These Cream Puffs made from scratch are absolutely delicious. A simple choux pastry dough is mixed, baked, and filled with vanilla cream, then finished with a chocolate frosting.
My mom baked constantly when I was growing up. I remember coming home from school almost every day to fresh cookies, cinnamon rolls, or another treat she’d made that afternoon. Watching her sparked my love of baking.
One of my clearest memories is of the cream puffs she made regularly. I adored them — especially the chocolate buttercream she would spread on top. Traditionally, éclairs are frosted and cream puffs are not, but they’re essentially the same pastry with a different shape, so why not add chocolate? It made them even better.
Recently I wanted a dessert for a party and cream puffs popped into my head. I made them from scratch and they tasted just like I remembered. The first bite brought back a rush of memories and for a moment I felt like a kid again. I called my mom to tell her I’d made them — now she might make them too!
If you’ve never made choux pastry, don’t be intimidated. They’re easier than they look. Bring these to your next gathering and you’ll impress friends and family — you might even become everyone’s favorite baker.
Cream Puffs
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- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12
Description
These Cream Puffs made from scratch are delicious. A simple choux pastry is baked, filled with vanilla cream, and topped with a chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
Shells:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup boiling water
- 4 eggs
Filling:
- 1 pkg. (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding
- 1 pkg. (3.4 oz) instant white chocolate pudding
- 3 cups half-and-half (can use fat free)
Frosting:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons half-and-half
Instructions
Shells:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Sift flour and salt together and set aside. In a saucepan, combine butter and boiling water; keep on low heat until the butter melts.
- Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Continue cooking about 2 minutes, until the dough is very dry.
- Remove from heat and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until a thick, smooth dough forms. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with brown paper.
- Bake 15 minutes at 425°F, then reduce heat to 375°F and bake another 15–25 minutes until there are no beads of moisture on top of the puffs.
To make the filling:
- Whisk together both pudding mixes and the half-and-half for about 2 minutes, then refrigerate about 10 minutes to set.
- For the frosting, combine butter, cocoa, vanilla, powdered sugar, and half-and-half; mix until smooth, adding enough half-and-half to reach spreadable consistency.
- When puffs are cool, slice them horizontally (not all the way through if possible) and remove any doughy centers. Fill with the chilled cream and frost the tops with chocolate frosting. Store refrigerated.
Notes
Do not open the oven door during the early part of baking. I sometimes make a homemade cream filling, but the instant pudding method is quick, easy, and very tasty when you need a fast filling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts