 inch apart.
Bake in a 218c (425f) preheated oven for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180c (350f) for another 30 minutes. The puffs should look golden brown.
Check for doneness by cutting one puff in half. If the inside of the pastry is very moist and spongy, bake for another 2-3 minutes. It is important that the interior of the puffs is not moist. This way they will not deflate.
Let them cool completely before filling them.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
We like cutting the pastry in half, but you can fill it by inserting a hole in the bottom of each puff and filling them with a pastry bag.
Fill the puffs with whipped cream or pastry cream from this recipe. And top with extra chocolate or powder sugar if required!
Expert Tips
- Make sure you pipe the puffs to be the same size to make them bake evenly.
- When you are adding the flour to the dough, add it in one setting to prevent lumps from forming in the dough.
- After you cook the dough, cool it until it's not too warm by mixing the dough with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer to prevent the eggs from cooking. Do not overmix the dough so the oil doesn’t separate from the dough.
- Bake them for longer than you think to dry out the dough and prevent the puffs from collapsing.
- When you are adding the eggs to the mixture, mix them with a fork and add them gradually until you get the right consistency. You don’t want to get a runny dough, so this step is important.
- If your dough turns out too runny, don’t throw it away! Make ½ of the dough batter without adding the eggs and gently mix it with the runny dough until you get the right consistency.
- If you added all the eggs and your dough is still too tough, add small sips of milk until you get the right texture.
- Let these cool completely before you add the filling so the filling will not melt.
- Avoid opening the oven door when baking them, and make sure that your oven is properly reheated. The heat makes these rise and puffs nicely.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cookies and not dense and dry cookies.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
Troubleshooting
- My puffs did not rise in the oven: the dough wasn’t dry enough in the cooking process. This also may happen if you used too many eggs or too little eggs, or if the oven was not hot enough.
- The puffs deflated after baking: this usually happens if you didn’t bake them for long enough, if your oven was not preheated, or if your dough has too much moisture.
- The puffs got soggy after a while: this is normal and happens after a day or two after making cream puffs. This is why its best eating these at the same day or the next day. You can keep them fresh for up to 3 days by storing them in an airtight container in a dry place.
- The puffs did not hold their shape after piping: this means there is too much moisture in the dough. Make sure you cook your dough properly and you add the eggs gradually until you get the right pipeable and glossy texture. You may not need to add all the eggs in this recipe, it all depends on how much moisture you have in your cooked dough.
- The dough is too hard to pipe: this means there is not enough liquid in the dough. If you added all the eggs in the recipe and your dough is still too hard to pipe, add small sips of whole milk to the dough and mix until you get the right consistency.
- What is the right consistency of the dough? To assess the readiness of your dough, you can perform a simple test. Run your finger through the center of the dough in the bowl. If it takes approximately three seconds for the indentation to disappear, then your dough is ready for use.
Faq's
Cream puff filling is typically made of a rich and creamy mixture consisting of pastry cream, whipped cream, or a combination of both.
This delectable filling can be flavored with vanilla, chocolate, fruit extracts, or other flavorings to suit different tastes.
To enjoy this delicious treat, simply lift it to your mouth and take a small bite, savoring the combination of the crisp shell and the smooth filling.
Be sure to have napkins handy, as these delicious pastries can sometimes be delightfully messy!
Eclairs and cream puffs may seem similar due to their pastry shells filled with cream, but they have distinct differences.
Eclairs are elongated pastries filled with pastry cream and topped with icing, while cream puffs are round pastries filled with whipped cream or custard.
The key distinction lies in the shape and presentation of these delightful treats.
Storing
Store these in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days to prevent them from drying out.
Freezing
Freezing the uncooked dough- To freeze uncooked choux pastry, simply pipe or shape the pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the pastry is firm, then transfer the frozen pastry to an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to a month.
When you're ready to bake, simply remove the frozen choux pastry from the freezer and bake it according to your recipe's instructions.
Freezing the baked puffs- Allow the puffs to cool completely after baking. Once cooled, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible.
Label the container with the date and store it in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw the pastries at room temperature or reheat in a preheated oven for a few minutes until crispy and warm.
Make ahead instructions
You can make these ahead of time by baking the puffs a day ahead of time and storing them in an airtight container to prevent them from getting soggy from the moisture.
Or, you can freeze the baked or unbaked cream puffs as written in the freezing instructions.
