Sharing is caring!

Creme Puffs are Inexpensive,  Impressive and Easy to Make

Cream Puffs are one of those recipes that seem to be set aside for “the good bakers”.  Not many home bakers make them.   This cream puff recipe is inexpensive to make and really not all that hard, they just take a little bit of “nack”, and that part I am going to show you.

My Mom could whip together cream puffs like she was making butter icing,  no fuss, no muss and poof done.  It came from years of farm living with lots of cream of hungry boys.  I can still remember her doing it in like five minutes in one pot.

The catch was, she found it so easy and simple to do, it made it hard for me to follow.    As much baking as I have done, cream puffs were one of those recipes I was shy to try for a very long time.   The secret is watching the stages of the dough.  You will see the stages I am talking about later on in the post.

Finally, if you’re going to try making choux pastry we may as well bring it up a notch from the bakery variety with some fresh fruit and ice cream.

Cream Puff Choux Pastry Recipe

For one dozen medium size cream puffs you will need:

Cream Puff Recipe Ingredients

Dessert Filling and Toppings Ingredients

Making the Cream Puffs

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Line one large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, water, salt, sugar.  Place over medium heat, until the butter is melted and the water comes to a boil.

While waiting, measure out the flour.  As soon as the water boils, remove it from the heat add all your flour at once and quickly beat it together.   Once blended place back on the heat.

Note:  It’s not very appealing at this stage, it kind of reminds me of flour paste.

Stir the mixture constantly.   In about three minutes it will start to leave a layer on the bottom of the pot, and pull away from the sides.   Remove from the heat.

Note:  You will see it’s a bit smoother, less like paste and the best description I can think of is more like sugar cookie dough.

Put the dough in the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment.  Mix in on low speed for one minute allowing it cool

The beater keeps running as you add each egg, so I suggest breaking each egg into a separate bowl first, checking for shell and then pouring it into the dough.

Increase the mixer speed to medium and add one egg,  beat for about a minute, making sure the egg is incorporated.

Add the second egg, mix until incorporated,  about a minute.

Note:  With each egg, your mixture binds a little bit more, you may notice it, but the change is subtle.

Add the third egg, and let it beat until incorporated for about a minute.  By now your dough will start to bind together, and look similar to a bowl of messy egg noodles.
h

Finally, add the fourth extra large egg, beat for a minute and the dough will emerge into something recognizable as a dough.

Use the dough immediately.   Start scooping it out into the parchment lined baking sheet.

Using a metal tablespoon scoop out your dough.  Use a plastic spatula to help slide the dough off the spoon onto your pan.  (Each spoonful is about 1/3 cup)

Bake the puffs at 375F until lightly golden, about 25 minutes.  The puffs will grow in size and be light and airy inside.

Remove the cream puffs from the cookie sheet and let cool for at least an hour.  You can keep them in the fridge overnight in an airtight container and serve the next day if you want to.

Fillings for Cream Puffs

Cream puffs can be filled with vanilla pudding, or pudding and jam, or just whipped cream of course.   To make them spectacular fill them with ice cream and whatever fruit you love.  Berries are always my favorite, but you can use peaches or apricots.  You can drizzle them with chocolate as well.

With a serrated knife cut off the top 1/3 of your cream puff to expose the light airy center.

Place fresh well-drained berries in the bottom and top with ice cream.  Today I used blueberries and strawberries with vanilla ice cream for this cream puff recipe.   Put the top back on.    Add a little dollop of whipped cream and some berries for garnish.  Sprinkle with icing sugar.

For a crowd, you can serve the cream puffs pre-sliced, with all the different toppings on the side and let everyone serve themselves buffet style.

Please comment and let me know how you like the post.  Did you find it helpful?  Have you made cream puffs before and have additional hints I could add?  It would be great to hear from you, I love your feedback.

Bumbleberry Lemon Pie

Cream Puffs with Fresh Berries and Ice Cream Filling

Homemade cream puffs are filled with ice cream and the whipped cream is kept for on top with fresh berries. A fantastic show stopper summer dessert.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:25 mins

Total Time:55 mins

Ingredients

Homemade Cream Puffs from Scratch

• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ¼ cups flour
• 4 extra large eggs
• 1 cup water

Berry Filling and Topping Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 cups fresh strawberries
• vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup whipping cream
• dusting icing sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375F.  Line one large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, water, salt, sugar.  Place over medium heat, until the butter is melted and the water comes to a boil.
• While waiting, measure out the flour.  As soon as the water boils, remove it from the heat add all your flour at once and quickly beat it together.   Once blended place back on the heat.
  
• Stir the mixture constantly.   In about three minutes it will start to leave a layer on the bottom of the pot, and pull away from the sides.   Remove from the heat.
  
• Put the dough in the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment.  Mix in on low speed for one minute allowing it cool.
• The beater keeps running as you add each egg, so I suggest breaking each egg into a separate bowl first, checking for shell and then pouring it into the dough.
• Increase the mixer speed to medium and add one egg,  beat for about a minute, making sure the egg is incorporated. Add the second egg, mix until incorporated,  about a minute.
• Add the third egg, and let it beat until incorporated for about a minute.  By now your dough will start to bind together, and look similar to a bowl of messy egg noodles.
  
• Finally, add the fourth extra large egg, beat for a minute and the dough will emerge into something recognizable as a dough.
  
• Use the dough immediately.   Start scooping it out into the parchment lined baking sheet. Using a metal tablespoon scoop out your dough.  Use a plastic spatula to help slide the dough off the spoon onto your pan.  (Each spoonful is about 1/3 cup)
  
• Remove the cream puffs from the cookie sheet and let cool for at least an hour.  You can keep them in the fridge overnight in an airtight container and serve the next day if you want to.

Cream Puff Filling

• With a serrated knife cut off the top 1/3 of your cream puff to expose the light airy center.
  
• Place fresh well-drained berries in the bottom and top with ice cream.  Today I used blueberries and strawberries with vanilla ice cream for this cream puff recipe.   Put the top back on.    Add a little dollop of whipped cream and some berries for garnish.  Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Notes

For a crowd, you can serve the cream puffs pre-sliced, with all the different toppings on the side and let everyone serve themselves buffet style.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cream puff recipe

Servings: 12 servings

Cost: $10

Sharing is caring!