Homemade Cream Puffs - They're Really Not that Difficult!

Some people think Homemade cream puffs or choux pastry is one of those complicated desserts and pastries to make at home.

But in reality, all you need are four ingredients that come together quickly to create one of my family's favorite homemade dessert that is a part of our Christmas celebration every year.

Check out my other holiday easy desserts that are perfect to serve all year round.

Forget complicated cakes! My Cream Puff recipe is a reader favorite, proving that homemade treats can be both impressive and easy. Many assume cream puffs are difficult, but I'm here to change that.

Just like you, I used to be intimidated by them. But my mom's simple recipe changed everything. Now, I'm sharing her secrets so you can create a truly show-stopping dessert that will amaze your friends and family.

Here's a photo from "just a few years ago" of my mom and I baking cream puffs and German Stollen Bread. Another family tradition we bake is our Italian Easter Bread recipe.

What is Choux Pastry?

Cream puffs, known as choux pastry in French, are made from a simple blend of butter, water, flour, and eggs. The dough is cooked twice – first by boiling the butter, water, and flour, then again with eggs – resulting in a light and airy pastry.

After cooling, the dough is piped or scooped onto a baking sheet and baked until golden brown. Once cooled, they're filled with a creamy filling and dusted with powdered sugar for a delightful treat.

What Filling is Best for the Cream Puffs?

We love to fill the baked pastry with vanilla or chocolate pudding.  But here are a few other choices:   

• Whipped Cream - try my easy Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe.
• Chocolate whipped mousse cream is a favorite.
• Homemade lemon curd.
• Favorite flavor of pudding - we always use vanilla and chocolate pudding. If you are going to use pudding, make sure you only use 1 ¾ cups of milk not the full 2 cups of milk that the package calls for.  You want to follow the pudding pie directions on the back of the packages. 
• Cannoli cream is another favorite. 
• Dust the finished puffs with powdered sugar, and serve them with a dollop of fresh berries. Your guests will be impressed!

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Affiliate Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, click here.

Cookie ScoopStainless Steel, Soft GripMore InformationSilicone Baking Mats - easy uniform sizes!More Information2-Pack Cooling Racks for BakingMore InformationThe Pampered Chef Chocolate DrizzlerMore Information6 Easy Squeeze Applicator BottlesMore Information

Main Ingredients Needed

Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!

• Butter
• Water
• Flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt - optional. I don't add the salt because I use salted butter. 

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: First, bring butter, water, and salt to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Once boiling, remove from heat and quickly stir in flour until it forms a dough ball. Let the dough cool for 5 minutes before adding it to the bowl of a KitchenAid Stand Mixer .

Add the Eggs

Step 2: Next, transfer the dough to your stand mixer (or use a hand mixer right in the saucepan!). Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough is smooth and silky. Be careful not to overmix!

How to Form the Cream Puffs

Step 3: Using a cookie scoop, drop the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, making sure to leave space between each puff for them to expand. For a professional touch, lightly dampen your finger with water and smooth the tops of the puffs.

Kitchen Tool Spotlight

Using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to portion the dough onto the baking sheets is recommended. This ensures consistently sized cream puffs, which promotes even baking.

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Baking Directions

I've updated my mother's original recipe with a new baking method that yields perfect cream puffs every time:

Step 4: Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the trays and pierce the sides of each puff with a wooden skewer. Return them to the turned-off oven with the door slightly ajar for 10-15 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped. Finally, transfer the puffs to a cooling rack to cool completely before filling.

How to Fill the Cream Puffs

Step 5: Once cooled, slice the puffs in half with a serrated knife. Fill with your favorite cream filling (I love adding fresh sliced strawberries!), and dust with powdered sugar just before serving. For an extra special touch, drizzle with melted chocolate!

Homemade Cream Puffs Expert Tips

• Make sure you add the eggs one at at time.  This will give you a beautiful silky batter that's ready to be either piped or scooped onto a baking sheet.
• After you have formed the pastry dough into balls, dampen your finger into a bowl of water and smooth out the tops of each mound of dough.
• Do not skip using a wooden skewer to poke a couple of holes into the sides of each puff. This will allow the steam inside the puffs to escape so they can dry out and bake on the inside.
• Return the trays back to the oven, only turn the oven off, and keep the door ajar for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. I use my metal kitchen tongs to keep the door ajar. 

How do you keep cream puffs from getting soggy?

