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Cream Puffs
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Cream Puffs

Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword cream-puffs, cream-puffs-recipe, easy-cream-puffs
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Cooling time 1 hour
Servings 20 puffs
Calories 150kcal

Ingredients

  • Puffs Pastry: (Pate a Choux)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 5 large eggs (room temperature) Use one egg for egg wash
  • 1 tsp cold water
  • Pastry cream:
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/16 tsp salt
  • 2 cups whole milk or half and half
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Set aside.
  • Dough: In a medium-size saucepan bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a rolling boil.
  • Remove from heat, mix in flour. Return to burner on medium and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the flour begins to pull away from the sides and forms a film on the bottom of the saucepan. The pate a choux should form a ball.
  • Scrape into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the dough for 1 minute on medium speed to cool slightly before adding 4 eggs one at a time. Stop after each egg to scrape the sides of the bowl. The dough may separate after adding each egg but, will come together when beaten. 
  • Mix until the dough is smooth and glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated.
  • Use a piping bag fitted with a plain tip to pipe rounds 2 inches in diameter on baking sheets. Leave 2 inches between each puff. Alternately, use a Tbsp using 2 Tbsp dough for each round. Rounds should be approximately 2-inch circles about 1/2 inch high. Leave 2 inches between to allow for spreading.
  • Beat remaining egg with water. Gently smooth tips of pastry with finger dipped in egg wash then brush each puff with remaining egg wash.
  • Bake for 15 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 375°F. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until golden and they sound hollow when gently tapped.
  • Pierce each puff on the side, using the tip of a knife or a skewer to allow steam to release. You won't need a large slit, just a small inconspicuous hole. Cool completely on the baking sheet.
  • Pastry Cream Filling: Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium-size heavy bottomed saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg yolks in a glass measuring cup; add to saucepan along with butter and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil 1 minute, still whisking; then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of cream to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Just before using, whisk until smooth.
  • Fill: use a sharp knife to cut puffs through the middle leaving one side intact. Fill puffs with pastry cream using an open star tip or Tbsp.
  • Dust with powdered sugar. Serve chilled.

Notes

  • Both the puff shells and the pastry cream can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store separately, with pastry cream chilled in the fridge and puffs at room temperature in an airtight container.
  • Unfilled puff shells may also be cooled and frozen. Thaw in the fridge. They may also be re-crisped in a 425°F oven for a few minutes before filled, if desired. Watch closely.
  • Puffs may be filled up to 1 hour in advance of serving.
  • You may also use a tablespoon to make rounds allowing about 2 tablespoon dough for each.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 333IU | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg