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Homemade cream puffs, or profiteroles, are easier than you’d think. This recipe makes perfectly light, flaky cream puff pastries filled with whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. They taste just like the ones you’ll find in a bakery!
Making my favorite bakery treats at home takes a bit more effort, but it’s totally worth it. I also love these homemade croissants and homemade donuts.
My husband perfected this cream puffs recipe in college and still makes it to this day! I’ll admit, as more of a brownie girl myself, it took me a few tries to get it exactly right. But I’m glad I stuck with it because there’s nothing like a fresh homemade cream puff. These are light, fluffy, and made completely from scratch with a filling of sweet homemade whipped cream.
Why I Love This Cream Puffs Recipe
- Easy to make. With a little practice, I was surprised by how easy it is to make cream puffs at home. The method is super simple and the ingredients couldn’t be easier (there are only 3 of them!).
- Perfect, fluffy texture. The choux pastry comes together in one pan on the stovetop and creates the lightest, softest cream puffs. Once they’re filled with whipped cream, they’re like sweet little sugar-dusted clouds that melt in your mouth.
- Great for special occasions. While I’ll never pass up the chance to make these cream puffs any day of the week, there’s something romantic about them that makes them perfect for occasions like dinner parties or Valentine’s Day desserts. Or, I’ll let my husband bake the cream puffs while I cook us a Marry Me Chicken pasta dinner for two!
What You’ll Need
With only 3 ingredients (plus water) to make the dough, these homemade cream puffs are super simple. Quality is key! I’ve included my notes below, and you’ll find the full printable ingredients list and recipe details in the recipe card after the post.
- Butter – I recommend unsalted butter when making pastry dough.
- Flour – For the most consistent results, stick with all-purpose flour.
- Eggs
- Whipped Cream – You’ll combine heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla for the homemade whipped cream filling. I recommend full-fat heavy whipping cream. You could also use store-bought whipped cream if you’re pressed for time.
What Goes in the Middle of a Cream Puff?
Traditionally, cream puffs are French pâte à choux pastry filled with pastry cream, whipped cream (like this recipe), or crème légère, which is pastry cream combined with whipped cream. But really, you can use your filling of choice. These would be delicious filled with stabilized whipped cream or the vanilla custard from my homemade eclairs recipe, another bakery-style pastry dipped in chocolate. Choose your favorite!
How to Make Cream Puffs
You’ll start by making a simple choux pastry dough on the stovetop by following the steps below. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card afterward for the printable instructions.
- Heat the butter. While the oven preheats to 400ºF, heat the butter with water in a saucepan until it reaches a rolling boil.
- Add flour. Lower the heat and stir in the flour. Continue stirring for 1 minute over low heat until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
