• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Farmgirl's Kitchen logo

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Farm Fresh
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Farm Fresh
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cream Puffs with Pastry Cream

    Published: Dec 8, 2018 · Modified: Feb 10, 2021 by Jessica Robinson · This post may contain affiliate links

    Cream Puffs with Pastry Cream

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    cream puffs topped with chocolate ganache, maraschino cherries, and mint leaf candies

    Cream Puffs with Pastry Cream are easy to make and require only a few simple ingredients. Airy pastry shells filled with a creamy pastry cream, topped with chocolate, maraschino cherries, and dusted with powdered sugar.

    These delicious creations come straight from my grandmother’s kitchen. We always loved her Homemade Strawberry Shortcake recipe too!

    Homemade Old Fashioned Cream Puffs with maraschino cherries and dusted with powdered sugar

    Much of my talent was handed down from my grandmothers’ and my mom. Handmade talent runs deep in my family and my parents insisted I learn how to craft everything homemade, to be self-sufficient. One of the best creations my French Canadian grandmother made was Cream Puffs with Pastry Cream. Also try French Meat Pie, Easy Blackberry Pie, Best Pecan Pie, and Chocolate Whoopie Pies.

    I absolutely adored watching my grandmother, effortlessly working over her stove top whipping up hearty dinners, while fresh coffee peculates. The smells that came from her kitchen made your stomach growl.

    She is one of the reasons I’m so passionate about cooking and baking whatever I can from scratch. That doesn’t mean I don’t love a dinner out. But, it brings me such joy to grown our own vegetable garden, bake from scratch, and make homemade dinners. It’s a way of life that was handed down generations, along with family heirloom recipes. One of her most cherished delights is Old Fashioned Cream Puffs with Pastry Cream.

    How to make Easy Pastry Cream:

    Simply combine one package of instant vanilla pudding, almond extract, and 1 cup milk. Then fold together with the whipped heavy cream. My grandmother created this egg-less version of pastry cream, so it is easier to transport during hot summer months!

    How to prepare Cream Puffs ahead of time

    Prepare the cream puffs the night before your picnic. Place them on a half sheet pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Dust them with powdered sugar right before serving.

    Cream Puffs with Pastry Cream, chocolate ganache on top with pieces of mint green candies and maraschino cherries. Vintage small strainer dusting each cream puff with powdered sugar

    For more great dessert recipes be sure and try Easy Strawberry Shortcake, Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Oatmeal Cream Pies, and Chewy Fudge Brownies. 

    Did you make one of my recipes? Please take a moment to leave a star rating. Also, if you are on Pinterest, please feel free to leave a comment there and a photo if you have one! Follow A Farmgirl’s Kitchen on FACEBOOK and PINTEREST and subscribe my mailing list for ALL the latest recipes!

    Join our mailing list to keep up to date with the latest recipes and kitchen tips.

    Select list(s) to subscribe to


    By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: A Farmgirl's Kitchen, Dixon Road, Graham , NC, 27253. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

    5 from 19 votes
    Homemade Cream Puffs are easy to make and are so delicious. Perfect for Christmas, Easter, or any family gathering. #recipes #creampuffs
    Print

    Cream Puffs with Pastry Cream

    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr 5 mins
    Straight from the kitchen of my grandmother.
    Course: Desserts
    Cuisine: American, French
    Servings: 8 cream puffs
    Calories: 556kcal
    Author: Jessica Robinson

    Ingredients

    Cream Puffs

    • 1 cup water
    • ½ cup vegetable shortening or butter
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 4 large eggs room temperature

    Pastry Cream

    • 1 (3.4 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 1 teaspoon almond extract
    • 1 pint heavy whipping cream

    Chocolate Ganache

    • ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
    • 2 teaspoons corn syrup
    • maraschino cherries (drain the maraschino cherries)
    • mint leaf candies cut into pieces with kitchen shears
    • powdered sugar for dusting

    Instructions

    Cream Puffs

    • In a medium saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add the shortening or butter, and salt. Let the water return to a full boil and then remove from the heat.
    • Add the flour, stirring until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.
    • Using an electric hand mixer on high speed, add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well between additions. The mixture will be very smooth and silky looking. Allow cream puff batter to cool completely.
    • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
    • Using two large tablespoon drop the batter in about 8 to 9 scoops on the prepared baking pan. (or use a cookie scoop) Bake for 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set pan on a baking rack to cool.

    Pastry Cream Filling

    • In a large bowl add the vanilla pudding, milk, and almond extract; blend together. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator. When ready to fill cream puffs, add the heavy cream to a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer to whip to stiff peaks. Fold the pudding mixture and whipped cream together using a spatula.
    • Slice the tops off the cream puffs, removing and discarding some of the pastry with your fingers. Scoop the filling into each cream puff.
    • Chocolate Ganache
    • Create a double boiler by bringing a medium pot of water to a simmer over medium heat. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the boiling water, adding the chocolate chips, butter, heavy cream, and corn syrup to the bowl. Stir mixture together with a spatula until the chocolate is melted and combined.
    • Drizzle warm chocolate over top of the pastry filled cream puffs. Decorated with drained maraschino cherries and mint leaf candies. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

    Recipe Notes

    Prepare the Cream Puffs ahead of time:
    You can prepare cream puffs the night before, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. They will last in the fridge for about 2 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1145IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 2.2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AFarmgirlsKitchen or tag #afarmgirlskitchen!

