Alright, let’s talk Choux Pastry. Also known as Pâte à Choux. If you’re looking for tips to make Perfect Choux Pastry to use in classic profiteroles, eclairs, craquelinand etc., then you’re in the right place!
A foolproof recipe for light, airy, puffy, crisp choux pastry (Pâte à Choux)!
Updated: March 2019
So what do we know about choux pastry (Also known as Pâte à Choux)?
We know that it comes from France. It’s a light, airy, crispy pastry used to make , cream puffs/profiteroles (both sweet and savory), choux au craquelin, croquembouches, gougères, French crullers and more. Flour, eggs, butter and water are all you need to make it. And depending on who you ask, choux pastry is either super easy or insanely difficult to make. What’s up with that? Let’s find out.
I used to eat a lot of eclairs and cream puffs when I was little, so choux pastry has a special place in my heart. And I find it pretty ingenious that choux pastry doesn’t use a chemical raising agent to rise. Instead it uses air and moisture trapped in the dough to rise (water and eggs).
A cross section of a choux pastry case, showing the airy center and a crispy outer shell.
I had maintained for quite some time that I was a choux pastry whiz, because it was one of the first pastries I learnt how to make. But, one day, I just couldn’t get it right! And I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. So I started testing different ways of making it, until I finally understood what made it work for me. If your choux pastry recipe doesn’t always work, then THIS foolproof choux pastry guide is for you. This post will help you understand WHY and HOW choux pastry works, with plenty of troubleshooting tips.
Why is homemade chuox pastry simply better?
Store bought choux pastry cases are almost always dry and tasteless. This is true for store bought cream puff shells as well as eclair shells. Homemade choux pastry however, is the real deal! Crisp on the outside and airy & custard-like on the inside. And when you understand how choux pastry works, and what’s happening in each step, it really is super easy to make.
So let’s find out how to make PERFECT Choux Pastry every single time. This is the ULTIMATE GUIDE for making FOOLPROOF choux pastry (pâte à choux), for perfect profiteroles/cream puffs, eclairs, craquelins and other choux pastry based desserts. It’s a lengthy post, where I cover EVERY aspect of making perfect choux pastry, troubleshooting choux pastry problems, tips for profiteroles and eclairs, as well as variations. So hold on tight!
What is PERFECT choux pastry (Pâte à Choux)?
A pastry with a light and crisp outer shell, and a delicious, soft, creamy, custard-like inside. And it’s airy with large air pockets inside as well, perfect to be filled with a sweet filling. A few cracks will be visible on the outside, but it still retains the shape it was piped in.
It can be round for profiteroles/cream puffs and craquelins, or elongated for eclairs.
Personally, I like my profiteroles to be a little softer, and for my eclairs to have a firmer shell. This is because the elongated shape of eclairs hold up well, and are more stable if they are made to have a firmer shell. Profiteroles are more forgiving and foolproof than eclairs, because of their round shape, and as such I like to keep them a little softer. Choux buns (profiteroles, cream puffs), are less likely to collapse compared to eclairs.
BUT, shit happens. What can go wrong with Choux Pastry?
Profiteroles or eclairs have collapsed.
They are flat, or look deflated. The eclairs look like they have a concave bottom, or there’s a crack on the bottom.
Choux pastry is too soft and soggy.
Usually profiteroles or eclair shells have a crisp shell. The crispness doesn’t last long when it’s exposed to air or filled with pastry cream. However, they should never ever be soggy.
Profiteroles or eclair shells have a lot of cracks on top.
They have risen irregularly, with lots of cracks, and kind of look like an ugly ass flower.
Choux pastry shell is too dry, doughy or crumbly.
Now let’s see why these things happen.
L to R – 2:1:1:2 ratio recipe, runny dough, dough not cooked longer, extra flour
What happened if your choux pastry shell collapsed, and is flat, soft and soggy (for profiteroles and eclairs)?
One confession I’d like to make here is that I actually used to (and sometimes still do) like eating these soft and soggy choux pastry. But I’d never serve them to others. There’s something delicious about the extra “custardy” insides and soft shells. Although I’m not a fan of the flatness, plus you can’t really fill it with any filling. So they’re not gonna impress anyone.
If you make eclairs with this type of dough, it’ll seem like the bottom has sunken in, because the surrounding shell has collapsed around it. So what caused it?
Reason 1
Chances are the dough was too wet and runny. When you pipe out the batter, it probably didn’t hold its shape (see the picture above – the runny batter kind of spreads out). That means it has too little flour, or too much liquid in the form of water, eggs and/or butter.
Reason 2
Removing the choux pastry from the oven too early is another reason why your choux shells will be flat. If they were soggy to start with, then they will not rise properly. But even if they do rise, they will deflate when they cool down, due to too much moisture inside the shell, especially if you take them out of the oven too soon. The shells didn’t have enough time to form a stable crust, so they collapse as they cool down.
How to fix choux pastry that is too runny
If you added too much eggs, OR you didn’t cook the dough long enough, and have too much water in your dough
Whatever you do, NEVER ADD EXTRA FLOUR! NEVER! Repeat after me – I will never add raw flour to a runny choux pastry dough. I see recipes suggesting this, and it’s just a recipe for disaster.
So then what do you do?
Make another half batch of the cooked dough with water, salt, butter and flour (with no eggs!). Once you’ve made that part of the dough by cooking it in a saucepan and you have the right consistency, let it cool down (covered). Add the cooled down dough to the runny dough a bit at a time, mixing it into the dough well, until you get the right, pipeable consistency. It always works like a charm!
