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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, craquelin, chouquettes etc., then you’re in the right place!
A foolproof recipe for light, airy, puffy, crisp choux pastry (Pâte à Choux)!
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 perfect 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 choux 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 can happens when you’re trying to bake perfect choux pastry
What can go wrong with pâte à choux?
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
Choux pastry troubleshooting
Why are my pastry shells flat, soft, and soggy?
Have your profiterole shells collapsed? Do your eclairs have sunken concave bottoms? They’re not the, round, hollow, perfect choux pastry shells you see in bakeries?
So what causes this?
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.
Reason 3
You need to prick the shells towards the end of the baking time (and/or after), to allow the shells to dry out. If you don’t, the hot humid air will collapse the soft shell as it cools down.
How to fix pâte à choux that is too runny
This happens 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 shells, so you can get perfect choux pastry shells. I also like to prick the shells during the last few minutes of the baking time to help with drying out the 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 thing).
My choux pastry shells have too many cracks or it looks irregular.
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
Pâte à choux 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 pâte à choux 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 making eclairs for more details.
How to ensure your pastry cases are not crackly or irregular
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 the flour is fine and 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.
The theory of baking choux at two different temperatures may work for some. And if it does for you, you can keep doing that. However, 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.
Why are my pastries 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. Not getting a glossy sheen on your dough is a good sign that your pâte à choux is going to be dense and dry.
Or if you added raw flour to your dough because it’s too runny, it can mess with the final consistency too.
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. You CAN leave the choux pastry covered in an airtight container though!
Look for that glossy sheen!
How to fix dry pâte à choux shells
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.
Can I use pastry flour or bread flour instead of AP Flour?
Bread flour has a higher gluten content than AP Flour. Using bread flour can produce pâte à choux that has a thicker shell, and will rise less than choux pastry made with AP flour.
Bread flour 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.
Pastry flour has less gluten than AP flour. This will result in a lighter pastry case, that rises more. These are great if you want “lighter than air” profiteroles, or maybe if you want to combine it with craquelin. I don’t generally like using pastry flour for my filled choux pastry though – just my personal preference.
Here’s what gives me the most consistent results for choux pastry.
Making the dough
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 perfect choux pastry that is crisp and stable. The pastries keep 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 for perfect results, 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.
Heating the dough for too long can cause the butter to split from the dough as well. So make sure you don’t do this.
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 dough to cool down at least to 160°F.
The way I prefer to cool down my dough is to place the dough 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.
When eggs are first added to the choux pastry, the dough will seem gloopy and slimy. But keep mixing!
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 the right, the perfect amount of eggs, where the choux pastry 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.
Finger test method
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 perfectly 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.
Once you have piped choux dough on one tray, keep the remaining dough in the pastry bag until you’re ready to bake the next batch. The dough will even keep well in the fridge as long as it’s wrapped inside a pastry bag, or an air tight container.
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 perfect eclairs
For more in-depth details and pictures, check out my 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 the 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.
Because of this, I only bake one tray at a time because it’s hard to switch the trays halfway through the bake time.
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)
Once you know how to make perfect choux pastry, you can get creative with filling them!
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.
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 vs Pastry Flour- You can also use bread flour or pastry flour instead of AP flour. I prefer bread flour to make eclairs, and AP flour for profiteroles. But you can try either of these and see which you like better. Make sure to adjust the amount of eggs you’re adding to get the right consistency too.
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.
How to store choux pastry
Unbaked choux pastry dough can be stored in an airtight container, and in the fridge for up to 2 days. I place the dough in a pastry bag and seal the bag so that the dough has zero contact with air. You can also place the dough in a bowl, and then cover the whole surface with plastic wrap.
You can also pipe the choux pastry into the shape you like and freeze as quickly as possible. As soon as the choux pastry is frozen, you can place them in ziploc bags. I personally haven’t tried this, but there are bakeries that do this and still get good results. The most important thing is to prevent freezer burn.
