Cream Puffs are a classic French dessert filled with sweet cream and dusted with powdered sugar. You haven’t enjoyed a cream puff until you’ve tried one freshly baked. The Choux pastry dough is easier than you think; just watch the video tutorial.
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Homebaked pastries are the closest thing to getting them freshly baked from a Parisian Bakery! My husband and I finally went to Paris in 2024, and we sure enjoyed visiting French Patisseries (a bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets).
I just love re-creating classic French pastries like Eclairs, Croissants, Scones, and, of course, these Cream Puffs, which are surprisingly simple to make.
Watch How to Make Cream Puffs
Homemade cream puffs are the ultimate treat. Watch the video tutorial, and you’ll realize how easy they are to make. You’ll make them over and over! Have fun and let me know if you get creative and experiment with different fillings or toppings. There are so many varieties!
Cream Puff Recipe
Cream puffs are an iconic and well-loved pastry found in French bakeries, but they are surprisingly easy to master at home. The pastry, also called pâte à choux dough, requires simple, inexpensive ingredients (milk, water, butter, sugar, salt, flour, and eggs), and it takes about one hour of your time from start to finish.
If you have made my Classic Eclairs, then you already know how to make these. The dough is the same and this cream puff recipe has an even easier filling. We use an easy sweetened whipped cream filling, but you can also make Pastry Cream to fill the centers if you want a more traditional filling.
Tools to Make Cream Puffs
You’ll be happy to know that you can make cream puffs with basic kitchen tools:
- 3 Qt Medium saucepan with a wooden spoon
- Electric Hand Mixer (or stand mixer with whisk attachment)
- Pastry Bag with 1/2″ Round Tip (without the tip, you can cut a 1/2″ diameter tip from a disposable pastry bag)
- Baking Sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper
What is Choux Pastry?
Choux Pastry (also known as Pâte à Choux) is a French pastry dough. It is pronounced “shoo pastry.” It sounds fancy but it is surprisingly easy to make and requires simple ingredients. Choux pastry is also used to make:
- Eclairs filled with custard and dipped in chocolate
- Profiteroles (like cream puffs but filled with ice cream, drizzled with chocolate ganache and frozen)
- Churros which are deep fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar
- Zeppole – an Italian donut
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts – a family favorite in my Cookbook
Why do Cream Puffs Deflate?
There are 2 reasons cream puffs can deflate and go flat:
- Opening the oven early – the loss of heat hinders their ability to rise
- Under-baking – causes collapse shortly after removing from oven
Pro Tip:
If making larger, 2″ wide cream puffs, you will get 18 puffs which need to be baked longer (10 min at 425˚F then 25 minutes at 325˚F).
How do I know when Cream Puffs are Done?
The color is the best indicator of doneness and they should be deeply golden. You can take 1 cream puff out at the recommended time and break it open, the center should be mostly hollowed out. If the dough inside seems very moist and spongy, continue baking for another 2 minutes.
Can I Store the Cream Puffs Before Filling?
The shells can be made a day or 2 ahead. Let them cool to room temperature, cover lightly and store at room temperature. They tend to soften if made ahead.
To re-crisp the shell: bake uncovered in a preheated oven at 300˚F for about 5 minutes. Once cream puffs are filled, they are best enjoyed the same day or frozen.
Can I Freeze Cream Puffs?
When freezing filled cream puffs, be sure to fill the cream into the center, or cut off tops and add just enough cream so it is completely covered and hidden with the lid. You want to have the cream contained.
To thaw frozen cream puffs: leave them for 2 hours in the refrigerator, or 30 minutes at room temperature then dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
More Classic Desserts to Try
The French are known for their incredible dessert and pastries. These Parisian desserts are simple and will make you feel like a pro!
- Charlotte Cake
- Almond Cake
- Creme Brulee
- Cranberry Orange Scones
- Strawberry Scones
- Raspberry Macarons
- Crepe Cake
Cream Puffs Recipe
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, measured correctly
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Ingredients for Cream Filling and Garnish:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 4 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 28 raspberries, optional
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar, to garnish
Instructions
How to Make Cream Puffs:
- Preheat oven to 425˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper.
- 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 just to a boil over medium heat then remove from heat and stir in 1 cup flour all at once with a wooden spoon.
- One flour is incorporated, place back over medium heat stirring constantly for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to release extra moisture and partially cook flour. A thin film will form on the bottom of the pan and dough will come together into a smooth ball.
- Transfer dough to a large mixing bowl and beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute to cool mixture slightly. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, allowing to fully incorporate between additions. Beat another minute until dough is smooth and forms a thick ribbon when pulled up.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2" round tip. Pipe 28 puffs, each 1 1/2” diameter and 1/2” tall rounds. Keep them 1" apart and avoid making peaks* but if you do get peaks, wet finger tips lightly with water and smooth them out.
- Bake at 425˚F for 10 minutes in the center of the oven. Without opening oven, reduce temp to 325˚F and, bake 20-22 min longer or until golden brown on top. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
How to Make Filling for Cream Puffs:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 4 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy with stiff peaks (2 min). Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip.