Removed them from the oven too early, or too much moisture in the shells?
If that is the case, leave them in the oven longer (until the shell is a darker brown in color). If you baked them at 350°F or lower, then increase the oven temperature.
And ALWAYS remember to prick your baked choux pastry shells (profiteroles or eclairs) with a skewer or a sharp knife and let the moisture inside the cases escape while drying out the shells. This helps prevent collapsed choux pastry shells.
Some recipes call for letting the choux pastry shells dry out in the oven, with the door half open. You can do that too, but if you have another batch of choux pastry to bake, this can be cumbersome. So let the choux pastry cool down in a warm, draft-free area. I prefer keeping them in the kitchen (which is already warm because the oven’s been doing its thang).
My choux pastry shells have too many cracks, and have risen irregularly, and look like an ugly flower.
So you pipe the pâte à choux nice and smooth, but when it comes out of the oven, it looks all kinds of weird.
Reason 1
Choux pastry dough has undissolved solids or is not smooth. The salt or sugar hasn’t dissolved properly. The dough isn’t smooth because of flour lumps that haven’t been mixed properly, or you added raw flour to the dough after adding eggs.
Chances are there’s stuff in your pastry batter that shouldn’t be in there. Things like flour that has not been sifted or salt that was not melted. This can interfere with the smoothness of the pastry.
Reason 2
Choux pastry was baked at too high of a temperature. The rapid rise of the dough at high temperatures can cause it to crack as well.
Many recipes call for choux pastry to be baked at two different temperatures. First at a higher temperature for a few minutes, and then finish off at a lower temperature. The reasoning behind this is that the higher temp. facilitates the rise of the pastry because the high heat causes the water to evaporate faster, thereby raising the pastry faster and higher. Then the temperature is lowered and the pastry is allowed to dry out and bake properly.
Reason 3
The piping method can cause cracks as well. This includes the piping consistency as well as the shape of the piping tip (nozzle). If you’re piping eclairs or profiteroles, you need to make sure to pipe consistently. Ripples in the dough will give rise to cracks. This is especially true for profiteroles. So make sure the tip is always touching the surface of the dough when you’re piping, and you’re applying smooth and consistent pressure, without causing ripples.
While the shape of the piping tip doesn’t really matter when it comes to profiteroles, this can cause irregularities with eclairs. Eclairs piped with a round tip can cause more cracks on the surface, compared to a French star tip that has “finer teeth”. These lines or marks in the piped dough increase the surface area and allow the eclair shell to expand without causing unsightly cracks. You can check out my comprehensive troubleshooting guide on classic eclairs for more details.
How to fix choux pastry (profiteroles or eclairs) that have too many crack, or have risen irregularly?
Make sure all the sugar and salt are dissolved BEFORE letting the water come to a boil.
I’ve read that the addition of completely dissolved salt apparently helps prevent cracks from being formed on the shell, although I’m not sure why. I didn’t test it without salt to see if that’s indeed the case. You need to add a bit of salt to the dough anyway, because it really enhances the flavor of the choux pastry, so there’s really no reason to go without salt. Just make sure to stir the water-butter mixture frequently to make sure the salt and sugar dissolve well before the water comes to a boil.
Make sure there are no flour lumps in the dough.
So sift the flour before you add it into the boiling water. This will make sure there are no lumps in the flour to begin with, and that the flour is nice and light. Mix the flour into the water off the heat, so you can really make sure the water is being absorbed by the flour and there are no lumps. I like to use a flexible silicone spatula to do this, and mix the dough by flattening any lumps I see with the spatula as I go. Then I return it back to the heat and mix it further to cook off the extra water.
Cook the choux pastry at a lower temperature throughout the baking time, rather than switching between a high temperature and a lower temperature.
While the theory of baking choux at two different temperatures may work for some, I find that cooking choux pastry at one set temperature the whole way through, produced more consistent results with a smooth top and minimal cracks. Plus it’s more convenient of course. I’ve found that the high temperature that most recipes call for, makes the choux pastry expand and rise rapidly, almost chaotically, causing the pastry to split and look ugly.
Piping consistency
Make sure the piping tip is always touching the dough, and not causing ripples in the dough. Also make sure there are no air bubbles in the pastry bags too.
Piping nozzle
If you’re making eclairs, I highly recommend a French star tip. This will also minimize ugly cracks in the eclair shells and help keep the shape of your eclairs.
My choux pastry (eclairs or profiteroles) is too dry, doughy or crumbly
You do get a nice crisp shell, but when you crack it open, it’s not as deliciously “custardy” or soft on the inside. Or even worse, it hasn’t risen at all and tastes like egg bread. Whoopsie!
Reason 1
You added too much flour, or not enough eggs. If you didn’t get a glossy sheen on your dough, then you didn’t add enough eggs.
Or if you added raw flour to your dough because it’s too runny, then you added too much flour.
Reason 2
You baked it too long, and the shells are almost burnt, and it’s very obviously going to be too dry. Another reason is because you let the choux pastry dry out too much – especially if you let the choux pastry cool in the oven, and you forget to take it out.
This can also happen if you let the choux pastry stand outside uncovered, for hours, after they’ve been cooled.
Look for that glossy sheen!
How to fix choux pastry that is doughy, dry, or crumbly?
Baking time
If you baked it too long the first time, simply reduce the time in the oven by a few minutes next time. Every oven is slightly different depending on how hot it actually is, and also the hot and cold spots you get in every oven.