Baked choux pastry can be stored in an air tight container, at room temperature, for 24 hours (unfilled). They do lose their crispness, so you may want to reheat them at 300 F, just until they’re warmed through and crisp.
Unfilled cases can also be frozen in airtight container for longer. But will need to be warmed in the oven before being filled.
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 perfect. 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! : )
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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
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 1 – 3 minutes (over medium heat) 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 a film or oil droplets on the bottom of the pan, and when you stick a regular tablespoon in the dough, it stays upright. (The cook time will vary depending on your stove top).
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.
Video:
Tips & Tricks
Please note – these are instructions for smaller pastry cases (1 1/2 – 2 inches in diameter when piped). If you’re making 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 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.
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Course:Appetizer, Dessert, Pastry, Sweets
Cuisine:European, French
Keyword:Choux Pastry, Cream Puffs, How to make choux pastry, How to make eclairs, Profiteroles
I am eager to try this!! I have been watching baking shows like The Great British Baking show and I’m like I want to make these with all kinds of custard fillings like Bavarian cream yum. I like to bake, but I don’t like to cook haha. Question, how would I make big eclairs like in donut shops that’s top with chocolate, using this recipe? I have always known eclairs to be this big and not small like the ones you show and other baking shows have baked hahaha.
Hi April
Larger eclairs are made with larger piping tips. Thicker and larger eclairs will need to be baked differently to retain the shape without collapsing. It’s still important to pipe at a 45 degree angle so that the base is of the piped dough is stable enough to hold the weight of the thicker, larger amount of dough as well. Baking at a higher temperature and then a lower temperature to bake through, might work best for larger eclairs, but I still recommend trying it out first to see what works best.
I hope that helps.
I was looking for a choux recipe and fortunately found your blog. All the details and helps are excellent! Understandable and flowed easily into the recipe. So nice to see the background and methods behind the product. Thank you and keep up the good work.
This is the 5th recipe I’ve tried in the last 2 days. This one was the only one to turn out perfect! Thank you! All the other ones showed pictures and the recipe but this one was the only one to explain how and why which I really needed in order to make it perfect. All the other ones produced really eggy and eventually deflated and dense choux.
This was my very first attempt on a choux pastry and I can’t thank you enough for sharing this detailed recipe with various tips and tricks. My 1st attempt was a success and i couldn’t even click a picture because my family and friends just loved it and it got over in no time. Lots of love from India.
This recipe works well and my choux rises beautifully. Just wanted to ask if the inner of the choux is suppose to be little moist though I did poke a hole after 30 minutes and bake for another 10 minutes as lower temperature, it seems that the inner is abit moist.
Hi Fen!
So the inside is a little moist, especially compared to the outside! You can dry it out further if you like but classically the inside is supposed to be a softer, silkier texture than the outside.
I hope that helps!
Hi Dini, I have just finished reading all the wonderful instructions you have given. I am trying to make Gougeres to use with ham salad for a ladies tea. If I use your recipe, when would I add the cheese? Do you have a different recipe for Gougeres? Thanks.
Made half the recipe on the first try. They turned out perfect. Thanks for such a comprehensive guide. I baked at 500 C (oven off) for 15 minutes then at 200 C for the remaking time and they were amazing!
They taste great but didn’t puff too well. I’m high altitude so I usually bake a little higher temp and that typically works, but not this time.
Do you think chilling the dough a few minutes before piping might help? Or any other suggestions? I followed the measurements exactly, the only thing different was setting the temp at 380 F.
Hi Cassandra
Unfortunately I’m not too familiar with making adjustments for high altitude cooking. I know liquid amounts as well as temperature settings will vary with high altitude cooking, but I dont know how to adjust them for good results.
I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful!
This page really helped me make perfect eclairs for my father’s birthday. I’m passionate about baking and I’m often finding myself messing up. Finding pages like yours has helped me so much in understanding the science of baking .
Hi Nadia!
You absolutely can make Paris Brest as well.
I do like to use bread flour (just a personal preference), to have a little more structure to the pastry, but it can be done with AP flour as well!
I hope that helps!
