There’s a reason why French pastries and classic French desserts are some of the most popular sweet treats and delicacies in the world!
From croissants to crème brûlée and from choux pastry to sweet shortcrust pastry, from buttery masterpieces to custard-filled delights, these French classics have elevated culinary creations to a sublime art form.
Here’s a curated list of the best French pastry recipes and common French dessert recipes that you’ll want to try, at least once in your life!
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Classic French pastries (pâtisserie) and variations
Elegant, fancy, decadent, dreamy, simple… these are all words used to describe classic French pastries. They are also widely known and popular around the world.
As fanciful as they may seem, they are also very easy to make (with a few exceptions, of course!). These comprehensive, step by step recipes will show you how to make the BEST French pastries in your own kitchen!
1. Choux pastry
Basic choux pastry
Light, airy, crisp choux pastry shells are the base for many delightful French desserts and pastries such as cream puffs, profiteroles, eclairs, chouquettes, religieuse, croquembouche, paris-brest etc.This easy, detailed choux pastry recipe and troubleshooting guide will help you make the most sublime choux pastry that you have ever baked in your life!
Choux pastry recipe
2. Chocolate choux pastry
Chocolate choux pastry & chocolate cream puffs
Chocolate choux pastry made with cocoa powder, and filled with chantilly cream filling for delicious chocolate cream puffs.This chocolate French pastry is just as easy as classic choux pastry, and they make perfect bite-sized desserts.
Chocolate choux pastry recipe
3. Cream puffs
Classic cream puffs
Cream puffs are one of the easiest and quickest desserts to make. Classic light choux pastry puffs, filled with light chantilly cream. Simple, delicious, impressive, and perfect for any occasion! Variations – Strawberry cream puffs
Cream puffs recipe
4. Éclairs
Classic eclairs
These classic chocolate eclairs are crisp, puffy, airy, and perfect choux pastry shells filled with chocolate pastry cream or vanilla pastry cream, and then dipped in a chocolate glaze.An ever popular classic French pastry, eclairs are always a crowd-favorite potluck and tea party food.Variations – Earl grey eclairs, Coffee eclairs
Chocolate eclairs recipe
5. Paris-Brest
Paris-Brest (with praline mousseline cream)
Paris-Brest is a delicious, show-stopping French choux pastry dessert, filled with a creamy, nutty mousseline cream.These perfect choux pastry rings filled with a rich filling are an impressive treat that may look like only a pastry chef would attempt. But this recipe will help you achieve perfect results with ease!
Paris-Brest recipe
6. Choux au craquelin
Choux au craquelin (with salted caramel cream)
Airy choux pastry topped with a sweet, crunchy cookie crust, and filled with a melt-in-your-mouth creamy, light salted caramel filling.These are as delicious and as fancy as they sound, and only a little step up from classic cream puffs or profiteroles.
Choux au craquelin recipe
7. Chouquettes
Chouquettes (French sugar puffs)
These little sugar puffs are round, airy choux pastries, with custard-like insides, and a sweet, crunchy Swedish pearl sugar topping on the outside.These are so quick and simple to make, and just as easy to gobble them up by the half dozen!
Chouquettes recipe
8. Profiteroles
Chocolate profiteroles
Similar to cream puffs, these are light, airy, crisp choux pastry based treats. What makes them different from cream puffs is the luscious chocolate sauce drizzled on top and the rich pastry cream filling in the middle (where as cream puffs typically have a light whipped cream filling). Although, variations to this theme are very common.Variations – Pumpkin cheesecake profiteroles
Chocolate profiteroles recipe
9. Chicken puffs or chicken bouchees (Savory French pastries)
Chicken puffs
These are bite-sized choux pastry puffs, filled with a creamy, cheesy chicken filling. Easy, delicious appetizers recipe for parties, gatherings, and potlucks. Savory French pastries are not as common as their sweet counterpart, but the light, airy choux pastry shell makes a great vehicle for savory fillings as well.
Chicken puffs recipe
Viennoiseries and variations
Probably the most famous type of French pastry, due in large part to the ever-popular croissant. The term viennoiserie refers to pastries made in the style of Vienna, Austria.
Their history traces back to an Austrian military official and entrepreneur, August Zang, who introduced this pastry to France when he opened a pastry shop called Boulangerie Viennoise in Paris, in 1839.
Viennoiserie is often recognized as sort of a cross between pastry, bread, and cake. A classic example being brioche. It usually employs a yeast-leavened dough to achieve volume and flakiness.
10. Croissants
Small batch croissants
Probably the most well known French breakfast pastry. There are only a few things in life that are more satisfying than how buttery, flaky, crisp layers of pastry shatter as you bite into a warm, fresh, perfectly baked croissant. This comprehensive, step by step recipe has been designed for home bakers to bake the most amazing small batch of croissants.Variations – Raspberry croissant bread pudding
Croissant recipe
11. Pain au chocolat
Chocolate croissants
Also known as chocolatine or chocolate croissants, these are also made with the same buttery, flaky, irresistible croissant dough as regular French croissants. Just like my classic croissants recipe, this too is a comprehensive, step by step small batch recipe designed for home bakers of all skill and experience levels.