Dough consistency
Make sure to check the consistency of the dough, and not add raw flour to fix runny dough.
If your dough doesn’t have a sheen even after adding all the eggs, don’t worry! Just add extra eggs until you get that right consistency. Chances are you may have cooked the dough too long and too much water evaporated, but it can easily be fixed by adding extra eggs. Just make sure to add a little at a time, rather than a whole egg at once.
Type of flour
Using bread flour (instead of AP flour) can also produce choux pastry that has a thicker shell than choux pastry made with AP flour. But if you bake it right, the inside will and should still be custardy.
Bread flour choux pastry does result in profiteroles and eclair shells that are more sturdy, and hold their shape better, so for that reason I prefer using bread flour to make my eclairs.
Now here’s what gives me the most consistent results for choux pastry.
Weigh the ingredients. Each one of them.
Michael Ruhlman’s ratio by weight for choux pastry is 2:1:1:2 of water, butter, flour and eggs. While this works well, I find that adding a little extra flour helps make the choux pastry more crisp and stable, so that it keeps its shape as it bakes – a very desirable result.
Whenever you can, ALWAYS measure ingredients by weight, not by volume. This is true for any kind of baking. While I don’t have a problem measuring by volume for some recipes, I always prefer to use weight because that gives more consistent results. Here’s a good kitchen scale that you can use, that is inexpensive.
With eggs, I like to crack them into a jug, and whisk them before adding to the dough.
Cook the dough first
Choux pastry or pâte à choux, is very unique in that it requires the dough to be cooked first! This unique step results in a really sturdy pastry shell that also has a custard-like texture on the inside.
Always start with cold water (or milk). Add the salt and the sugar to the water. Cut the butter into pats (or smaller), to ensure that it melts BEFORE the water comes to a boil. You don’t want to keep stirring boiling water to melt the butter. Stirring the water frequently while it warms up ensures that the salt, sugar and butter melt before the water comes to a boil.
As soon as the water mix comes to a boil, remove it from the heat (but don’t turn off the stove) and add ALL THE FLOUR IN ONE GO. Mix immediately for about 45 seconds, to make sure there are absolutely no lumps. This is important because you need to mix in the flour well (flour needs to absorb all the moisture of the butter-water mix), and having a smooth dough means that you won’t have cracked shells later.
Then cook the dough further on the stove so that enough moisture evaporates to get a good dough. A lot of recipes will talk of different signs to look for when cooking the dough – from the dough pulling away from the sides of the pan, to the dough looking like mashed potatoes, or leaving a film of dough on the bottom of the pan.
Here’s what I look for
- The dough leaving a film on the bottom of the saucepan (if you’re using a stainless steel pan).
- Oil droplets forming on the bottom of the pan (if you’re using non-stick pans).
- The dough comes together to form a cohesive dough, that pulls away very cleanly from the sides of the saucepan.
- Absolutely no flour clumps in the dough.
- If I stick a tablespoon in the ball of dough, it’ll stay upright without falling (as shown in the picture below). This is called…. the “spoon test”. If the spoon falls over, that’s a clear indication that there’s still too much liquid/moisture in the dough.
Next step is cooling down the dough.
This is important because you don’t want to add the eggs while the dough is too hot. This can cook the eggs, and even give your choux an eggy taste. So you need to wait for the eggs to cool down at least to 160°F.
The way I prefer to cool down my dough is to place the eggs in a bowl, and then flatten the dough along the sides of the bowl. This increases the surface area, so it cools down faster, plus more water evaporates as you do this.
Some recipes call for mixing the dough in a stand mixer for a couple of minutes. This is fine too, but make sure you’re only mixing it on low speed and no longer than 2 – 3 minutes. Agitating the dough too much can cause the butter to split from the dough, and then you’ll get a really oily looking dough.
Adding eggs
The amount of eggs added is variable. Usually it’s 4, which is 8 oz in weight for this recipe (because 1 egg is considered 2 oz, but that obviously depends on the size of the eggs).
As mentioned earlier, I like to have all the eggs whisked well in a jug first, before adding it to the dough. This is because I can add a little at a time until I get the consistency I like. Whisking them beforehand ensures that you get an even mix of egg white and yolks being added to the dough at all times.
If you’d like to, you can add one egg at a time too. Just make sure that the last egg (4th), is whisked in a small bowl and it’s added only a little at a time to prevent the dough from being too runny.
Mix in each addition of eggs before you add the next. You can check the consistency of the dough as you go and make sure you don’t add too much egg. At the beginning you can add about 1/4 cup (or 1 egg) of eggs at a time, but then add the last bit in small increments.
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- When eggs are first added to the choux pastry, the dough will seem gloopy and slimy. But keep mixing!
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- The eggs get mixed in. But the dough is still dry, and not smooth, so it needs more eggs.
What you’re looking for here is a dough that looks glossy, but still thick, can hold its shape and is pipeable. Sometimes I only need to add 3 1/2 eggs before I get the right consistency, and if I added all of the 4th egg, then my dough would lose the stiffness I need. If that happens, the dough won’t hold its shape when piped, leading to flat choux pastry. Not good.
The choux pastry dough after half of the eggs has being added. The dough is still dry, and not smooth or glossy. 
Why is there variability in amount of eggs added?
Because when you added water to cook the dough previously, how much water gets evaporated during the cooking process can vary a lot. How you measured the water, what saucepan you used to cook the dough, how long you cooked the dough can all have an impact on how much water is left in the dough.
