This dessert is one we ALL love! This cream puff recipe is one we make most often for showers and parties – partly because they are AMAZING frozen (and of course they are delicious)!
However intimidating they seem, cream puffs are actually very easy to make – almost like magic! We’ve laid it all out in simple steps with plenty of tips to help you create the perfect pastry right at home.
The pâte à choux (the pastry part) comes together very quickly and easily, and bakes up into wonderful treats that are light, crisp and so impressive.
You will love the golden shells, the tender bite, and that cloud of lightly sweetened cream inside. They look fancy, yet the method is straightforward and kid approved.
Cream puffs are the perfect bite-sized desserts for showers, parties, and get-togethers. For more bite-sized treats, try Sheet Cake Bites, Mini Lemon Drop Cakes, or Cherry Cheesecake Cookie Cups!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Surprisingly easy to make. Don’t be intimidated, these elegant treats are much simpler to whip up than you think!
- A delicious favorite. The delicate pastry shells are perfectly puffed and wonderfully light, practically melting in your mouth.
- Bakery-style dessert. They look incredibly fancy, making them perfect for wowing guests or just treating yourself to something special! They also freeze amazingly well for long-term storage!!
Cream Puff Ingredients
Shell
- Water (1 cup cold): Provides moisture to create steam in the oven, which puffs the shells and makes them hollow inside.
- Unsalted butter (5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon): Adds richness and flavor, and the fat coats the flour for a smooth, shiny dough.
- Granulated sugar (1 tablespoon): Lightly sweetens the shells and helps with browning.
- Salt (⅛ teaspoon): Balances sweetness and sharpens overall flavor.
- All-purpose flour (1 cup): The structure builder; it sets into a crisp shell that holds the creamy filling.
- Eggs (4): The lift and structure; eggs emulsify the dough, add shine, and help the puffs rise tall in the oven. Room temperature eggs work best.
Filling
- Heavy cream (1 cup): Whipped into a soft, stable filling that is light yet indulgent.
- Powdered sugar (¼ cup, or to taste): Sweetens the whipped cream and dissolves smoothly for a silky finish. Sifted is best to remove clumps.
- optional filling – Add fresh berries, or use Lemon Curd, vanilla custard, or chocolate pastry cream.
How to Make Cream Puffs
PREP. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
DOUGH. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once a simmer is reached, remove from the heat. Stir in the flour all at once until the mixture forms a ball. Let stand five minutes
Using a wooden spoon or a hand mixer, add the large eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Mix until the dough is smooth and shiny.
Using a pastry bag and a large tip (or just a Ziploc bag with a hole cut in the corner) to pipe small rounds of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing about one inch apart. Use your finger to press down the little peaks at the top of the dough, so the puffs are smooth.
BAKE. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F for 15 minutes. The puffs are done when they are lightly golden brown and the insides are hollow. Let the puffs cool completely on wire racks.
FILLING. While the puffs cool, beat the whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer or wire whisk). Once the cream reaches your desired firmness, gradually beat in powdered sugar until it’s perfectly sweet.
- We use about 1 cup whipping cream with ¼ to 1/3 powdered sugar. It’s the perfect filling!
- Split each cream puff in half using a serrated knife, and place a scoop of whipped cream onto the bottom half of the puff. Top with the other half and dust with powdered sugar. Bon appétit!
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Dry the dough briefly: after stirring in the flour, return the pan to low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, to evaporate excess moisture and ensure crisp shells.
- Cream puffs should be the same size so they cook at the same rate. Keep in mind that once the dough has been piped onto the baking sheet, do not add more dough to the original puff.
- The dough should have a glossy sheen and be easily piped. It should keep its shape. The dough will not turn out if it is too dry or too wet. See the FAQS for tips.
- Pipe evenly: keep the tip close to the sheet and pipe straight up and down for uniform rounds that bake at the same rate.
- Cool completely, then add the cream. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to two hours. Any longer, and the crispy shell will begin to soften.
- Prick the shells immediately to allow steam to escape. The trapped steam may cause the shell to soften and collapse.
Cream Puffs Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar, or more or less to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, granulated sugar, and salt and bring to a simmer. (Be sure the sugar and salt dissolve before the mixture begins to simmer.)
