This light as air, French dessert is always a hit at a gathering. They are fun, festive, delicious, and seem really impressive. Once you have mastered choux pastry dough, these cream puffs are a piece of cake…I mean piece of puff?

You start out piping 2 inch circles of your choux dough. When you remove them from the oven, you poke them through the bottom with a sharp knife or toothpick. You want a hole that is large enough to let the steam escape before the steam causes the puffs to sag and drop.

Cream Puffs

Ingredients

1 recipe choux dough

1 recipe whipped cream

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400℉. 
2. Follow the recipe for choux dough.
3. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 
4. Add your choux pastry to a piping bag with a large round tip. 
5. Pipe 2 inch circles on your baking sheet. Hold your piping bag straight up and down. 
6. Give your puffs plenty of space on the baking sheet with 2 inches in between each puff. 
7. Fill a small bowl with water. Dip your finger in the water and gently dab each puff to round out the top. If you have any that look like Santa hats. That little tip will burn. 
8. Bake puffs for 25 minutes or until golden brown. 
9. When puffs are slightly cooled and you can pick them up without burning yourself. Use a small knife to carefully make a hole in the bottom of each puff for the steam to escape.
10. Follow the recipe for whipped cream while your puffs are cooling.
11. Use a piping bag with a large tip to fill the puffs through the hole in the bottom, once they are cooled. Eat immediately or store in the refrigerator.