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Cream Puffs (Classic French Pastry) 🧁
Cream puffs are light pastries made from choux pastry and filled with whipped cream, custard, or ice cream. The shells are crisp outside and hollow inside—perfect for filling.
They come from French pastry tradition and are closely related to desserts like Profiterole and Éclair.
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Filling
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional topping:
- Powdered sugar or chocolate drizzle
Instructions
1. Make the Dough
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil.
- Add flour all at once and stir quickly until the dough forms a ball.
- Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
2. Add Eggs
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each until the dough becomes smooth and glossy.
3. Shape the Puffs
- Spoon or pipe small dough mounds onto a lined baking sheet.
4. Bake
- Bake 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden.
- Do not open the oven early, or they may collapse.
5. Prepare Filling
- Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
6. Fill the Puffs
- Cut the puff in half or poke a hole and pipe in the whipped cream.
7. Finish
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle melted chocolate.
Tips for Perfect Cream Puffs ✨
✔ Bake until deep golden so they stay crisp.
✔ Let shells cool completely before filling.
✔ Fill just before serving to keep them from getting soggy.
Popular Variations
- Chocolate cream puffs
- Ice cream profiteroles
- Custard-filled puffs
- Caramel croquembouche tower (a famous French dessert)
If you want, I can also show you:
- The famous bakery-style cream puffs from Beard Papa’s
- A 3-ingredient easy cream puff recipe
- How to make giant Costco-style cream puffs 🤤