This easy cream puff dessert is so delicious and doesn’t require an apprenticeship in a French bakery. This delicious and easy cream puff recipe is simple and so full of flavor, everyone who tries one will be begging for more.
When I was young, going to visit my grandparents was always super thrilling and I always had a blast. My grandmothers were both very different people. One from England and the other, Denmark. One lived on a farm, the other a city.
Both were the most amazing women I have ever known in their own way. They were just so different.
I was super lucky because I have always loved creating in the kitchen and both of these women had very different approaches to life and preparing meals. Both were exceptional at it.
Cream Puffs will always have a special place in my heart because first and foremost they taste so good. I also used to love watching and later helping my grandmother make ’em.
Whenever I make a delicious cream puff dessert, I always remember my days in the kitchen with my grandmother as well as how delicious her cream puffs always turned out. Now that I’m older, I always feel like I’m paying her homage every time I create a cream puff recipe.
What is a Cream Puff?
A cream puff is an incredibly light and airy round sweet golden pastry traditionally prepared with a few eggs, flour, water, and butter. Each pastry is filled with cream or a creamy filling of some sort, everything from ice cream to custard for example.
Last, they are dusted with powdered sugar or topped with a thick chocolate ganache.
This is the next question I am always asked.
What’s the difference between a cream puff, eclair, and profiteroles?
There’s not much of a difference between them at all. It’s mainly in how they’re stored and served. So to clarify, cream puff dough is the same dough used to make eclairs and profiteroles. All can be filled and topped in the same manner. The only difference is that profiteroles are served frozen and stored in a freezer.
Now that we have that all cleared up, I’ll continue discussing one of my very favorite things. Cream Puffs. 😊
Growing up, I remember being excited every time my grandmother made her old-fashioned cream puffs or Vandbakkelser, she used to say. I couldn’t get enough of them.
She was originally from Denmark and I have included her exact recipe for old-fashioned cream puffs below. She’s the one who showed me how to make cream puffs.
It is super easy to do and this is cream puff recipe is a definite keeper.
Old Fashioned Easy Cream Recipe
It only takes a few ingredients to make this super easy cream puff recipe. Aside from the whipped cream you already have every ingredient needed to make these delicious treats in your pantry already.
- 200 ml flour
- 150 ml butter
- 5 eggs
- 250 ml water
- Whipped cream for filling icing sugar for decoration
Bring water and butter to a boil and add the flour all at once.
Mix well until the dough does not stick to the pan and spoon.
Remove from heat and let cool, then add the eggs one at a time. This is her original cream puff dough from so many years ago.
Place on a greased cookie sheet with a spoon and bake at 200C (400F) for 20 min.
Once cool enough to handle, cut cream puffs in half and leave them open or in two parts. This will allow the middle to dry out a little, before you need to fill them up.
When cold and just before serving fill with whipped cream and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Makes 24
Easy Cream Puff Recipe
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE her old-fashioned cream puffs and still make them on occasion for a nice trip down memory lane. I find myself using this cream cheese version more frequently.
And here is why.
This easy cream puff dessert recipe is much more versatile than my grandma’s. My husband says her recipe is versatile too the problem is I refuse to change it in any way.
He is likely right. Oh who am I kidding, he is correct.
That being said I am still going to talk about this cream puff dessert and all of the fun things I do with it. I hope you’ll try it and let me know which variation is your favorite.
This recipe has been adapted from Kraft Foods. I found it in a cookbook years ago that I still have from 1988 that is called Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cookbook on page 134, the “Philly” Cream Puff Ring.
We have loved this recipe since the first time we made it, about 25 years ago. You will too. I can almost guarantee it.
Whether you use bananas, strawberries, or even more chocolate, you will not be disappointed in all of the possibilities of this WONDERFUL and easy cream puff dessert recipe.
Ingredients
This recipe requires a few more ingredients than my grandma’s old-fashioned puffs, but it’s still very easy to make.
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 8-ounce bricks Cream Cheese, softened, flavored if desired
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whipping cream, whipped
- 2 bananas, sliced or 1 cup strawberries,
- 1 1-ounce square unsweetened chocolate, melted
- 1 tablespoon milk
Making the Cream Puffs
Bring water and butter to boil.
Add flour and salt.
Stir vigorously over low heat until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Drop ten 1/2 cupfuls of dough on a lightly greased cookie sheet to form a 9-inch ring.
Bake at 400 degrees, 50 to 55 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from cookie sheet immediately and cool completely.
Once cool enough to handle, cut cream puffs in half and leave them open or in two parts. This will allow the middle to dry out a little before you need to fill them up.
Combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Reserve 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture.
Fold whipped cream and bananas into the remaining mixture with a wooden spoon.
Chill.
Carefully cut the top from the ring and fill it with the whipped cream mixture.
Replace top.
Add remaining sugar, chocolate, and milk to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.
