Whippin’ up Cream Puffs at home is just the easiest and prettiest thing ever. They’ve got this delightful golden crispy pastry filled with the yummiest whipped vanilla cream. And to make ’em extra special, just sprinkle some powdered sugar on top or give ’em a lil’ dunk in chocolate ganache.
They’re bite-sized pastries filled with the most heavenly homemade custard and whipped cream. Now, don’t be fooled, they may look all fancy-schmancy, but they’re actually a breeze to make. Your friends and family will be mighty impressed, I promise!
Wonderin’ if you can make these lil’ gems ahead of time?
Sure thing, darlin’! You can whip up these cream puffs a couple days in advance, like 2-3 days ahead. Just keep ’em in a sealed container and pop ’em in the fridge.
And don’t worry, you can also make that tasty pastry cream a day or two before. Just make sure it’s in an airtight container and chillin’ in the fridge, nice and cold.
Wonderin’ if you can freeze them cream puffs?
They’ll keep in the freezer for a good few weeks. When you’re ready, just let ’em thaw out in the fridge overnight, and give ’em a lil’ dustin’ of powdered sugar right before servin’. Enjoy, darlin’!
Famous Cream Puffs
Ingredients
Choux Pastry:
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup water
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs at room temp
Cream Puff Filling:
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp butter
For Assembling:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream whipped
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Choux Pastry:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set it aside.
- In a big ol’ saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, water, sugar, and salt. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down low and stir in the flour. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the pan. Cook it a bit longer (about 1 minute) to remove extra moisture.
- Quickly transfer the dough to your stand mixer and mix on medium to let out some steam. Add vanilla, then eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition. Mix until the dough is smooth and forms a thick ribbon when stirred.
- Pop the dough into a piping bag with a ½” round or star tip. Pipe 1½-2″ rounds onto your baking sheet, spacing ’em about 2″ apart. Dampen your finger to smooth out the tip of each round for even baking and color.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the heat to 325°F (without opening the oven door) and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Take ’em out of the oven and let ’em cool on a wire rack.
Cream Puff Filling:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and milk. Keep whisking until it reaches a boil, then cook for 1 more minute until it thickens.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour about ⅓ of the hot mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking all the while. Cook until it boils again.
- Take it off the heat and whisk in butter and vanilla until the butter’s all melted. Move the custard to a big bowl or baking dish, covering the surface with plastic wrap. Chill it in the fridge until it’s completely cool.
Assembling Cream Puffs:
- Whip the heavy cream in your stand mixer until you’ve got soft peaks. Stir the cooled custard a couple times, then gently fold in the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
- Fill a piping bag with a small round tip with your cream puff filling. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each choux pastry with a thermometer, skewer, or paring knife. Fill each cream puff with the filling.
- Dust these delectable delights with powdered sugar and serve ’em up! Enjoy, darlin’!
