Discover the magic of homemade Cream Puffs with this delightful and surprisingly simple recipe! These light, airy, and tender pastry shells are the perfect canvas for a variety of sweet fillings, making them an impressive dessert for any occasion. Whether you're a seasoned baker or new to the kitchen, our step-by-step guide ensures perfectly puffed results every time.
While a traditional cream filling is always a hit, we've included exciting ideas to spark your culinary creativity! Explore our festive Eggnog Fluff Filling for a holiday twist, or whip up a refreshing Peppermint Whipped Cream Filling for a cool, minty treat. Looking for even more versatility? These choux pastry shells are also fantastic when filled with ice cream, sherbet, fresh berries, or a decadent chocolate sauce. Get ready to bake, fill, and impress with these versatile cream puffs!
Below are the ingredients that come together to make these delightful cream puffs.
Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour: The cornerstone of our light, airy choux pastry, providing the ideal structure and delicate crispness for truly exceptional cream puffs.
Butter: Essential for creating the steam that makes these puffs wonderfully hollow and for adding a rich, tender quality to the pastry.
Eggs: These provide crucial structure and help the pastry puff up beautifully, giving it that classic airy interior.
Whipping Cream: The versatile base for both our optional fillings, whipped to perfection to create a light, airy, and luxurious texture.
Vanilla Instant Pudding and Pie Filling Mix: For the Eggnog Fluff, this convenient mix forms a creamy, stable foundation.
Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Water, milk, powdered sugar, granulated or powdered sugar, rum extract, ground nutmeg, ground ginger.
Optional Peppermint Filling Ingredients: Peppermint extract, red or green food color.
Here are some recipe tips for making the best Cream Puffs. Follow the recipe below for all the specifics.
A hot oven is crucial for the initial burst of steam that helps your cream puffs rise and become wonderfully hollow.
Bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour all at once, then vigorously stir over low heat for about 1 minute until a smooth ball forms (key for light, airy pastry). Remove from heat and beat in eggs, all at once, until smooth and glossy
Drop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until they are puffed and golden brown. Avoid opening the oven door during baking, especially in the first 20-25 minutes, as this can cause your delicate puffs to deflate. Cool them completely in a draft-free area for about 30 minutes.
Once cooled, carefully cut off the top third of each cream puff and set aside. Gently pull out any soft strands of dough from the inside. This creates the perfect cavity for your delicious filling and helps prevent the pastry from becoming soggy.
Mix your chosen filling ingredients (Eggnog or Peppermint) until well blended. Add the whipping cream last and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Fill your cream puffs generously with your chosen filling and replace tops.
For the ultimate flavor and delicate texture, we highly recommend serving these Cream Puffs fresh. If absolutely necessary, filled puffs can be refrigerated for up to 3 hours, but beyond that, the pastry may begin to lose its crispness and become soggy. Remember to cover them loosely before refrigerating.
Unfilled cream puff shells can be frozen for longer storage. Once completely cooled, place them in a freezer-safe airtight container or bag for up to 1 month.
To reheat frozen, unfilled cream puff shells, place them directly on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until they are crisp again.
Heat oven to 400°F.
In a 2 1/2-quart saucepan, heat water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour; reduce heat to low. Stir vigorously over low heat for about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat. Beat in eggs, all at once; continue beating until smooth.
On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool in a draft-free area, about 30 minutes.
Cut off the top third of each puff and pull out any strands of soft dough. Prepare filling(s) and fill the cream puffs as directed below.
Eggnog Fluff Filling: In a large bowl, beat pudding mix, milk, rum extract, nutmeg and ginger with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Add whipping cream; beat on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft peaks form. Fill puffs. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar or brush the tops with light corn syrup and sprinkle with colored sugar or nonpareils.
Peppermint Whipped Cream Filling: In a large bowl, beat ingredients with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fill puffs. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
| Food Component / Nutrient | Amount | % , Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 27 g | % Value Not Available |
| Saturated Fat | 16 g | % Value Not Available |
| Cholesterol | 165 mg | % Value Not Available |
| Sodium | 260 mg | % Value Not Available |
| Total Carbohydrate | 26 g | % Value Not Available |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Protein | 6 g | % Value Not Available |
| Vitamin D | Value Not Available | 12% |
| Calcium | Value Not Available | 8% |
| Iron | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Potassium | 130 mg | % Value Not Available |
| Vitamin A | Value Not Available | 20% |
| Vitamin C | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Folic Acid | Value Not Available | 6% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | ||
