Classic Eclair Recipe (VIDEO)
You haven’t enjoyed an eclair until you’ve tried a fresh homemade eclair filled to the brim with pastry cream and topped with chocolate ganache. Watch the video tutorial and you will master this eclairs recipe in no time.
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Learn how to make classic “choux pastry” (the same pastry used for cream puffs) and a decadent vanilla bean pastry cream that will have you licking the spoon and the bowl.
We have included Amazon affiliate links for tools used to make this recipe.
Classic Eclairs Recipe:
Eclairs are best eaten the day they are made, but I do love that they can be fully assembled a day ahead.
Tools for Making Eclairs:
- Large Piping Bag
- 1/2″ round piping tip or a 16mm open star tip
- Baking Sheet
- Silicone Liner or Parchment Paper
- Bismarck tip (or a small sharp tip like Ateco #16 or #352)
Pro Tips for Making Pastry Cream:
Pastry cream relies on corn starch and egg yolks to thicken and the end result is incredibly smooth – like a decadent vanilla pudding. Mixing the softened butter is the secret to the amazing texture – don’t skip it!
- Pastry cream can be made a day ahead which is perfect for holiday entertaining.
- You can substitute the real vanilla bean for vanilla extract (see recipe notes)
Pastry Cream will thicken as it cools and to loosen it up for piping, whisk until smooth.
What is Choux Pastry?
Choux dough is a classic pastry made with super simple ingredients (milk, water, eggs, flour, butter, sugar and salt). It is a soft dough that gets piped onto a baking sheet.
Getting the baking temperature right is the key to success. Starting the oven at 425˚F allows the pastry to rise beautifully, creating a hollow center for the filling. Choux pastry is then baked at a lower temperature to dry out the center.
Learn How to Make Eclairs:
I’m so embarrassed that (due to my occasionally shaky hands), my eclairs looked mildly inappropriate when piped. I only realized it after the fact and I couldn’t stop laughing. And for those of you who never would have noticed otherwise, I am doubly embarrassed!
Watch Natasha Make Eclairs:
More French Desserts:
- Crepe Cake – the easiest 30 layer cake
- Easy Almond Croissants – French bakery copycat
- Raspberry Macarons – filled with raspberry cream
Classic Eclair Recipe
You haven't enjoyed an Eclair until you've tried a fresh homemade eclair! Learn how to make Eclairs with choux pastry, pastry cream and chocolate glaze.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Choux Pastry:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
Ingredients for Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips *
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
How to Make Choux Pastry
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In a Medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup milk, 8 Tbsp butter, 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat then remove from heat and stir in 1 cup flour all at once with a wooden spoon.
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One flour is incorporated, place back over medium heat about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes stirring constantly (to release extra moisture and partially cook flour), or until dough comes together into a smooth ball and a thin film forms on bottom of pan.
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Transfer to a large mixing bowl and beat using an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 1 minute to cool the mixture slightly. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate between additions. Beat until dough is smooth and forms a thick ribbon when pulled up.
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Pipe eclairs over baking sheet lined with silicone using a 1/2” round tip. Pipe 18-20 (4” long and 3/4” wide) strips, keeping them 1 1/2" apart.
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Bake at 425˚F for 10 minutes. Without opening oven, reduce temp to 325˚F and, bake 30 minutes longer or until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool while making pastry cream.
How to Make Pastry Cream:
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In a medium saucepan bring 2 cups milk, vanilla bean and scraped seeds just to a boil, stirring to prevent film from forming.
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In a separate large bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup corn starch and pinch of salt. Add 4 egg yolks and whisk until smooth, creamy and lightened in color - it takes a couple of minutes but it will get there.
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Gradually (so the eggs don't curdle), while whisking constantly, add hot milk in a steady stream until all of it is incorporated. Pour mixture back into saucepan and bring to a boil while whisking constantly then whisk another 30 seconds until mixture is thick and pudding-like in consistency.
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Transfer pastry cream to a medium bowl (whisk in 2 tsp vanilla extract if using). Cut butter into pieces and quickly whisk into the custard until fully incorporated Cover with plastic directly over the surface of the cream, let it cool slightly then refrigerate 30 minutes or until cool.
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With a small pastry tip, poke 2-3 holes through the bottom of each cooled pastry. Pipe cream inside, scraping off excess. Refrigerate eclairs while making chocolate glaze.
How to Make Chocolate Glaze:
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Place 4 oz of chocolate chips into a small heat-safe bowl.
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Heat 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (in a saucepan or microwave) until it is just at a simmer then remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips. Let rest 2 minutes then whisk from the center outwards until smooth sauce forms.
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Dip the top half of filled and chilled eclairs into the chocolate sauce, allowing excess to drip off.
Recipe Notes
*4 oz chocolate chips by weight or 2/3 cup by volume.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Now go forth and conquer homemade eclairs!
Natasha Kravchuk
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Classic Chocolate Mousse (VIDEO) 
Easy Churros Recipe (VIDEO) 
Pavlova Recipe (VIDEO) 
Cream Cheese Danish Recipe with Lemon Glaze (VIDEO) 
Baked Donuts Filled with Jelly (VIDEO) 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
can u plz tell me what i can replace cornstarch with i dont have cornstarch or all purpose flour plz suggest natasha
Hi Amy, I haven’t tried any other substitute to advise sorry about that. If you do an experiment and try something else please share with us how it goes.
My boyfriend and I made these today and while they don’t look as pretty as yours, they taste amazing. Thank you for the great recipe and the video tutorial. The video helped a lot!
