Vanilla Cream Puffs

Delight your taste buds with these irresistible Vanilla Cream Puffs, a classic French-inspired dessert that’s as elegant as it is indulgent. Featuring light and airy choux pastry shells filled with rich, silky vanilla pastry cream, this recipe strikes the perfect balance of texture and flavor. The choux dough is simple to prepare, transforming in the oven to create golden, crisp puffs that are hollow and ready to be filled with a luscious cream made with real vanilla beans or extract. Finished with a dusting of powdered sugar, these homemade cream puffs are perfect for special occasions, afternoon tea, or whenever you crave a bakery-quality treat. With straightforward steps and impressive results, this recipe is your go-to guide for making perfect cream puffs, right from your kitchen!

Nutriscore Rating: 56/100

Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:40 mins

Total Time:70 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 240 ml Water
• 115 g Unsalted butter
• 125 g All-purpose flour
• 0.25 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Granulated sugar
• 4 large Eggs
• 480 ml Whole milk
• 1 pod or tsp Vanilla bean or vanilla extract
• 4 large Egg yolks
• 100 g Granulated sugar (for pastry cream)
• 30 g Cornstarch
• 40 g Unsalted butter (for pastry cream)
• 15 g Powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan, combine water, unsalted butter, salt, and granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat until the butter is fully melted and the mixture begins to boil.

Step 3

Reduce the heat to low and add the all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a smooth dough ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 2 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the saucepan from heat and let the dough cool slightly for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, stirring thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and glossy.

Step 5

Transfer the choux pastry dough to a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip. Pipe small mounds, about 2 inches in diameter, onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the puffs are golden brown and puffed up. Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar for another 10 minutes to allow the puffs to dry. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 7

To make the vanilla pastry cream, heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both the seeds and pod to the milk. If using vanilla extract, wait to add it at the end.

Step 8

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and pale.

Step 9

Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a boil.

Step 10

Remove the pastry cream from heat and stir in the unsalted butter (and vanilla extract, if using). Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely in the refrigerator.

Step 11

Once the cream puffs and pastry cream are cooled, slice each puff in half horizontally or pierce the bottom with a small paring knife. Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the center of each puff.

Step 12

Dust the filled cream puffs with powdered sugar before serving for an elegant finishing touch.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1441.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2977.4

Total Fat 185.2g	0%
Saturated Fat 100.1g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 1882.0mg	0%
Sodium 1127.6mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 269.3g	0%
Dietary Fiber 3.7g	0%
Total Sugars 144.5g
Protein 66.3g	0%

Vitamin D 479.0IU	0%
Calcium 879.9mg	0%
Iron 11.4mg	0%
Potassium 1265.6mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 55.4%

Protein: 8.8%

Carbs: 35.8%