Now that you have my choux pastry guide, it’s time to make these easy cream puffs! This classic French dessert is golden, airy choux filled with both vanilla pastry cream and whipped cream. Every bite is rich, creamy, and light.
Making cream puffs from scratch is easier than you’d think! I’m sharing a step-by-step recipe with photos, a video, and all the tips I learned in pastry school so yours turn out perfect.
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Cream puffs sound fancy, but they’re easier to make at home than you’d think! They’re a special treat for holidays, afternoon tea, or a weekend baking project.
If you like French pastries, check out all my homemade pastry recipes, like my French apple tart recipe.
My neighbors tried these and were surprised to find pastry cream under the chantilly in these cream puffs, and they loved it! Most cream puffs only have whipped cream.
This recipe has a few steps, but it’s very doable and worth it! Choux pastry (pâte à choux) can sound intimidating, but it only takes simple ingredients and a few key tips. I share them all in my choux pastry guide, so you’ll get the hang of it quickly.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A twist on choux pastry cream puffs – most are filled with just whipped cream, but these have thick vanilla pastry cream inside and a swirl of fluffy chantilly cream on top. It’s rich, yet light!
- Crisp, hollow shells – the choux bakes up golden and airy with plenty of room for filling.
- Thick, silky pastry cream-It’s rich and custardy with real vanilla flavor. Find all my tips in my vanilla pastry cream recipe.
- Basic tools and ingredients- You probably have most of the ingredients you need and you can make this cream puff recipe with basic kitchen tools.
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the ingredients for pastry cream:
The pastry cream needs time to chill, so it’s best to make it first.
- Whole milk gives the best flavor and texture.
- Egg yolks add richness and help thicken the cream.
- Granulated sugar: You can modify the amount of sugar you add depending on your preference or depending on what you’re using the pastry cream for.
- All-purpose flour and cornstarch work together to thicken the cream. Cook it until it bubbles so that you activate both and cook out any starchy flavor.
- Vanilla: You can use half a vanilla bean, vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. I included directions for how to use them all in the recipe card below.
Below are the ingredients for choux pastry:
- You can use water, milk, or a combination of milk and water. I prefer using milk and water. Milk adds extra flavor and using both water and milk makes your choux more smooth on top and helps choux develop more regularly. Using only water will make the choux bake up a little crisper and drier.
- Unsalted butter adds flavor and richness to the dough.
- All-purpose flour gives the dough structure. I recommend weighing your flour with a kitchen scale and sifting it.
- Sugar: Use caster sugar or granulated sugar.
- Eggs add moisture and structure-they help the choux puff up! Whisk them lightly with a whisk or a fork first so they’re easy to add a little at a time. You may not need to add all the egg the recipe calls for.
- Salt. A little salt balances out and enhances the flavors.
Below are the ingredients for chantilly cream:
- Heavy cream-Use cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, which has 35% fat or more. It whips up thick and holds its shape. Light cream and half-and-half won’t whip.
- Powdered sugar-Sift your powdered sugar to remove any lumps.
- Vanilla extract– Or use vanilla bean paste.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Prefer to leave out milk in the choux? Swap in water in place of the milk.
- Want to skip the pastry cream? You can just fill the puffs with chantilly cream only.
Equipment needed
- Medium saucepan and wooden spoon: You’ll cook the choux dough on the stove, so you need a medium saucepan that’s wider than it is tall. This gives you room to stir. Use a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula to beat in the flour. r.
- Piping bags and tips: You’ll need 3 piping bags, one each for the choux, pastry cream, and chantilly. Use a small round tip for the choux, a medium round tip for the pastry cream, and a large star tip for the chantilly. A round tip works for both fillings if you don’t have a star tip. No piping bags or tips? Use a large Ziptop bag and snip a corner.
- Mixer (optional): You can make everything by hand, which is how we made it in pastry school! If you’d like a mixer, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer on low speed for mixing in the eggs.
- Kitchen scale: Weighing the flour gives you more accurate results. It’s especially important for the flour in choux. If the flour isn’t measured accurately, the dough can turn out runny and won’t hold its shape when you pipe it.