You’re welcome, Holly! I’m so glad our video was helpful!
i made this but i cut the original pastry in half after they had cooled and then i dipped one half in the chocolate and piped swirls on the other half i thought it looked pretty neat.
So great to hear that you enjoyed making the eclair!
Hi there
What size tip do you use? I know you mentioned 1/2 inch but do you have the number for the tip?
Hi Jessica, it should be a Wilton 1A.
hii Natasha,
Yseterday i tried making your wonderful eclair recipe and it turned out delicious. It was so tasty and I LOVE IT THANK YOU SO MUCH………
You’re welcome Amirah! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Hii Natasha
Can I use salted butter instead?
Hi Ally, we prefer it with unsalted butter but it may still work with salted. I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hii Natasha,
can i use a medium size star tip to pipe the eclaires?
Hi Amirah, the medium-sized star would make them quite a bit smaller and they would fry faster. The large star works better but it’s worth experimenting if that is what you have on hand. I have even piped them out of a ziploc bag with the corner cut off and they still tasted great (although not pretty).
Hello! I was wondering How I can heat the heavy whipping ? If I heat it in the microwave I am afraid it will turn into butter. Please help!
Hi Sandra, there is no heavy whipping cream in this recipe.
I think Sandra is asking about the cream in the ganache? Sandra, I make ganache on the stove top. Good luck!
I love these eclairs!!!
That’s so awesome! I’m happy you enjoyed that!
I tried making these today. They tasted really nice however, my eclairs were hollow for the bottom. Some of them.
What could be the reason?
Also, they were nice & soft but not crunchy enough on the outside.
Hi Ranya, could it be that they were piped wider or larger? In that case, they would need more baking time.
I don’t have whole milk, just almond milk and heavy cream. Can I substitute the heavy cream for all instances of whole milk in this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Karen, I haven’t personally tested that but someone else commented and shared this “I made this dairy-free..I used almond milk and plant base butter..they turned out perfect!!”
Well I made them I had a hard time making the E Claire’s I had a hard time with the piping bag, my first time using one they came out small. I will try making them again with the proper piping bag so they will come out bigger
Sounds good Kelly. I hope you love it!
I made these last week, and I have to say, these babies taste like heaven! It has been a while since I have eaten fresh and yummy Éclairs like these. I used to adore the ones made by Le pain Quotidien in Dubai and these ones taste equally yummy. In addition, I was able to make them lactose-free by using all lactose-free dairy products. Thank you so much Natasha for this great recipe!
You’re welcome Pascale! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Νatasha! Sorry if this is a silly question, but I only have buttermilk at home as opposed to whole milk, do you think I could use that in the pastry dough and cream instead? Thanks!
Hi Daisy, I have not tested this with buttermilk so I cannot advise on this working with that. If you experiment I would love to know how you liked that.
Hello, is there a substitute I could use instead of cornstarch, because while shopping at my local grocery shop, I couldn’t find any, sadly.
Hi Jessica, I haven’t tried any other substitute to advise sorry about that. If you do an experiment and try something else please share with us how it goes.
Hi Natasha, can i store the pastry cream overnight or will it get too thick due to the cornstarch?
Hi Anjali, yes you can make the pastry cream a day ahead.
First time making eclairs and they turned out great! We made them using dairy-free ingredients (allergy) and everything was perfect. Haven’t had one in years and I had forgotten how good they are!
That’s just awesome Meg! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hello! I heard that you could refrigerate the Choux pastry batter a few days in advance. Would you recommend this? Thanks!
Hi Angelina, You can make the shells inadvance and store in an airtight container. Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but I imagine a couple of days is fine in the fridge.
Hi! I haven’t made eclairs before and this recipe was my first attempt at them. 30 minutes at 325 was WAY too long. I had them in for about 10 and they were already brown and a few had started to flatten. Do you know why that could be?
Hi Ellie, make sure you are baking on conventional mode and not convection.
I just tried your recipe. The flavor of the choux was delicious. I used large eggs like stated on your recipe but it made the dough too runny and they eclairs turned out flat. I’m thinking the egg to flour proportions were off. Would recommend medium eggs or more flour.
We didn’t have that problem. Are you certain you used a large eggs and not extra-large eggs? Also, our post on measuring can help if you think dry ingredient measurements are off.
Hi Natasha.
If I only want to make half the amount of eclairs (9), can I just divide all of the ingredients by 2?
Hi Rebekka, I haven’t tried that yet to advise but I imagine that should work. Please share with us how it goes if you give it a try!
Hi, I want to make these, I have everything except for unsalted butter. I only have salted, will that be a problem?
Hi Genevieve, we prefer it with unsalted butter but it may still work with salted. I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi! I tried your recipe today and it was absolutely delicious, received some positive comments from friends and fam.
Thank You xx
That’s just awesome! Thank you for that great feedback Dinuki!
I lovedddd making these eclairs. It was my first time but I had fun with them and they turned out so good!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hello, Natasha! May I ask how I could turn the pastry cream into a chocolate-flavored one? My husband is a super choco lover and requested for me to make these but with chocolate pastry cream. Can I just add melted chocolate at the end? Thank you!
Hello Ace, I honestly haven’t tried doing that yet to advise but I imagine that should work. Please share with us how it goes if you do an experiment.
I have tried Choux pastries several times in the past with no real success. I get they were underbaked as they never had any rise. I made these eclairs for my own Mother’s Day gift to me today! This time I overbooked them a bit! But that hardly mattered once they were filled with the delicious pastry cream and covered with chocolate ganache. They were YUM! I served with fresh strawberries. My husband and sons loved them!
