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The best Cream Puffs start out with a crisp exterior and inside is stuffed with a light, fluffy, and flavorful vanilla cream filling. Dust it with powdered sugar for a beautiful appearance. It's two bites of pure deliciousness.
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The Classic Cream Puff is dessert perfection! Made up of baked choux buns filled with fluffy, delicate vanilla cream, they are both pleasing to look at and absolutely scrumptious.
This recipe will walk you through all the steps necessary to make the cream puffs, beginning with the making of the choux pastry and ending with that delicious diplomat cream tucked inside the crisp bun.
Steps to Making Cream Puffs
There is no way to sugar coat this--pun definitely intended-- but, this recipe is a baking project. However, it will leave you with not only a delicious puff to enjoy but also a sense of accomplishment that you were able to create such an iconic dessert. Here are the steps needed to make cream puffs:
- Make and chill pastry cream
- Make choux pastry
- Pipe and bake choux pastry
- Whip cream and fold into pastry cream (diplomat cream)
- Slice open baked choux buns
- Pipe diplomat cream in buns
- Dust with powdered sugar
Making Diplomat Cream
These cream puffs call for a lightened-up pastry cream, also known as diplomat cream. However, I'm omitting the use of gelatine that is sometimes found in a classic diplomat cream to stabilize it. I did this because cream puffs are best served right away and therefore, there is no need to add a stabilizer.
To make diplomat cream, you make and chill a pastry cream, and once it's chilled, you fold in some stiffly whipped cream. This light, fluffy and flavorful cream takes the classic cream puff flavor up a notch and really makes these the best cream puffs.
Want to skip out on making the diplomat cream and instead just fill it with whipped cream? Totally up to you! Or you could fill it with a stabilized sweetened whipped cream.
What is Choux Pastry?
Choux Pastry, also known as pâte à choux (pronounced: “pat-ah-SHOO”), is a classic french pastry cooked up on the stove and then used to make many desserts such as these cream puffs or others such as eclairs, gougères (or cheese puffs), profiteroles, and more.
When baked up properly, pate a choux has a crisp and golden exterior, with thin webs of custardy pastry on the interior that bakes up largely hollow. It makes the perfect vessel for filling with something delicious.
To start, I have an entire guide dedicated to the making of Choux Pastry that really goes into the science behind what this magical pastry is and does. Don't need to know all of that background? That's fine, the recipe here tells you everything you need to know to make these cream puffs.
How to Make Choux Pastry
What I really love is how truly simple this dough is to make.
Butter, water, and milk are heated together, just until the butter melts. Then the flour is added and cooked until it reaches a temperature of 175ºF. This step takes no more than 5 minutes. The dough should smell very fragrant once it’s done. It actually smells a bit like playdough, and it will change color from very pale white to a more pale tan when it’s reached the correct consistency.
In my experience, I find measuring the temperature of the dough the most effective method of being sure it is actually done. Timing alone doesn’t suffice.
If your dough has formed a thick film on the bottom of the pot (stainless steel pans typically do) I suggest then moving your panade into a fresh bowl after the panade has been cooked. I don’t fuss about this though and just mix the eggs directly in the pot the panade is cooked in.
The dough must cool briefly before you slowly add the eggs into it. This step is where you need to make sure you add enough eggs, but not so much that you can’t pipe it. This process can be done by hand, or in an electric stand mixer if you don’t want to use those arm muscles.
Adding in the eggs can be tricky. You need to make sure you add enough egg that the dough is shiny and smooth, but not so much egg that it doesn’t hold its shape when you pipe it.
There are a few ways to tell if you’ve added enough egg. The first is that the paste should look shiny and mostly smooth. Once you’ve gotten to that point, you can check it by lifting up the dough and letting it fall back down. If it’s the correct consistency, it should gently fall down into a v-shape.
If you still aren’t sure, you can just go ahead and pipe it! You want it to be easy to pipe, but also hold its shape once it is piped. If it slumps a little, it is ok. But if it completely falls down into a puddle after it is piped, then you likely have added too much egg.
It is better to add too little egg than too much, so be sure to add the egg in at the end judiciously.
Tips for Piping Cream Puffs
The best setup for success with piping choux pastry is making sure your choux pastry is the proper consistency to start with. It should be easy to pipe, but not so thin that it won’t hold its shape.
Once you've gotten the correct consistency, you want to go ahead and fill a piping bag fitted with a ½" tip.
Then, get your tray ready. You should be able to fit this recipe all on one baking tray. Dot 4 tiny mounds of choux on each corner of the baking tray, and then place a piece of parchment on top and press it to the choux pastry This keeps the baking sheet in place.