- Once a simmer is reached, remove from the heat and stir in flour, all at once, until the mixture forms a ball. Let them stand for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well by hand or with a hand mixer between each addition. Mix until the dough is smooth and shiny.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip (or a resealable plastic bag with a hole cut in the corner). Be sure there are no bubbles in the piping bag and that the piping tip is in contact with the dough at all times to eliminate rippling.
- Pipe small (1–1½-inch) rounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Use your finger to press down the little peaks at the top of the dough, so the puffs are smooth. (Tip: Make sure all the cream puffs are the same size, so they all cook at the same rate.)
- Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for 15 minutes more. The puffs are done when lightly browned and the insides are hollow. Pull out of the oven and use a toothpick or thin skewer to poke a hole in each shell. Let the puffs cool completely.
Filling
- While the puffs cool, beat cream with a hand mixer or wire whisk until firm peaks form. Beat in the powdered sugar a little at a time until the whipped cream is as sweet as you prefer.
- When the puffs are cool, split each cream puff in half using a serrated knife.
- Place a scoop of whipped cream onto the bottom half of each puff. Top with the other half and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Make sure all the cream puffs are the same size so they all cook at the same rate. Keep in mind that once the dough has been piped onto the baking sheet, do not add more dough to the original puff.
- The dough should have a glossy sheen and be easily piped, and it should also keep its shape. If the dough is too dry or too wet, it will not turn out. See the FAQS for tips.
- Cool completely before adding the cream. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to two hours. Any longer, and the crispy shell will begin to soften.
- Prick the shells immediately to allow steam to escape. Otherwise, the trapped steam can cause the shell to soften and collapse.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
If the dough is too dry, the baked pastry will be dry and crumbly. If needed, add an extra egg. In a separate bowl, whisk an egg. Next, mix the whisked egg into the batter, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
The pastry dough needs to hold its shape when it’s piped onto the baking sheet. If the first couple of dollops are runny, stop and fix the dough. DO NOT add extra flour; instead, mix up an altered half batch:
Add ½ cup water, 3 tablespoons butter, ½ tablespoon sugar, a pinch of salt, and ½ cup flour to a pot (NO eggs), and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and let it cool down.
Finally, add the cooled, no-egg, dough to the runny dough a bit at a time, mixing it into the dough well, until you get the right, pipeable consistency.
Store unbaked pastry dough in an airtight container or pastry bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store baked, unfilled shells in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To revive their crispness, place in the oven at 350°F for only 5-8 minutes (watch carefully), cool, and fill.
It is best to serve filled puffs immediately. They can be made a couple of hours ahead of time and refrigerated.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
To freeze, flash freeze, and then place cream puffs in an airtight freezer-safe container and store for 2-3 months. Leftover puffs will not have a crispy texture. Do not heat leftover puffs or the cream will melt out. They still make a delicious treat.
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This recipe was originally published February 2013.
Adapted from Ambrosia Baking
Love this recipe…..but, why do my puffs collapse once out of the oven? Would I cook them longer?
I followed this recipe twice to the EXACT directions… but the pastery part didnt rise and they were flat both tmes. I incirporated the eggs 1 at a time after letting the heated mix cool for 5 min. My eggs are fresh and i measured exactly. Oven is calibrated.
I’m so sorry to hear the recipe didn’t rise for you! Sometimes the choux pastry dough doesn’t rise well if it is too wet/sticky, or the oven temp isn’t hot enough. Weather, altitude, etc. can affect baking, so maybe try bumping the oven temp up slightly? Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
Great taste
can you freeze these and also i only have salted butter will it make a difference
Yes, you can freeze these a few different ways. There are more details on how to do that in the post. You can use salted butter… it may be a bit saltier tasting, but in that case, I’d suggest leaving out the salt that the recipe calls for.
Really excellent. More please.
I could overdose on these cream puffs! Unbelievably delicious!
I love homemade cream puffs! This recipe looks amazing!
These bring me right back to my childhood. My mom used to make these all the time! Yum!!
I love this recipe, however I couldnt give it a 5, as my sister in law makes a better shell!
Its more like “ popovers” or “Yorkshire pudding”
PS: love this site!