Yay that is so great to hear, Kristin. I am so happy to know that it was successful and that everyone loved it!
Hi natasha, i am solo eater and i dont want to make them so many (in case they will not be good so it will be so much wastage)
So can you please tell me proportions for smaller quantity? Thank you! I love your recipes!! I cant wait to try this one too.
Totally understand. While at the recipe you may click on “Jump to recipe” and click the number of serving to adjust the ingredients. I hope that helps.
Where do you get your vanilla beans? or how can I order some?
Hi Wendy, we have notes in our recipe with a link to the exact vanilla beans. We use these beans here. I hope that helps.
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, my family and I enjoyed these Éclairs. Was my first time making it and I must say they are the bomb dot-com.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Gugu!
My French boyfriend wanted eclairs for his birthday and we were both very pleased with how they turned out. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Thanks for giving this recipe a try! So great to hear that you both enjoyed it.
Natasha,
I’m really struggling with the pastry. We are a gluten free family and I have attempted this recipe twice using two different types of GF flour. Using your piping measurements they still come out flat and under cooked. I am at a loss. Any chance you can try making some GF eclairs and see if it works on your end? Would love to hear any recommendations you may have. Thank you
Hi Katherin, I haven’t tested this with gluten-free flour. With baking being such a science it is hard to say what the culprit is when it comes to substitutions. Thank you for that suggestion, I’ll add it to my to-do list.
Tried out this recipe, and choux pastry for the first time and it turned out absolutely delicious! The recipe is super easy to follow and it’s so quick and easy to make. Love your recipes cs they’re so easy to follow!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi, why did my shells deflate. Any tips to make them fluffy ?
Hi Ayesha, flat eclairs are usually due to either piping them too large or underbaking. Some ovens run a little cooler so you might bake an extra 2 minutes next time. I hope that helps!
When I bake my eclairs they do not puff up very much and they fall flat when I take them out of the oven. I baked two pans at one time one above the other could that be the problem ?this is the second time making them the first time I baked one pan at a time the first pan baked perfect but I piped them to skinny so they were small.
The second pan came out flat not sure if it was because they sat while the first pan was baking.
Hi Theresa, Flat eclairs are usually due to either piping them too large or underbaking. Some ovens run a little cooler so you might bake an extra 2 minutes next time. I hope that helps!
Omg! First time for making Choux pastry and out of all the recipes and instructions on the net – these are the clearest and best I have found! Thanks so much and mine came out 👍🏼
So great to hear that you loved the end result!
These are THE BEST eclairs I have ever tasted! And instructions are easy and clear! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Natasha, Thanks for great recipe. Just wondering how many grams are 8 tbs butter?
Hi Seva, there are 113.4 gram in 8 Tbsp of butter
This was my first time making eclairs and they were really good! My filling was a bit runny though so I added some more cornstarch, apart from that they were delishh!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us! We have tips in the recipe and comments that should help with the filling being runny. I’m also more than happy to troubleshoot.
It was the best thing just one thing on the nutrition facts you forgot energy
Thanks for your feedback and suggestion!
i was a bit reluctant to make it again after the 1st one failing miserably…but this was just perfect and tastes so good…. i was super excited when the dough turned out good… all in all loved it…thanks for the recipe 🙂
Yay great job! So glad that you’re happy with the end result.
Absolutely delicious! I mean every part–the shell, the pastry cream and even the chocolate glaze (which I’m not a big chocolate fan) was INCREDIBLE! I seriously can’t stop eating them. This will be my go to recipe for eclairs. Watching the video first was very helpful. Thank you sharing your recipes!
What an awesome review! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, Britney. I’m so happy that you’re very satisfied with the end result!
Hi Natasha,
You present such appetizing dishes and desserts which i try (with a sense of humor). Yesterday i followed your eclair recipe. They came out soo tasty!!. They tasted like the ones I buy from a fancy bakery! The only concern i had is that the pastery parts did not puff up enough so we ended up making eclair sandwiches!!!!:) and put the custard between 2 of the pasteries.
How can i prevent them from flattening or rising more.
Hi Natalie, Flat eclairs are usually due to either piping them too large or underbaking. Some ovens run a little cooler so you might bake an extra 2 minutes next time. I hope that helps!
Help! Step 2 for the pastry cream is not going right. We’ve been whisking for a very long time and it’s still crumbly.
We figured it out! There was too much cornstarch in our first try. Got it right the second try. Thank you!
Hi Jen, I would highly suggest watching the video if you haven’t already to see where your results started to change or differ from the method I shared here. I didn’t have any issues with thickening on the cream but I highly recommend checking measurements and be sure to measure dry and wet ingredients correctly since the wrong proportions can definitely affect the setting time.
I made these last night and they are amazing!! One question: do I put the eclairs in the fridge after I put the chocolate on? Like if you are not eating them right then, should they be in the fridge?
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Noelle! You can make the shells in advance and store them in an airtight container. Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but our readers have tried freezing them. I imagine a couple of days is fine in the fridge. I haven’t tried this but I read that it’s best not to freeze eclairs.
My batter is chunky and runny! I stood and mixed at the stove on medium heat after I added the flour but it was never the same consistency. Any thought why?
Hi Annie, I have not had that experience but I’d love to troubleshoot. Was anything altered in the recipe?
