Easy Pate a Choux Recipe, Video and Step by Step Photos and Instructions
Cream puffs look fancy and hard-to-make, but they’re actually a super easy dessert to make with only four ingredients you probably always have in your pantry.
Don’t be intimidated that they’re a French pastry. I’ve created a fun, short how to make cream puffs video that will show you just how easy they are to make.
How to make Cream Puffs Video:
Step by Step Instructions How To Make Cream Puffs
Now that you’ve seen how easy it is, I’ll break it down for you step by step with photos and additional info. So let’s get started.
First, assemble all your ingredients. As soon as your water comes to a boil, you’re going to add the flour. So have it measured and ready to use. You’ll be surprised how quickly this dough comes together.
If your eggs aren’t at room temperature, put them in a bowl of water to warm up while you’re making the dough. Your cream puffs will rise bigger if you use room temperature eggs.
Next, in a large saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt, and bring it to a boil. Stirring the water frequently while it comes to a boil helps to melt the butter.
Once the water boils, remove it from the heat and add the flour all at once. Stir it until all the flour is incorporated, about 1 minute. Return the saucepan to the heat and cook, stirring constantly until dough forms a smooth ball, only 1 or 2 minutes more.
The next step is adding the eggs to the dough you created on the stove. Let the dough cool for five minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer before you add the eggs.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each egg is incorporated and the dough is smooth. Fit a pastry bag with a plain ⅝-inch tip, folding the top of the bag down to make filling easier. Fill the bag with dough.
You don’t need to use a pastry bag to make cream puffs, you can just use an ice cream scoop or even two spoons to portion out the dough on a baking sheet.
Here’s a link to the templates I created that you can print on your home computer. Using the templates helps to space out your cream puffs so that you can fit 16 on a sheet without them touching each other.
Hold the bag vertically about 1 inch above the pan. Pipe the dough into tall cone shapes. Dip a finger in some water and smooth out any peaks. Brush the dough with an egg wash if you want them to have a golden, shiny top.
Then pop them in the oven and watch the magic happen as they puff up, turn golden brown, and create a hollow middle that’s just waiting to be filled.
You can fill them simply with whipped cream and dust them with powdered sugar. Or let your imagination run wild and fill and top them however you’d like.
Cream puff recipes on Barbara Bakes:
- Raspberry Cheesecake Cream Puffs – filled with a no-bake raspberry cheesecake filling and drizzled with a tart triple berry icing.
- Candy Corn Cream Puffs – a fun Halloween cream puff.
- Churro Cream Puffs – A crisp cinnamon-sugar shell filled with a light and airy cinnamon whipped cream.
- Gougeres – Savory Cream Puffs – cheesy savory cream puffs! A perfect side or stuff them with chicken salad
If you’ve tried this cream puff recipe or any other recipe on Barbara Bakes, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.
Cream Puff Shells – Pâte à Choux
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 6 pieces
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- Egg Wash optional
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°. Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Measure flour and set aside.
- Bring butter, sugar, salt, and ¾ cup water to a boil in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Immediately remove from heat, and quickly stir in flour mixture all at once. Return to heat and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 to 2 minutes, or until dough is smooth and forms a ball. Transfer dough to the bowl of an electric mixer, and let cool 5 minutes.
- Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until mixture is smooth and glossy. Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a ⅝-inch plain tip. Pipe dough onto prepared pans into 1 ½-inch rounds (1 ½ inches high). Smooth out peaks and round tops with a moistened finger.
- Whisk together remaining 1 egg and 1 tsp. water. Brush tops of dough with egg mixture.
- Bake at 425° for 5 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 375°, and bake 30 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Turn oven off; let shells stand in closed oven 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks, and cool completely.
Nutrition
Once you try it, you’ll realize just how easy it is to make cream puffs at home and they’ll be a family favorite! Enjoy from my kitchen to yours!
Melissa
This would work if the water amount for cream puffs was added to ingredients not just in directions. It’s only water amount for the wash. Directions say 3/4 cup water whether you change amount of people. So I assume it’s 3/4 cup water for 16 people.
Becki
Hi Barbara!
I am considering putting chicken salad on the puffs for a finger food for a party?? Has anyone made them that way rather than with the cream filling??
Barbara Schieving
Hi Becki – yes, you can make them savory, just leave out the sugar. You can also add cheese and make gougeres https://www.barbarabakes.com/gougeres-savory-cream-puffs/
Anyatta ward
Yes I’ve added sundried tomatoes and spices to the pate Choux then I split them and added my chicken salad
Jeannine R
Amy changes for baking in a gas oven, or one with convection?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Jeannine – typically for a convection oven you reduce the temperature 25 degrees. I’m not aware of any changes for a gas oven.
Linda Leach
Well, my first time ever for the puffs and I’m nervous and excited….I wanted to make them blue, so I’m going to add a bit of blue to the dough. Hopefully, that won’t screw anything up. I also would like to keep the peak when they’re piped, is there a reason why everyone pushes the peak down before baking? I’m shooting for a blue ghost for my grand niece.
Barbara Schieving
Sounds fun Linda! The main reason to push the peak down is to keep it from getting too browned, but if you’re making ghosts leave them up. 🙂
Zoey Schroeder
I made these for my class, and everyone loved them! It’s such a great recipe their light and sweet. I added a little bit of cinnamon to the tops and they were DELICIOUS! This is my favorite cream puff recipe, I will definitely be making these again.
Barbara Schieving
That’s great Zoey – thanks!!
Shelby
I read somewhere that the chox pastry tends to do really well at High altitude if not better than normal. Does that mean you wouldn’t make any changes to measurements, temps or times in this recipe? I live at about 6500 feet.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Shelby – you shouldn’t have to make any changes because of your altitude. Have fun!
Janice
How do you make your filling for pumpkin pie cream puffs?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Janice – the recipe for the pumpkin pie cream puffs is in my ebook Simply Sweet Dream Puffs http://amzn.to/2ggunCT Thanks!
Jennifer
BEST baking blog ever! I love the way you sped up the video. Thank YOU!!!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks so much!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Jennifer! So nice 🙂
Francesca
I absolutely love that saucepan! Where is it from?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Francesca – sorry, but the pictures were taken at Oxmoor House and I don’t have any information about the sauce pan. It is a beauty for sure.
Sharon
I am going to try making the cream puffs.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks exciting! Have fun 🙂
Marilynn
Wow! Your directions, explanations, coupled with pics, and video; made my first attempt a great one! Thank you:0))
Barbara Schieving
Thanks great Marilyn! It’s a perfect day for cream puffs.