🍰 Cream Puffs (Choux Pastry)
Light, airy shells filled with sweet cream—cream puffs are a classic dessert that look fancy but are surprisingly simple!
🧾 Ingredients
For the pastry (choux):
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- Pinch of salt
For the filling:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2–3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the dough
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil.
- Add flour all at once and stir quickly until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides.
- Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
2️⃣ Add eggs
- Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, until the dough is smooth and glossy.
3️⃣ Shape and bake
- Spoon or pipe small mounds onto a lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden.
- Do not open the oven early or they may collapse.
4️⃣ Make the filling
- Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
5️⃣ Fill the puffs
- Once cooled, cut in half or poke a hole and fill with whipped cream.
✨ Optional Toppings
- Dust with powdered sugar
- Drizzle chocolate sauce
- Fill with custard or ice cream
💡 Tips
- Let puffs cool completely before filling.
- Store unfilled shells at room temp; fill just before serving.
- For extra crisp shells, poke a small hole and return to oven for 5 minutes after baking.
🔥 Fun twist:
Turn them into mini éclairs by piping long shapes and dipping in chocolate glaze.
If you want, I can also give you a 3-ingredient shortcut version using store-bought dough that’s much faster.