• Cream puffs need to be filled at least 30 minutes before you plan on serving them. You can prepare the pastry ahead of time, a day even, but do not fill them until you are ready to serve dessert.
• Once the cream puffs have been made, you can store them on a baking tray with a piece of parchment paper or a paper towel loosely covering them.
• Do not store baked cream puffs in an airtight container. The moisture from a sealed container will make the pastry soggy.
• They shouldn't be store in the refrigerator either, unless they've been filled, but again, I would not fill them until I am ready to serve dessert.

Prep Ahead Tips

I always make the choux pastry a day ahead and store them in a large gift box that I line with fresh parchment paper. (My husband knows not to throw it out!) Keep the box in a cool, dry place like a pantry or laundry room overnight. About 30 minutes before serving, simply fill with your desired cream and enjoy!

Storage Tips

Refrigerator: While leftovers can be refrigerated, cream puffs are best enjoyed fresh. They tend to soften within a day or two.

Freezer: I do not recommend freezing any leftovers.

Try these Dessert Recipes to Impress!

Try my Cheesecake Cupcakes or my Strawberries Stuffed with Cheesecake Filling. Or how about these White Chocolate Raspberry Macarons for a real decadent dessert for the holidays?

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Homemade Cream Puffs

Homemade cream puffs or choux pastry is not that difficult to make when you follow my easy step-by-step recipe and instructions! Let me show you a family favorite recipe has been part of family celebrations for years. 

4.42 from 24 votes

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Choux Pastry Dough, Homemade Cream Puffs

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Resting in Oven Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 cream puffs, depending on the size cookie scoop used.

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Lois

Equipment

• Chocolate Drizzler
• Stainless Steel Wire Cooling Rack 
• Cookie Scoops for Baking, Set of 3 Cookie Dough Scooper, Large/3 Tablespoon, Medium/2 Tablespoon, Small/1 Tablespoon - 18/8 Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop Set.

Ingredients

For the Cream Puffs:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt; optional
• Melted chocolate; optional to decorate the tops of the cream puffs.

For the Pudding Filling:

• 2 - 3.4 ounce size packages vanilla instant pudding mix; see note below.

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In a saucepan, heat the butter, water and salt over high heat and bring to a rolling boil.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour all at once stirring quickly until the dough comes together and forms a ball.
• Let the dough cool for 5 minutes.
• Add the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer. Or you can just use a hand mixer with the dough still in the original saucepan.
• Add the eggs one at a time mixing in between each addition until the dough is smooth and silky. Be careful not to over mix the dough.
• Scoop or spoon the dough onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper leaving enough room in between each since they will puff up.
• Dampen your finger into a bowl of water and then smooth out the tops of each mound of dough.
• Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven.
• Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
• Pull the trays out of the oven and using a wooden skewer poke a couple of holes into the sides of each puff. This will allow the steam inside the puffs to escape so they can dry out and bake on the inside.
• Return the trays back to the oven, only turn the oven off, and keep the door ajar for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until they sound hollow when you tap on them. I use my metal kitchen tongs to keep the door ajar.
• Let the puffs cool completely on a baking rack while you prepare the vanilla pudding.
• Prepare the pudding following the directions on the back of the box; only use 1 ¾ cups of milk not the full 2 cups of milk that the package calls for.
• Once the puffs have cooled, slice them open and fill with the pudding.
• Drizzle with melted chocolate or dust with powdered sugar before serving.
  

Notes

Nutritional Information:

1. Nutritional information for this recipe is for the choux pastry only!
2. Please refer to the packaged pudding mix or whipped cream that you use to fill the pastry for appropriate information.

Tips for Making Choux Pastry:

• Depending on the size cookie scoop you use, you'll get anywhere from 12 to 14 cream puffs.
• Do NOT double the recipe. If you need more than the 12 to 14 cream puffs the recipe makes, make the recipe twice.
• You can prepare the pastry the day before you plan on serving them.
• Store lightly covered with a piece of waxed paper or paper towel on a baking rack on the counter top.
• Do not refrigerate or cover completely or the puffs will become soggy.
• I like to slice the puffs in half and then spoon the pudding inside and placing the other half on top.
• You can also use a pastry bag fitted with a filling tip to add the pudding.
• Once the puffs are filled you should store them in the refrigerator, but do not cover.

Show Nutritional Information Hide Nutritional Information

Serving: 1g | Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 279mg

Nutritional estimates are provided using an online calculator and is an estimate per serving. Calorie accuracy isn't guaranteed.

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This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2016 with new photos and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!