Cream Puffs with Custard Filling (Classic Choux Pastry)
Light, airy pastry shells filled with creamy vanilla custard.
Ingredients
For the cream puffs (choux pastry)
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- ½ cup (115 g) butter
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
For the custard filling
- 2 cups (480 ml) milk
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
1. Make the custard
- Heat milk in a saucepan until warm (don’t boil).
- Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly add warm milk while whisking.
- Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick.
- Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and chill.
2. Make the cream puffs
- Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
- Bring water, butter, and salt to a boil.
- Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until a dough forms and pulls away from the pan.
- Cool for 5 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Pipe or spoon small mounds onto a lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15 minutes, then reduce to 190°C (375°F) and bake another 20–25 minutes until golden and puffed.
- Cool completely.
3. Fill and serve
- Cut a small opening in each puff or pipe custard inside using a pastry bag.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate if desired.
Tips for perfect cream puffs
✨ Don’t open the oven during baking—the steam helps them rise.
✨ Make sure the shells are fully baked and dry inside so they don’t collapse.
✨ Fill them shortly before serving for the best texture.
They can be refrigerated for 1–2 days, though the pastry will soften as it sits with the filling.