I made these and they were delicious and really fun to make! I made a ton of mistakes but they came out well! I really love your recipes!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Made these for the first time but I made them small creampuffs (round) instead of eclairs. I’ll never buy frozen creampuffs again. SO delicious! One suggestion; add “if using extract, wait until the last step to add”. I don’t know if it makes that much difference but I added the extract in step one. It was still amazing!
Correction…add vanilla in step 4
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
These are delicious! I made them last night and they were way better than I expected!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Crystal!
I love eclairs, but my son is allergic to cocoa Are there any other type of ganches that I could try?? He can have some white chocolate.
Hi Marcia, honestly, the sky is the limit with your ganache of choice. You can really get creative with toppings.
hi can I use goat milk ? cows milk and I do not agree
Hi Joseph, I’ve looked through the comments and don’t see anyone trying it with goat milk. I have not either to advise. If you experiment however I would love to know how you like it.
Can you freeze these or does it not taste good after then?
Hi Elena, You can make the shells in advance and store them in an airtight container. Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but our readers have tried freezing them. I imagine a couple of days is fine in the fridge. I haven’t tried this but I read that it’s best not to freeze eclairs.
hi Natasha! I LOVE YOUR RECIPES BEST! But what is name on your counter hot plate ?{that’s not what you really call it, tho.} I am shopping for one.
Hi Sallyann, we use this single burner here.
The dough and filling were great. I think the chocolate could be improved upon. I had trouble piping in the filling so I just ended up slicing them partially open and piping the filling in. My first time making eclairs. Next time I will make bigger ones!
Thank you for that feedback Linda! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Would it be okay to fill the eclairs from the top? That way the chocolate ganache would cover the holes?
Hi Melanie! I bet that would work! If you test it I would love to know how you like that.
I’ve made eclairs and cream puffs many, many times over the years, but never with milk and water in the Choix. I really like the results. The other thing I like about this recipe that no other version had ever pointed out was to continue stirring the flour/butter mixture until the moisture reduced. That might be the key to getting them to rise and bake to a nice crispness. If the dough has too much moisture, they won’t dry sufficiently in the oven.
I didn’t pipe the eclairs because I wanted to shape them. You might want to add that note in your directions if a pastry bag isn’t available.
(I shaped mine into footballs for a Super Bowl themed party)
Thank you for that awesome suggestion, Debbie! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
What’s the number on the 1/2” round tip
Hi Linda, we used this tip here. It is a Wilton 1A.
Hi Natasha,
I tried making these, but they burned after being in the 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. I wasn’t even able to complete the recipe and got really dejected :/ The only part of the recipe I didn’t follow was use 1% milk instead of whole because that’s what I had on hand, though I don’t think that would cause the bottom to burn like that?
Hi Malak, I’ve never experienced burning before at 425˚F for 10 minutes. They should be just golden on the bottom. I suspect either your oven runs very hot or maybe you were doing this in a confection setting? A convection oven cooks everything faster so that could be the culprit. I used a conventional oven. I hope that helps. What a bummer!
Hi, I had the same problem with my pastry. I’ve made a lot of your recipes and the baking time is right on. This was a first that I found to be odd, my pastry looked already done after 10min on 425, I turned it down to 325 degrees and let it sit another 7min and they were already fairly brown.
Hi Jess, did you possibly bake on convection settings by mistake? This recipe is written for a conventional oven. I’m not sure why else that would be.
Delicious! This was my first time making eclairs, and the flavors were wonderful. The choux pastry piped nicely for both eclairs and cream puffs, and they seem to freeze well. 5/5 !
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Katie!
My husband and I are bringing these to our NYE party tomorrow! Can’t wait to try them.
I hope you love them! Happy New Year!
I made these for Christmas. The taste was there BUT my eclairs (most of them) were flat which made it hard to fill and when reading the instructions….the cream filling calls for butter but there’s nowhere in the instructions where to put it and how to use it.
Hi Nomiki, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. I have the butter there in step 4 “Transfer pastry cream to a medium bowl (whisk in 2 tsp vanilla extract if using). Cut butter into pieces and quickly whisk into the custard until fully incorporated Cover with plastic directly over the surface of the cream, let it cool slightly then refrigerate 30 minutes or until cool.” The butter is added to the cream last. I hope you had a chance to watch the video for confirmation on when to add it. Also, flat eclairs are usually due to either piping them too large or underbaking. Some ovens run a little cooler so you might bake an extra 2 minutes next time. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha, I love this recipe! I was wondering how many days prior to making the eclairs, can i prepare the filling?
Hi Anita, You can make the shells inadvance and store in an air tight containers. Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but our readers have tried freezing them. I imagine a couple days is fine in the fridge. I haven’t tried this but I read that it’s best not to freeze eclairs.
I made these yesterday. A little harder than I thought it would be as I have never used a piping bag. Mine came out a little small but they were still good. Also, my ganache came out thin, but again, still really good. My next recipe of yours to try are the creme puffs. Those are my favorite. Thank you for sharing your great recipes.
Aren’t these the best, Debbie! We absolutely love them! Thank you for your feedback and awesome review!
Hi Natasha,
Lovely recipe and pictures, can’t wait to try and make them. I was wondering how I can make the cream inside the eclairs also chocolate flavored? Any help would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.
Hi Irina, that is a great question and I haven’t tested that to advise. I imagine some cocoa in the mixture would work but baking being a science I don’t know what you would need to change. If you experiment, please let me know how you like that.
These are the absolutely BEST ECLAIRS I’ve ever made and I’ve tried a lot of recipes! Perfect! Thank you, Natasha!
That’s just awesome, Polina! I’m so glad you enjoyed that and thank you for the 5 star review!
Hi!