This is a great recipe, I’ve been trying to make cream puffs for months and they’ve always came out horribly. I decided to give this recipe a try and half the recipe, they came out amazing. I recommend looking over the tips, if I hadn’t they would’ve came out wrong.
Thank you so much for this! I am so grateful for all the details and tips that were not included in other cream puff recipes. I tried this for my first time today and they came out amazing! Just for future reference, I was wondering if it was possible to overmix the dough at any stage? Thanks again!
Hi Audryn
I haven’t had an issue with over mixing myself, but I have had readers tell me that they have accidentally overmixed and overcooked the dough which caused the butter to split from the dough. That being said, you shouldn’t mix the dough for too long, and only till the ingredients are mixed through homogeneously.
I hope that helps!
Thank so much for making this wonderful research, the information here is great
Have you tried baking the eclairs in a ring? ( Slim rectangle,like the eclair shape)
Hi Yael
I haven’t piped the dough into rings, as I prefer piping them much slimmer than the width of the rings (1 inch at most).
I have pipied choux pastry in mini cupcake liners though. So if you have the right size of pastry rings, it can work. Be mindful that the choux pastry does require space to expand.
I hope that helps
These turned out perfectly for me.
I have a really old gas oven so these took me 50 minutes at 200°C for me (don’t know actual internal temperature).
I tried a different recipe that failed miserably so I came here. I loved how detailed you get with your explanation of each stage.
I can’t wait to fill them and eat them later <3
OMGosh! Thank you so much for the tutorial! I’ve made so-so cream puffs before but am excited to make the small profiteroles that are better than so-so. Question: have you any suggestions for freezing filled profiteroles? I’ve had them before that were purchased from Costco or someplace like that. Is that really possible for homemade? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Chey
You can absolutely freeze profiteroles!
I would go with whipped cream or cream diplomat, rather than custard. Custard (pastry cream) is a little too heavy and can make the choux pastry soggy.
Other filling will still make the choux pastry soft, but less so than custard.
You would freeze them on a baking sheet, in one layer. Keep them in the coldest part of your freezer so that they freeze as fast as possible, and once frozen transfer them to an air tight container. Let them thaw out on the counter before you eat them.
I haven’t had a frozen profiterole from a supermarket for a very long time, but I think homemade ones are definitely better! 🙂
Hi Maria Jane
You can use salted butter, but 115 g of salted butter may not have enough salt to substitute for the 1/2 tsp. You may need to add a little salt on top the butter.
The salt is there to make sure the pastry is not bland in flavor.
Hope that helps
Hi Steph!
No problem!
So if the choux pastry isn’t rising at all, it could be one or both of the following reasons;
1 – the oven temperature was too low. Oven temperatures can vary, so you can try baking them at 400 F and see if that makes a difference.
2 – the dough was too dry / not enough eggs. It takes some practice to cook the dough to the right consistency and then add enough eggs too. How many eggs did you add to the dough to get the right consistency? Was the dough easy to pipe? If it was hard to pipe, or you didn’t add at least 3 eggs, then the dough didn’t have enough eggs to help the puffs rise.
I hope that helps!
although i have a new stove, i have a thermometer inside b/c it seems to have trouble maintaining a constant temp. the eclairs actually cooked at 400 or just below. i was also concerned that the pastry was too wet, it piped fine & i measured the eggs by weight after whipping, i used 2.5 eggs for the half-recipe amount (as opposed to the 2 eggs called for). i guess choux just isn’t my thing. 🙁 thanks for your help.
Hi Steph
So, 2.5 eggs can be too much for half the recipe. So it is very likely the dough was too wet.
When the dough is too wet, it will expand but won’t puff up (expands sideways and not up).
I recommend trying the full recipe if this is your firt time, so that it’s easier to get the consistency right. I do make half the recipe often, so it becomes easier to get it right the more you make it.
This recipe is terrific. I bake twice a month for the ladies coffee hour in my building and wanted to step up my game so I decided on cream puffs. I was a bit nervous at first but man these came out just about perfect. The only way they weren’t perfect is by my own doing with the lack of piping skills. 10 out of 10 rating for this recipe, thank you!
