How to Make Cream Puffs

Cream puffs are a classic French pastry that look impressive but are surprisingly simple to make at home. They are made from pâte à choux, a light pastry dough that puffs up into hollow shells in the oven, and filled with sweetened whipped cream or pastry cream. Here is a step-by-step guide for making cream puffs from scratch.

Gather your ingredients: For the pâte à choux, you will need 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, 1 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 4 large eggs. For the filling, you will need 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. You will also need a large saucepan, a wooden spoon, a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off), and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Make the pâte à choux: Begin by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, and salt and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Once the butter is fully melted and the mixture is boiling, remove the pan from the heat and add all of the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan. This should take about 30 seconds of stirring.

Cook the dough: Return the pan to medium heat and cook the dough for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to dry it out slightly. The dough is ready when a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes.

Add the eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition until the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough will look separated at first, but keep stirring and it will come back together into a smooth, glossy batter that holds a soft peak. If the dough seems too stiff after 3 eggs, beat the fourth egg in a separate bowl and add it a little at a time until the batter is smooth and pipeable.

Pipe the shells: Transfer the dough to a piping bag and pipe 1 1/2-inch mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. You should get about 24 puffs. Smooth any peaks with a wet finger to keep them from burning.

Bake the shells: Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the puffs are golden brown and feel firm and hollow. Do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes, as the sudden change in temperature can cause the puffs to collapse. Once baked, poke a small hole in the bottom or side of each puff with a toothpick to let the steam escape, then return them to the turned-off oven for 5 minutes to dry out. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the filling: While the shells cool, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until it holds stiff peaks. For a richer filling, you can substitute vanilla pastry cream made from milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.

Fill the cream puffs: Cut each cooled shell in half horizontally with a serrated knife, or pipe the cream directly into the shell through the steam hole using a piping bag. Fill the bottom halves generously with whipped cream and place the tops back on. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Serve and store: Cream puffs are best served the day they are made. If you need to make them ahead, store the unfilled shells in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days (recrisp in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes) and the whipped cream in the refrigerator, then fill just before serving. Filled cream puffs will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.