How far in advance can i make the pastry? And should I keep it at room temperature on the counter covered or keep it in the fridge?
(not filled)
How long can I make the filling ahead?
What is the ideal amount of time to keep in the refrigerator once fully assembled?
Thanks!
Hi Lorilee, You can make the shells inadvance and store in an air tight containers. Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but our readers have tried freezing them. I imagine a couple days is fine in the fridge. I haven’t tried this but I read that it’s best not to freeze eclairs.
Hi!
I have extra pastry cream. What else can I use it for?
Hi Terry, cream puffs are a great way to use pastry cream. You could also use it for a crepe cake or filling for baked donuts
Awesome recipe! Turned the cream blue with some natural food coloring and used them for a pregnancy/gender reveal to my coworkers. Came out beautifully.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Dana!
Awesome! I have been looking for an Eclair and pastry filling recipe for EVERY! Thanks so much! Cant wait to try it.
That’s so great! I hope you love this recipe!
This is so great that the eclair is baked. I have a recipe for the creme that the Amish use in their cream sticks and I thought I would try that. So excited and you make it seem so easy, thanks
I hope you love and try this recipe soon, Linda!
Delicious recipe! Everything came out great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My 12 yo daughter made these and they were spot on!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you Stacy!
i want to know if I can use non-dairy milk in the choux recipe. Like rice milk or almond milk or something like coffee rich. I cannot use regular milk. what about margarine? No coconut please. thanks
Hi Sarah, I honestly haven’t experimented with dairy-free substitutes. If anyone else has tried, please let us know and thanks in advance.
You can just use all water in the Choux instead of milk and water.
Thank you so much.
In fact, most recipes for choux that I’ve seen call for all water instead of milk.
I would like to ask what amount( ml or oz) is the cup or how much milk and water you are using in ml!
Thank you!
Hi Delyana, If you click “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post it will take you to our printable recipe where you have the option to view the ingredients in US Customary or Metric measurements. I hope that helps.
Hi, Natasha! What kind of chocolate did you use? Couverture or any chocolate will do?
Thank you! 🙏
Hi Hazel, they were semisweet chocolate chips like these.
Can these be made ahead of time? Like the day before an event? If so, how to store them for that day?
Great question, Vicky! You can make the shells in advance and store in an air tight containers. Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but our readers have tried freezing them. I imagine a couple days is fine in the fridge.
Hi Sarah I made these dairy free..I used almond milk and plant base butter..they turned out perfect!!
Thank you for sharing that with us Figen!
I love this recipe so much!. Eclair
Is my favorite desert, but I never made it for myself. After reading a lot of recipes about eclair, I decided to follow this!They came out fantastic! Everyone at home love it! The pastry Cream taste better that anyone that I tried before. The Choux Pastry was delicious. I will definitely made them again! Thank you for sharing your recipe and the fabulous video. I love how you was showing the texture of the pastry and cream steps by steps! Thanks again!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Elaine!
Hi Natasha,
My son asked me for Eclairs and I tried your recipe today. Everything was great except the dough became golden brown pretty quickly so I took them out of the oven too early. They eventually collapsed. Also, it felt that the 1/2 tip was too small for piping them the right width. What did I do wrong? Thanks.
Hi there Rana, it definitely sounds like it could be related to oven temperature issues. I have tested these at 325 and even at 350 and they did not burn. Also, make sure you are not using a convection setting which will bake faster (you would need to reduce the oven temp by 25 degrees normally if using convection and I haven’t tested these in convection to say if any other modifications need to be made or if they would rise properly). I hope that helps! You might try an in-oven thermometer to see if your oven is putting out too much heat.
Thank You Natasha 🙂
I love this recipe .Made them twice already.
That’s so awesome, Mariana! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
What a perfect eclair! I can find no flaw and I’ve tried many. Thank you so much for sharing it.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Nicole!
Absolutely delish!! Made them and they turned out perfect! I made both chocolate and salted caramel and they were all everybody could talk about at the party. I used to make these when I was 12 and they didn’t turn out as yummy 🙂 thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Ej!
Hey Natasha, I’m wondering if I can make these ahead. I mean bake the shells, fill it with the cream and dip it into the chocolate and freeze it for the next day?
Thank you!
Hi Atiya! Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but our readers have tried freezing them. I imagine a couple days is fine in the fridge. I haven’t tried this but I read that it’s best not to freeze eclairs. If you refrigerate the shell, it won’t be as crisp but will still taste good.
Hey Natasha, I made these and they weren’t even close to yours. The shells did not rise. They were thin and kind of soft. I love your recipes and I was dying to try these! I’m wondering why they didn’t rise. Also it’s my first time making choux pastry.
Hi Atiqa, I would highly suggest watching the video if you haven’t already to see where your results started to change or differ from the method I shared here. Also, the eclairs will have trouble rising if they are piped too wide so be sure to stay in size parameters listed (that was an issue I ran into while working with choux pastry and had to bake longer for the rise on wider pastries). I hope that helps! I didn’t have any issues with thickening on the cream but I highly recommend checking measurements and be sure to measure dry and wet ingredients correctly since the wrong proportions can definitely affect the setting time.
HI Natasha! I Made these today and they did not work out very well for me. They did not puff up for me and the pastry cream is taking forever to thicken. Any tips on how I could do this any better? Thanks!
