Easy Cream Puffs Recipe from Grandma's Kitchen - Farmhouse Harvest (2024)

This easy cream puffs recipe is made with Grandmas recipe from over 50 years ago! Grandma got this recipe from her mother, so this recipe has been passed down for generations.

Just like grandmas dinner rolls, these cream puffs are made with the simplest of ingredients... They're an impressive treat for Christmas dessert, but simple enough for any occasion!

Cream Puffs are made with an incredibly simple choux pastry filled with a homemade custard filling!

The thing we love about cream puffs is it's not a super sugary treat! In fact the cream puff itself has no sugar in it at all! Cream puffs are mostly egg, butter and a bit of flour. (We do add sugar inside with a homemade custard;)

Unless you've already made choux pastry... This is a unique way to prepare dough, but it puffs up in the oven like no other! You actually cook the dough on the stove top and beat them to form the dough!

Simple Cream Puff Ingredients

One great thing about this recipe is it uses the most simple of ingredients!

We are talking the bare bone basic pantry staples: Water, butter, flour, and eggs make the choux pastry! The vanilla cream filling ingredients are just a simple: sugar, milk, salt, butter, cornstarch, flour, egg yolks, vanilla, and cream! I just add powdered sugar to make them prettier before serving, but it's totally optional!

How To Make Cream Puff Choux Pastry

In a large pot heat the water and butter to a rolling boil, then reduce temperature to low-heat.

Vigorously stir the flour into the hot water and butter mixture, over low-heat until the dough forms a ball.

Remove from the heat.

Beat the eggs into the dough one at a time, until the dough is smooth. You can use an electric mixer for easier beating, or a spoon!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Drop ¼ cup of the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet leaving 3 inches between them. (You can make them small too.)

Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, until dark golden brown and crisp outside.

Let cream puff cool, and make your filling!

Vanilla Cream Filling

Make the vanilla cream filling: Put the sugar in a 2 quart sauce pan. Add the milk salt and butter. Whisk everything together, then place on the stove top at medium-heat and slowly bring to a boil. (You don't need to stir it again. Warning, it boils quickly if the pan is too small.)

While you're waiting for the milk mixture to boil: in a separate bowl mix together the cornstarch, and flour till well combined. Add just enough water to this flour mixture to make a thick paste. Then add the teaspoon vanilla, 2 egg yolks. Beat together till well combined, then set this mixture aside.

As soon as the milk mixture comes to a boil, slowly and vigorously whisk in the egg and flour mixture. As soon as the mixture thickens remove it from the heat. (This vanilla cream filling works great for cakes, pies and cream puffs!)

Make whipped cream: In a medium mixing bowl add the heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar. Use an electric mixer to whip the cream till thick... Don't overwhip or it will turn into butter;)

Fold-in Whipped Cream: Add the whipped cream mixture into the cooled vanilla cream filling and fold together till combined.

Fill Cream Puffs & Dust with Powdered Sugar

Gently slice off top ¼ of cream puffs.

Use a small spoon to scoop solids out of the inside on each cream puff without breaking the exterior crust.

Use a spoon or piping bag to fill cream puffs with vanilla cream filling.

After filling cream puffs, place the ¼ top back on each one.

Plate cream puffs, and dust the tops with powdered sugar... Enjoy!

Cream Puffs Recipe Card

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Easy Cream Puffs Recipe

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This easy recipe makes the most fluffy and delicious cream puffs with just a few simple pantry staple ingredients!

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup butter, salted
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• Powdered sugar for dusting finished cream puffs
• For The Homemade Custard Filling:
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 ¾ cups whole milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1.5 tablespoons melted butter, salted
• 1 ¾ tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoons flour
• 2 egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

1. In a large pot heat the water and butter to a rolling boil, then reduce temperature to low-heat.
2. Vigorously stir the flour into the hot water and butter mixture, over low-heat until the dough forms a ball.
3. Remove from the heat.
4. Beat the eggs into the dough one at a time, until the dough is smooth. You can use an electric mixer for easier beating, or a spoon!
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
6. Drop ¼ cup of the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet leaving 3 inches between them. (You can make them small too.)
7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, until dark golden brown and crisp outside.
8. Make the vanilla cream filling: Put the sugar in a 2 quart sauce pan. Add the milk salt and butter. Whisk everything together, then place on the stove top at medium-heat and slowly bring to a boil. (You don't need to stir it again. Warning, it boils quickly if the pan is too small.)
9. While you're waiting for the milk mixture to boil: in a separate bowl mix together the cornstarch, and flour till well combined. Add just enough water to this flour mixture to make a thick paste. Then add the teaspoon vanilla, 2 egg yolks. Beat together till well combined, then set this mixture aside.
10. As soon as the milk mixture comes to a boil, slowly and vigorously whisk in the egg and flour mixture. As soon as the mixture thickens remove it from the heat. (This vanilla cream filling works great for cakes, pies and cream puffs!)
11. Make whipped cream: In a medium mixing bowl add the heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar. Use an electric mixer to whip the cream till thick... Don't overwhip or it will turn into butter;)
12. Fold-in Whipped Cream: Add the whipped cream mixture into the cooled vanilla cream filling and fold together till combined.
13. Gently slice off top ¼ of cream puffs. Use a small spoon to scoop solids out of the inside on each cream puff without breaking the exterior crust.
14. Use a spoon or piping bag to fill cream puffs with vanilla cream filling, and place the cream puff lid back on top.
15. Dust tops with powdered sugar, And Enjoy!

Notes

Temperature is key: Ensure the water and butter mixture is at a rolling boil before adding the flour. This helps create a smooth, elastic dough.

Vigorous mixing: Mixing the flour into the hot mixture vigorously is essential for developing the gluten structure, resulting in a crispy exterior.

Egg incorporation: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to prevent the dough from becoming too thick.

Space matters: Leave ample space between cream puffs on the baking sheet to prevent them from spreading and merging.

Golden brown perfection: Bake until the cream puffs are dark golden brown and crisp on the outside, indicating that the dough is fully cooked.

Smooth paste: Creating a smooth paste with the cornstarch, flour, water, vanilla, and egg yolks prevents lumps in the custard.

Nutrition Information

Yield 12Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 339Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 144mgSodium 195mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 0gSugar 25gProtein 6g

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