Less water in the dough – more eggs you will need to add.
More water in the dough – less eggs you will need to add.
The type of flour can also have an impact on how much eggs to add.
Pastry flour needs less eggs than if you used AP flour.
Bread flour needs more eggs than if you used AP flour.
This image shows the subtle difference in choux pastry dough consistencies. On left, the dough has almost enough eggs. On right, the perfect amount of eggs, where the dough is smoother, and has a glossy sheen.
Here are some signs to look for in your choux pastry dough, when checking for the right consistency.
- The finger test – Drag your finger along the surface of the choux pastry dough to create a trough. The sides of this trough should stay upright and not collapse into the dough. If they do, it’s because the dough is too runny. If the sides of the trough stay up, then it’s the right consistency. Make sure the dough has a nice sheen when you do this test too.
- The V test – Place a rubber spatula in the dough, upright, and then stir the dough with it a little, and slowly lift the spatula, straight up. The dough should form a V shape at the end of the spatula (as shown in the picture in the post), if it’s the right consistency.
I use a combination of both tests to check the consistency of the dough. I prefer the finger test over the V test. However, I would recommend using both at the beginning.
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- Finger test method
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- Spatula V test
Piping the dough
Tips for profiteroles
Make sure the piping tip is just touching the surface of the piped dough, and move up as you go. This will help create less ripples and folds. This way you will have less cracks in your shell. Alternatively, you can use a spoon or a mini cookie scoop to spoon the dough on to a baking sheet as well. I do recommend piping though. Also remember to hold the pastry bag (and tip) upright when you’re piping profiteroles, and you’re not doing it at an angle. This way your choux pastry will rise upwards, and not be lopsided.
Remember to use a damp finger to flatten the apex or any points, otherwise these points will burn when you bake the profiterole shells. However, if you’re topping the choux pastry with craquelin, then you don’t have to do this.
I use either the Wilton 1A Round Tip or Wilton 2A Round Tip
for my profiterole pastries and I LOVE my 16 inch disposable pastry bags
because they are sturdy, and hold more of the dough. Any 1/2 inch round tip (or similar sized tip) is good for regular profiteroles or cream puffs.
Spraying the baking tray with water or dusting them with sugar
Another trick I use to get the choux pastry shells to expand even more is to spray the baking tray with some water.It’s simple, yet works brilliantly. As the water on the baking tray evaporates from around the dough, it helps “raise” the dough from the outside while the moisture IN the dough, helps raise it from the inside.
However, if you want crispness over volume, then sift some confectioner’s sugar on top before baking.
Tips for piping eclairs
For more in-depth details and pictures, check out my Classic Chocolate Eclairs post.
Eclairs are a bit trickier than profiteroles when it comes to maintaining their shape. But I’ve discussed all the tips and tricks in my eclairs post, so that you too can make perfect chocolate eclairs, every single time!
When piping for eclairs, pipe the dough at an 45° angle and be consistent with the pressure. To maintain the right shape, pipe a tad extra dough at the two ends, so that your eclairs don’t end up oval shaped.
With eclairs, I also prefer to use a French star tip over a round tip. This really helps with maintaining the eclair shell shape. I use a 1/2 inch French star tip from this Ateco French star tip set. I also prefer to use bread flour, so that the dough will be more sturdy (than with AP flour).
Silpat vs parchment paper
Eclairs bake better on silpat than on parchment paper! Who would’ve thought? It’s to do with the heat conduction from bottom, and this ensures smooth, evenly baked eclair shells without cracks or collapsing.
Since I also don’t want my eclairs to puff up too much, I like to dust the eclairs with confectioner’s sugar instead of water. Confectioner’s sugar slightly caramelizes on the shells, giving them a little extra sweetness and a delightful crunch.
For more details, check out this post for tips on how to pipe eclairs and make classic chocolate eclairs.
Baking the choux pastry
Baking temperature
Some recipes call for choux pastry to be baked at two different temperatures. If this works for you, go ahead. As I mentioned earlier, I find that the high temperature makes the shells expand too much, causing cracks. Plus, after I bake one tray of choux pastry, I don’t want to wait for the temperature to rise back up before baking the next tray. So I bake choux pastry at one constant temperature – 375°F, for 35 – 45 minutes, for perfect choux pastries, every single time.
Don’t open the oven door until your choux pastry shells have set properly
Since choux pastry relies on steam to expand while baking, it’s VERY important to not open the oven door until the choux pastry shells have set properly. This means you should never open the door during the first 25-30 minutes of baking (for standard-sized choux pastry; the time goes down for smaller shells and up for larger ones). I wait till the shells are golden colored before opening the door. This prevents steam from escaping too early, which will cause the shells to collapse.
Pricking choux pastry shells
I used to prick each choux pastry shell with a toothpick as soon as they came out of the oven and were cooling down, in order to dry out the shells. But now I’ve found that pricking the shells during the last 5-10 minutes of baking helps dry out the shells more, and keep them crisp and sturdy. So now I open the oven door at the 25-30 minute mark, prick each shell with a toothpick or skewer during that last 5-10 mins of baking, and allow the steam inside the shells to escape. Use a sharp toothpick to pierce the casings.
For larger pate a choux pastries (more than 2.5 inches in diameter) and eclair shells, I prick them one more time when the choux pastry comes out of the oven (after being baked to a nice, slightly darker golden brown color and crisp shell). Allow them to cool down in a warm, draft-free place (I usually do this near or on top of the oven), so that a sudden temperature change won’t cause them to collapse either.
