My homemade cream puffs recipe is so impressive looking, and way easier than you think to make. I bake choux pastry into golden, airy shells that are perfect for filling with whipped cream. These classic profiteroles are light, elegant, and perfect for dinner parties, brunches, or any time I want a refined dessert without the fuss. Their delicate texture makes them a standout treat that everyone loves.
Profiteroles with Whipped Cream Filling
My easy cream puff recipe uses just 5 simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. The choux dough is made with water, butter, flour, and eggs, and it’s cooked on the stovetop to infuse it with moisture. Piped onto a baking sheet, it bakes up to create hollow, golden puffs.
Once cooled, I slice and stuff these profiteroles with whipped cream filling. This method is approachable for beginners, yet the results are impressive enough for guests or special occasions.
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Pro Tip for Perfect Puffs Every Time
The ratio of water to butter in these homemade cream puffs isn’t just about flavor. It also controls how much steam is generated inside the puff. Too little water and the puffs won’t rise fully; too much and they can collapse. Following the exact ratio ensures airy, hollow profiterole shells that are effortless to fill and maintain their shape.
Homemade Cream Puffs Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Baking Sheet
- Piping Tip Set (optional)
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter (⅔ stick)
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs room temperature
For the Cream Filling
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the butter and water, and stir until it begins to boil.⅓ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup water
- Once it starts a slow boil, add in the flour and continue to mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture begins to pull from the sides of the saucepan.¾ cup all-purpose flour
- Remove from the stove top.
- Add in the eggs, stirring constantly with a fork, until they are well combined into the batter. (The batter will seem “mushy” at first. But as you stir, it will thicken up and become a more solid dough.)3 large eggs
- Spoon or pipe the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Puffs should be about 1 inch in size.
- Bake for about 13-15 minutes without opening the oven door while they are baking. Once they turn golden brown, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.
- While the puffs are cooling, using a hand mixer, whisk the heavy cream on high until it thickens and looks like shaving cream.1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Fold in the powdered sugar and mix gently.⅓ cup powdered sugar
- Once the puffs have cooled, cut each cream puff in half with a sharp knife.
- Pipe or spoon cream filling onto the bottom slice.
- Replace the top cover over the filling. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
- Use large eggs at room temperature for consistent dough. Cold eggs can make the dough too stiff and affect puff height.
- Consider putting your puff mixture in a piping bag to make it easier for you to create 1-inch puffs in rows on your baking sheet.
- Cream puffs need to be golden brown and slightly firm to the touch. Underbaking can cause them to collapse as they cool.
- After baking, poke a tiny hole in the bottom of each puff while still warm to let steam escape. This keeps the shells crisp.
- If puffs soften while cooling, pop them in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes to restore crispness before filling.
- Make sure the puffs are completely cooled before adding the filling, or the filling will melt.
- I filled each puff with about 1 tablespoon of cream.
- Fold a teaspoon of vanilla, almond, or citrus extract into the whipped cream for a unique flavor twist.
- For a filling that will last longer, try making stabilized whipped cream instead.
- I recommend putting the cream filling in a piping bag to make it easier to fill your pastries.
- You can use a metal piping tip to poke a hole into whole pastries and fill them with cream on the inside as well.
How to Make Cream Puffs Step-by-Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. Bring the eggs to room temperature for 15-30 minutes while you start to work on the dough, as they will combine better.
Mix the Dough: In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine ⅓ cup of salted butter and ¾ cup of water, and stir until it begins to boil. I like to cut the butter into cubes to help it melt faster. Once it starts a slow boil, add in ¾ cup of all-purpose flour and continue to mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture begins to pull from the sides of the saucepan. Remove from the stovetop. The dough should be pretty thick and sticky at this point.
Add the Eggs: Add in 3 large eggs, stirring constantly with a fork, until they are well combined into the batter. The batter will seem “mushy” at first. But as you stir, it will thicken up and become a more solid, pipeable dough.
Pipe the Puffs: Spoon or pipe the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. I used a pastry bag and a Wilton 2A piping tip to “swirl” mine, but you can dollop them with a spoon or a cookie portion scoop as well. The puffs should be about 1 inch in diameter.
Bake the Puffs: Bake your puffs in the preheated oven for about 13-15 minutes without opening the oven door while they are baking. Once they turn golden brown and are slightly firm to the touch, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet. This helps them cool more slowly so they don’t deflate. You can also poke a small hole in the bottom of each one to help steam escape while they cool so they stay crisp.
Make the Cream: While the puffs are cooling, using a hand mixer, whisk 1 cup of cold heavy cream on high until it thickens and looks like shaving cream. Fold in ⅓ cup of powdered sugar and mix gently. If you’d like the filling to last longer than a few hours, I recommend stabilizing your whipped cream with pudding.
Fill the Puffs: Once the puffs have cooled, cut each cream puff in half with a sharp knife and pipe or spoon cream filling onto the bottom slice. Replace the top cover over the filling, and dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. Alternatively, you can use a metal piping tip to poke a hole in each whole cream puff and fill them with cream. They are quite light and hollow, so there will be plenty of room for cream.
How to Store and Freeze
To keep your homemade cream puffs fresh, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked, unfilled puffs for up to 1 month. Allow them to cool completely before freezing, and store in a freezer-safe container or bag. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature, then fill with whipped cream just before serving to maintain the light, airy texture of the pastry.
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