Cream Puffs Recipe
These light and airy cream puffs recipe are made from classic French pâte à choux dough and filled with your choice of whipped cream or pastry cream. A bakery-style dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make at home and perfect for celebrations or everyday treats.
Ingredients
- For the Choux Pastry Pâte à Choux
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- For the Filling Choose One or Mix & Match!
- Classic Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pastry Cream Custard
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Your Oven
- Preheat to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the Choux Pastry
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine:
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- Stir until butter melts and the mixture just starts to bubble. Then add all the flour at once, stirring vigorously until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides (about 1–2 mins).
- Cool Slightly & Add Eggs
- Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl. Let it cool for about 5 minutes (so the eggs don’t scramble).
- Now, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will look gloopy at first—don’t panic! Keep going until it’s smooth, shiny, and pipeable.
- Pipe the Dough
- Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 2-inch mounds onto your baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake Until Golden Brown
- Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 20–25 minutes—don’t open the oven during the first 25 minutes or the puffs might collapse!
- They’re done when golden brown and feel hollow.
- Cool on a Wire Rack
- Remove and transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.
- Make the Filling
- For whipped cream: Beat cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- For pastry cream: Whisk milk, sugar, cornstarch, and yolks over medium heat until thick. Stir in butter and vanilla. Chill before using.
- Fill the Cream Puffs
- Cut a small slit in the side of each puff or slice them in half. Pipe or spoon in your filling of choice.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate ganache if you're feeling fancy.
Notes
- Letting the eggs come to room temperature helps them incorporate more smoothly into the dough.
- Don’t open the oven while the puffs are baking or they may deflate.
- Parchment paper prevents sticking and helps with even baking.
- You can bake the shells up to 2 days ahead and store at room temperature. Fill just before serving for best texture.
- Use a star piping tip if you want texture on the surface of your cream puffs.