Cream puffs have always felt a little more special than the average dessert. They look like something you would pick out of a bakery case, but once you understand how choux pastry works, they are surprisingly manageable to make at home.
I especially like the combination of crisp pastry, light strawberry cream, and chocolate. The filling has just enough strawberry flavor without becoming overly sweet, while the chocolate drizzle gives the finished cream puffs a richer finish.
Getting the Choux Pastry Right
Cream puffs start with choux pastry, which works differently from cake batter or cookie dough. Instead of using baking powder or yeast, the moisture in the dough creates steam in the oven, causing the pastry to expand and leave that hollow center for the filling.
The basic technique is also used for éclairs and profiteroles. King Arthur Baking’s cream puff and éclair method follows the same general process of cooking the flour with butter and liquid before gradually adding the eggs.
There are a few visual cues I pay attention to when making the dough:
- After adding the flour, the dough should pull together into a ball and leave a light film on the bottom of the saucepan.
- Let the cooked dough cool for a few minutes before adding the eggs so they do not begin cooking on contact.
- Add the eggs one at a time and fully incorporate each one before adding the next.
- The finished dough should look smooth and glossy but still be thick enough to hold its shape when piped.
It may look separated for a moment when an egg is first added. Keep mixing. The dough will come back together.
Piping and Baking the Cream Puffs
I pipe the dough into rounds about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across, leaving enough room for them to expand. Choux pastry does not need to look perfectly uniform, and I prefer the slightly different shapes because they look like something made at home rather than mass-produced pastries.
The first part of baking happens at a higher temperature to encourage that initial burst of steam. After 15 minutes, I lower the temperature and let the shells continue baking until they are deeply golden and feel firm on the outside.
One thing I do not do is open the oven while the cream puffs are rising. That rush of cooler air can cause delicate shells to collapse before their structure has fully set.
How to Keep Cream Puffs from Deflating
Even a beautifully puffed shell can sink if there is too much moisture trapped inside. Once mine are finished baking, I pierce each one near the side or bottom to give the steam somewhere to escape.
Then I turn off the oven and leave the puffs inside for about five minutes with the door cracked. It is a small extra step, but it helps dry the centers before they cool completely on a wire rack.
| If You Notice | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Cream puffs collapse after baking | They may need more baking or drying time |
| Centers feel wet or gummy | Pierce the shells and let steam escape |
| Dough spreads after piping | The dough may be too loose |
| Shells brown before centers dry | Make sure the oven temperature was reduced after the initial bake |
Strawberry Cream Filling
I use strawberry preserves rather than fresh strawberries in the whipped cream because preserves add plenty of fruit flavor without introducing as much extra moisture. That matters once the filling goes inside a crisp pastry shell.
I only use enough preserves to give the cream a soft strawberry flavor and pale pink color. The filling should still taste light and creamy, similar to the balance I like in homemade strawberry cheesecake ice cream.
Once the shells are completely cool, there are two easy ways to fill them. I usually make a small opening in the bottom and pipe in the strawberry cream, but slicing them horizontally works just as well if you want the filling to be visible.
Homemade Chocolate Drizzle
For the topping, semisweet chocolate and heavy cream make a simple ganache that works much better on cream puffs than a thin chocolate syrup. It stays glossy, thickens slightly as it cools, and gives each pastry enough chocolate without covering up the strawberry filling.
The combination reminds me why simple chocolate desserts can be so good. My dark chocolate almond clusters with sea salt are another example where the chocolate does most of the work without needing a long list of extras.
Let the ganache stand for a few minutes before drizzling it over the cream puffs. If it is too warm, most of it will run straight down the sides and onto the plate.
Serving Cream Puffs for Special Occasions
Traditional round cream puffs are the easiest shape and the one I would make most often. They work for holidays, birthdays, showers, family dinners, or anytime I want a dessert that looks a little more polished.
For Valentine’s Day or an anniversary, the choux dough can also be piped into simple heart shapes. I would not worry about making every heart identical because the dough expands considerably in the oven and naturally changes shape as it bakes.
When I am putting together a dessert table, I also like mixing textures instead of serving several desserts that feel too similar. Soft cream-filled pastries pair nicely with something sturdier, such as caramel apple pie cookies with fresh apple filling.
Making Cream Puffs Ahead of Time
The shells are the best part to make ahead. Bake them, let them cool completely, and store them unfilled in an airtight container for up to a day.
If they soften overnight, place them in a 300°F oven for about 5 to 8 minutes. Let them cool again before adding the strawberry cream.
The filling can also be prepared ahead and refrigerated separately, but I prefer assembling the cream puffs reasonably close to serving time. Once whipped cream goes inside, the pastry gradually begins to soften.
Filled cream puffs should be stored in the refrigerator and are best during the first several hours after assembly. They will still taste good the following day, but freshly filled cream puffs have the best contrast between the crisp shell and soft strawberry center.
Cream puffs may look like an ambitious dessert, but most of the work comes down to getting the choux pastry right. Once the golden shells are baked and cooled, filling them with strawberry cream and adding a little chocolate drizzle is the easy part.
Cream Puffs with Chocolate Drizzle and Strawberry Cream
Ingredients
Cream Puff Shells
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs room temperature
Strawberry Cream Filling
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp strawberry preserves or jam
Chocolate Drizzle
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Optional Garnish
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the water, butter, salt, and sugar to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until the butter has melted and the mixture reaches a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Continue stirring and cooking the dough for about 2 minutes. A thin film may form on the bottom of the saucepan.
- Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The dough may appear separated at first but should become smooth and glossy as each egg is incorporated. After the final egg, the dough should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 12 mounds approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each puff. Smooth any pointed tops with a fingertip lightly dampened with water.
- Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes without opening the oven door.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cream puffs are deeply golden, firm, and dry on the outside.
- Turn off the oven. Pierce the side or bottom of each puff with the tip of a small knife to release steam, then return them to the warm oven with the door cracked for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cream puffs to a wire rack and cool completely before filling.
- For the strawberry cream, beat the cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the strawberry preserves into the whipped cream just until evenly distributed. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a filling tip or small round tip.
- Make a small opening in the bottom of each cooled cream puff and pipe in the strawberry cream. Alternatively, slice the cream puffs horizontally and spoon or pipe the filling inside.
- Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and continue heating in 10-second intervals until the chocolate is nearly melted. Stir until completely smooth.
- Allow the chocolate to stand for several minutes so it thickens slightly, then drizzle it over the filled cream puffs.
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Serve soon after filling or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information has been calculated using an autogenerating online calculation and is intended for informational purposes. For accurate nutritional information, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used.
Save these Cream Puffs with Chocolate Drizzle and Strawberry Cream to Pinterest for an elegant homemade dessert filled with light strawberry cream and finished with rich chocolate.
