Homemade Vanilla Cream Puff Pastries

Yield: 12–15 cream puffs
Prep time: 30 minutes
Bake time: 25–30 minutes
Chill time: 1–2 hours

🛒 Ingredients

For the Choux Pastry

• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Pastry Cream

• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, divided
• 4 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

For Finishing

• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Optional: melted white or dark chocolate for drizzling

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Make the vanilla pastry cream

1. Heat the milk with ¼ cup of the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, but do not boil.
2. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, remaining ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth.
3. Slowly whisk about ½ cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper it.
4. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly.
5. Continue cooking for about 2–4 minutes, until thick and bubbling.
6. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.
7. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate until completely chilled.

2. Prepare the choux pastry

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a full boil.
3. Remove from the heat and add the flour all at once.
4. Stir vigorously until a smooth dough forms.
5. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and stir for about 1–2 minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball.
6. Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
7. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. The finished dough should be smooth, glossy, and thick enough to hold its shape.

3. Pipe and bake

1. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
2. Pipe 12–15 mounds, about 1½–2 inches wide, onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. If any pointed tips remain, gently smooth them with a damp fingertip.
4. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes.
5. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
6. Turn off the oven, crack the door open slightly, and let the cream puffs sit inside for 10 minutes.
7. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

4. Fill the cream puffs

1. Once completely cool, use a small knife to make a hole in the bottom of each puff, or cut them in half horizontally.
2. Transfer the chilled vanilla pastry cream to a piping bag.
3. Pipe a generous amount of cream into each pastry.

5. Finish and serve

Dust generously with powdered sugar. For an extra-special finish, drizzle with melted chocolate.

⭐ Helpful Tips

• Don’t open the oven early—the sudden temperature change can cause the puffs to collapse.
• Make sure the pastry shells are deeply golden and dry before removing them from the oven.
• Cool the shells completely before filling.
• The filled cream puffs are best enjoyed the same day, but they can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
• For extra-light filling, fold some softly whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream before piping.