The recipe is great it’s the piping I had trouble with. The dough was spilling out from the bag, between the bag and the coupler instead of going through the coupler and nozzle . Any advice?
Hi Della
I haven’t had that problem unfortunately. I don’t use a coupler and use the piping tip. Usually this happens when the coupler and bag don’t fit properly.
Hope that helps.
Hi Noelle
You can double the recipe, but make sure that you have a bowl that can accommodate the dough properly. The rules for adding eggs still apply with larger batches.
Since you cannot bake multiple trays at once, it’s important to store the unused choux pastry properly (air tight container, with no air contact).
Hope that helps
Thank you, thank you, thank you! None of the four recipes from four different cookbooks gave me any sort of troubleshooting advice. (Yes, this is my first ever attempt.) I’m so delighted to have found this website – I’ll follow your directions and let you know how things go.
Do you use a mixed when adding the eggs? I have always done that because my mom did that ]; however, the dough tends to crawl up the beaters and not sure that is a good thing. Do you mix yours by hand
I like all your tips. I just made some and used your tips. They are not bad. I filled them with ice cream and froze. Will take them out just prior to serving and drizzle with hot fudge. Mini hot cream puff sundaes!
Hi Jackie
You can use a mixer or mix it by hand with a whisk. There is no wrong method to mix in the eggs, as long as it is getting mixed in properly. For smaller batches, I use a whisk and for larger batches I use a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Hope that helps
Thank you so much for these wonderful instructions! I failed with three prior attempts before I found this page, then made a perfect batch. THANK YOU! 🙂
This explanation regarding choux do’s and don’ts is probably the most comprehensive article I have ever read with respect to creating the perfect cream puff pastry shell. For only 4 ingredients these buggers are near impossible to get right the first few attempts, and believe me, I’ve tried! After reading your very informative lesson written here, I can now proceed with a sense of confidence. Thank you SO MUCH for your experience and wisdom. You’re the best!!!
Maribeth
Loveland, Coloy
Hello, I love your recipe. It works perfectly fine, but do you have any suggestion how to make choux doesn’t get sticky to baking paper when it’s done? The bottom part of my choux always get sticky
Hi Hera
The only time I have found that the choux pastry gets stuck to the baking paper, is when the baking paper isn’t the best, or the choux is very underdone.
The choux is underdone if it’s nicely browned and puffed up and not soggy in the middle. If that’s not the case, then I recommend switching the parchment paper that you use. make sure you’re not using greaseproof paper or wax paper, and look for parchment paper or nonstick baking paper. My favorite brands in the US / Canada is Reynolds or Paperchef. You can also use silicon baking mat too.
Hope that helps
Hi Sylvie
I have added all the information on what could be done if too much liquid or eggs have been added. It’s in the “why are my pastry shells flat or soggy?”
I hope that helps
Hi Rinika
I haven’t made this without eggs unfortunately as it is a key ingredient in making choux pastry. I recommend searching for a vegan choux pastry recipe which would be designed to work without eggs!
Churros are a thicker batter than choux. Some recipes use eggs and some don’t, so you will have better luck finding a vegan churros recipe too.
I hope that helps!
Thank you Dini for the very detailed and informative article and recipe! I was actually doing the Korean mochi bread(similar to choux but the flour I used is different) at the beginning, and failed in the first trial. Then I read your article and work on the mochi bread again and I got a promising result! The way you shared with us on finding the right consistency and the tests are particularly useful, and easy to master!
I then tried doing the choux pastry and they were perfect! I could make 5 little not so perfect looking swans with the 2:1:1:2 recipe on my second trial! Thank you v much! Just wish I could share a photo with you!
Do you also make French macarons? For that little round cookies i still cant get a success.
This really is the perfect Choux Pastry! So easy to make. Directions were easy to follow. I made it again the next day and doubled the recipe to make cream puffs and eclairs for the folks who come into the office.
