• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
    • Cakes/cupcakes
    • Cheesecake/Bars
    • Cookies
    • Pastry
    • Tarts/Crisps
    • No Bake
    • Dinner
    • Recipe Index
  • About Me
    • Work With Me
    • Portfolio

Tasty Treat Pantry logo

  • Cakes/Cupcakes
  • Cheesecake/Bars
  • Tarts/Crisps
  • Cookies
  • Pastries
  • No Bake
  • Dinner

08/10/2021 Pastry

Cream Puffs Filled with Pastry Cream

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Yummly
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

These homemade cream puffs are so delicious! Light and airy pastry puffs are filled with the most delicious pastry cream. Then dipped in melted chocolate.

bite of cream puff

This recipe has been in my family for years and it gives you the perfect cream puff every single time! These cream puffs are light, crispy and so tasty! Most cream puffs are filled with stabilized whipped cream, however these are filled with pastry cream. The pastry cream gives the cream puff so much more flavor! The cream filling is rich and airy. This little treat is perfect for any occasion; weather it’s a for your family or a special occasion. So let’s get started!

cream puffs

What are cream puffs?

Cream puffs is a French pastry that is filled with either whipping cream or pastry cream. They can either be dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled or dipped in chocolate.

Science behind cream puffs

Cream puff shells are made from a French pastry dough, known as choux pastry. Choux pastry is a basic dough that contains simple ingredients – water, butter, flour, eggs and salt. Once baked the choux pastries rise, become crisp and hollow. So how does this happen without yeast or baking powder? Let’s break it down!

  • Bringing the butter and the water to a boil is important before adding the flour. The heat cooks the flour. The boiling water/butter mixture makes the starch in the flour swell and absorb all the liquid which then forms the dough and gives it structure.
  • Eggs help the pastries rise. They also bring structure to the pastry. The egg yolk gives the pastry flavor and airiness.
  • As the choux pastries bake, the water inside each pastry shell evaporate, which causes the dough to expand. As the dough continues to expand the egg proteins stretch to the point of breaking. Creating the hollow center.
mini desserts

Ingredients needed for the choux pastry

  • Water: To make the pastry dough flexible.
  • Butter: Gives the dough richness and flavor.
  • Flour: Brings structure to the cream puff.
  • Eggs: Act as a leavening agent; giving the cream puff it’s airy shape. Eggs also give flavor and structure to the cream puff.
  • Salt

Ingredients needed for the pastry cream

  • Milk: We will be using whole milk. Whole milk adds richness and makes the pastry cream smooth and creamy.
  • Egg yolks: Gives the pastry cream the creamy and rich flavor.
  • Sugar: To add some sweetness.
  • Cornstarch: To thicken up the pastry cream.
  • Butter: Makes the pastry cream smooth.
  • Heavy Whipping Cream: Makes the pastry cream light and airy.
cream puffs dipped in chocolate

Overview of making choux pastry dough

  1. Heat water and butter. In a medium saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat.
  2. Add the flour. Stir until flour is incorporated. The mixture should form a ball, be soft and flexible. Then take the saucepan off the heat.
  3. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.
  4. Using your hands shape the dough into small balls. Then place on prepared baking sheet. Or add the dough into a piping bag and using a large round tip, pipe dough into small rounds directly on baking sheet.
  5. Bake the pastries for 25 minutes, then check on them. Bake additional 10-15 minutes, if needed or until the pastries are deep golden brown and dry looking.

Overview of making the pastry cream

  1. Heat the milk, heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Heat on medium/low heat for a few minutes or until fragrant. Then set aside.
  2. Mix sugar and eggs until the mixture is thick and light in color. Add cornstarch and mix until just combined.
  3. Combine both mixtures by tempering. Tempering helps ensure that your eggs don’t cook.
    • Before starting make sure the milk is warm and not hot! To temper: Whisking constantly, add a little bit of milk into the egg yolk/sugar mixture. Whisk until incorporated. Slowly pour the rest of the milk and whisk until combined. Pour everything back into the sauce pan.
  4. Cook the pastry cream. Cook the pastry cream on low heat until thickened. The pastry cream starts to thicken after about 10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes then transfer to a bowl. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap ensuring that the plastic wrap is touching the pastry cream. Then place in refrigerator.
  5. Refrigerate for about 3 hours or until completely cooled off.
  6. Make the whipped cream: While the pastry cream is cooling off, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Once the pastry cream is cooled, fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream.