Quick Video Recap
How to make Cream Puffs
Step 1: Make the Pastry Cream
- Whisk the yolks, sugar and thickeners– Bring milk to a simmer with the vanilla bean seeds and pod (if using). Whisk together the sugar and yolks. Whisk in the cornstarch followed by the flour.
- Temper the egg yolks– Once the milk is steaming, remove the vanilla bean pod. Whisk ⅓ of the milk into the yolk mixture. Whisk for about 20 seconds, then whisk in another ⅓ of the milk. Pour the tempered yolk mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the milk. Scrape the bowl with a spatula.
- Return the saucepan to heat– Whisk nonstop, including the sides and corners of the pan. Once it starts to thicken and bubble, whisk vigorously for one minute so the flour and cornstarch cook through.
- Cover and chill- Once thickened, remove from heat. Remove vanilla bean pod or whisk in vanilla extract if using. Pour pastry cream into a large bowl or a clean baking sheet. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until cooled completely. Before using, whisk briefly until smooth then transfer it to a piping bag or ziptop bag.
step 2: Make the Choux Pastry
- Cook the milk, water, chopped butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan-Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved and the butter has melted.
- Bring mixture to a rolling boil- Once it boils, take the saucepan off the heat and add all the flour. Stir vigorously until there’s no dry flour visible. Return pan to heat. Stir nonstop until the dough pulls away from the sides and a white film forms on the bottom of the pan.
- Turn dough out into a bowl– Stir for about 2 minutes until cooled slightly.
- Mix in the eggs- Stir in 50% of the whisked eggs until completely incorporated. The mixture will look clumpy when you first start stirring in the eggs but will become more cohesive. Mix in 50% of the remaining eggs.
- Check the consistency before adding more of the eggs– Lift your spatula. Some of the dough should slowly fall off the spatula leaving a “V” shape. If you don’t see the “V” shape, add a little more egg and recheck the consistency. Once you see the “V” and the dough is smooth and glossy, stop adding more egg.
- Pipe the puffs- Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small round nozzle about halfway or use a ziptop bag with a corner snipped off. Hold the bag straight above the tray and don’t move it as you squeeze. Space them about 2 inches apart. Lightly wet your finger and gently press down any peaks.
- Bake the puffs- Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 25-35 minutes until puffed up and golden brown and hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Step 3: make the chantilly cream
- Sift the powdered sugar-Set aside.
- Whip the cold cream- Use a handheld electric mixer on medium speed to whip the cold cream on to soft peaks.
- Mix in the sifted powdered sugar on low speed– Once powdered sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium high speed and mix to stiff peaks.
- Cover and refrigerate until using– Next, transfer the chantilly cream to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle before using.
step 4: Assembly (How to fill cream puffs)
- Slice the puffs– Use a serrated knife to gently slice the top third off of the puffs. Push down any parts of the puff to create a hollow interior.
- Fill with pastry cream- Pipe about 1 to 1½ tablespoons of pastry cream into each puff, so the cream comes up level with the cut edge. .
- Pipe the chantilly cream– Pipe 2 swirls of chantilly on top of the pastry cream.
- Top and enjoy! Set the puff top gently on the chantilly. Dust with powdered sugar if you like and enjoy!
Natalie’s Top Tips
- Read over recipe before you start-pastry cream and choux pastry moves fast once you start, so you’ll want to know what comes next before you begin.
- Make the pastry cream first. It needs time to chill. Let it cool while you make the choux.
- Whisk the pastry cream constantly while it cooks. Get into the corners of the pan so it doesn’t stick or get lumpy, and boil it for 1 minute once it thickens.
- Bring the water, milk, and butter to a full rolling boil before adding the flour. Cut the butter into small pieces so it melts fast. If the mixture doesn’t boil, the dough turns gooey instead of holding its shape.
- Cook the dough after adding the flour. This dries it out so it can absorb the eggs. The moisture from the eggs turns to steam in the oven, which is what makes the puffs rise.
- Let the dough cool a couple of minutes before adding the eggs. Hot dough will scramble them.
- Add the eggs a little at a time. Stop when the dough is thick, smooth, and glossy. If it still looks dry, add a splash of milk or water instead of more egg.
