Name: The Best Homemade Classic Cream Puffs Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 24
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 8 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 cup water; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 eggs; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 pint heavy whipping cream; 3.4 oz. pkg instant vanilla pudding; 1/3 cup milk

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There is one homemade dessert that everyone will love seeing on the dessert table. The classic cream puffs recipe is one you will love making, love serving, and will make you feel like a complete rock star in the kitchen. Tender flaky pastry with a delicious vanilla cream filling is an ideal bite of delicious flavor! Conquer this recipe and you have managed to make a standard dessert that is perfect for any event or simply a sweet little treat that satisfies any craving!

Cream Puffs Recipe

I've missed making light pastries and recently, I whipped up a batch of these cream puffs and was reminded just how much I love working with pastry. There is just something about seeing such basic ingredients turn into a delicate and light little treat that everyone is impressed with on the serving table. This recipe in particular is a favorite and is sure to become your family favorite as well.

What is a Cream Puff?

Very simply, a cream puff is a flaky pastry shell filled with a rich cream filling. They have simple ingredients and while they seem to be difficult, are actually very easy to prepare when you follow directions and are patient.

Can Cream Puffs be Made Ahead of Time?

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that I can make both the cream puffs and the vanilla cream filling ahead of time. The puffs themselves can be made 2-3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container. The same can be done with the vanilla cream filling. Just make sure they are both stored in airtight containers, then you can fill and serve when ready!

Can I Freeze Cream Puffs?

Yes! In fact, you may have seen a different variety of cream puffs in your frozen foods department before because they are a great choice for freezing in advance. These are an easy choice to freeze for future use. Especially since they are good for up to 4 months in the freezer and the texture and flavor doesn't change when thawed.

To freeze, make them as directed and once you fill them, place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Cover lightly and place in your freezer on a shelf for 2-4 hours. Once the puffs are solid, remove from the baking sheet and place in freezer containers or a freezer storage bag. Make sure they are labeled and dated.

The one important thing to remember when freezing cream puffs is that they are a delicate pastry, so you don't want to stack heavy items on them in the freezer. Designate an area just for the puffs in your freezer to keep them from being crushed.

How do You Keep Cream Puffs From Falling?

If your cream puffs fall when you remove them from the oven, it's usually an easy issue to fix in your next batch. Commonly you will find they fall if they are cut open too early. You must let them cool completely before cutting in half to fill.

Other issues include overcooking the batter before you add to the baking sheet. When it's overcooked, there is less moisture in the batter. The water in the batter is what is needed to create steam to make the puffs rise. Follow the recipe closely to make sure this doesn't happen.

Why Didn't My Cream Puffs Rise?

The most common problem you will hear about making cream puffs is that they don't rise when baking. There are only a few things that can cause this to happen. The first is that you added too much egg to the dough. I've practiced multiple times and the recipe below has never been an issue when rising, so this amount should work just fine.

Another reason they don't rise is that you just added too much liquid to the dough. Again, this is an exact recipe so should work fine for your needs. Lastly, they won't rise if not cooked long enough. So, following the cooking time and the temperature is important. If you think they are browning too fast but not done in the middle, you can check your oven temperature with an outside thermometer. Often our ovens don't heat to the temperature we set, and this can be an issue that should be adjusted.

Ingredients for Puffs

Butter
Water
Vanilla
Eggs
Flour

Ingredients for Cream Filling

Heavy cream
Instant vanilla pudding
Milk

How to Make Cream Puff Filling

In a large bowl, beat together the heavy cream, dry pudding mix, and milk until thick and whipped.

How do You Make Cream Puffs from Scratch?

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter, water, and vanilla to a boil.

Add the flour to the mixture and stir constantly until it begins to come together and form a ball.

Remove from the stove and set aside to cool.

Once cooled, beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the batter is smooth.

Pour into a prepared piping bag, snip the end, and create rounds on the baking sheet approximately 1" apart.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden brown, then set aside to cool.

Once cool, slice each puff in half and fill with the homemade cream.

Top with the second half, and serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top.

You can also dust with cocoa powder for a different flavor.

Serve immediately or chill and serve later.

Chef's Tip

A macaroon silicone mat is super handy when making cream puffs. You can fill each round on the mat with the batter and create even sizes of cream puffs.

More Classic Dessert Recipes

One of my favorite things to create is dessert. I've made all kinds of tasty recipes over the years, but below are a few of my all-time favorite desserts that are classic, delicious, and beloved by all.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 24