Famous Cream Puffs (Classic Choux Pastry)
Light, airy pastry shells filled with luscious whipped cream or custard — just like the ones you’d find in a bakery display case. Crisp outside, hollow inside, and perfectly creamy!
🛒 Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux):
1 cup (240 ml) water
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs (room temperature)
For the Cream Filling:
1½ cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(Optional: use pastry cream instead for a bakery-style version.)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Dough
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and immediately stir in flour all at once.
Return to heat and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until dough forms a ball and pulls from sides of pan.
Let cool 5 minutes.
2️⃣ Add Eggs
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Dough should become smooth, glossy, and pipeable.
3️⃣ Pipe & Bake
Spoon or pipe dough into 1½–2 inch mounds on prepared sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 10–15 minutes until golden brown and dry.
Do NOT open oven early (they may collapse).
Cool completely before filling.
4️⃣ Make the Filling
Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
5️⃣ Fill the Puffs
Slice puffs in half and pipe cream inside
OR
Insert piping tip into bottom and fill.
Dust tops with powdered sugar before serving.
❄️ Storage
Unfilled shells: store airtight up to 2 days
Filled cream puffs: refrigerate up to 24 hours
Famous Cream Puffs