- Pipe the puffs the same size. They bake evenly, so you won’t have some done while others are still pale.
- Don’t open the oven door while the puffs bake. The sudden drop in heat can make them collapse.
- Bake until deep golden. Pale puffs look done but deflate as they cool.
- Use cold cream for the chantilly. Cold heavy cream whips up faster and holds its shape better.
- Whisk the pastry cream again before filling. It firms up in the fridge, so whisk it for 20-30 seconds until smooth.
- Cool the puffs completely before filling. Warm shells will melt the cream.
- Fill right before serving. The shells stay crisp that way.
- Use what tools you have. Spoon the pastry cream into the shells instead of piping it. You can also top it with a dollop of whipped cream or use a round piping tip if you don’t have a star tip.
Recipe FAQs
What’s the best filling for cream puffs?
There are lots of options! Whipped cream, pastry cream, and even ice cream are popular fillings. You can also use savory fillings since the shells aren’t sweet. My favorite filling is both pastry cream and whipped cream. You get a little of each in every bite.
What’s the difference between chantilly cream and whipped cream?
Chantilly cream is whipped cream that’s sweetened, usually with powdered sugar and vanilla. Plain whipped cream can be unsweetened. They both start with cold heavy cream.
Why did my cream puffs deflate?
There are a few reasons why cream puffs deflate. One reason is that the panade wasn’t cooked long enough or too much egg was added and the dough is too loose to hold its shape.
Opening the oven door too early is another possible reason puffs deflate. The puffs need steady heat to rise and set, so keep the door closed for the first 20 minutes. A drop in temperature can make them collapse.
Another reason is that the shells were underbaked. Bake them until they’re golden brown and sound hollow when you tap them.
Can cream puffs be made ahead of time?
Yes! Cream puffs are best assembled close to serving, but you can make each part ahead. The choux dough keeps for 3 days in the fridge, baked shells keep for 1 day at room temperature, pastry cream keeps for 3 days, and chantilly can be whipped up to 3 hours ahead. See the notes above for storage details.
How do I store leftovers?
Cream puffs are best enjoyed right after or within a few hours of assembling. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 day.
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Best Cream Puff Recipe
This classic French cream puffs recipe bakes up puffy and golden with a hollow center, and you only need 7 simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- 2 cups (488 g) milk
- ½ (2 g) vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 (80 g) large egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 2½ tablespoons (20 g) all-purpose flour
- 2½ tablespoons (20 g) corn starch
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.75 g) salt fine sea salt or kosher salt
Choux Pastry
- ½ cup (120 g) water
- ½ cup (120 g) milk or swap in more water
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter cut into 8 tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) sugar
- 1¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 (200 g) large eggs
Chantilly Cream
- 1½ cups (357 g) heavy cream cold, 35% fat or more
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar sifted, plus more for decorating, optional
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract
Instructions
Pastry Cream
- Make the pastry cream first. It needs time to chill before you fill the puffs, so it’s best to make it ahead.
- If using a vanilla bean: Slice the bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out of one half with the tip of your knife. Add the seeds and the scraped pod to a medium saucepan with the milk. Save the other half for another recipe.If you're using vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste: stir it in after you take the pastry cream off the heat.
- Heat the milk over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
- While the milk heats up, whisk the egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl until smooth. Add the sugar to the egg yolks and immediately whisk well (for about 30 seconds) until the mixture is smooth and has thickened and lightened in color.(Important: do not leave the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl without whisking them immediately).
- Whisk the cornstarch into the yolks for about 20 seconds until the corn starch has dissolved. Whisk in the flour for another 20 seconds until completely incorporated.
- Once the milk is steaming and small bubbles form around the edge of the pan, discard the vanilla bean pod if using. Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly as you pour. Whisk for about 20 seconds, then slowly pour in another 1/3, whisking constantly.
- Next, slowly pour the yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking constantly as you pour. Use a spatula to scrape out the bowl.
- Return the saucepan to medium heat. Whisk constantly, including the sides and corners of the pan. Once it thickens and bubbles, whisk vigorously for 1 minute so the flour and cornstarch cook through.If it starts to stick or get lumpy, lower the heat slightly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract if using.