Spread over the ring.
10 servings
Cream Puff Filling Ideas
Deciding on what cream puff filling to use with your cream puff shell is always the most difficult part for me. You’ll likely have the same problem.
They all taste so good.
You can really fill your cream puffs with anytyhing. Whipped cream is a classic, and you can mix it up by adding fresh fruit or other ingredients to change the whipped cream’s flavor.
Another great idea is to serve these with an ice cream filling. It’s so good!
Cream Puff Filling Recipe
First, as always, your first option for cream puff filling is whipped cream and you can never go wrong with it. Super easy and always delicious.
Store bought or whipped at home until stiff peaks form works great here.
Add a few drops of food coloring for a nice change.
Another suggestion is with the cream cheese mixture you could add either finely chopped candied ginger or finely chopped orange zest. With the orange, you could add a tablespoon or two of orange liquor.
Simply thaw or drain a can of diced sour cherries and add it to the whipped chocolate cream cheese filling. Oh so good.
Chocolate Cream Puffs
Chocolate cream puffs can and do include an incredible chocolate ganache added to the top of each cream puff or a creamy chocolate filling inside.
To make homemade chocolate whipped cream simply add
- 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
- 7/8 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Chill a good-sized bowl and beat ingredients with a handheld or stand mixer on high until stiff peaks form.
Pipe into cream puff shells.
I remember I was mortified at the time (because making homemade chocolate whipped cream is so easy) but my husband and son decided to take some cream puff shells out of the freezer.
I can’t even remember why I was away at the time but instead of making the homemade chocolate whipped cream, my husband bought a can of premade chocolate whipped cream.
One for each of them. Yep, he did.
Together, they watched a movie or two, ordered pizza, and enjoyed way too many cream puffs and whipped cream. They enjoyed every moment and still joke about it periodically.
I share that memory with you in case you too want to use store bought whipped cream, of any flavor. I just want you to know it’s an option even though I don’t recommend buying everyone their own can of whipped cream!
Strawberry Cream Puffs
Strawberry cream puffs are definitely divine.
I love including diced strawberries right into the cream cheese. With this recipe you can not only create the best strawberry cream puffs, you can make them strawberry cream puffs with banana too!
For myself, strawberry banana is right up there as one of the best flavor combinations of all time. Just like chocolate and caramel or chocolate and peanut butter.
If you love strawberry and banana I urge you to try this cream cheese filling at least once. This is a bucket list kind of thing, in my opinion.
How to Store Cream Puffs
You can easily freeze cooled and uncut cream puff shells, or cut shells for that matter, for up to two months in an air-tight container or resealable freezer bag with as much air removed as possible.
To defrost, simply allow cream puff shells to thaw at room temperature. Then preheat your oven to 275 degrees and heat until crisp, 7-10 minutes.
Once shells are cool, fill as desired.
Cream puff shells can be refrigerated or left at room temperature overnight, only if you plan on filling them the next day.
Cream puff shells must be cooled completely before adding cream puff filling to them.
Filled cream puffs can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days, including the day you made them, inside your fridge. My grandmother always left hers uncovered inside her fridge because she believed the cream puff shell stayed more crisp.
I leave the decision up to you.
Mini Cream Puffs
Luckily, with this recipe, it is so easy to make these cream puffs as big or as small as you like. Just adjust your cooking time accordingly. No matter what size you make them once they are a nice deep golden brown color they are ready to remove from the oven and cool.
Depending on who my guests are, that’s how I decide how big or small to make them.
Try These Delicious Puffs Today
This easy cream puff dessert is delicious and simple, and that’s really the best combination, in my opinion. This easy cream puff recipe is super versatile, and you can change it up by using a variety of fillings.
However you decide to make and serve it, you’ll be glad you did. With such a wonderfully decadent flavor and texture, this cream puff dessert is always a big hit at parties, holiday events, or just as a weeknight dessert or snack.
If you’re lucky, one day your children and grandchildren will be making cream puffs and think back on how they used to help their mom or dad make them in the kitchen. This is the kind of recipe that is delicious now and a wonderful memory later, so give it a try.
Easy Cream Puff Dessert Recipe Video
Easy Cream Puff Dessert Recipe
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 8- ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup whipping cream, whipped
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 1 1- ounce square unsweetened chocolate, melted
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Bring water and butter to boil.
- Add flour and salt; stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms ball.
- Remove from heat.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Drop ten 1/2 cupfuls of dough on lightly greased cookie sheet to form 9-inch ring.
- Bake at 400 degrees, 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from cookie sheet immediately.
- Cool.
- Combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Reserve 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture; fold whipped cream and bananas into remaining mixture. Chill. Carefully cut top from ring; fill with whipped cream mixture. Replace top. Add remaining sugar, chocolate and milk to rese cream cheese mixture; mix well. Spread over ring.
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