Filling pate a choux shells (choux pastry)
There are many different types of filling that you can use to fill profiteroles or eclairs! The most popular filling is vanilla pastry cream, which is also known as creme patissiere. You can get the recipe for creme patissiere right here.
OR if you prefer chocolate creme patissiere (chocolate pastry cream) instead, get the recipe for that right here.
You can get the recipe for Salted Caramel diplomat cream in the recipe for Choux au craqueline with salted caramel cream.
What variations can I try with choux pastry dough?
Milk vs Water – You can use 1/2 milk and 1/2 water instead of using all water (4 fl oz each of water and milk). This will give you a softer shell, but it will have more flavor because of the milk.
AP Flour vs Bread Flour – You can also use bread flour instead of AP flour. I prefer bread flour to make eclairs, and AP flour for profiteroles. But you can try out both and see which you like better.
Toppings – You can also make little cookie discs (craquelin) to place on top of the profiteroles, for a crunchy version of choux pastry buns. This version of choux pastries are a called CHOUX AU CRAQUELIN.
I’ve never made choux pastry before. What advice do you have for a beginner?
Just go for it! 🙂 Even if you get it wrong, they are still going to taste delicious! It’s really quite easy to get PERFECT results even on your first try! Just read the 100s of comments I’ve received below from my readers who tried it for the first time and nailed it! 🙂
The issue with most recipes out there is that they don’t tell you what signs to look for, to help you get the choux pastry dough right. But I’ve taken care of that!
If you are a beginner, start with profiteroles or cream puffs. They are easier and more forgiving to make. Then you can graduate to eclairs, and then even try your hand at these addictively delicious craquelins!
And that ladies & gentlemen, is how you make Perfect Choux Pastry, every single time! 🙂
Have you checked out my new cookbook?
EQUIPMENT & TOOLS I USED FOR THIS RECIPE
16 inch Disposable Pastry bags
Basic Choux Pastry and Troubleshooting guide
Learn how to make Perfect Choux Pastry step by step - The only recipe guide you will ever need to make choux pastry, with perfect results every time. Plus a troubleshooting guide for your choux pastry recipe. Fool proof choux pastry to make profiteroles, eclairs, cream puffs and more.
Each pastry shell in this recipe comes from a spoonful of dough (either piped or spooned on to a baking sheet, roughly 2 inches in diameter). Baking time given here is based on this.
EASY - This can be made by novice bakers. However, I highly recommend reading this recipe + post before attempting choux pastry for the first time.
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions
Ingredients
- 8 fl oz water
- 4 oz unsalted butter cubed and at room temp.
- 4.7 oz AP flour, sifted use 5 oz / 145 g for a firmer shell (like for eclairs)
- 8 oz eggs weighed with the shell, about 4 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp sea salt use less if using table salt, or fine salt
- 1 tbsp white sugar optional
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place salt, water, sugar (if using) and butter in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the water is starting to boil (butter should be melted at this point), add the flour in one go (do this with the saucepan away from the stove/heat) and vigorously mix the flour in, so that it absorbs all of the water (use a wooden spoon or spatula to do this). When the flour has absorbed the water and it's forming a dough, return the pan to the stove (medium heat).
Cook the dough for 2 - 5 minutes while you mix and move it around in the pan until you get a dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan, forms oil droplets on the bottom of the pan, and when you stick a spoon in the dough, it stays upright.
Transfer the dough to a bowl, and let it cool down slightly for a few minutes. Add the vanilla extract (if using), and then with a hand-held mixer (or whisk), mix the dough while adding the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Make sure the eggs are lightly beaten so that you can stop adding eggs immediately, when you reach the right consistency (i.e. a dough with a glossy sheen with pipeable consistency. You may or may not use up all the eggs, please see the post for details).
- Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper and mist the surface with water (either using a mister or lightly sprinkle water with your hands - this is an optional step).
Pipe the desired shape on to the baking sheet - either using a piping bag fitted with a large tip (I use Wilton 1A or 2A tip, or you can cut the pastry bag opening instead), or spoon it on to the tray, using a teaspoon. Then with a damp finger, flatten the apex and any points.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes in the center of the oven, or until the choux pastry shells puff up and are golden brown on top. Do not open the oven door, at least until you have reached the 25 minute mark. Importantly, baking time depends on the size of your pastry shell. If you prefer a drier shell, bake for a couple of minutes longer.
During the last 5 - 10 minutes of baking, prick each shell with a skewer or toothpick and let them dry out in the oven while baking.
Remove from the oven, and let the choux pastry cases cool completely in a draft-free area. Preferably in a place that is not cold. (Letting them cool in an open but turned off oven is even better, but not necessary).
Fill with a sweet or savory filling and serve immediately. Or you can store cooled choux pastry shells in an air-tight container for up to one day. To store them for longer, keep them in the freezer in an air-tight container.
Recipe Notes
Please note - these are instructions for smaller pastry cases (1 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter when piped) .
If you require larger profiteroles, you can bake the cases at 420°F for 10 minutes, and then at 350° F for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and puffed up. It may take longer, so keep an eye on the pastry. Bake until they are a dark golden color to ensure that they don't collapse when cooling down. Or you can bake them at 375°F for a longer time as well.
- You can substitute bread flour for AP flour, if you'd like thicker choux pastry that holds its shape better.
