Chocolate Oreo Cream Puffs Recipe

Preheat and prepare pans

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a large piping bag with a 1/2-inch round tip (or use a spoon for rustic shells).

Combine liquids and fat: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1/4 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring just to a boil over medium heat so butter is melted and mixture is steaming.

Add dry ingredients: Once boiling, remove pan from heat and immediately add 1 cup all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 30–60 seconds). Return to very low heat for 10–15 seconds, stirring constantly, to dry the dough slightly.

Cool and incorporate eggs: Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl and let cool 3–4 minutes (warm but not hot). Add 4 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition (by hand or with paddle/whisk attachment). The dough will loosen and then come back together; final dough should be smooth, glossy and pipeable — it should fall from a spoon in a thick ribbon. If too stiff, add a small extra egg yolk; if too loose, add a little flour (1 tsp at a time).

Pipe or spoon shells: Using the piping bag, pipe mounds about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide, spaced 2 inches apart, onto prepared sheets. Alternatively drop 2-tablespoon mounds with two spoons. For neat round puffs, smooth any peaks with a wet finger dipped in water.

Bake: Reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 20 minutes, then without opening oven, reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake an additional 10–12 minutes until shells are dry and springy to the touch. Total time ~30–32 minutes depending on size. If the shells are underbaked they will collapse.

Dry out interiors: Turn off oven, open door slightly and let shells sit in oven for 10 minutes to dry. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely before filling. Once cool, cut a small slit in the side or top of each puff to allow steam to escape while cooling and for easier filling.

Warm the milk: In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups whole milk over medium heat until it steams and small bubbles form around the edges, but do not boil.

Whisk yolks and dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk 4 large egg yolks with 1/2 cup granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Whisk in 4 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth and fully incorporated.

Temper the eggs: Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking continuously.

Cook until thick: Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil and thickens noticeably — about 1–2 minutes once boiling. Continue whisking and cook 30–60 seconds more to fully activate the starch. The pastry cream should be thick and hold its shape.

Finish the cream: Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Immediately stir in 4 ounces finely chopped semisweet chocolate until melted and fully incorporated for a smooth chocolate cream.

Fold in crushed Oreos: Let the pastry cream cool for 5 minutes, then fold in 12 finely crushed Oreo cookies (including filling) so they are evenly distributed. For a smoother texture, pulse cookies briefly in a food processor; for chunkier texture, chop coarsely.

Chill: Transfer pastry cream to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin, and refrigerate until fully chilled and set, at least 2 hours. The cream will thicken further as it cools.

Make glaze: Place 4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Heat 1/4 cup heavy cream just to simmer, then pour over the chocolate and let sit 1 minute. Stir until smooth, then whisk in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until glossy. If glaze is too thick, stir in 1 tsp warm cream; if too thin, cool slightly to thicken.

Prepare puffs for filling: Fit a piping bag with a small round tip or use a small spatula. Transfer chilled chocolate-Oreo pastry cream to the piping bag. If you cut a slit in the side of each puff, insert the piping tip into the slit and pipe about 2 tablespoons cream into each puff until filled. Alternatively, split the tops, spoon cream into bottoms, and replace tops.

Glaze tops: Dip the top half of each filled puff into the warm chocolate glaze or spoon glaze over the top. Place glazed puffs on a rack with parchment underneath to catch drips.

Garnish and set: Immediately sprinkle each glazed puff with a dusting of powdered sugar if using and a pinch of extra crushed Oreo cookies. Chill assembled puffs for 20–30 minutes for glaze to set before serving.

Serve and store: Serve within 24 hours for best texture. Store leftover filled cream puffs covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Unfilled shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days or frozen for longer storage.