Pain au chocolat recipe
12. Brioche
Brioche dough and bread
Brioche makes for the most buttery, rich, ultra soft dough that is perfect for a variety of baked goods such as sandwich buns or burger buns, cinnamon rolls, French toast, and other pastries.This comprehensive, step by step recipe guides you with thorough attention to detail to help you make the best brioche bread and dough ever! Variations – French toast, Brioche buns, Brioche cinnamon rolls, Dairy free brioche bread
Brioche bread recipe
13. Bostock
Bostock pastry (French almond pastry)
Classic bostock is a super easy, yet impressive and delicious dessert recipe (or even as a breakfast and brunch recipe)! You simply soak brioche or croissants in a sweet, citrusy syrup, and bake with frangipane and sliced almonds on top. It's a fancy French toast of sorts.
Bostock recipe
14. Brioche custard tarts
Strawberry custard brioche tarts
Brioche tarts are another decadent way to use soft, buttery brioche dough. These are filled with a vanilla custard filling and topped with strawberries. You can easily switch up the flavor of the custard filling and even the brioche dough, and use different fresh fruits for other flavor variations.
Strawberry custard brioche tarts recipe
15. Puff pastry (pâte feuilletée)
Rough puff pastry
Puff pastry is an incredibly flaky, buttery, versatile dough made by laminating layers of butter and dough. It's also the base for numerous appetizers and party snacks! While classic French puff pastry can be a little daunting to make, the rough puff method where there are less folds, reduced resting time between folds and overall processing time, and differences in how the butter is incorporated will still produce an unbelievably flaky and delicious dough!Variations – Pear goat cheese honey tarts, Chocolate stuffed poached pear tarts, Curry puffs, Easy sausage rolls, Pork sausage rolls, Cheese hand pies, Mini chicken pies, Cheesy French onion pies, Bacon and egg breakfast pie
Rough puff pastry recipe
16. Palmiers
Savory palmiers
Another classic variation of puff pastry, palmiers are also a fantastic appetizer recipe for parties and potlucks. You only need 3 ingredients to make these super easy, crispy, crunchy savory palmiers and you can use any type of fruit jam or jelly (such as strawberry jam, plum jam, fig jam, concord grape jelly etc.) for simple flavor variations!
Savory palmiers recipe
Classic French desserts
Experience the culinary wonders of France with this assortment of iconic French desserts.
While French pastries can be a little finicky to make at times, these classic French desserts are comparatively easier but just as decadent!
17. Crème brûlée
Classic crème brûlée
A silky, creamy custard, topped with a thin, crackly layer of caramel, crème brûlée is an easy yet always impressive and elegant dessert recipe. While crème brûlée translates to burnt or scorched cream, the creamy custard itself is not burnt of course!Variations – Sous vide crème brûlée
Crème brûlée recipe
18. Chocolate mousse
Classic chocolate mousse
This creamy, airy, melt-in-your-mouth smooth and delicious French dessert is always a crowd favorite chocolate dessert! It's also a popular Valentine's day treat, perfect for a romantic dinner. This chocolate mousse recipe does NOT use any raw eggs, so it's perfect for consumption for anyone. Variations – Butterscotch mousse, Praline chocolate mousse
Chocolate mousse recipe
19. Chocolate truffles
Classic chocolate truffles
These are simply rolled balls or squares of chocolate ganache. Chocolate truffles are such an easy to make, decadent, no-bake dessert. This step by step recipe will show you how to make rolled, square, and piped chocolate truffles, and how to coat them with different toppings. Variations – Chocolate champagne truffles, Peppermint chocolate truffles
Chocolate truffles recipe
20. Crème caramel
Classic crème caramel
Classic crème caramel is such an irresistible dessert! This classic French dessert is well known for its smooth, velvety texture, with that super creamy, wobbly custard. This is sometimes also referred to as flan (although flan is a variation of this dessert made with condensed milk), caramel pudding, and caramel custard.Variations – Coffee crème caramel, Poached apple and cinnamon crème caramel
Crème caramel recipe
21. Bûche de Noël (Yule log)
Bûche de Noël (Yule log cake)
This absolutely spectacular chocolate cake is a popular Christmas recipe! The yule log cake involves a chocolate roll cake with a light chocolate filling, and other decorative components such as meringue mushrooms and chocolate bark shards etc.
