Here’s a classic, foolproof cream puff recipe with light, crisp shells and a smooth vanilla cream filling.
Classic Cream Puffs (Choux à la Crème)
Ingredients
Choux Pastry (Shells)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Cream Filling
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
(Optional: pastry cream instead of whipped cream for a more elegant filling)
Instructions
1. Make the Choux Dough
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar, and salt to a rolling boil.
- Reduce heat to low; add flour all at once.
- Stir vigorously until dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from sides (about 1 minute).
- Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.
- Beat in eggs one at a time until dough is smooth and glossy.
2. Bake the Shells
- Pipe or spoon 1½–2 tbsp mounds onto the baking sheet.
- Bake 10 minutes at 425°F, then reduce to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake another 20–25 minutes, until puffed and deep golden.
- Turn oven off, crack door, let shells dry 10 minutes.
- Cool completely.
3. Make the Filling
- Beat cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer to piping bag.
4. Fill & Serve
- Slice shells in half or poke a hole in the bottom and pipe in cream.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Tips for Perfect Cream Puffs
- Don’t open the oven during baking.
- Eggs should be room temperature for smooth dough.
- Shells must be well-browned so they don’t collapse.
- For extra elegance: drizzle with chocolate ganache.
Variations
- Chocolate cream puffs: add cocoa to filling or drizzle with chocolate.
- Custard-filled: use vanilla pastry cream instead of whipped cream.
- Craquelin topping: adds a crisp, bakery-style finish.
If you want, I can also give you a pastry-cream filling, chocolate éclairs, or mini bite-size cream puffs.