Substitutions
Salted butter- if you dont have unsalted butter, you can use salted butter, but skip the salt in the recipe.
Dairy-free- to make these dairy-free, swap the milk with water, and use high-quality dairy-free butter.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour and use gluten free Oreos.
Variations
Vanilla bean- add the seeds of a whole vanilla bean into the dough for extra delicious and delicate vanilla flavor.
Filling- you can fill these with your favorite filling like chocolate whipped cream, whipped ganache, pastry cream, pumpkin whipped cream, cream cheese frosting, etc.
Topping- we topped our cream puffs with melted chocolate, but you can top them with powdered sugar or leave it plain.
Filling Ideas
- Whipped cream- you can make fresh whipped cream and make it into different flavors like chocolate whipped cream, cream cheese whipped cream, etc.
- Vanilla pastry cream- use the vanilla pastry cream from my mini fruit tarts recipe.
- Mascarpone whipped cream- if you want a lighter filling for your tarts, use my mascarpone whipped cream.
- Chocolate ganache- another delicious filling for tarts is classic chocolate ganache. You can use the recipe from my mini chocolate tarts recipe.
- Chocolate pastry cream
- Diplomat cream
- Chantilly Cream
Equipment
- Mixing bowls- best glass mixing bowls.
- Electric hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Saucepan
- Pastry bag
- Wooden spoon
- Round piping tip
More classic desserts
Chocolate cake- This decadent chocolate cake is made by making two simple cake layers with the easiest and most chocolaty chocolate frosting.
Vanilla cake- This 8 inch vanilla cake is made with 3 layers of tender, fluffy, and moist vanilla cake layers, topped and filled with a decadent vanilla buttercream that makes the perfect cake.
Fudgy brownies- These chewy and fudgy brownies are loaded with chocolate chunks, melted chocolate, and cocoa powder, have a crinkly top, taste a million times better than boxed brownies, and take under an hour to make.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Cream Puffs
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- 115 g Butter
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 1 cup Flour
Whipped cream
- 4 tablespoon Powder sugar
- 2 cups Heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 218c (425f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, add the butter, sugar, water, and salt, over medium heat, mix with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted and the mixture is well mixed. Bring to a boil.
- Add the flour and turn the heat to medium low and stir constantly until you dont see lumps of flour visible and the mixture is well combined. Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes to release extra moisture from the dough.
- The dough will come together into a ball and a thin film will form in the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer for about 2 minutes to cool down the dough.
- Add 4 eggs, one at a time, and let each egg mix thoroughly into the dough. Mix for another minute to let the mixture mix well and be smooth.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag with a round piping tip and pipe the puffs 1 inch apart.
- Bake in a 218c (425f) preheated oven for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180c (350f) for another 30 minutes. The puffs should look golden brown.
- Check for doneness by cutting one puff in half. If the inside of the pastry is very moist and spongy, bake for another 2-3 minutes. It is important that the interior of the puffs is not moist. This way they will not deflate.
- Let them cool completely before filling them.
Make the whipped cream
- Into a big mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powder sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- We like cutting the pastry in half, but you can fill it by inserting a hole in the bottom of each puff and fill them with a pastry bag.
- Fill the puffs with whipped cream or pastry cream from this recipe. And top with extra chocolate or powder sugar if required!
Notes
- Make sure you pipe the puffs to be the same size to make them bake evenly.
- When you are adding the flour to the dough, add it in one setting to prevent lumps from forming in the dough.
- After you cook the dough, cool it until it's not too warm by mixing the dough with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer to prevent the eggs from cooking. Do not overmix the dough so the oil doesn’t separate from the dough.
- Bake them for longer than you think to dry out the dough and prevent the puffs from collapsing.
- When you are adding the eggs to the mixture, mix them with a fork and add them gradually until you get the right consistency. You don’t want to get a runny dough, so this step is important.
- If your dough turns out too runny, don’t throw it away! Make ½ of the dough batter without adding the eggs and gently mix it with the runny dough until you get the right consistency.
- If you added all the eggs and your dough is still too tough, add small sips of milk until you get the right texture.
- Let these cool completely before you add the filling so the filling will not melt.
- Avoid opening the oven door when baking them, and make sure that your oven is properly reheated. The heat makes these rise and puffs nicely.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cookies and not dense and dry cookies.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
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