Hold the piping bag directly vertical with the tray. Gently apply even pressure to the piping bag until the choux pastry hits the sheet tray. Just slightly, pull the bag up as the choux comes out, so it forms a mound about 1” up.
Once you've done that, stop the pressure and gently flick your wrist in a circle around the mound, to prevent a peak from forming. If a peak does form, no worries. Use a wet finger to gently push it down. This prevents the peaks from burning in the oven.
You want to keep at least 1" of space between the mounds of choux pastry on your sheet tray, as they will expand slightly.
Don't want to pipe it? Instead of piping, you can scoop the pastry it with a scooper! This will produce a more rounded dollop, which will bake up a bit more like an irregular tall choux bun.
How to Bake the Choux Pastry
You want to create a consistent source of heat, especially at the start of the bake to help that choux pastry rise up.
This recipe starts with the oven at a higher temperature, to ensure the oven is hot and there is a big burst of heat as the choux enters the oven. Once the choux pastry is in the oven, the temperature is lowered to the temperature you plan to bake it.
Once the dough is set on the outside, you want to make sure the interior of the choux dries out. Sometimes, it can be useful to poke a hole in the choux at the end of the bake to allow the steam to escape. But for smaller choux pastry bakes, such as 1-2″ cream puffs, I do not believe that is necessary. However, if you are after a super dry interior choux, you should definitely do this.
Finally, one last trick is to let the choux dry out in the oven for 15-30 minutes after the bake. Yes, this means a few extra things you need to pay attention to when baking this choux, but the end result is worth it.
Options for Filling Cream Puffs
As stated above, this Cream Puff recipe uses diplomat cream for a very light, yet super flavorful filling.
You can use just that to fill your cream puffs, or you can take it to another level and add in a berry or even a small scoop of jam. That lovely contrast of flavor and texture here is certainly a welcome addition.
Want to just fill them with pastry cream? That's fine too! This pastry cream recipe will make enough to fill this batch of choux buns.
Alternatively, you can also fill your choux buns with whipped cream, or stabilized whipped cream too--with or without fruit. So many possibilities for such a small dessert!
Make Ahead Tips
Choux buns can be baked and frozen up to 1 month in advance. Defrost at room temperature, and then place them back into the oven at 350 to crisp up and dry out an excess moisture from the freezer.
The pastry cream can be made two days ahead, but the diplomate cream must be assembled no more than 3 hours before you plan to serve.
FAQ
Here are some of the pitfalls you can come up against when making choux buns!
The egg won't incorporate into the flour!
Keep going! This is especially true why it's important to add the egg slowly, so it is more easily combined. It might seem like it won't ever come together, especially if you are making it by hand, but it should, unless you added all the eggs in at once.
How do I know if I've added enough egg to the pastry?
First off, it's better to add too little than too much. But you'll know you've added just enough when the dough is shiny and mostly smooth. Once you’ve gotten to that point, you can check it by lifting up the dough and letting it fall back down. If it’s the correct consitency, it should gently fall down into a v-shape.
My choux pastry falls down after it's piped. Will it still bake up?
The short answer is, probably not. Or at least, it might bake up, but then collapse after it is baked. I don't recommend adding in raw flour to your choux if you've added to much egg. I unfortunately recommend you start over and make sure not to add too much egg in the next batch.
Why did my choux buns collapse after they came out of the oven?
A few reasons are possible. The first is that there was too much moisture in your dough to start with. Did the flour get cooked correctly in the first cook on the stove? Did you add the correct amount of eggs? If you think you made the choux properly, it might have to do with the bake. If you open the oven door too early in the baking process, it can cause the choux to collapse. Or similarly, if your oven wasn't at a high enough temperature it can cause the choux to collapse after it comes out of the oven.
More Pastry Recipes:
- Classic Fruit Tart
- Eclair Pie
- Chocolate Pop Tarts
I am so honored when you make a recipe from my site! If you make these Cream Puffs, please leave a comment and a star rating with your experience! If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment here, too!
Full Recipe
The Best Cream Puffs
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The best Cream Puffs start out with a crisp exterior and inside is stuffed with a light, fluffy, and flavorful vanilla cream filling. Dust it with powdered sugar for a beautiful appearance. It's two bites of pure deliciousness.
- Author: Kelli Avila
- Prep Time: 00:25
- Cook Time: 00:35
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: About 3 dozen cream puffs
- Category: Pastry
- Method: Oven
Ingredients
Cream Puff Filling (Diplomat Cream)
- ⅓ cup (70 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch
- Pinch salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 1-½ cups (345 grams) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- 1-½ cups (345 grams) heavy cream
Choux Pastry:
- ½ cup (115 grams) water
- ½ cup (115 grams) whole milk
- ½ cup (112 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-¼ cup (150 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 4 large eggs
- Egg wash (if needed)
For Assembly:
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh fruit (optional)
Instructions
Make the Cream Filling (Diplomat Cream):
- Add sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a medium pot and whisk together. Whisk in egg yolks, whole egg and milk until fully combined.
