Easy Cream Puffs Recipe
These are the best Cream Puffs and you won’t believe how crazy simple they are to make!
These Cream Puffs are amazing! I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and have had the pure joy of eating them at her house many times.
CREAM PUFFS
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The first time I ate them, I was seven weeks pregnant with my first child and we were visiting Pennsylvania for Christmas. I was doing my best to eat healthy and had not gained any weight yet. Then, out came a plate of these beautiful Cream Puffs for our first night’s dessert.
They looked incredible and I knew I had to try one. However, one turned into three. Oh well…the baby was hungry, right? When we moved to Pennsylvania for a few years, I was lucky to be able to eat this dessert at many special occasions. When my family went to visit this past Thanksgiving, my mother-in-law and I made Cream Puffs together and we had a great time! My kids LOVE them too! I always look forward to making them this yummy treat for everyone to enjoy!
Want more dessert recipes?
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- Picnic Perfect Banana Pudding
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- Make this recipe with me – on Facebook
- More dessert recipes…
Tools used in this Cream Puff recipe:
Large Pot: This pot is a kitchen essential for everything from dinner to desserts. I use mine all the time and with proper care, it’ll last for years and years.
Hand Mixer: While I love my stand mixer, this handheld mixer is perfect for smaller recipes and when I need just a quick mix.
Baking Sheet: A nice big baking sheet is a must have for any kitchen. This half pan sheet is large than a regular cookie and works great for anything you’re baking.
Silicone Mat: I use a silicone mat on my baking sheet practically every time I bake. The mat makes for easy cleanup and my foods don’t stick to the pan.
Cookie Scoop: Cookie scoops are my favorite way to portion dough and batter when I’m baking. This set has 3 different sizes so I get the right amount in each scoop.
Piping Bag: Disposable pipings bags handy to have on hand for filling desserts & donuts and food decorating. Pop a coupler and icing tip in your bag and you’re all set!
Cream Puffs
Ingredients
- ½ cup one stick butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup flour
- 4 eggs
- 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding 3.4 oz each
- 1 ⅓ cup cold whole milk
- 8 oz sour cream
- powdered sugar
Instructions
Cream Puffs:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Melt stick of butter and water to a rolling boil
- Stir in flour and stir vigorously over low heat until mixture leaves the pan (comes off the sides) and is in a ball (about 1 minute)
- Remove from heat and cool for a couple of minutes
- Beat in eggs (one at a time) with a mixer
- Beat mixture until smooth and velvety
- Drop by spoonfuls (walnut sized) onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper
- Bake until DRY, 20-25 minutes (maybe longer)
- Allow cream puffs to cool completely
Filling:
- Mix instant vanilla pudding with whole milk until the pudding is dissolved
- Add sour cream until thick
- Put mixture in the refrigerator (at least an hour)
- Slice the cream puffs in half and fill with the chilled pudding mixture
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar
- Enjoy
Video
Nutrition
Ok so I baked these for 30 min till they looked dry and golden, but as they cooled, they flattened. What did I do wrong? Did they need even more baking time? I was worried about over browning them.
Probably not more baking time. Just be careful not to over-beat the dough mixture when adding the eggs, it shouldn’t become creamy till the very last egg. If it gets too creamy too early then you have lost the light fluffiness of the dough. I encourage you to try again, practice makes perfect right!
What is vanilla instant pudding???? Any other substitute???
I just made my 1st batch of Cream Puffs from this recipe, Best recipe, & so easy. Delicious!
Can I freeze these so I can use it at a later date?
Will they hold up if I make them the night before?
How far in advance can you make the puffs without filling? thanks!
I wouldn’t do much more than a day or two.
I don’t use sour cream in my Vanilla pudding mix .. I use heavy cream makes it thicker and wont run when refrigerated
My cream filling is one small box of vanilla pudding, 8oz of heavy cream, little less then 8oz of milk ,one teaspoon of confectioners sugar (optional ) , you can use this on chocolate pudding comes out like a moose and french vanilla for a kick ..
thanks for the tips!
I made these for a cookout my sister had at her house yesterday, but I made a couple of changes to the recipe for the filling. Instead of regular vanilla pudding mix, I used French vanilla pudding mix and instead of sour cream I used Cool Whip. I think they tasted even better that way, and everyone at the cookout loved them.?
I have made these cream puffs twice now love love them so easy and so good thank you.
I make these all the time, you must put the butter and water in pot the same time then turn stove on and bring to a boil, take off the stove then add flour mix well then add eggs one at a time mix well, batter should be thick not soft, (if you melt butter first then add the water the batter will be to soft and the puffs will be flat) That is the key to making cream puffs. ( Butter & water in pot turn gas on boil) simple : )
Looking at the video you make,so easy! I love to eat cream puffs and first I want to thank you for sharing the video,second I want to ask you what kind of flour to use :all purpose flour or baking flour?
Have good evening and good weekend too
Hi Nuong! This recipe uses all-purpose flour. We hope you enjoy the cream puffs!
Looks delicious! Thank You for sharing this recipe. A question by the Way… Ehm this cooking pot You have.. what is it Made of? Ceramic or Iron?
Greeting from Switzerland
Sabrina
The pot is ceramic coated cast iron.
What consistency is that water in with the butter ???? Come on make your steps more detailed plz
Hi Virg! You can see this recipe being made on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/RealHouseMoms/videos/815045255304577/
Hope this helps clear things up!
Can these be made with whole wheat flour or coconut flour? Wanting to try these for sure! ?
So where in the hell does the cup of water go ????
The water is used in step 2 with the butter.
In with the butter
Hi. I followed all the instructions and my cream puffs came out platf instead off puffy. I don’t know what I did wrong. It was so flat I couldn’t fill the cream . Help!
Mine did the same. I don’t think the bake was long enough.
When I started to bake cream puffs many years ago I had the same problem. Tried a couple of times and my puffs ‘didn’t puff’! Finally I got annoyed and in a temper I beat the dickens out of the mixture and Eureka! Success! The batter needs to be beaten vigorously in order to incorporate enough air to make them rise. – Just remember to ‘get mad at the batter’! 😉
We’ll all keep that in mind! 🙂
How far ahead can you make these cream puffs and can you freeze them?
Ok this is epic. Thanks for sharing Stacey.
I challenge this recipe. It can’t compare to my grandmother’s secret recipe.
Same way I make them except I use heavy cream instead of milk and sour cream. Sometimes I’ll melt some chocolate and drizzle it over them. Huge hit!