- Once cream puffs are completely cooled, fill them with cream. There are 2 ways to fill them: (#1) pipe the cream into the puffs by pushing the pastry tip into the side and piping until cream pushes back, or (#2) Cut off tops of puffs and pipe cream inside using a pastry bag, push a raspberry down into the center if desired, then cover with the tops. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
hi natasha
when I’m about to put my third egg the batter already turns out like when I put the fourth egg if I out the fourth egg the batter will turn slimy and watery. is there something wrong with my eggs
thanks
Hi Wipha, I would make sure your eggs are still good and you are using large, not extra-large eggs.
Hi! These tasted great but stuck to the bottom of my pan and i used parchment paper, is there a way to fix that? Should i add oil?
Hi Emilie, it shouldn’t stick, but parchment would be the best option. It’s also best not to grease the pan since that may cause the dough to go flat. If you have a silicone baking mat, that would work. Otherwise, a non-stick baking sheet might be your best bet.
Hi Natasha 🙂
I would love to make the cream Puffs, but I only need like 10.
Could you please send me the recipe for 10 or half the amount?
Hi Lisett, yes, you can halve this recipe.
I made these for my family for Father’s Day yesterday and added the eclair topping. They were fantastic and super easy to make! Thanks for sharing. I love this recipe!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Amazing recipe My granddaughter loves them. Have made 3 times already.
So easy and so good
Thank you
Thanks for your fantastic feedback and review, Dara!
I’m curious about the baking of the cream puffs. When they go in the oven they are on the middle rack, but when you take them out they are on the top rack.
Hi Terry, it was in the center, we just had the camera tilted down more so it’s harder to see the rack that is above it.
First time trying out and they turned out amazing!
Yay, that is fantastic! I’m glad you liked it, Lily.
I made these today and they turned out perfect!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Paige!
i tried this recipe. followed it exactly and it was a fail. it was half cooked burnt mess that had no flavor. don’t recommend to make because it did not work.
Hi Jenny, I have never had that experience and we use this dough for cream puffs, eclairs, churros, and zeppole. I would highly recommend watching the video tutorial to see where things may have started looking different. Also, with all baking, I highly recommend watching our tutorial for how to measure ingredients.
Hi.. Making the cream puffs now… Did everything according to the recipe.. But my choux is so thin.. Watery like.. How come. Where did i go wrong
Hi Alefiya! Were any substitutions made to the recipe by chance? One reader reported that their dough was too runny with 1%, so if you try it, I would keep it on the stove an extra 30 seconds to let some of the extra steam escape.
Tried this recipe and loved it… it was perfect. Light and fluffy with the whipped cream center, and
I topped these with chocolate ganache… Bliss!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Sweeny!
Hello, I tried this recipe using fresh eggs from my chickens, but I noticed that the eggs they lay are smaller than the ones you would get at a grocery store(I attempted the recipe again after running to the grocery store for more eggs and it worked out great.) So if we are using smaller eggs should we use enough eggs to get the thick ribbon or is there a certain ratio of yolk or whites that is needed for the dough?
Hi Ryan, fresh chicken eggs can vary a ton. I suggest finding a calculator online for converting and maybe try by weight?
Hi! Has anyone tried this with GF flour and a dairy-free milk? I’m curious to know if it’d work well and any changes that might have been made to accommodate the different flour. Thanks!
Hi Gina, I haven’t tested that with almond/gluten-free flour or dairy-free to advise. If you experiment, please let us know how you like that.
I tried this with gluten free flour and almond milk in a 1:1 substitution and it turned out perfectly. It looks a bit sticky in the electric mixer and you have to pause the mixer and use a chopstick or stick to remove the clump of batter from the center of the mixing whisk (drop it back into the bowl) so it mixes evenly after each egg is added. Again it came out beautiful and tastes great!
That is awesome, Warren! I’m glad it turned out great using gluten-free flour and almond milk. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Hi its me again 🙂
Would it affect the recipe if i do half so that i only get 14 cream puffs?
Hi! I haven’t tried halving it but it should work!
Just made it with half the recipe. And worked perfectly!
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hello,
I just made this recipe and half of them didn’t rise as much and stayed fairly flat. What do you think the issue was?
I haven’t had that experience but it sounds like ingredients may have been added in the wrong order? I have found that if ingredients are not added in the correct order, the dough won’t form properly. I hope that helps. They should not be flat. That is what I suspect happened. I suggest watching the video tutorial to see where things may have gone wrong.
Can I use ganche, then can I put it in the fridge and serve immediately, without putting powdered sugar?
Hi Amy, a chocolate ganache would be yummy similar to what we did on our Eclairs. You can serve immediately.
I made these today and OMG! So easy and so delicious! My family loved them!! Now I’m searching for other flavors to try! Thanks Natasha!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi I made the cream puff . The dough came out well . My house smelled like bakery .I didn’t have heavy cream so used fresh cream and icing sugar for the filling . It was a ready to eat filling and taste good but cannot be kept for a longer time . Thanks for the recipe.
Hello Betty, thank you for sharing that with us. I’m glad that it was a success!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Can I use the whipped cream in the eclairs?
Hi Amy, that may work although we found it best with the cream filling.
Hi, I want to make these but every time i make whipping cream it melts really quickly. Any tips to prevent that? Thanks
Hi, it’s best to use HEAVY whipping cream which has a higher fat content and whips much better (and holds its form better) than regular whipping cream.
Thank you 🙂
I had this problem too, but another tip I found that worked great was putting the bowl of whipping cream in a icebath to keep it cooled longer too!
use confectionate sugar about 1-2 a cup in your heavy cream as you mix it will not wilt