Hi Sierra, I would highly suggest watching the video if you haven’t already to see where your results started to change or differ from the method I shared here. Also, the eclairs will have trouble rising if they are piped too wide so be sure to stay in size parameters listed (that was an issue I ran into while working with choux pastry and had to bake longer for the rise on wider pastries). I hope that helps! I didn’t have any issues with thickening on the cream but I highly recommend checking measurements and be sure to measure dry and wet ingredients correctly since the wrong proportions can definitely affect the setting time.
Amazing! I’m so impressed by this recipe! The taste is OMGEEEEE de-li-ci-ous! Some of mine didn’t rise properly, but I think it’s because i made them a bit longer (5-6 inches).. So if you’re reading this, don’t be greedy like me and try to make big ones lol! The 4 inch ones were perfection! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe Erica! Thank you for sharing your awesome review with us!
Hi Natasha, is it possible to make the filling chocolate flavored? If so what should I add?
Hi Raeesha, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work to melt chocolate in. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I have two questions.
1. Can you make everything the night prior and assemble the following day?
2. I didn’t see the butter on the recipie for the cream. I’m going to watch the video again and see if I missed it.
Oh brother, lol I see where the butter is.
Still would assembling next day work? I’m thinking pastry either on fridge or air tight container. I didn’t know if the cream or chocolate would firm up too much to assemble the following day. I need them for a birthday that evening.
Hi Mic! You can make the shells in advance and store in an air tight containers. Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but our readers have tried freezing them. I imagine a couple days is fine in the fridge.
Hi Natasha, I haven’t made this but will very soon! I am planning to make this for a Charity event. The event is early Sunday morning and I surely won’t have enough time to make it and get it ready on Sunday morning itself.
I plan to make the vanilla cream on Thursday. Bake Choux on Friday. Cool it, make holes beneath then fridge it. On Saturday evening, fill up the Choux as well as chocolate dip it and back in the fridge it goes.
I cannot leave them in room temperature as I live in Singapore and it’s hot and humid here.
The best eclairs I’ve tasted was frozen ones. Believe it or not so I’m hoping if I fridge your recipe, it will taste as good, if not better, than the frozen ones I’ve had best.
Please advise soon! I can’t wait to make this! Charity is not till first Sunday in June but I want to test drive a small batch first.
Hi Aisah, I think it should work well the way you are describing. If you refrigerate the shell, it won’t be as crisp but will still taste good. I hope you love the Eclair recipe!
Hi Natasha!!! Thank you so much for your response.
I made a test run today. Halved the recipe and oh my goodness!!!!! The cream and Choux pastry tasted so so delicious and wonderful! We all loved it!!!
I did face some issues though. I made the cream first and fridged it for around 4 hours before I tried inserting the cream into the puffs.
Once I’ve made the cream, I covered it with cling wrap all the way that it is in contact with the cream. Let it cool on the counter for about 15 minutes, then fridged it.
When I took it out about 4 hours later, I tried whipping/mixing it again but it won’t mix. It became this jello like consistency. So being the amateur that I am in baking, I went ahead and put it in the piping bag and it won’t squeeze out of the bag (could also partly be my very small hole piping nozzle, see below).
Should I take the cream out of the fridge in advance to let it come to room temperature prior to whipping it?
Second issue I have is the piping nozzle. I don’t have the 2 inch for the Choux, so I just cut the tip of the nozzle and it all came out not uniformed :p
I also think my piping nozzle for the cream is too small. I need to get the right ones.
I want to get mine as pretty as yours, so it’ll sell out for the good cause. Not just good tasting.
Please advise on the cream and whipping it after being fridged.
I’d like to give it another test run once I have the proper magic wands aka piping nozzles 😀
Have a great start of the week Natasha!!!
Hi Aisah, with a piping tip that is very small, it is difficult to pipe a thick custard. That might have been the culprit but it should have been easy to stir and not jello in consistency. If you cut down the recipe for the filling in half also, it would have needed some modifications in cook time. I wonder if it was over cooked which could cause it to thicken too much.
That is a great observation Natasha! I’d like to do another test run once I’ve got my proper piping nozzles.
This is so exciting and nerve-wrecking all at once.
Thank you for this recipe and being by my side Natasha.
Till next time, have a joyful day!
You’re so welcome Aisah!
I’m about to make these for an Easter gathering. Question: why not poke the holes and fill from the top since the chocolate on top would then cover the holes?
Hi Nyoka, that is the traditional way and poking holes on top would be a little messier – you have to really make sure to clean off the tops before applying the chocolate glaze.
what would cause some eclairs’ bottom to raise off the baking sheet and the eclair to be slightly arched.
Hi Susan, it could possibly be due to uneven piping or making them too slender or too thick. Also, be sure to bake in the center of your oven so they bake up evenly. I hope that helps!
Great recipe! Did it as described here and the eclairs turned out perfectly.
I’m so happy to hear that Eduard! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review with me.
The dough was way to thin and the eclairs didn’t rise
Hi Brooke, normally the dough is supposed to be thick enough to pipe where it stays put. If there were no ingredient substitutions made, I suspect maybe there was an error in measuring. I would suggest reading this post on measuring dry and wet ingredients.
Excellent recipe. Easy to follow and results are delicious. I made them for my husband’s birthday and he loved it. They cooked quicker in my oven so if you have an oven like mine bake less timing
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review Remi!
Made these today and the pastry cream was excellent but that eclairs burned on the bottom and still had 20 mins remaining. They were in the middle of oven on Center rack so I’m not sure what would cause this.
Hi Trina, that is unusual. Make sure to set the oven to regular bake mode (not convection) and also to clarify, the temperature is written in Farengheight (not Celcius).
