Pumpkin Cream Puffs

Yields 12 cream puffs

Total Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: pastry

Servings: 12

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Cream puffs

½ cup butter (113 grams)
1 cup water (250 ml)
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
4 large eggs

Pumpkin custard filling

2 cups milk (500 ml)
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
⅔ cup granulated sugar (133 grams)
½ cup pumpkin puree (130 grams)
¼ cup cornstarch (40 grams)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter (28 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine butter with water and salt in a heavy saucepan. Heat over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low and add flour. Beat with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Remove from heat and add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next.
Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet or pipe dough using piping bag. Bake for 20 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. The shells should sound hollow when done. Cool the shells completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until warm.
Whisk together yolks and egg with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly pour hot milk into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer mixture to saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly. Cook until thick, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve and cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Cut tops of the shells. Fill each cream puff with pumpkin custard. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Notes

The pumpkin custard and profiteroles can be prepared the day before. Wait to fill the cream puffs until ready to serve.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make choux dough

Cream puffs are basically profiteroles with a sweet custard filling, or eclairs without the chocolate icing. This dessert is a classic French favorite.

I still recall making these in my pastry course in culinary school, trying desperately to make them as light and fluffy as possible.

The name of the dough is called choux paste. When adding the eggs, make sure each egg is fully mixed in the batter before adding the next. If all the eggs are added at once, you'll end up with a goopy dough. The paste is rather thick in consistency, but not too thick that it won't pipe easily.

To make small bite-sized cream puffs, pipe the choux pastry onto the baking sheet. For bigger portions, scoop the batter using spoons directly onto the prepared baking sheet. If you're looking to make eclairs in the future, save the choux paste recipe since it's the same paste for both desserts!

Recipe tip

Dip your finger in water and smooth the tops of the piped choux pastry for round tops.

Step 2: Prepare pumpkin custard

There used to be only the classic vanilla custard cream puffs, but there are now many variations on the filling. You can make green tea flavor, chocolate, strawberry, Nutella, and yes, even pumpkin.

Custards are fairly simple to prepare; think of them as cooked eggs with milk.

When adding the hot milk to the eggs, be careful only to add a little at a time while constantly whisking. If you add the hot milk too quickly, you will end up with scrambled eggs.

I don't know about you, but that's probably the last thing I want in my cream puff. Strain the pumpkin filling to get rid of any lumps and let it cool completely.

Step 3: Putting it all together

Bake the cream puffs for 20 minutes at 425 degrees, then lower the heat and bake for another 10 minutes. If you make smaller cream puffs, you will need to adjust the baking time.

Cut the tops off, and you can see just how light and fluffy the pastry is. Fill the profiteroles, dust with powdered sugar, and bite in!

I was a little nervous about how strong the pumpkin flavor would be, but these pumpkin cream puffs were perfect! The pumpkin was not too strong but present, while the profiteroles were light but could still hold the cream. A little powdered sugar is a must since it adds a little extra sweetness.

All in all, a success!

Make-ahead and storage

Make-ahead: You can make the shells and custard a day in advance. Store the shells in an airtight container and the custard in the refrigerator. Fill just before serving.
Store: Filled cream puffs are best eaten the same day, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Frequently asked questions

Why did my cream puffs deflate?

This can happen if you open the oven door too soon or remove them before they're fully cooked. Ensure they're golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

Can I make mini cream puffs with this recipe?

Yes, simply pipe or spoon smaller portions and reduce the baking time slightly.

Can I freeze the cream puff shells?

Yes, unfilled shells can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before filling.

More pumpkin dessert recipes

Looking for more pumpkin treats? Try these:

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