Cream Puff Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Fit a pastry bag with a large round tip (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch) or prepare to spoon mounds.

Combine liquids and butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup water, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a full simmer (do not boil over).

Add flour and form a panade: Remove the pan from heat. Add 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan into a ball (about 30 seconds). Return to low heat for 20–30 seconds, stirring constantly, to dry the dough slightly; you should see a thin film forming on the bottom of the pan.

Cool slightly and incorporate eggs: Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl or keep in the pan off heat and let cool 3–5 minutes (just enough so it’s warm but won’t scramble the eggs). Add the 4 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough becomes smooth, glossy, and falls from the spoon in a thick ribbon. The final consistency should be pipeable but not runny. If needed, beat in a little of an extra egg white (or a whole egg if required) to adjust consistency.

Pipe or spoon onto sheet: Transfer dough to the prepared pastry bag. Pipe rounds about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter, spacing 2 inches apart (they will expand). Alternatively, drop rounded tablespoon-size mounds using two spoons.

Bake: Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 12 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) without opening the oven. Continue baking until the puffs are golden brown and feel hollow when tapped, about 15–20 more minutes (total 27–32 minutes). Avoid opening the oven during baking to prevent collapse.

Dry in warm oven: Once golden, turn off the oven, crack the oven door open (use a wooden spoon to hold it if needed), and let the puffs sit in the warm oven for 10 minutes to dry out the interiors. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Infuse milk: In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups whole milk with the split vanilla bean (scrape seeds into milk and add pod) or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, then remove from heat and let steep 5–10 minutes if using a vanilla bean. If using extract, add it after heating.

Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch: In a bowl, whisk together 4 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup cornstarch until pale and smooth.

Temper and thicken: Slowly pour about one-third of the hot milk into the yolk mixture in a thin steady stream while whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Then return the tempered mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking continuously. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 2–4 minutes. Continue cooking gently for 30–60 seconds after boiling to cook out any starchy taste.

Finish pastry cream: Remove from heat. If you used a vanilla bean, remove and discard the pod. Stir in 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, one piece at a time, until fully incorporated for shine and richness. Optionally pass the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve for extra smoothness.

Chill: Transfer the pastry cream to a shallow bowl. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours until cold and set.

Prepare puffs for filling: When both the choux shells and pastry cream are fully cooled, cut each puff horizontally about two-thirds of the way through (or cut the top off like a lid). Reserve tops.

Fill the puffs: Transfer chilled pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round or star tip (or use a spoon). Pipe or spoon generous amounts of pastry cream into the bottom halves of the shells until slightly domed.

Reassemble and dust: Replace the tops or place them on top of the cream. Sift 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar over the assembled cream puffs. If you prefer a thin glaze, mix the confectioners' sugar with 1 teaspoon water to make a smooth icing and brush or drizzle over the tops instead of dusting.

Serve and store: Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours. If storing, keep the filled puffs in an airtight container and dust with powdered sugar just before serving for best appearance. Unfilled choux shells can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 1–2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.