Does anyone know if a fan oven works OK for choux pastry as it seems so temperamental and last time I made them was in a normal top and bottom element heated oven?
Hi Liz
Choux pastry can be baked in a fan oven. I do find that some fan ovens do require the baking sheet to be rotated halfway through and some don’t. A fan oven also uses both the top and bottom element to heat the oven, but uses air to circulate the heat inside the oven.
I don’t recommend reducing the oven temperature for this recipe (which is usually the case with fan ovens), but keep an eye on the choux pastry to see if it’s baked through. You may need to reduce the temperature halfway through the baking process depending on the size of your choux pastry.
Each oven can be different, so if you’re making this for a special occasion I recommend doing a test batch first (if you’re not familiar with your oven).
Hope that helps!
Thank you for this fantastic and detailed article and recipe. Do you have any further tips for something large like a full sized Paris Brest? (By the way, in the section “NEXT STEP IS COOLING DOWN THE DOUGH” the first 2 paragraphs use the word “eggs” when I think you mean “dough”. It says to wait for the eggs to cool and to place the eggs in a bowl, but it seems like that should be “dough”) Thanks again
Hi Katie,
I’m sorry that the recipe didn’t work for you. The whole recipe and extensive troubleshooting tips are specifically written to avoid a runny dough. I’ve noted all the indications to check when the dough is done cooking, and also how it’s important to add the eggs a little at a time so you can add just enough to get the right consistency, with further ways to check for the correct consistency.
So I do recommend first reading the recipe and post well before attempting, especially if you do run into issues.
The runny dough that you got could mean that you either didn’t cook the dough long enough, or added too much eggs, or both. And runny dough will not puff up properly and will also bake too fast (because it’s too flat) and burn, especially if you pipe them too small.
Thank you for such a thorough post!
Question: if choosing to pipe and freeze, would I bake straight from frozen? Would cooking time or temperature need to adjust?
Hi Sandy
There are bakeries that do pipe and freeze choux pastry. They can be baked from frozen, but the baking time will need to increased depending on how big the piped pastries are. Also, they won’t rise as high as pastries that have been piped and baked right away.
If you’re storing them in the freezer, you have to make sure to wrap the trays well, because freezer burn will also impact the choux pastry dough negatively.
I hope that helps
Hi Rachel
It’s possible and all the information for dough consistency are the same. So you will have to go by dough consistency. Make sure that you’re adjusting the cook time for the dough, and not adding too much eggs.
Hope that helps
This recipe was perfect. No fail. I tried a different recipe and ended up with deflated pancakes things… but this recipe was my redemption for myself. Now I can move on to something else. Thank you!
I made some today that failed. They were all flattened at the exit of the oven. I searched the Web & found all the little mistakes I made.
My question now: What can I do with the shells, the flattened ones? Can I do some kind of dessert? Or I am out of luck & need to put them in the garbage? There must be some kind of something I can still use them. Thank you.
Hi Serge
Sorry for the late reply
When I was young I have eaten many flat choux pastry cases that my mom has made, so it is still very much edible and tasty.
You can either just pipe a (stiff) filling on top of the flat cases to serve it like a mini tart. A savory or sweet filling will work.
You can also create a layer of the flat cases in the bottom of a cake pan, top it up with pastry cream or diplomat cream, top it up with more flat pastry cases and allow it to set.
Once it is unmolded it can be sliced and served too. It will be similar to a Polish Karpatka cake.
I hope that helps for next time!
April says
I am eager to try this!! I have been watching baking shows like The Great British Baking show and I’m like I want to make these with all kinds of custard fillings like Bavarian cream yum. I like to bake, but I don’t like to cook haha. Question, how would I make big eclairs like in donut shops that’s top with chocolate, using this recipe? I have always known eclairs to be this big and not small like the ones you show and other baking shows have baked hahaha.
Dini says
Hi April
Larger eclairs are made with larger piping tips. Thicker and larger eclairs will need to be baked differently to retain the shape without collapsing. It’s still important to pipe at a 45 degree angle so that the base is of the piped dough is stable enough to hold the weight of the thicker, larger amount of dough as well. Baking at a higher temperature and then a lower temperature to bake through, might work best for larger eclairs, but I still recommend trying it out first to see what works best.