Next time I make these eclairs I’m going to put lipstick on and smile as I make them just like you! You make fabulous items in such a simple easy way that it is a shame not to bake and cook every day. You are a TREASURE, thank you!
Awww thank you Barbara! Your comment made me smile big 🙂 I hope you love the eclairs!
it says “One flour is incorporated, place back over medium heat about 1 1/2 to 2 ”
One flour?
Hi Kaden! Thank you for pointing that out! That should say “once”.
Am I able to triple the recipe or do I have to do it one at a time?
Hi Rima, I haven’t tried tripling it so I’m not sure. I think it would be challenging to work with more than double the recipe. If you do multiply it, keep in mind all of the timings in each step would need to be increased.
My bf’s birthday is coming up and eclairs are his favorite dessert, so I wanted to make them for him! I would not consider myself to be a “great” baker, but I’m working on it! 😉 So the thought of making eclairs was a little daunting, but when I found your recipe and watched your video, it gave me a sense of confidence that “I can do it!”…. So I did! And they turned out better then I thought they would! Your recipe is so easy to follow, and the video helps to make sure your doing it right! 🙂 Now I can say “I made eclairs, my first French dessert!!” Thanks so much for the awesome recipe, I can’t wait to make them again!
That’s so amazing! I’m so happy your first French dessert was from our blog! Thank you for that great review!
My rating would have been a 5 except the pastry didn’t rise. Nevertheless, I coated them with the ganache and spooned the filling on top. They were still light and delicious. Do you have any idea why the pastry didn’t rise?
Hi Ira, I tested many batches and one of the causes of pastry that did not rise properly was when I piped them too large – either too long or too wide. I hope that helps!
Can I make puffs day before the gathering ?
Hi Angelina, You can make the shells inadvance and store in an air tight containers. Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but our readers have tried freezing them. I imagine a couple days is fine in the fridge. I haven’t tried this but I read that it’s best not to freeze eclairs.
90% of the time if your choux pastry doesnt rise it has to do with not having your ingredients at room temp and your oven at a high enough temp and properly preheated..u need to heat to get the rise
Your recipe is great ..BUT..unless you click to follow you on Pinterest, the box won’t go away & it’s a bit irritating. Just wanted to let you know. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Bea, thank you so so much for sharing that feedback with me. It is super important to hear that kind of feedback and I have removed the pop up box effective immediately. I decided it was a little intrusive even without the closing functionality being broken (I agree that is frustrating for sure and I had no idea it wasn’t working correctly so thank you for letting me know!). I’ve made some other modifications as well to make the Pinterest visitors experience better and I have you to thank 🙂
The dough came out so thick it couldn’t be piped. I had to throw the whole thing out. It has been years since I had a recipe that I had to abandon and throw away.
Hi Jon, I haven’t had that happen but I am always happy to help troubleshoot. I highly recommend watching the video to see if maybe you could spot a deviation from the recipe. Be sure to add the ingredients in the order listed and to measure correctly with dry versus wet ingredients. I hope that helps!
Wow I made eclairs! They came out amazing thank you!
Thank you for that wonderful review! I’m so happy you enjoyed them, Tara!
My husband is a huge eclair fan so we decided to give these a go. The recipe was easy to follow and they turned out perfectly! I was shocked they looked so professional! I can say they were just as good two days later (made on Sunday, tasted on Tuesday). I couldn’t find my piping bag so I used a ziploc bag and cut the corner off at about 1/2 inch. They were a little wider than called for but cooked perfectly at the exact time noted. Thanks for perfection! We’re making them again today for a dinner party!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Will maple syrup work instead of vanilla bean?
Hi Anastasia, I honestly have not tried that substitution so I can’t speak to it, but be careful not to over-do so you don’t throw off the proportion of liquid or it may not set properly. Vanilla extract works well (I have instructions in the post on that) and it will give you more flavor for the quantity than maple syrup.
Hi Anastasia I have used Maple Syrup instead of sugar for the Pastry Cream by adding just 1 teaspoon extra cornstarch and it worked perfectly well.
So yummy. The filling taste like creme brule. Please make a video with a eclair cake. Alot of people would love that
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Mine rose beautifully but after I lowered the temperature to 325 degrees, they all deflated and are unfillable. Made them in 2 separate ovens and both deflated. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Natalia, If everything else was the same, it could be due to making them too large – that was my mistake for a couple of trials. I hope that helps!
This happenned to me as well. Exactly when I lowered the temp. Not sure why. What I did was I maintained one temp at 350-375F all throughout. Babies came out perfect 🙂 I suspect the problem was because of my oven. Hope this helps.
Worked as a charm, delicious!!! First time ever daring to make eclairs and your recipe is great Natasha, simple and well explained. Thank you
Hi Gwen, I am so happy to hear that!! That makes my day. I’m so glad you loved the eclairs recipe and had success from the first time!
How long can you store the pastry and the pastry cream?
Hi! Ours haven’t lasted long enough to try that but our readers have tried freezing them. I imagine a couple days is fine in the fridge. I haven’t tried this but I read that it’s best not to freeze eclairs.
I’m looking to make cream puffs and know the choix dough is generally the same. I love your recipes and would like to use yours. Do you know I would need to make any modifications to this to make cream puffs (other than piping and perhaps filling)?
Hi Megan, the dough is exactly the same to make cream puffs, you would just bake less (I want to say it was 20 minutes once you turn it down to the lower temperature rather than 30 minutes) and it also depends on how large you make them.
Thanks. I prob won’t make then this weekend now that it’s going to rain. But I’ll definitely try that when it’s dryer.