- Turn on the heat to medium and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, and occasionally taking a spatula and scraping up any thickened cream in the edges of the pan. Cook until the pastry cream has completely thickened and large bubbles are forming and popping, about 4-6 minutes.
- Remove from heat; immediately pour the thickened mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, using a spatula to push all the pudding out while leaving behind any bits of cooked egg.
- Whisk in the butter and the vanilla extract (or vanilla bean) into the pastry cream until fully combined.
- Transfer the pastry cream into a shallow bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the top of the cream. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before chilling in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Once chilled, whisk together the pastry cream to loosen it up..
- Add the heavy cream to a large bowl (or an electric mixing bowl) and whip until stiff peaks form. Add pastry cream to the bowl with the whipped cream and gently fold together.
- Transfer the finished diplomat cream to a piping bag and store in the refrigerator until ready to use (no more than 1 hour ahead).
Make the Choux Pastry:
- Add water, milk, butter and salt to a medium pot. Turn the heat on to medium, and stir the mixture while the butter melts. Once the butter is melted, remove from the heat briefly to stir in the flour. Return the pot to the heat, and cook this flour mixture while stirring and mashing the dough up against the bottom of the pot, until it forms itself into a ball, and the dough has reached a temperature of 175º, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Let the dough cool slightly until it reaches a temperature below 150ºF, about 5-10 minutes (see notes about alternative methods that are less labor intensive).
- Whisk eggs together in a liquid measuring cup. Pour about ¼ of the whisked eggs into the dough, and vigorously stir the dough together with a wooden spoon until the egg is fully mixed into the dough. Repeat this process of adding in about ¼ of the eggs, while mixing, two more times. When the last remaining ¼ of the eggs are left, add in a tablespoon of the egg at a time, and mix together until the dough looks shiny and drapes off a spoon to forms a “V” shape. Do not add in so much egg that the mixture is very loose. You may not use all of the whisked eggs, and can use any leftover as an egg wash.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small circular piping tip (either ¼”-½” opening).
Piping and Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and place a rack to the lower middle part of the oven.
- Pipe 4 tiny mounds of choux on each corner of the baking tray, and then place a piece of parchment on top and press it to the choux pastry (this keeps the parchment in place).
- Pipe 1-½” mounds of dough, about 1” apart on the baking sheet. With a wet finger, gently press down on any of the dough that has formed a peak. Gently brush an egg wash on the choux buns (or use any leftover whisked egg here).
- Place the choux pastry on the middle rack and immediately lower the temperature to 375ºF and bake for 30 minutes, or until the choux is lightly golden all over.
- Shut off the oven, crack open the door and let them cool for 15 minutes in the oven, to dry out.
- Remove from the oven. If desired, poke a hole in each puff to let the steam escape. This is optional.
Fill:
- Slice open the baked choux buns horizontally. Pipe in the diplomat cream and add in a berry, if desired. Place the choux bun top back on the puff, and generously dust the choux puffs with powdered sugar. Cream puffs can keep for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator, but they’re best when served right away.
Notes
Check out the body of this post if you have any questions as it is very full of more in-depth information. You can also check out this Choux Pastry Guide if you are a beginner choux maker and have questions.
Want to skip out on making the diplomat cream and instead just fill it with whipped cream? Totally up to you! Or you could fill it with a stabilized sweetened whipped cream.
You can make the choux pastry directly in the pot you cooked the flour in, however it will take a bit longer to cool than if you transferred it to another bowl. I choose to make it directly in the pot because that means one less bowl to dirty! However, don’t do this if your pan has formed a very thick film on the bottom. Instead, transfer it to a bowl. Alternatively, if you didn’t want to make this by hand, you could mix the eggs in an electric mixer. They both work the same, in terms of needing to make sure to fully incorporate the egg into the mixture before adding more and making sure to not add too much egg that the mixture is runny.
Piping tips: Hold the piping bag directly vertical with the tray. Gently apply even pressure to the piping bag until the choux pastry hits the sheet tray. Just slightly, pull the bag up as the choux comes out, so it forms a mound about 1” up. Once done, stop the pressure and gently flick your wrist in a circle around the mound, to prevent a peak from forming. If a peak does form, no worries. Use a wet finger to gently push it down. This prevents the peaks from burning in the oven.
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