If you’ve ever longed for a dessert that’s equal parts light, luscious, and utterly irresistible, Cream Puffs are your answer! These classic French pastries combine airy choux shells with clouds of sweet whipped cream, resulting in the kind of treat that elicits delighted gasps at any gathering. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or new to the world of pastry, making Cream Puffs at home is surprisingly approachable, and the payoff is pure magic: golden shells, creamy fillings, and an elegant look that makes any day feel like a special occasion.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What I love about Cream Puffs is how a handful of simple ingredients transforms into something truly extraordinary. Each component plays its own vital role, contributing to the delicate structure, rich flavor, and dreamy creaminess that define these pastries.
- Unsalted butter: Provides richness and helps create the signature tender choux pastry shell.
- Water: Moisture is key to creating steam, which puffs up the dough as it bakes.
- Salt: Just a touch sharpens flavors and balances out the sweetness.
- All-purpose flour: Gives structure to the pastry, helping it hold its shape as it puffs.
- Large eggs: These add moisture, color, and bind everything together for a glossy, airy dough.
- Heavy whipping cream: Whips into a luxurious, billowy filling that’s the heart of every Cream Puff.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the cream and adds a perfect dusting over the finished puffs.
- Vanilla extract: Infuses the whipped cream with classic, fragrant warmth.
How to Make Cream Puffs
Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Sheet
Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This simple prep step ensures your Cream Puffs won’t stick, and helps them bake up with perfectly crisp bottoms. Give yourself plenty of space on the tray for the puffs to rise and expand.
Step 2: Make the Choux Dough
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water, and salt. Bring this mixture to a gentle boil, then add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon; the mixture will quickly come together into a smooth, thick dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan. Keep stirring for 1–2 minutes to cook off excess moisture—this step is key for puffs that rise beautifully.
Step 3: Cool and Add Eggs
Remove the pan from heat and let the dough cool for about 5 minutes. This prevents the eggs from scrambling when added. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will look a bit slippery or separated at first, but just keep mixing until it’s smooth, glossy, and holds a soft peak when you lift the spoon.
Step 4: Shape the Cream Puffs
Drop tablespoon-sized mounds of the dough onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each for expansion. For the most uniform puffs, you can use a piping bag, but a pair of spoons works just as well. The dough will naturally mound up and settle into perfect little domes.
Step 5: Bake Until Golden and Puffed
Bake the Cream Puffs for 20–25 minutes, resisting the urge to open the oven! The trapped steam is what makes them rise sky-high. When they’re deeply golden and feel hollow when tapped, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely—this helps keep the shells crisp.
Step 6: Whip the Cream Filling
While the shells cool, beat the heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. This whipped cream is the cloud-like center of each Cream Puff—sweet, velvety, and utterly decadent.
Step 7: Fill and Finish
Slice each cooled puff in half horizontally. Generously spoon or pipe the whipped cream onto the bottom halves, then gently replace the tops. Finish with a dusting of powdered sugar, and your Cream Puffs are ready to delight!
How to Serve Cream Puffs
Garnishes
A classic dusting of powdered sugar is all you need to set off the Cream Puffs’ golden tops, but you can also drizzle them with melted chocolate, caramel sauce, or even a sprinkle of finely chopped pistachios for a touch of color and crunch. A few fresh berries on the side add brightness and make for a stunning presentation.
Side Dishes
Cream Puffs pair beautifully with a fresh fruit salad, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a cup of strong coffee or tea. For a more decadent dessert spread, serve them alongside other petite French pastries like macarons or madeleines for a show-stopping dessert table.
Creative Ways to Present
Try stacking Cream Puffs into a tall, elegant tower (croquembouche-style) for celebrations, or serve them in individual mini dessert cups with extra cream and berries. For parties, consider creating a “build-your-own” Cream Puff bar with a variety of fillings and toppings—guests will love customizing their treats!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftover Cream Puffs, store them unfilled in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Once filled with cream, they’re best enjoyed the same day, but will keep in the fridge for about 12 hours before the pastry begins to soften.
Freezing
Unfilled Cream Puff shells freeze beautifully! Simply place them in a zip-top bag or airtight container, and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to use, thaw at room temperature and re-crisp in a 350°F oven for a few minutes before filling.
Reheating
To refresh Cream Puff shells, pop them in a preheated 350°F oven for 5–8 minutes until they’re crisp again. Let them cool completely before filling with cream to maintain the perfect texture.
FAQs
Why did my Cream Puffs collapse after baking?
This usually happens if the puffs are underbaked or if the oven door is opened too soon. Make sure they’re deeply golden and feel hollow before removing them from the oven, and always let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Can I make Cream Puffs in advance?
Absolutely! Bake and store the unfilled shells ahead of time, then fill with cream just before serving. This keeps the pastry crisp and the cream ultra-fresh.
What other fillings work well for Cream Puffs?
Classic pastry cream, chocolate mousse, or even ice cream turn Cream Puffs into versatile treats. Feel free to get creative with flavors and mix-ins for the whipped cream as well!
How do I know when the choux dough is ready for the eggs?
After cooking the flour-butter mixture, the dough should pull away from the sides of the pan and leave a thin film on the bottom. Allow it to cool slightly before adding eggs so they don’t scramble.
Can I pipe the dough instead of spooning it?
Of course! Using a piping bag with a large round tip gives perfectly uniform Cream Puffs, but spooning works just as well if you don’t have one on hand.
Final Thoughts
There’s something downright enchanting about homemade Cream Puffs: the way the crisp shell gives way to clouds of sweet cream never fails to impress. I hope you feel inspired to bring this classic French treat into your own kitchen—trust me, once you taste your own batch of Cream Puffs, you’ll want to make them again and again!
Print
Cream Puffs Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 cream puffs
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delight in these classic French cream puffs made with light, airy choux pastry filled with sweet, fluffy whipped cream. Perfectly golden and crisp on the outside with a luscious, creamy filling, these cream puffs are an elegant dessert that’s surprisingly simple to make at home.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
Filling:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Make the dough: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth dough. Cook for 1–2 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Cool dough and add eggs: Remove the pan from heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy, indicating it’s properly emulsified.
- Shape and bake: Drop tablespoon-sized mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for puffing. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until puffed and golden; avoid opening the oven during baking to prevent collapse.
- Cool the puffs: Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack to maintain their crisp texture.
- Prepare the filling: Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, ensuring the filling is light but stable.
- Assemble the cream puffs: Slice each puff in half horizontally and fill generously with whipped cream. Replace the tops and dust with extra powdered sugar before serving for a beautiful finish.
Notes
- Cream puffs can also be filled with custard, pastry cream, or ice cream instead of whipped cream for variety.
- Store unfilled cream puffs in an airtight container for up to 2 days to maintain freshness.
- For longer storage, freeze the unfilled puffs and thaw before filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream puff
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