Would these be just as good if I froze them?
Hi Ina. I haven’t tried since my research, I read that it’s best not to freeze eclairs.
Hi Natasha! I made eclairs and pumpkin cheesecake today following your recipes. They turned out perfect!!! Thank you so much for your incredible work and have happy Thanksgiving!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Hi Natasha! I tried your recipe and they were really good. But I have a question: mine didn’t get very big. Can you tell me what I’m doing wrong? They were small and cute but I wished I could put more of this cream inside! Thank you! And by the way I love your recipes!! My family knows you as “my friend Natasha”.
Hi Rosario! Were you possibly using a smaller tip to pipe them? Also, did you make any changed to the recipe?
Ok, I watched your video again and you are probably right. They were not 3/4″ wide. I will try again. Thanks Natasha!
Natasha!!! I can’t believe they came out so perfect!!! Should I open a bakery now???:))))
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I always use your recipes and they always turn to be so simple and delicious in the way you demonstrate them. I already use many of them on daily basis. However, I had a problem with éclairs. I preheated at exactly the same temperature u mentioned, but after five minutes I saw they were burning, then I reduced temperature to 325F but I had to take them out from oven not after 25 minutes, but after 15, as they were dark golden brown already, but most of eclairs immediately went flat and they were burnt underneath:(. Do you think it’s temperature issue with my oven? As the rest seemed to be ideal. Thanks!
Hi Madlen, it definitely sounds like it could be related to oven temperature issues. I have tested these at 325 and even at 350 and they did not burn. Also, make sure you are not using a convection setting which will bake faster (you would need to reduce the oven temp by 25 degrees normally if using convection and I haven’t tested these in convection to say if any other modifications need to be made or if they would rise properly). I hope that helps! You might try an in-oven thermometer to see if your oven is putting out too much heat.
Looks so sweet!! What a coincidence that I’m planning to make some batch of classic eclair. Honestly I haven’t made them before but I really love how simple and delicate they are!
– Natalie
I hope this recipe helps you when you plan to make them!
Omg wow saw that you have an eclair recipe and wow it looks really mad easy definitely wanna make these sometime soon I’ve always wanted to make homemade eclairs just finished watching the video thanx so much hope to make them tomorrow or whenever you totally slayed babe
My pleasure!! Thank you for the great feedback! I hope you get to try these Eclairs soon!
I made these today & they were excellent! Thank you for sharing rhis recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it
These looks so good! You made it look so easy and fun to make. Well done Natasha! 🙂
You’re so nice! Thank you Dina!
Hello! For the Eclair recipe, do you have a recipe for the cream that is more of a whip cream than custard?
I think the custard really elevates this recipe but if a more whipped options is desired I may recommend trying this cream recipe here. I hope you love it! 🙂
I was wondering, could you freeze these? Thanks!
I haven’t tried since in my research, I read that it’s best not to freeze eclairs.
Hi Natasha, do you have a weight measurement for the 8 tablespoons of butter please? Also I was wondering if the pastry cream oozes out from the bottom when you bite into them?
Hi Marisa. If you click on the Metric option for measurements within the print version you will see the weight measurements of “118.29 g unsalted butter” I hope that helps!
This makes me Happy and Sad Eclairs were my Mom’s Favorite I would have loved to make these for her 🙁 but I am gonna make them and just think about her❤
I’m so sorry for your loss Linda! I hope you get to make these soon and enjoy happy memories while making them!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! This makes quite a few, which is nice for a crowd. And I assume you can pipe smaller portions to make cream puffs as well 👍
This recipe does make quite a few so it is perfect for a crowd indeed!
Video help me alot to understand better and i got some ideas of cutting foods 😛
Thank’s for the great work keep it up i will follow all of your new upcoming recipes videos
You’re so welcome! Thank you for the great reveiw!
Hi Natasha, can I use parchment paper instead of the sheets you use? Thanks 🙂
Hi Irina, yes! Parchment paper works great for making eclairs. I hope you love the recipe!
Hi there,
Don’t worry about the sideways piping of the eclairs. I’ve made them for years and they always turn out that way. Blessings 🙂
lol. I was so embarrassed about my piping and shaky hands and honestly laughing up a storm about it. Cooking can be hilarious at times. Thanks Ana!!
How much of a difference is there in using real vanilla bean vs vanilla extract? Because the real vanilla looks and sounds super yummy but they are pretty pricey:/
I’d say the difference is noticeable but you can substitute with vanilla extract. We have this note in the recipe: “1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)”
can any part of the Eclairs be made in advance?
Thank you for most excellent recipes!
The shells can be made in advance but they are best fresh!
Thank you sooooo much for posting this video!! I have always wanted to make eclairs but everyone makes them seem like their so complicated to make. Thank you for making this so simple and easy to understand!! I am going to make them tomorrow as soon as possible. 🙂
I can’t to hear how you like this recipe! Thank you for The wonderful review!
all i can say is delicious so creamy and fluffy i will make this at every meal Natasha i don’t even know what to say but i love your work your pretty face and attitude if everyone was like this in the world i promise that this world will be much better!
Luv’ ya Girl 😘😘😘
You are so kind! Thank you so much for the wonderful review and amazing feedback!
Looks delicious as I love eclairs, but this makes too many for lil ol me. I hope your husband & kids didn’t eat them all.
The video was on twitter as a live stream, but is wasn’t “live.” oops.
I can’t rate the recipe as I mentioned this makes too many for me.
We most definitely shared these! Thanks for watching our video!
I halved the recipe and made 8 perfect eclairs!