These bakery-style cream puffs are a light, buttery pastry, filled with sweet cream. It is super easy to make and creates a delicious and impressive dessert.

What are Cream Puffs?

The pastry for cream puffs is made with a choux dough. This dough is cooked on the stove and filled into a piping bag fitted with a round tip nozzle.

The dough is then piped out onto a baking sheet and baked until hollow on the inside and deliciously crisp on the outside. 

After baking, the pastry is split in half and filled with cream or chocolate-based filling.

Which ingredients are used

FOR THE CHOUX PASTRY

Milk: It is best to use whole or full-fat milk, it adds a rich delicious flavour.
Water   
Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter but do not substitute it with coconut oil, or other oils.
Sugar: White granulated sugar is used in this recipe
Salt 
Flour: Use either all-purpose, plain or cake flour
Eggs: Use room eggs. Eggs used at room temperature prevent scrambling when mixed into the dough.

FOR THE FILLING

Whipping cream/Heavy cream: This should be chilled before using. 
Sugar
Vanilla extract
Powdered sugar/icing sugar

Variations

My favourite filling for cream puffs is the classic whipped cream. It is a quick, easy and delicious filling, but here are a few amazing options if you would like to give it a try:

• Lemon curd
• Vanilla custard/pudding
• Peanut butter mousse
• Whipped cream with chopped fruit like strawberries or raspberries
• Nutella mixed with whipped cream
• Top with melted chocolate

Tips for making the perfect cream puffs

Cream puffs are super easy to make, but here are a few tips to ensure that your bake turns out perfect 

• When adding the flour to the liquid mixture, ensure that you cook it for only 2 minutes. It MUST be stirred constantly to prevent it from burning.
• The cooked dough must be removed from the stove and allowed to cool for about 1 minute before adding the eggs. Adding the eggs to the hot dough will cook and scramble them before they are incorporated into the dough.
• A great way to cool down the dough faster is to transfer it from the pot to a large bowl. Use an electric or handheld beater to beat the dough for about 2 minutes. This will help cool down the dough before adding the eggs.
• Do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking. Opening the oven door or setting the temperature too low will cause the pastry to deflate while baking
• The pastry needs to be firm when you remove it from the oven. Removing too soon can cause the pastry to collapse while cooling.
• Fill the pastry just before serving. Filling it too early before serving can cause the pastry to lose its crisp texture.

How to make Cream Puffs

Here is how easy these are to make (Scroll to the bottom of this page to grab the full recipe with measurements and instructions)

Making the pastry

Combine the butter, water and milk in a saucepan.  Add salt and sugar,

Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, so that the butter melts completely. 

Reduce the heat to low heat, add flour, all at once.  Allow the mixture to cook for 2 minutes while whisking continuously at all times to sticking or burning and to achieve a nice, thick texture.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and beat for 1 minute to cool the mixture slightly before adding the eggs.

Keep in mind that the cooked dough must be removed from the stove and allowed to cool for about 1 minute before adding the eggs. Adding the eggs to the hot dough will cook and scramble them before they are incorporated into the dough.

Add one egg at a time, adding another egg only when the previous has been completely incorporated. Don't forget to mix at all times, using an electric mixer. 

Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a round tip nozzle. 

Pipe the pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment/baking paper. Each pastry should be piped around 1½ inch ( 4cm) in diameter.  You might get peaks on the pastry while piping, just smooth it out by wetting your fingertips with water and smoothing out the peaks.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Don't be tempted to open the oven door for the first 20 minutes or the pastry will collapse. If you are like me, then just make yourself comfy in front of the oven and watch those pastries bake for 25 minutes 🙂 while hoping that the kitchen magically cleans itself. 

Making the whipped cream

Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl. It is best to use chilled cream as it is easier to beat. 

Beat the mixture on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form in the cream. Do not overmix, or it will ruin and separate the cream. 

Cut the tops off the cooled pastry and fill them with the whipped cream.

Remember that the pastry must be cooled completely before filling with cream. Fill the pastry just before serving. Filling it too early before serving can cause the pastry to lose its crisp texture.

Cover with the tops and dust with powdered sugar.

Enjoy ♥

Watch how to make it

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Cream Puffs

These bakery-style cream puffs are a light, buttery pastry, filled with sweet cream. It is super easy to make and creates a delicious and impressive dessert.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup /125ml milk
• ½ cup/ 125ml water
• ½ cup / 1 stick / 115g butter SEE NOTE 1
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup / 120g all-purpose OR cake flour
• 4 eggs SEE NOTE 2
• FOR THE FILLING
• 1 cup / 250ml heavy / whipping cream
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar to dust

Instructions

 

• MAKING THE PASTRY
• Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C)
• Combine the butter, water and milk in a saucepan. Add salt and sugar.
• Place over medium heat and bring just to a boil, so that the butter melts completely. Remove the pot from the heat as soon as the mixture begins to bubble.
• Reduce the heat to low heat, add flour, all at once. Place the pot on the stove again. Allow the mixture to cook for 2 minutes while whisking continuously at all times to sticking or burning and to achieve a nice, thick texture. SEE NOTE 3
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and beat for 1 minute to cool the mixture slightly before adding the eggs. SEE NOTE 4
• Add one egg at a time, adding another egg only when the previous has been completely incorporated. Don't forget to mix at all times, using an electric mixer.
• Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a round tip nozzle.
• Pipe the pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment/baking paper. Each pastry should be piped around 1½ inch ( 4cm) in diameter. You might get peaks on the pastry while piping, just smooth it out by wetting your fingertips with water and smoothing out the peaks.
• Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Don't be tempted to open the oven door for the first 20 minutes or the pastries will collapse.
• Remove from the oven and transfer the baked pastries to a cooling rack. SEE NOTE 5
• Cool completely before adding the whipped cream SEE NOTE 6
• MAKING THE WHIPPED CREAM
• Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl. It is best to use chilled cream as it is easier to beat.
• Beat the mixture on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form in the cream. Do not overmix, or it will ruin and separate the cream.
• Cut the tops off the cooled pastry and pipe or spread with the whipped cream. Remember that the pastry must be cooled completely before filling with cream. Fill the pastry just before serving. Filling it too early before serving can cause the pastry to lose its crisp texture.
• Cover with the tops and dust with powdered sugar.

Video

Notes

1. You can use salted or unsalted butter but do not substitute it with coconut oil, or other oils.
2. Use room eggs. Eggs used at room temperature prevent scrambling when mixed into the dough.
3. When adding the flour to the liquid mixture, ensure that you cook it for only 2 minutes. It MUST be stirred constantly to prevent it from burning.
4. The cooked dough must be removed from the stove and allowed to cool for about 1 minute before adding the eggs. Adding the eggs to the hot dough will cook and scramble them before they are incorporated into the dough. A great way to cool down the dough faster is to transfer it from the pot to a large bowl. Use an electric or handheld beater to beat the dough for about 2 minutes. This will help cool down the dough before adding the eggs.
5. The pastry needs to be firm when you remove it from the oven. Removing too soon can cause the pastry to collapse while cooling.
6. Fill the pastry just before serving. Filling it too early before serving can cause the pastry to lose its crisp texture.

*Nutrition Disclaimer

Tried this recipe? Let me know how it was in the comments below