- Use a clean spatula to scrape the pastry cream onto a clean rimmed baking sheet or into a large heatproof bowl. Immediately press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 45 minutes to 1 hour on a baking sheet or a few hours in a bowl.
- Once cooled, whisk the pastry cream in a large bowl for about 30 seconds until smooth again then use as needed!
Choux Pastry
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Important: Read through the recipe instructions before starting.
- Optional: Trace a piping guide on your parchment so your puffs come out the same size. Cut a sheet of parchment to fit your baking sheet and lay a ruler across the middle. On the half closest to you, use a 2-inch round cutter and a pen or pencil to trace a row of 3 circles along the ruler, leaving at least 2 inches between them. Below that, trace a row of 4 circles staggered in the gaps between the first three. Rotate the sheet 180° and repeat on the other half, for 14 circles in total. Flip the parchment over before using it so you don't pipe onto the ink.
- Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Sift the flour over a sheet of parchment paper or bowl. Set the flour close to the stovetop so it's ready to add when needed.
- Use a whisk or fork to lightly whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Add the water, milk, sugar, salt, and chopped butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir often with a spatula until the sugar and salt have dissolved and the butter has melted completely.
- Once the butter has melted, bring the mixture to a rolling boil then remove the pan from the heat. Immediately add all the flour all at once. Use a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to beat the flour in vigorously for about 15 seconds until no dry flour remains and a smooth, thick paste (called a panade) forms.
- Return the pan to heat and keep stirring until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and a thin white film forms on the bottom. This usually takes between 45 seconds to 1 minute.
- Transfer the dough to a large bowl or to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir it with a spatula or mix it on low speed with the stand mixer or hand held mixer for about 2 minutes to help it cool down to approximately 140℉ (60℃).
- Start by adding about half of the beaten eggs into the dough, stirring it in with a sturdy spatula or mix on medium low speed with an electric mixer. Mix well until the egg is completely incorporated. Next, stir or mix in about 50% of the remaining egg then add 50% of the remaining egg. Check the consistency before adding more egg.
- To check the consistency: Lift your spatula (or lift the beaters or paddle), the dough should fall off slowly and leave a thick "V" shape hanging from the spatula (or beaters or paddle). It should be smooth and glossy but thick enough to hold its shape when piped. Stop adding egg as soon as your dough is the right consistency. You may not end up using all the egg.
- For cream puffs: Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle about halfway. (If you don't have a piping bag or nozzle, use a large Ziptop bag and snip a corner).
- Set the baking sheet against the edge of your counter with the long side in front of you. Picture a line running lengthwise across the middle of the tray, splitting it into two halves. Start at the top of the half closest to you, right below the imagined line. Hold the bag straight above the baking sheet, with the tip just above the spot where you want the puff. Don't move the bag while you pipe. Pipe a row of 3 puffs across. Squeeze once until the mound is about 2 inches (5 cm) wide, then stop squeezing and flick the tip to the side to "cut" the dough. Space the mounds about 2 inches apart. Tip: If you didn't trace circles as a guide as described in step 2 above, you can count seconds while you pipe so all your puffs are the same size. Squeeze for about 4 seconds per puff, then stop and lift the bag straight up. Adjust the count to fit your tip size, and keep the same count for every puff!
- Then pipe a row of 4 below it, staggered so each puff sits in the gaps of the row above. Rotate the tray and repeat on the other half. That makes 7 puffs per half, 14 in total.
- Optional- lightly wet your finger with water and gently press down any peaks.
- Bake at 375℉ for 25-35 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. If, after 30 minutes, the cracks are not light and not the same color as the crust, rotate the baking sheet and bake 5 more minutes. Don't open the oven door for the first 20 minutes, since the puffs need steady heat to rise and set their structure, and a drop in temperature can make them collapse. To check that the choux are finished baking, lightly tap on them. They should sound hollow. Slide choux off onto to a wire rack to cool.
- Cool completely before filling.
Chantilly Cream
- Sift the powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve.
- In a large bowl, use a handheld electric mixer on medium speed to whip the cold cream on to soft peaks.
- Mix in the sifted powdered sugar on low speed. Once powdered sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium high speed and mix to stiff peaks.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until assembly.