- Substitute half of the water with milk for softer choux pastry cases that have a better taste.
NOTE - The recipe has been slightly updated (February 2019). The amount of flour was increased slightly to make this recipe more foolproof, and additional instructions for making eclairs have also been added.
Howdy – thanks for all the great info & pix. But I have an issue that wasn’t covered: My mommy made cream puffs so I thought I knew about technique, I definitely know how the pate should look in the pan. But when I’ve tried to make the cream puffs of my childhood, they have no bottoms. The puffs come out of the oven looking perfect, but when I try to vent them, I find they are lovely little pastry SKI CAPS 🙁
Is my oven too hot? Am I not using the right kind of sheet? (insulated cookie sheet, textured jelly roll pan, something enameled, quarter sheet pan)
Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
P.S. This post came up 1st in my Yahoo-powered search; congrats!
Thank you! 🙂
Unfortunately, I haven’t encountered this problem with choux pastry before so I can’t be sure what might be causing it. It is also hard for me to know what the issue might be without knowing the recipe as well.
I have found that using silpats does help with baking choux pastry as well, but I don’t know if it will help with the “ski cap”. I have baked choux pastry on different trays and haven’t had any issues with profiterole cases. You could definitely try a silpat and see if that might help. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help, and I hope a silpat might help you bake better choux pastries!
My question is simple yet it has been un answered across the internet. I live at high altitude, 8500ft above sea level. Something needs to change. My choux don’t rise properly. I increased the oven temp, I decreased it,I left the dough to rest, I cooked it longer, nothing, great flavor, but the choux is not a choux it’s more like a dome. What can I do.
Hi Kika!
Unfortunately I won’t be able to answer questions about high altitude baking because I’m not familiar with the adjustments that need to be made. I googled high altitude choux pastry and got this link, that might be more useful.
OK… I’ve given some more thought to this, re-read my various pastry books, and stumbled around the internet, but all it did was create more questions / assumptions.
1. If the only goal of cooking the panade is starch gelatinization, and wheat starch gelatinizes at 124 – 140 F, (https://bakerpedia.com/processes/starch-gelatinization/
Sorry I had the wrong temp before) then a given volume of water and butter, barely brought to a boil, will immediately fall to a given temperature range when a specific volume of flour is added (one reason for adding it all at once). It seems to me that what we are trying to achieve is a temp of ~140 F held long enough for gelatinization to occur while also reducing the amount of evaporation as much as possible to retain the correct ratio of water in the panade. For me, and I freely admit I am the neophyte here, this is why I would think relying on visual signs introduces the risk of evaporating too much water, but that is all based on my assumptions above.
2. I’m also confused on why so many recipes warn about egg volume. If you buy Large eggs, the variance of weight should be insignificant (~2 g / egg). As long as the recipe is scaled to 4 large eggs, and you’ve avoided evaporation of the panade, shouldn’t you always have the correct ratio and just add 4 eggs? 4 Eggs @ 2 g each = +/- 8 g which is about 12% of one large egg or only about 2 teaspoons. This goes back to my first question. As long as you’re controlling evaporation, the batter should be correct… shouldn’t it?
I really do appreciate your time and sharing your knowledge and experience with me.
Hi Darrin
Temperature could be a good gauge, but again I don’t know if it’d be able to reliably let us know if there’s too much water in the dough. Plus, not everyone has the ability to check the temperature of the dough. With choux pastry, you DO WANT SOME EVAPORATION AFTER the flour has been hydrated, to ensure that you get the right consistency. Too much water would result in flat choux pastry. Also different types of flour, different brands of flour will absorb different amounts of water, so the cooking of the dough helps evaporate the excess water. While visual cues might result in evaporating too much, it’s still the best method right now. I do know that if water evaporates too much (beyond the point of saving the dough), that results in a really greasy dough because the emulsification has broken. So as long as the dough doesn’t reach the greasy stage, the dough is still salvageable. Being able to recognise visual cues improves with practice.
The amount of eggs, again comes down to the amount of liquid needed in the dough. In theory, if the right amount of water is in the flour (through controlling evaporation or otherwise) then you will never have to change the amount of eggs added. But in reality, the amount of water in the starch can vary on many factors – how much evaporated; whether you’re using pastry flour, AP flour or bread flour; humidity etc. It is very difficult to control evaporation because the rate of evaporation is dependent on so many factors too – size of saucepan; single batch vs double batch; temperature of the day; humidity; how quickly the stove will heat up etc. So, the amount of eggs added at the end vary as well. That’s why you need to check the consistency of the dough as you add the eggs.
I hope that makes sense.
Any chance you can save me some time… (So I can avoid trial and error)
Have you ever used:
1. Rice Flour
2. Almond or Cashew Milk
3. Why do you not not cook the panade to temp instead of relying on visual clues? Isn’t the only goal starch gelatinization? (175 F – 180 F)
4. Have you ever incorporated the technique used for cannelles and let the panade rest to completely hydrate the starch before cooking it?
Thank you for your time
Hi Darrin
I will try to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge.
1) I haven’t used rice flour unfortunately.
2) I have used plant based milk before when I have made dairy free choux pastry. The pastry cases were a little soft possibly because of the use of margarine rather than butter.
3) I’m not sure if you mean to combine water and flour and THEN heat it, or to heat the water and then add the flour. I wouldn’t add the water and flour and then heat it because the water will be absorbed by the protein responsible for gluten development rather than starch gelatinization. I haven’t tried heating the water first, but you can try that for sure! I think the accuracy of the temperature isn’t as important so waiting for the water to boil is easier for most people.
