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Mom’s Cream Puffs

Classic cream puffs with airy choux pastry shells and a light vanilla cream filling, finished with powdered sugar.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, French
Servings 12 cream puffs
Calories 220 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 medium saucepan
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 mixing bowl for dough
  • 2 mixing bowls for filling
  • 1 hand mixer or stand mixer
  • 1 baking sheet
  • 1 parchment paper
  • 1 cooling rack
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 serrated knife for splitting shells

Ingredients
  

For the cream puff shells

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs

For the filling

  • 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix 3.4 ounces
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk cold
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For finishing

  • powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions
 

Make the shells

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water, and salt. Bring just to a boil until the butter is melted.
  • Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
  • Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
  • Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the dough is smooth, glossy, and thick.
  • Drop or pipe 12 mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Smooth any peaks with a damp fingertip.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, until the puffs are deeply golden brown and crisp. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the filling

  • Whisk the pudding mix with the cold milk until it begins to thicken.
  • In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until medium peaks form.
  • Fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until smooth and fully combined.

Assemble

  • Slice each cooled cream puff shell in half horizontally.
  • Fill the bottom halves generously with the cream mixture, then replace the tops.
  • Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Notes

Bake the shells until deeply golden to help prevent collapsing. Cool completely before filling. For best texture, fill within a few hours of serving and keep refrigerated once filled.