Assembly

  1. Add the pastry cream to a piping bag. Poke a small hole on the side of the cream puff. Pipe the pastry cream into the puff pastry.
  2. In a small bowl, add the chocolate chips. Microwave until melted. Dip each cream puff into chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
process shot

Tips for success

  • Add eggs one at a time making sure to mix well after each addition. It may look like the dough isn’t combing together, but it will. Just keep mixing. The dough will be sticky and glossy. You should be able to run the spoon in the center of the dough, and the sides of the dough should not collapse into the dough.
  • If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use your hands to form a ball with the dough. To prevent the dough sticking to your hands, spray a bit of cooking spray, butter, oil or water into your palms.
  • If there are any rough edges or pointed peaks on the choux pastry, wet finger and lightly smooth out the edges.
  • Do not open the door when baking! Opening the door may cause the pastries to collapse.
  • The cream puffs can be made ahead of time. Store baked pastry shells in an airtight container for up to two days. Once they are ready to be used, bake for 5-10 minutes to ensure that the shells are crisp and not soggy. The choux dough can be frozen (up to three months) or refrigerated (up to three days).
  • The pastry cream can be made ahead of time. It will keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
dessert on cake stand

Frequently asked questions

Why did my cream puffs collapse?

  • Removing the pastries from the oven too soon means that the pastry shell still has a lot of moister; this can cause the pastry to collapse. The pastry shells should be deep golden brown and look dry. If the pastries looks wet or glossy, they need more time in the oven.
  • Opening the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking. The first 20 minutes of baking are so important. The pastries need all that steam to ensure they puff up and be able to hold their shape. If the door is opened too soon, it can make the pastries collapse.

Why are my cream puffs soggy?

If the pastries turn out soggy, prick a small hole the last 5 minutes of baking. This allows the pastry shells to dry out even more and create a crisp shell.

What kind of milk should I use for the pastry cream?

I recommend using whole milk. Whole milk gives the pastry cream a rich flavor and smooth texture. If you will use lower percentage milk, the pastry cream won’t be as rich.

Why add whipped heavy whipping cream to the pastry cream?

Adding the whipped heavy cream makes the pastry cream light and airy. The pastry cream is still rich, just has a much lighter texture. This makes the perfect filling for cream puffs.

sprinkle of chocolate over pastries

Other recipes you may like

  • Easy Peach Cream Cheese Danish (with puff pastry)
  • Easy Cherry Hand Pies
  • Simple Tiramisu

ENJOY!

If you have made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment, rate and share your photo by tagging tasty_treat_pantry.

Print

Cream Puffs

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Light, airy, and decadent cream puffs. Filled with the most delicious pastry cream. Dipped in melted chocolate. Get the perfect cream puff every single time!

  • Author: Nataliya Dudley
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hr & 20 min.
  • Yield: 25 cream puffs 1x
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

Scale

Choux Pastry

  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 4 large eggs

Pastry Cream

  • 2 cups milk
  • ¼ cup + ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream, divided
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 ½ tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

  • Chocolate chips for topping 

Instructions

For the Choux Pastry

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. To a medium sauce pan add water, butter and salt. On medium heat bring the mixture to a boil.
  3. Slightly lower the heat. Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together, is smooth and forms a ball. This usually takes 1-2 minutes. 
  4. Take the saucepan off the heat. Cool for 5 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will be sticky and glossy. 
  5. Shape the dough into small balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Or place the dough into a piping bag and using a large tip, pipe the dough onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, then check on the pastry shells. If the pastries are not deep golden brown, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. 
  6. Cool completely.  