    Disclosure: As an Affiliate Marketer, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click a product affiliate link on A Farmgirl’s Kitchen and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you!  I own every cooking product I recommend and love how they perform.

    Previous Post: « Christmas Sugar Cookies
    Next Post: Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Silvia says

      December 04, 2018 at 10:06 pm

      5 stars
      These are so soooo cute!! Pinning to make for the holidays 🙂

      Reply
      • Jessica Robinson says

        December 06, 2018 at 4:54 pm

        Thank you so much Silvia!

        Reply
    2. Jalynn B says

      December 02, 2018 at 5:31 am

      5 stars
      These we’re amazing!!! I made them for a big family dinner and made them a little smaller but wow!! Now my entire family thinks I’m this amazing baker who spent the entire day in the kitchen!!! So good!!

      Reply
      • Jessica Robinson says

        December 02, 2018 at 8:20 pm

        Jalynn,
        Thanks so much!! I’m happy that you enjoyed the cream puffs!!

        Reply
      • Jessica Robinson says

        January 07, 2019 at 8:54 pm

        Jalynn,
        I know, right? Aren’t these delicious!? So darn good!

        Reply
    3. Jess says

      May 31, 2018 at 6:35 am

      Oh my gosh. I feel like I can taste them just looking at them. So. Hungry.

      Reply
    4. Deb Dutta says

      May 30, 2018 at 10:38 pm

      Goodness are these like the yummiest things in the world! They look delishhhh!

      Reply
    5. Jennifer L says

      May 30, 2018 at 8:37 am

      Omg how yummy do these cream puffs look! I seriously want a whole plate of them. Going to give it a try and make a batch.

      Reply
    6. Passportofawanderwoman says

      May 30, 2018 at 5:17 am

      They look so yummy
      Great presentation as well. I am drooling.

      Reply
    7. Di from Max The Unicorn says

      May 30, 2018 at 3:30 am

      5 stars
      These look delicious and they are so photogenic too! Thanks for the recipe, I’d love to give them a go 🙂

      Reply
    8. Blair Villanueva says

      May 30, 2018 at 3:06 am

      5 stars
      Your new recipe makes me feel excited to learn more about its preparation, and devour it! Thanks and I will save it 😀

      Reply
    9. Annie Cho says

      May 30, 2018 at 1:58 am

      You had me at cream puffs!! These look absolutely gorgeous. Your plating is on point too!
      xoxo
      Annie

      Reply
    10. Penny says

      May 30, 2018 at 1:57 am

      5 stars
      It cannot just be me; somethings simply taste better when they also look pretty! These are awesome examples, I already know they taste delicious!

      Reply
    11. Nisha says

      May 30, 2018 at 12:24 am

      5 stars
      oh my god…. so heavenly, I love these but I never tried baking them at home. thank you for sharing this recipe

      Reply
    12. Lofewithzg says

      May 30, 2018 at 12:06 am

      Omg my daughter saw the photos and she told me we should bake one too! Can you try some recipe with coconut flour next time? Thank you

      Reply
      • Jessica Robinson says

        May 30, 2018 at 12:17 am

        Thanks for visiting! King Arthur Flour makes a great gluten free flour mix and you could probably substitute that in this recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Lauren says

      May 29, 2018 at 11:01 pm

      Oh my goodness! These look so yummy and beautiful too! I have always loved cream puffs! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    14. Ally says

      May 29, 2018 at 7:07 pm

      5 stars
      Yum, do these look good! I would love to make these for someone or bring them to an even as a dessert! I’ll be pinning this for later!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: A Farmgirl's Kitchen, Dixon Road, Graham , NC, 27253. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

    Primary Sidebar

    Meet Jessica

    Hi I’m Jessica!

    Meals are meant to be shared around the dinner table. My recipes are farm-inspired with a modern twist for active families. All of my recipes use simple and readily available ingredients. Read more →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Chili & Soups

    Red Dutch oven with Boeuf Bourguignon

    Classic Boeuf Bourguignon

    bowl of Italian sausage soup, topped with shredded yellow cheddar cheese and slices of French baguette to side of bowl

    Sausage and Vegetable Soup

    pulled pork on a soft roll topped with coleslaw

    Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

    The Best Mac and Cheese Recipe is super creamy and topped with Applewood Bacon Pulled Pork. This dish uses two different kinds of cheeses in a homemade cheese sauce for the ultimate comfort food! #bestmacandcheese #recipes #recipe #kidfriendly #macandcheese #macaroni

    Homemade Mac and Cheese

    loaded baked potato soup with crumbled bacon pieces, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and thin slices of green onions in a white glass bowl with large spoon to the right of the bowl

    Loaded Potato Soup

    Braised Brisket Stew recipe

    Braised Brisket Stew

    Homemade Pie Recipes

    Apple pie with lattice crust in cast iron pie plate, sitting on wooden cutting board.

    Caramel Apple Pie

    Blackberry hand pies on wooden cutting board, one cut in half in front.

    Homemade Blackberry Hand Pies

    Pie with lattice crust in a small cast iron skillet on white reclaimed wood.

    Homemade Apple Pie Recipe

    weaved lattice pie crust on berry pie before baking.

    Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

    baked blueberry pie with crumb topping, sitting on taupe plaid color kitchen towel on white marble

    Blueberry Pie with Crumb Topping

    pie with lattice crust, berries in mint green metal bowl, fresh peaches in metal strainer

    Mixed Berry Pie

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Contact

    Follow Us On

    Policies

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Copyright 2021 - A Farmgirl's Kitchen