Cream Puff Recipe

Perfect Cream Puff Recipe: These bake up light as air every time! Filled with sweet whipped cream & dusted with powdered sugar. The ultimate!

Just in time for the weekend, I’m bringing you a classic dessert recipe that just can’t go wrong, no matter the occasion or the time of year: cream puffs!

Like so many other French pastries such as Madeleine cookies, brioche bread, and macarons, cream puffs have a specific set of ingredients and a specific technique. But unlike those others, this recipe is very easy to make.

If you’re aware of the major pitfalls (more on that below), you’ll be able to make this cream puff recipe like a pro! It’s pretty much foolproof!

Prep Time: 20mins

Cook Time: 40mins

Total Time: 1hr

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: French

Servings: 12 cream puffs

Ingredients:

For the Choux Pastry Puffs:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs, large
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for garnish
• For the Cream Puff Filling:
• 8 ounces cream cheese*
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 3/4 cups heavy cream, cold
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (extract can be substituted)

Instructions:

To Make the Choux Pastry Puffs:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a small pot and cook over medium-high heat until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is simmering.
3. Add in the flour all at once, and continue to cook, whisking, for about 5 minutes, or until the dough gathers itself into a ball and a film begins to form on the bottom of the pot.
4. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed.
5. Drop in the eggs, one at a time, while continuing to beat. (Allow each egg to become fully incorporated before adding the next.)
6. Pipe or spoon the dough in 1 1/2-inch balls onto the prepared baking sheets, allowing about 3 inches in between each puff.
7. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, hollow, dry, and light.
8. Allow the pastries to cool completely, then slice open horizontally, sandwich with cream puff filling, and dust with powdered sugar.

To Make the Cream Puff Filling:

1. Place the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth.
2. Turn the mixer down to medium-low speed and pour the heavy cream down the side of the bowl in a very slow and steady stream, stopping every now and then to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
3. When all the cream has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip until the filling holds stiff peaks.
4. Fold in the vanilla.

Notes:

*Full-fat cream cheese in brick form works best.

Nutritional Info:

Serving: 1cream puff | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 587IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg