There’s just something magical about a cream puff. Light, airy, filled with sweet vanilla cream—what’s not to love? Cream puffs are a classic French pastry that have become a favorite in so many homes, including mine. Every time I make them, I’m reminded how surprisingly simple they are to whip up at home. And yes—you can totally make these yourself with just a few pantry staples and an hour of your time!
These little puffs of joy are perfect for parties, special occasions, or anytime you want to impress guests (or just treat yourself). Once you learn the basics of choux pastry and the dreamy filling, you’ll want to make cream puffs on repeat.
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What Are Cream Puffs?
Cream puffs are delicate pastries made from choux dough, which puffs up in the oven to create a crisp shell with a hollow center—just waiting to be filled with something creamy and delicious. Their texture is light and airy, and their flavor is just sweet enough. You can dust them with powdered sugar, drizzle with chocolate, or even dip them in ganache or glaze. However you top them, they never disappoint.
Choux Pastry: The Secret to Cream Puffs
Making cream puffs starts with choux pastry (pronounced “shoo”). Don’t let the French name scare you—it’s incredibly easy to make. You’ll cook water, milk, butter, and flour on the stovetop until it forms a smooth, thick dough. Once it cools slightly, you’ll beat in the eggs one at a time. That’s it!
The dough is then piped onto a baking sheet in small mounds. As they bake, the moisture in the dough turns to steam and causes the pastries to puff up into beautiful, golden shells.
Filling for Cream Puffs
The filling for these cream puffs is ultra creamy and easy to mix up. It’s made with cream cheese, milk, instant vanilla pudding, and whipped topping. Once the shells are baked and cooled, they’re filled either by piping into the center or slicing them open and sandwiching the cream inside. Either way, you’ll want to serve them up fresh for the best flavor and texture.houx Dough
Cream puffs are made from a special type of dough called choux pastry. This dough is created by combining water, milk, butter, flour. The mixture is heated on the stovetop until it forms a smooth, glossy, and elastic dough. This dough is then used to create the pastry shells.
Puff Shells
The choux pastry is piped or scooped onto a baking sheet in small mounds or rounds, and then baked in the oven. During baking, the moisture in the dough creates steam, causing the pastry to puff up and expand, creating hollow shells, for all that creamy filling! The shells have a crisp, golden-brown exterior.
Decoration Tips
A simple dusting of powdered sugar is classic and beautiful. Want to dress them up even more? Drizzle on a bit of chocolate sauce or dip the tops in ganache. You can also sprinkle chopped nuts or shaved chocolate over the top for a little extra flair.
Tips for the Best Cream Puffs
- Use a stand mixer to cool the dough and beat in the eggs evenly.
- Pipe evenly sized mounds so they bake uniformly.
- If peaks form on top of your puffs, smooth them down with a damp finger before baking.
- Make sure your filling is lump-free by adding the milk slowly to the cream cheese.
- Wait until the shells are fully cooled before filling to avoid melting your cream.
Ingredients You Will Need:
Choux Dough
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter, salted
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups whole milk or 2%
- 5.1 oz instant vanilla pudding
- 2 cups whipped topping thawed
How To Make Cream Puffs
Step 1: Preheat your oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside while you prepare the dough.
Step 2: Make the choux dough
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, milk, and butter. Bring just to a boil, then remove from the heat and quickly stir in the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth dough.
Step 3: Cook and cool the dough
Place the pan back over medium heat and continue stirring constantly for 1–2 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the dough pulls away from the sides of the pot and a thin film forms on the bottom. Remove from heat.
Step 4: Beat in the eggs
Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes to cool it down slightly. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The final dough should be smooth, glossy, and form a thick ribbon when pulled up.
Step 5: Pipe the puffs
Transfer the dough to a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off). Pipe 1½-inch mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If any peaks form, gently smooth them down with a damp finger.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Do not open the oven during baking, as this can cause the puffs to collapse. Once baked, transfer the cream puffs to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7: Make the filling
While the cream puffs cool, prepare the filling. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add the milk, a little at a time, beating well after each addition to avoid lumps.
Step 8: Add pudding and whipped topping
Mix in the instant pudding powder and beat until combined. Fold in the whipped topping until smooth and fluffy. Transfer to a clean piping bag fitted with a round or star tip.
Step 9: Fill the cream puffs
Insert the piping tip into the bottom or side of each puff and gently squeeze until the puff feels full. You can also slice each cream puff in half horizontally, spoon in the filling, and place the tops back on.
Step 10: Serve and enjoy
Dust the filled cream puffs with powdered sugar, drizzle with chocolate sauce, or leave them plain—they’re delicious any way you serve them! These are best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Final Thoughts
Once you make homemade cream puffs, you’ll realize how easy and satisfying they are to bake from scratch. Whether for a party, holiday, or just a weekend treat, these pastries are guaranteed to impress!
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Cream Puffs
Equipment
Ingredients
Choux Dough
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter, salted
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups whole milk or 2%
- 5.1 oz instant vanilla pudding
- 2 cups whipped topping thawed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, heat water, milk, and butter over medium heat until it just starts to boil. Remove from heat and add flour all at once. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated.
- Return the pot to the stove and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides. A light film will form on the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer dough to a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes to cool slightly.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the dough is smooth and glossy.
- Scoop or pipe 1½-inch rounds onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Smooth out any peaks with a wet fingertip.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Do not open oven during baking.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
To Make The Filling
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add milk, about ¼ cup at a time, to prevent lumps.
- Add vanilla pudding mix and beat until combined. Fold in whipped topping until smooth.
To Fill The Cream Puffs
- Transfer filling to a pastry bag with a round tip. Insert tip into the side or bottom of each cream puff and pipe until filled.
- Alternatively, slice cream puffs in half, fill the bottom, and replace the top.
Notes
Notes
- Avoid opening the oven during baking to help them rise properly.
- If you have extra filling, it’s delicious spooned over fruit or eaten with a cookie.
- You can freeze the unfilled shells for later—just thaw, re-crisp in the oven, and fill when ready.