Choux pastry the easy recipe to make cream puffs and much more! Choux pastry is the base dough for preparing zeppole, churros, sfince, Lulù Messinesi, Paris Brest and many, many sweet preparations.
Be careful, however, not to get confused: some zeppole are indeed made with choux pastry, like the classic zeppole associated with the feast of Saint Joseph, while others are completely different. This is the case, for example, of my Catania rice zeppole, a Sicilian specialty made with rice and honey, very popular in Catania and throughout eastern Sicily. Choux pastry is therefore a fundamental product in Italian and French pastry, indispensable for making pastries baked in the oven or fried in oil, and its neutral flavor also allows wide use in savory finger foods and appetizers.
The dough is called “choux” from the French, given the roundish shape of the baked cream puff which resembles a “small cabbage”, and it can be made with butter or olive or seed oil. The peculiarity of this preparation lies in the two-stage cooking: one on the stovetop to make the dough and one in the oven or fryer to cook it and seal the surface.
The first cooking stage is essential to ensure a first gelatinization of the starches in the flour; during the second stage the cream puff puffs up and develops the classic rounded shape.
We can compare cream puffs to puff pastry because they can be used both in sweet and savory dishes and because of the type of physical/mechanical leavening that characterizes both. In both preparations it is not yeast that produces the gases that expand the product, but the steam trapped by the cooking (which seals the surface).
With this choux pastry you can also make the famous Zeppole di San Giuseppe, the traditional sweet prepared on March 19th to celebrate the Feast of Saint Joseph. Zeppole made with choux pastry can be baked or fried and are filled with pastry cream and preserved sour cherries.
But now, after this brief explanation, it’s time to prepare our little cream puffs. If you feel like getting your hands in the dough, follow me: you will find a clear, simple, step-by-step explanation. Before we start cooking, remember that if you want to stay updated on new recipes you can follow my Facebook page and my Instagram profile.
YOU CAN ALSO TRY THESE RECIPES MADE WITH CHOUX PASTRY:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 1 Hour
- Portions: about 30 cream puffs
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make choux pastry for cream puffs or zeppole
- 1 1/4 cups Water
- 6 tbsp Butter
- 2 1/8 cups Flour (type 0)
- 6 Eggs (large)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Tools
- Bowls
- Saucepan
- Oven
- Piping bag
- Star tips
How to make choux pastry and cream puffs step by step
To make choux pastry, combine the water, salt and butter in a saucepan, bring to the point of boiling and add the flour all at once. Stir until a smooth, homogeneous dough forms that will start to come away from the pan leaving a thin film. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, spread it out and wait for it to cool slightly, working it a little.
Transfer the dough to a bowl, add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each well before adding the next. My dough took six eggs and half of another; at the end of all additions you should obtain a cream that is well supported and not runny. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with this cream, line a baking tray with parchment paper and pipe small swirls about 2 inches in diameter.
Bake.
Bake in a static (conventional) oven preheated to 428°F for about 20 minutes, until well golden; do not open the oven door during this phase.
After this time, open the door slightly to let out most of the steam, then continue baking at 356°F for another 30 minutes, letting the last ten minutes dry out with the oven turned off.
You can also bake the cream puffs in convection mode: preheat the oven to 428°F, then place the cream puffs inside and after 15 minutes lower the temperature (do not open the door) to 356°F.
Bake for another 20–25 minutes, then turn the oven off and let them dry with the fan on and the door slightly ajar for another 10 minutes.
Once all the cream puffs are baked, let them cool before using.
If you have doubts about baking, sacrifice one: remove it quickly from the oven without letting the temperature fall, let it cool and hope it doesn’t collapse. If it doesn’t deflate, the batch is ready.
Storage notes and tips
Cream puffs made with choux pastry can be stored empty for 2–3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. Before using them, you can pass them in a hot oven for a few minutes to make them crisp again.
If instead the cream puffs are already filled with cream or whipped cream, it is better to store them in the refrigerator and consume them within 24 hours.
Choux pastry can be used for many pastry preparations: in addition to classic cream puffs it is the base for profiteroles, éclairs, Paris-Brest and the traditional Zeppole di San Giuseppe, the typical sweet prepared for the Feast of Saint Joseph.
Remember, however, that in Sicily there are also other very different zeppole, such as the Catania rice zeppole made with rice and honey and typical of my city’s tradition.
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Why don’t cream puffs rise?
Cream puffs may not rise if the choux pastry dough is too liquid or if the oven is not hot enough. It is important to respect the ingredient proportions and bake the cream puffs in a preheated oven without opening the door during baking.
Why do cream puffs collapse?
Cream puffs collapse when too much moisture remains inside. To avoid this, it is important to slightly extend the baking time so the choux pastry can dry out well.
Is choux pastry the same as zeppole?
Yes, choux pastry is the dough used to make cream puffs and some versions of Zeppole di San Giuseppe, which can be baked or fried. In Sicily, however, there are also very different zeppole, such as the Catania rice zeppole made with rice and honey and typical of my city’s tradition.
Can choux pastry be prepared in advance?
Yes, cream puffs made with choux pastry can be prepared in advance and stored empty for 2–3 days in an airtight container. Before filling them, you can heat them a few minutes in the oven to make them crispy again.
Can choux pastry be fried?
Short answer: yes, because it is also the base for Zeppole di San Giuseppe.
How can I tell when the choux pastry is ready?
Choux pastry is ready when the dough is smooth, soft and slightly shiny. When you lift the spoon or spatula it should form a sort of “ribbon” that falls slowly.