I hope that helps.
Ellen says
They looked beautiful going in oven!!! Do you have a pastry cream recipe as well?
Dini says
Hi Ellen, I’m glad, I hope they come out beautifully as well! 🙂 And yes, I do have several pastry cream recipes as well. If you search the website for pastry cream, a number of options should come up. Here are some of the main ones,
Vanilla pastry cream
Chocolate pastry cream
Vanilla diplomat cream
Salted caramel pastry cream
Earl grey pastry cream
Monty Gallego says
I was looking for a choux recipe and fortunately found your blog. All the details and helps are excellent! Understandable and flowed easily into the recipe. So nice to see the background and methods behind the product. Thank you and keep up the good work.
Jean says
This is the 5th recipe I’ve tried in the last 2 days. This one was the only one to turn out perfect! Thank you! All the other ones showed pictures and the recipe but this one was the only one to explain how and why which I really needed in order to make it perfect. All the other ones produced really eggy and eventually deflated and dense choux.
Spandana says
This was my very first attempt on a choux pastry and I can’t thank you enough for sharing this detailed recipe with various tips and tricks. My 1st attempt was a success and i couldn’t even click a picture because my family and friends just loved it and it got over in no time. Lots of love from India.
Fen says
This recipe works well and my choux rises beautifully. Just wanted to ask if the inner of the choux is suppose to be little moist though I did poke a hole after 30 minutes and bake for another 10 minutes as lower temperature, it seems that the inner is abit moist.
Dini says
Hi Fen!
So the inside is a little moist, especially compared to the outside! You can dry it out further if you like but classically the inside is supposed to be a softer, silkier texture than the outside.
I hope that helps!
Jimmie Rose Ivy says
Hi Dini, I have just finished reading all the wonderful instructions you have given. I am trying to make Gougeres to use with ham salad for a ladies tea. If I use your recipe, when would I add the cheese? Do you have a different recipe for Gougeres? Thanks.
Lizzy Grant says
Made half the recipe on the first try. They turned out perfect. Thanks for such a comprehensive guide. I baked at 500 C (oven off) for 15 minutes then at 200 C for the remaking time and they were amazing!
Cassandra says
They taste great but didn’t puff too well. I’m high altitude so I usually bake a little higher temp and that typically works, but not this time.
Do you think chilling the dough a few minutes before piping might help? Or any other suggestions? I followed the measurements exactly, the only thing different was setting the temp at 380 F.
Dini says
Hi Cassandra
Unfortunately I’m not too familiar with making adjustments for high altitude cooking. I know liquid amounts as well as temperature settings will vary with high altitude cooking, but I dont know how to adjust them for good results.
I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Sevanna Hall says
Hi Dini,
This page really helped me make perfect eclairs for my father’s birthday. I’m passionate about baking and I’m often finding myself messing up. Finding pages like yours has helped me so much in understanding the science of baking .
Nadia G says
Hi Dini
First I want to thank you so much for sharing all your tips with us.
Question:
Can I use this same recipe to make a Paris-Brest?
Dini says
Hi Nadia!
You absolutely can make Paris Brest as well.
I do like to use bread flour (just a personal preference), to have a little more structure to the pastry, but it can be done with AP flour as well!
I hope that helps!
Diane Choo says
Very detailed instructions.Good troubleshootig tips.Thks❤
Isa B says
This is a great recipe, I’ve been trying to make cream puffs for months and they’ve always came out horribly. I decided to give this recipe a try and half the recipe, they came out amazing. I recommend looking over the tips, if I hadn’t they would’ve came out wrong.
Dini says
I’m so glad you found the tips and recipe helpful Isa! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Audryn says
Thank you so much for this! I am so grateful for all the details and tips that were not included in other cream puff recipes. I tried this for my first time today and they came out amazing! Just for future reference, I was wondering if it was possible to overmix the dough at any stage? Thanks again!