Assembling Cream Puffs
- Place a puff on a secured cutting board (set a damp paper towel or kitchen towel underneath so it doesn’t slide). Use a serrated knife and hold it parallel to the counter. Start cutting about a third of the way up from the bottom (about two fingers up). Use the whole blade from end to end in a long sawing motion and let the knife do the work instead of pressing down. Once you’re about a third of the way in, gently start to rotate the puff while you keep sawing, being careful not to squeeze it. Keep rotating and cutting until you’ve cut all the way through.
- Carefully lift off the top and set it next to the puff. Repeat with the rest, setting each top next to its puff. If any soft or doughy bits are left inside, gently press them down to hollow out the interior.
- Spoon cold pastry cream into a piping bag (no piping tip needed) (or snip the corner off a Ziptop bag). Fill the bag about halfway so it’s easy to squeeze. Pipe about 1 to 1½ tablespoons of pastry cream into each puff, so the cream comes up level with the cut edge.
- Prepare a piping bag with a large star nozzle (a round nozzle works too). Fill the bag about halfway with chantilly cream. Hold the bag straight above the puff with the tip just over the pastry cream. Use your non-dominant hand to steady the bottom of the bag and squeeze with your other hand to pipe a swirl. or two. Stop squeezing before you lift the tip away.
- Set the puff top gently on the chantilly. Dust with powdered sugar if you like.
Video
Notes
Milk and water: You can use water, milk or a combination of milk and water for choux. I prefer using both milk and water.
Bring liquid to a full boil before adding the flour: If the mixture doesn’t fully boil, you’ll end up with a gooey paste instead of a dough that holds its shape.
Know when the dough is done: After stirring in the flour, cook the dough for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. The clues to watch for: dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and a thin white film forms on the bottom of the pan.
Adding the eggs: Lightly whisk all the eggs together before you start incorporating them. The amount of the eggs you need will vary based on on how much moisture evaporated from your dough while cooking it. You may not end up needing to add all of them. Check your dough’s consistency as a guide.
Use a hand mixer, stand mixer or spatula to mix in the eggs: We mixed the eggs in by hand in pastry school. You can also mix the eggs with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed.
When to stop adding eggs: Lift your spatula (or lift the beaters or paddle), the dough should fall off slowly and leave a thick “V” shape hanging from the spatula (or beaters or paddle). It should be smooth and glossy.
Is your dough too thick after adding the eggs? If you used all the egg and it’s still too thick, mix in a tiny bit more milk or water. Avoid adding more egg than the recipe calls for. You want it to be firm enough to pipe but not liquidy. It’s better for your dough to be a little more liquidy than too solid.
Tracing guide for piping (optional): Use a pen or pencil to trace 2-inch circles about 2 inches apart for cream puffs. Flip the parchment paper over before using so that you don’t pipe on the ink.
Piping bag: Make sure not to overfill the bag. A smaller amount is easier to squeeze and control. Refill it as you go.
Piping: Use your non-dominant hand to hold the bottom part of your piping bag steady. Apply pressure from your dominant hand. Rotating the tray helps you pipe closer and helps prevent you from accidentally touching the ones you’ve already piped. Stop applying pressure before lifting or pulling away the tip.
Sweetness: This chantilly is lightly sweetened. Add an extra tablespoon of powdered sugar if you’d like it sweeter.
Heavy cream (for the chantilly cream)-Use cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, which has 35% fat or more. It whips up thick and holds its shape. Light cream and half-and-half won’t whip.
Make ahead and storage
Choux dough: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can also refrigerate it right in a piping bag. Thaw in the fridge before shaping and baking.
Baked shells: Cool completely, then store unfilled in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 1 month. To refresh, warm them in a 350°F oven for 4 to 6 minutes, then cool completely before filling.
Pastry cream: Refrigerate with plastic wrap pressed against the surface for up to 3 days. Whisk for about 30 seconds to loosen before using.
Chantilly cream: Whip up to 3 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Briefly whisk again before piping.
Filled cream puffs: Serve within a few hours of assembling. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 75mgPotassium: 64mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 395IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 0.5mg
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
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