Old Fashioned Cream Puffs with Vanilla Cream Filling

These Old-Fashioned Cream Puffs are light, golden, crisp on the outside, and filled with a thick, fluffy vanilla cream. The pastry shells bake up beautifully hollow in the center, making them perfect for splitting and filling with whipped cream, pastry cream, or your favorite sweet filling.

They look impressive enough for holidays and special occasions, but the classic choux pastry is made with just a few basic ingredients. Once you learn the simple technique, homemade cream puffs are surprisingly easy to prepare.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

These cream puffs have a delicate shell with a soft, airy interior and plenty of creamy filling. They can be prepared ahead, filled shortly before serving, and customized with chocolate, berries, powdered sugar, or different flavored creams.

The pastry itself is not overly sweet, so the rich vanilla filling provides the perfect balance.

Ingredients

For the Cream Puff Pastry

1 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

For the Vanilla Cream Filling

2 cups heavy whipping cream, very cold
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces cream cheese, softened, optional for a thicker filling

Optional Garnish

Powdered sugar
Melted chocolate
Fresh berries

How to Make the Cream Puff Pastry

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the water, butter, and salt to a medium saucepan.
Heat over medium-high heat until the butter melts and the mixture reaches a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the flour all at once.
Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
Continue cooking and stirring for about one minute to remove some excess moisture.
Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for about five minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
The dough may look separated at first, but keep mixing until smooth before adding the next egg.
Stir in the optional vanilla.

Shape the Cream Puffs

Spoon or pipe mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, using about two tablespoons for each cream puff. Leave at least two inches between them because they will expand significantly while baking.

If there are sharp peaks on top, lightly dampen your fingertip with water and smooth them down. This helps the cream puffs bake into rounded shapes.

Bake Until Golden

Bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes.
Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F.
Continue baking for another 18 to 25 minutes, until the cream puffs are deeply golden and firm.
Turn off the oven.
Pierce the side of each puff with a small knife or skewer to release steam.
Return them to the warm oven with the door slightly open for about five minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

The Secret to Hollow Cream Puffs

Steam is what makes choux pastry rise. As the water in the dough heats, steam expands inside the pastry and creates the hollow center.

Avoid opening the oven during the first stage of baking. A sudden drop in temperature can cause the shells to collapse before their structure has set.

The shells should also be baked until deeply golden rather than pale. Underbaked cream puffs often collapse as they cool.

Make the Vanilla Cream Filling

Place the softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl if using and beat until smooth.
Add the cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until thick, fluffy peaks form.
Do not overbeat or the cream can become grainy.
Refrigerate until ready to fill the cream puffs.

Fill the Cream Puffs

Once the pastry shells are completely cool, use a serrated knife to slice each one horizontally.

Spoon or pipe a generous amount of vanilla cream onto the bottom half, then place the top back on.

You can also make a small opening in the bottom of each puff and pipe the filling directly inside if you prefer a closed cream puff.

Pastry Cream Variation

For a more traditional custard-style filling, replace the whipped cream with vanilla pastry cream. A thick homemade pudding or stabilized custard also works beautifully.

The pastry shell itself is neutral enough to work with vanilla, chocolate, lemon, coffee, or strawberry fillings.

Chocolate Cream Puffs

Drizzle melted semisweet chocolate over the finished cream puffs or dip the tops directly into chocolate.

For chocolate filling, add two tablespoons cocoa powder to the whipped cream mixture and increase the powdered sugar slightly to taste.

How to Keep Cream Puffs Crisp

Do not fill the shells too far in advance. Moisture from the cream gradually softens the pastry.

For the best texture, bake the shells ahead and store them unfilled, then add the cream shortly before serving.

If the shells soften, place the unfilled pastries in a 300°F oven for about five minutes, then cool before filling.

Make-Ahead Instructions

The unfilled cream puff shells can be baked one day ahead and stored in an airtight container once completely cool.

The vanilla filling can also be prepared several hours ahead and refrigerated.

Assemble the cream puffs shortly before serving for the best contrast between crisp pastry and creamy filling.

Storage

Filled cream puffs should be stored covered in the refrigerator and are best enjoyed within one to two days.

Unfilled shells can be frozen for up to two months. Thaw them at room temperature and refresh briefly in a low oven before filling.

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