4) With cannelles, the hot milk is mixed with the eggs first and then the flour. The goal is to create a custard base that will flavor the batter. Then the panade is rested to develop flavor. This would be different with choux because the eggs are in the recipe to provide structure and lift and are added as the last step. I personally wouldn’t want to leave it overnight because choux pastry is such a simple recipe that I don’t want to add an additional step of cooling and cooking, if it’s not necessary. I have let the prepared choux pastry rest overnight in the fridge in an air tight container multiple times and love the results though.
First, let me commend you on an excellent post; very thorough and excellent visuals.
Last night I attempted to make Paris Brest; another application for Choux. I had made cream puffs a couple of years ago, and even though I was ignorant concerning the science behind it, I managed to make them well. Maybe ignorance is bliss. Anyhoo, I discovered yet another way things can go wrong. I knew I was in trouble when I mixed in the flour. I waited until the water/butter was just at a boil…which, to me, meant a simmer. I didn’t want the water to evaporate since water is what creates the steam for rising. Apparently it wasn’t hot enough since my dough ended up being really greasy from the butter. It didn’t absorb correctly. I should have waited until it came to a rolling boil before adding the flour. I continued anyway and it all went down hill from there. (Never got the dough to the right consistency; never puffed). Now here is my question; since water is essential to get a rise, why do we cook off the water in the pot after adding the flour. I watched a video where the chef was adamant about pulling the water/butter off the stove to add the flour right after a rolling boil so there wasn’t a lot of evaporation, but then we cook off the dough to get rid of excess water.
So, is water the enemy or the friend of Pate a Choux
Hi Ellen!
Thank you so much 🙂
Through the years, I’ve realized that water is both the enemy and friend. Too much water is the enemy so you have to make sure you end up with the right amount of water. This is hard to predict because different flours will absorb water differently, in different environments. That’s why the process of cooking the dough is beneficial and unique to choux pastry.
I wait until the water has come to a boil AND I add a little extra flour (compared to the 2:1:1:2 ratio) so that the pastry has better structure.
Adding the flour to boiling water prevents the proteins from the flour from absorbing the water and developing too much gluten. Instead of the proteins, it’s the starch that absorbs the water and stores it (a process called starch gelatinization). This forms a starch matrix that not only holds water, but also provides stability to the dough too.
Since excess water (or grease or any other liquid like eggs) is the enemy of choux pastry, the dough is cooked to remove any excess water that might be in the dough. This is to make sure the dough will have the right consistency at the end (after adding eggs), so that you get nice and puffy pastries. If you overcook the dough and remove too much water, it can also result in a dry but greasy dough which isn’t good either.
Both the eggs and the water that has been absorbed by the starch matrix evaporates / expands as it bakes to create the lift needed to puff up the choux pastry. They both also have helped create a stable structure keeping the pastry from falling apart.
Choux pastry is such a simple recipe but there’s so much happening that results in the perfect pastries at the end! It’s why it’s one of my favorite pastries to make too 🙂 I hope my explanation helped you understand the recipe better so that you can make sure you get great results next time 🙂
Your recipe is perfect! Really appreciate the detail you go into and troubleshooting you provide. Many thanks for sharing!
Hello!! This recipe sounds amazing and is so detailed! I was wondering if there is a way to make this without eggs, as I have allergies. Any tips or advice would be appreciated! Thank you!!
Hi Shreya!
Thank you 🙂
Unfortunately I haven’t tried making choux pastry without eggs. I would recommend looking up a vegan choux pastry recipe that has been tested, so you can be sure of the results.
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful…
Hi, I love this recipe so much! I’ve been following it by word and I get lovely crispy chouxs but the problem is they quickly soften after I take them out of the oven. They’re no crispness. If you could please help me with this 🙂
Hi Haniyah
Choux pastry doesn’t really remain “crisp” the same way a potato chip/crisp would, because the shell quickly absorbs moisture in the air and softens. If the shell doesn’t collapse, or becomes “soggy” then you have perfected the recipe. Remember that the pastry will soften as soon as you add the filling anyway as well.
That being said, if you want a “thicker” shell that is more robust, I would recommend making choux pastry with bread flour. The shell won’t exactly be “crisp”, but it won’t be as soft as choux pastry made with AP flour. I prefer to use bread flour when making eclairs or croquembouche, as they require sturdier pastry cases.
such a detailed post! appreciate your time in typing and showing us the way to make the perfect choux!
I was trying to make them yesterday, they were hollows, but it doesn’t puff up much and doesn’t cook through. when i slice them up, there is still trace of dough in it, even though i continued to bake total of 1hour at 190 degree Celsius. i ended up throwing them all as they are not cooked. they are all about 3cm in diameter.
i noticed that the recipe that you shared were not the same as the 2:1:1:2 ratio .
is that the adjustment you made so that its more foolproof?
Hope to hear from you soon!
Hi Kong
Thank you for your lovely comment 🙂
Could you clarify if you used a different recipe, or the recipe I have shared here to make your choux?
As noted in the post, if the choux pastry cases don’t puff up, it’s usually because the dough was too wet/runny. It’s important to make sure you get the right consistency of the dough before piping it.
And yes, I did make an adjustment in my recipe to make it more foolproof. However, you still need to keep an eye on the dough as you prepare it to get the right consistency.
Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi, thanks so much for this detailed guide! I found it so so so helpful. Made a batch of cream puffs yesterday and they turned out great 🙂 Really thankful.
Thank you so much for this super helpful post! It’s really humid right now in India and I found my eclairs going soft too quickly, I used a few of your tips here and it’s made a big difference. Such a great post!
Hi what happens when you make 8 oz quantity, when baking as you can only put one batch into the oven. Will the second batch bake same as the first?
Hi Ranika!
Any batch of choux pastry that you make will be baked the same way. I hope that answers your question! 🙂 Please let me know if you have any other questions.
This is the most comprehensive and detailed Chou tutorial I’ve ever read. Bravo! I can’t wait to try this now! Julia Child’s description was intimidating compared to this.
I regularly make gougeres for my wife and I and a week ago I made some for a party we hosted, but for the first time ever, the gougeres fell flat. I am not sure whether I put too many eggs in (I put 6 instead of my usual 4, because the eggs were small) or whether it was the fact that I over mixed the dough in my electric mixer. Having read your recipes, it seems like it could be a combination of both.
I thought that by mixing the grated grayer into the dough at a high speed would help the process, but from your recipes and tips it seems that mixing at high speed could be detrimental. Please advise and help me not to serve flat (but still tasty) gougeres again.
Hi Kevin!
Usually the reason why choux pastry based recipes (like gougeres) go flat is because of the high liquid content, more than the mixing speed. And the mixing speed doesn’t need to be high to mix the gougeres dough too. I would recommend only adding enough eggs to get the right consistency (not runny and still pipeable, without losing shape).
It could also be that you didn’t “cook” the dough enough to remove extra moisture. It’s harder to tell which it could have been without looking at what the dough looked like at each stage unfortunately.
With smaller eggs, you may only need about 5 (or even 4 1/2). Just make sure you cook the dough to the right stage and then add the eggs, slowly, so you don’t have a runny choux dough 🙂 I hope that helps!
In baking, I very much prefer to weigh the ingredients. The problem with eggs is the quantity for most mixtures doesn’t warrant liquid storage quantities. But for discussion, when I can I’ll weigh out 60 grams per egg and use the remainder for breakfast (or whatever).
Most of the time I just crack a couple eggs and live with the results — UNLESS the quantity is CRITICAL, then I weigh it out.
I was interested with this recipe because I want to use bread flour. You repeatedly say that you prefer bread flour vs AP flour. But you don’t specify how much bread flour to use! I prefer recipes that specify weights. Converting x grams of AP flour to z grams of bread flour doesn’t always work. Please tell us how much bread flour you actually use yourself. Thanks!
Hi Michael
I use the same amount of bread flour (135g or 145g), but the amount of eggs will vary. You need to add as many eggs to get the pipe able consistency with the sheen. With AP Flour, I may not use all four eggs (ranging between 3 – 4 eggs), but with bread flour, I may add all four and sometimes a little extra to get that sheen. Also, my recipe already has metric measurements as I prefer using grams too. Just toggle the US customary and Metric buttons below the ingredients list. You can also check out my Eclairs recipe, where I use bread flour too. Hope that helps!
Love the recipes. Very helpful. Thanks
Hello, im a pastry chef and having a trouble to get eclairs right. Have a function tomorrow and i need to bake them. I really need your help.
The problem im having is not described on your blog.
Eclairs comes out round and fluffy, but they shrink on the bottom while baking and it makes them curve. They look like boiled sausages if you know what i mean.
I’m looking forward for your advice
Dainius
Hello!
I made a mistake, I used egg white instead of egg yolk . The texture came out fine but I’m not sure what do with it now.
I’ve bookmarked this post many years ago and lately I tried your 2:1:1:2 formula and the result was excellent! This post is like the troubleshooting for choux making. Thank you !
Hello! I am new to your blog, but SO HAPPY I found it!! I know my way around a kitchen 😉 ( Born in the US to 2 Sicilian immigrant parents and a whole Sicilian family (all in Sicily) who can cook!! My aunt is the one with the skills for baking, but unfortunately she is up in age, as is my Mom, so asking her isn’t an option! But you have explained everything perfectly!! I do have one question – and forgive me if it was asked before.
Do you have any experience making these gluten free? I do have an AMAZING flour that I use (cup4cup), and I did try making these a few days ago, but the recipe wasn’t written well and they just fell apart.
I’m going to make these now for my Mom! Our local bakery doesn’t carry “St. Joseph’s Sfingi” after Easter and these are her favorite!
Thanks so much!!!
Hi Lilli,
Thank you so much for your lovely words! I’m so glad that you found this recipe helpful. 🙂
Unfortunately, I’m not sure about using gluten free flour for this recipe. Different flours will certainly affect the consistency of choux pastry, and I haven’t tested out gluten free flour before. I’d love to hear how it turns out, if you do try it with gluten-free flour though! Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
I made this for the first time with my gluten-free flour blend and they turned out perfectly! My blend is 6 parts brown rice flour to 2 parts potato starch to 1 part tapioca starch (by weight). I have a bunch of that always weighed and mixed, then I weighed out the amount called for in the recipe. The only other change I made was to add 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum to the flour. The dough looked TERRIBLE as I started to mix in the eggs but once I got to the consistency described it looked better (I did need more egg than the recipe called for). I followed all of the other directions as written. Several people who don’t eat gluten-free diets we’re surprised it was gf. It can work!
Thank you so much for letting me know Jen. That’s great info to have! So glad the recipe came out well for you.