For the Pastry Cream

  1. In a medium saucepan heat the milk, ¼ cup heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Once the milk is warm, take off the heat and set aside.
  2. To a mixer bowl add egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until mixture is pale and thick. Add cornstarch and mix on low speed until just combined.
  3. Combine both mixtures by tempering. To temper: Whisking constantly add about ¼ cup of the milk to the egg yolk mixture. Whisk until combined. Whisking constantly, add the rest of the milk to the egg yolk mixture. Whisk until combined. Pour everything back into the sauce pan.
  4. Cook the pastry cream on medium-low heat until the pastry cream thickens. Be sure to whisk constantly or every few minutes.  (The pastry cream starts to thicken after about 10 minutes.)
  5. Take off the heat, add the butter and stir until melted and smooth.
  6. Cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap ensuring that the plastic wrap is touching the pastry cream. This ensures that no film forms over the pastry cream. 
  7. Refrigerate until cool and set.
  8. In the meantime, beat ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Once the pastry cream has cooled fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream. 

Filling Cream Puffs

  1. Fill a pastry bag with pastry cream. Make a hole in the cream puff and fill with pastry cream.
  2. Dip in melted chocolate.

Notes

  • Add eggs one at a time making sure to mix well after each addition. It may look like the dough isn’t combing together, but it well. Just keep mixing. The dough will be sticky and glossy. You should be able to run the spoon in the center of the dough, and the sides of the dough should not collapse into the dough.
  • If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use your hands to form a ball with the dough. To prevent the dough sticking to your hands, spray a bit of cooking spray, butter, oil or water into your palms.
  • If there are any rough edges or pointed peaks on the choux pastry, wet finger and lightly smooth out the edges.
  • Do not open the door when baking! Opening the door may cause the pastries to collapse. 

Keywords: cream puffs, choux pastry, pastry cream

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @tasty_treat_pantry on Instagram and hashtag it #tastytreatpantry

« Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake with Oatmeal Streusel Topping
Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting »

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Yummly

Categories: Pastry Tags: choux pastry, cream puffs, pastry cream

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nicole Oberndorfer says

    July 13, 2022 at 2:08 am

    You didn’t say when to add in the cornstarch..

    Reply
    • Nicole Oberndorfer says

      July 13, 2022 at 2:09 am

      Never mind I didn’t see haha

      Reply
      • nataliyadudley says

        August 05, 2022 at 4:16 am

        Nicole,
        Hope you enjoyed the recipe!
        Nataliya

        Reply
  2. Kara says

    June 20, 2022 at 2:29 am

    Hi found your recipe while searching for cream puffs online. Making these today for Father’s Day, however, on the pastry cream recipe it notes “1/2 granulated sugar.” Is that half of a cup? Also down in the pastry cream instruction it says to add the butter after cooking the cream, I see no butter referenced in the pastry cream ingredients.
    Super excited to make these! Thank you

    Reply
    • nataliyadudley says

      June 29, 2022 at 10:57 pm

      Hi Kara,
      So sorry about that! yes, that would be 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon of butter. Everything is updated in the recipe card.
      Thank you so much for letting me know!
      Nataliya

      Reply
  3. 🙂 says

    January 15, 2021 at 12:49 pm

    👍🏾

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Oli says

      March 12, 2023 at 2:48 am

      It was okay
      A little to sweet

      ★★★★★

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Hi! Welcome to Tasty Treat Pantry. My name is Nataliya and thank you for stopping by. I’ve always had a passion for baking and have been baking for many years! I’m so excited to share recipes with you. Here you will find recipes simple recipes, with minimal steps that taste and look amazing.

More about me →

Most Recent Recipes

  • Strawberry Crunch Cake
  • Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls
  • Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar

Trending

  • Easy Peach Cream Cheese Danish (with puff pastry)
  • Cream Puffs Filled with Pastry Cream

Never miss a recipe! Subscribe and get tasty recipes right in your inbox.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Copyright © 2023 Tasty Treat Pantry on the Cookd Pro Theme