Yule log cake recipe
22. Molten lava cake (Chocolate fondant)
Chocolate lava cake (Chocolate fondant)
These are one of the easiest, yet most decadent chocolate desserts ever! A soft chocolate cake exterior with a gooey liquid chocolate center.This chocolate lava cake recipe only takes 15 minutes to whip up, using just one bowl. Variations – Raspberry white chocolate lava cake
Chocolate lava cake recipe
23. Poached pears
Red wine poached pears
A simple and elegant dessert, these red wine poached pears enhance the natural sweetness of pears with delicious red wine and warming spices. You can serve these with some mascarpone cheese, or whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.Variations – Saffron poached pears
Red wine poached pears recipe
24. Praline
Praline paste
Pralines are another popular nut confection made with almonds, pecans, hazelnuts etc. This praline paste recipe can be made with almonds or hazelnuts or even both, and can be used for baking, as a spread, or as a flavoring for any dessert or filling (like this paris-brest with praline mousseline cream).
Praline paste recipe
25. Madeleines
Brown butter madeleines
Madeleines are small cakes that feature a soft, sponge cake center with crisp, browned edges. These brown butter madeleines are flavored with nutty brown butter and a sweet, tangy passion fruit glaze!
Brown butter madeleines recipe
26. Hot chocolate (chocolat chaud)
Parisian hot chocolate
Parisian hot chocolate (French hot chocolate) is a deeply flavorful, thick, luscious hot chocolate drink, perfect as an indulgent and cozy breakfast drink on a cold, wintry morning! It's also one of my favorite easy chocolate desserts.This Parisian hot chocolate is made with only 3 ingredients, and then topped with raspberry whipped cream and marshmallows. Variations – Dairy free French hot chocolate
Parisian hot chocolate recipe
Sweet crepes (crêpes sucrées)
Classic French crepes are such a versatile breakfast and brunch recipe. They are super easy to make, and can be paired with sweet or savory fillings.
27. Classic French crepes
French crepes
Crepes are larger, thinner, and more delicate than pancakes. These soft, buttery, delicious French crepes are great as a sweet or savory option for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or dessert! These can be filled with anything from fruit jam and Nutella to ham and cheese, bacon, cooked meat etc. Variations – Blood orange crepes suzette, Vegan crepe cake, Sweet coconut stuffed crepes
French crepes recipe
28. Chocolate crepes
Chocolate crepes
These soft, delicious, and very chocolatey crepes are great for a romantic breakfast or brunch, or for a simple chocolate treat. Cocoa powder yields these crepes a lovely bittersweet flavor that makes them extra decadent. Variations – Chocolate crepe cake
Chocolate crepes recipe
Galettes
French galettes have a much richer and older history than many other types of pastry. The term “galette” means flat cake, and these are typically flat, round, rustic bakes that can have either sweet or savory fillings.
They are easy and adaptable. Simply roll up the pastry, add your topping or filling of choice, and then roughly fold in the edges, and bake.
29. Peach galette
Peach galette
This easy peach galette is a flaky, light, crisp pie crust, topped with fresh, juicy peaches! This freeform rustic galette is much easier to make than pies or tarts, and is a delicious way to use up summer fruits such as plums, nectarines, pluots, apricots, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples etc.Variations – Strawberry galette
Peach galette recipe
Pâte sucrée (Sweet shortcrust pastry)
Pâte sucrée, which translates to sweet dough, is a flaky, buttery, and sweet shortcrust pastry made with egg yolks, butter, sugar, and flour. It is similar to pâte sablée, but sweeter.
This sweet dough is the perfect vehicle for sweet fruit tarts and even as pie crusts.
30. Classic pâte sucrée
Classic pâte sucrée dough
A buttery, sweet tart crust that almost tastes like a shortbread cookie. This sweet shortcrust pastry recipe is very adaptable and forgiving. It tastes rich because of the egg yolks and butter, and it's also crisp like a cookie!
Pâte sucrée recipe
31. Strawberry tart
Strawberry tart with pastry cream
This French style strawberry tart features a classic pâte sucrée crust, and a creamy vanilla pastry cream filling, and a sweet strawberry topping.This delicious fresh fruit tart is a gorgeous way to use up fresh summer fruits.Variations – Creamy pineapple tart
Strawberry tart recipe
32.Chocolate pâte sucrée
Chocolate pâte sucrée
Sweet, buttery, crisp tart dough with a deep chocolate flavor! This bittersweet crust is a great vehicle for fillings that are a little rich and sweet.
Chocolate pâte sucrée recipe
33. Chocolate tart
Chocolate ganache tart
This simple chocolate ganache tart is every chocolate lover's dream! A rich, creamy, decadent chocolate tart with a chocolate pâte sucrée base.
Chocolate tart recipe
Custards (pastry creams)
Custard is a thickened base made with dairy, sugar, and eggs. And sometimes cornstarch for additional thickening. They can take the form of cooked custards and baked custards. Or pouring custard (crème anglaise) or pastry cream (crème pâtissière).
See this comprehensive post on all the types of custard for a detailed discussion of all the French custards and pastry creams, and their uses.
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