Cream-Filled Choux: French Cream Puffs

What is choux à la crème

Choux à la crème is a classic French dessert made from pâte à choux—light, airy choux pastry—filled with a rich cream. Common fillings include pastry cream (crème pâtissière), stabilized whipped cream, Chiboust (meringue folded into pastry cream), crème légère (pastry cream folded into whipped cream), crème mousseline (pastry cream whipped with butter), or a flavored crèmeux. The recipe below focuses on choux shells filled with a vanilla pastry cream lightened with whipped cream for a smooth, airy texture.

You can vary the topping: sprinkle with pearl sugar for a chouquette-style finish, or bake a craquelin disc (a thin, crunchy cookie made from butter, sugar and flour) on top for added texture and a decorative, crackly surface.

Ingredients

Both the choux pastry and the pastry cream use simple pantry ingredients. Measure and prepare everything before you begin for a smooth workflow.

For the choux pastry (cream puffs)

• Butter — unsalted, cut into pieces so it melts evenly.
• Water — or a mix of water and milk for a richer shell.
• Flour — bread flour gives a firmer structure, all-purpose also works.
• Large eggs — at room temperature; the exact amount is important to get the right dough consistency.
• Salt — a pinch for flavor.

Pâte à choux relies on steam from the water in the dough to puff, so it does not require baking powder or other chemical leavening agents.

For the pastry cream

• Half-and-half or whole milk.
• Granulated sugar.
• Vanilla paste or extract.
• Large eggs — room temperature.
• Cornstarch (or cake flour) to thicken and create a smooth texture.
• Butter for added silkiness.
• Whipped heavy cream to lighten the pastry cream before filling.

How to make choux à la crème

You can prepare the unfilled choux shells ahead: they freeze well for up to four weeks. The pastry cream keeps in the refrigerator for up to three days. Plan ahead by making shells and cream on separate days and assembling just before serving for best texture.

Making pâte à choux (cream puffs)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter and salt. Bring to a full boil.
3. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the pan. Continue cooking and stirring for about one minute to dry the dough slightly.
4. Transfer the cooked dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool briefly. Using a stand mixer or by hand, beat in the eggs in three or four additions until the dough reaches a pipeable consistency. Test by lifting the spoon: the dough should fall in a thick ribbon and form a V shape.
5. Fill a pastry bag with the dough and pipe 1–2 inch rounds, leaving space between each.
6. Bake on the lower rack for 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for about 12 more minutes until golden and dry. Do not open the oven during baking.
7. When baking is complete, turn off the oven and let the puffs cool inside with the door closed for 20 minutes to prevent collapse. Remove and cool completely before filling.

Making the pastry cream

1. Whisk the eggs, cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the half-and-half in a bowl and set aside near a sieve.
2. In a saucepan, rub vanilla into the sugar if using paste, add the remaining half-and-half and bring to a full boil.
3. Temper the egg mixture by slowly whisking in 4–6 tablespoons of the hot liquid, then strain the tempered eggs through the sieve into the pan.
4. Return to medium heat and stir constantly, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, until the mixture thickens to a custard consistency.
5. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter until melted, then transfer to a container. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until fully chilled.
6. Just before filling, fold the chilled pastry cream into lightly whipped cream to lighten the texture.

Filling and storing

There are two common ways to fill the shells:

1. Use a small sharp knife to make a hole in the bottom of each shell and pipe the cream in with a piping bag fitted with a small tip.
2. Slice the top third off each puff with a serrated knife, pipe the filling onto the base, then replace the top.

After filling, refrigerate the cream puffs within four hours and consume within three days. Unfilled shells keep at room temperature in a closed container for up to three days or freeze for up to four weeks. Filled pastries can be frozen for up to two weeks in an airtight container, but texture is best when freshly assembled.

Baking tips

• Weigh ingredients for accuracy and use room-temperature eggs when possible.
• Use a wooden spoon and avoid reactive aluminum pans when cooking eggs and sugar to prevent discoloration.
• Trace a cookie cutter onto parchment to pipe even, consistent rounds.
• Choux can be prepared by hand, with an electric mixer, or with a stand mixer—use whichever you prefer.
• When adding eggs to the cooked dough, add them gradually. After the third addition check the consistency: the dough should fall in a thick ribbon and form a V shape when lifted.
• Avoid opening the oven door while the puffs are baking. After baking, turn off the oven and let the puffs cool inside with the door closed for 20 minutes to prevent collapsing.

Full recipe details

Choux à la Crème — A Creamy Dreamy Dessert

Light choux pastry filled with vanilla pastry cream folded into whipped cream—classic, elegant, and perfect for special occasions.

Ingredients

For the choux pastry

• 1 cup water (240 ml)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup bread or all-purpose flour, sifted (120 g)
• 4–5 large eggs, beaten (about 225 g)

For the vanilla cream

• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch or cake flour (24 g)
• 2 cups half-and-half (480 ml)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (12 g)
• 2 cups whipped cream, lightly whipped

Instructions

Make the choux paste

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Bring water, salt and butter to a full boil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes until a smooth dough forms and cleans the sides of the pan.
4. Remove from heat, place the dough in a bowl and beat until it cools to near room temperature.
5. Add the beaten eggs in four additions. After the third addition, check the consistency: the dough should fall in a V shape when lifted.
6. Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a round or star tip and pipe 1–2 inch rounds with about 3 inches between each.
7. Bake on the lower rack 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce to 375°F (190°C) and bake 12 more minutes. Turn the oven off and let the puffs cool inside for 20 minutes.
8. Cool completely before filling.

Make the vanilla cream

1. Mix the eggs, cornstarch and 1/4 cup half-and-half; set aside near a sieve.
2. Rub vanilla into the sugar, add the remaining liquid and bring to a boil.
3. Temper the eggs by whisking in 4 tablespoons of hot liquid, then strain and return to the pan.
4. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in butter, then cool and refrigerate until cold.
5. Fold the chilled pastry cream into lightly whipped cream, fill a pastry bag, and fill the shells.
6. Optionally dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Notes

• Use a kitchen scale and room-temperature ingredients for best results.
• A wooden spoon and non-reactive pan help prevent discoloration when cooking custard.
• To get uniformly sized puffs, trace a cookie cutter on the parchment and pipe inside the circle.
• Do not open the oven while choux are rising; sudden temperature change can cause deflation.
• Store filled pastries in the refrigerator up to three days. Shells can be frozen up to four weeks; filled pastries keep better when frozen for up to two weeks.