Dini says
Hi Audryn
I haven’t had an issue with over mixing myself, but I have had readers tell me that they have accidentally overmixed and overcooked the dough which caused the butter to split from the dough. That being said, you shouldn’t mix the dough for too long, and only till the ingredients are mixed through homogeneously.
I hope that helps!
Yael says
Thank so much for making this wonderful research, the information here is great
Have you tried baking the eclairs in a ring? ( Slim rectangle,like the eclair shape)
Dini says
Hi Yael
I haven’t piped the dough into rings, as I prefer piping them much slimmer than the width of the rings (1 inch at most).
I have pipied choux pastry in mini cupcake liners though. So if you have the right size of pastry rings, it can work. Be mindful that the choux pastry does require space to expand.
I hope that helps
Jolana says
These turned out perfectly for me.
I have a really old gas oven so these took me 50 minutes at 200°C for me (don’t know actual internal temperature).
I tried a different recipe that failed miserably so I came here. I loved how detailed you get with your explanation of each stage.
I can’t wait to fill them and eat them later <3
Dini says
Thanks for letting me know Jolana, I’m so glad the recipe was helpful and it turned out well for you! 🙂
Chey says
OMGosh! Thank you so much for the tutorial! I’ve made so-so cream puffs before but am excited to make the small profiteroles that are better than so-so. Question: have you any suggestions for freezing filled profiteroles? I’ve had them before that were purchased from Costco or someplace like that. Is that really possible for homemade? Thanks! 🙂
Dini says
Hi Chey
You can absolutely freeze profiteroles!
I would go with whipped cream or cream diplomat, rather than custard. Custard (pastry cream) is a little too heavy and can make the choux pastry soggy.
Other filling will still make the choux pastry soft, but less so than custard.
You would freeze them on a baking sheet, in one layer. Keep them in the coldest part of your freezer so that they freeze as fast as possible, and once frozen transfer them to an air tight container. Let them thaw out on the counter before you eat them.
I haven’t had a frozen profiterole from a supermarket for a very long time, but I think homemade ones are definitely better! 🙂
Maria Jane says
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter and not use the extra 1/2 tsp of salt?
Dini says
Hi Maria Jane
You can use salted butter, but 115 g of salted butter may not have enough salt to substitute for the 1/2 tsp. You may need to add a little salt on top the butter.
The salt is there to make sure the pastry is not bland in flavor.
Hope that helps
Steph says
my eclairs & cream puffs just aren’t rising!!!!!! what am i doing wrong? (i am measuring by weight & paying close attention to the directions.)
Dini says
Hi Steph
Could you let me know if the choux pastry didn’t rise at all while baking, or it rose and then collapsed?
Steph says
thanks so much for answering! they aren’t rising from the beginning. am i over-beating? adding too much liquid (eggs)?
Dini says
Hi Steph!
No problem!
So if the choux pastry isn’t rising at all, it could be one or both of the following reasons;
1 – the oven temperature was too low. Oven temperatures can vary, so you can try baking them at 400 F and see if that makes a difference.
2 – the dough was too dry / not enough eggs. It takes some practice to cook the dough to the right consistency and then add enough eggs too. How many eggs did you add to the dough to get the right consistency? Was the dough easy to pipe? If it was hard to pipe, or you didn’t add at least 3 eggs, then the dough didn’t have enough eggs to help the puffs rise.
I hope that helps!
Steph says
although i have a new stove, i have a thermometer inside b/c it seems to have trouble maintaining a constant temp. the eclairs actually cooked at 400 or just below. i was also concerned that the pastry was too wet, it piped fine & i measured the eggs by weight after whipping, i used 2.5 eggs for the half-recipe amount (as opposed to the 2 eggs called for). i guess choux just isn’t my thing. 🙁 thanks for your help.
Dini says
Hi Steph
So, 2.5 eggs can be too much for half the recipe. So it is very likely the dough was too wet.
When the dough is too wet, it will expand but won’t puff up (expands sideways and not up).
I recommend trying the full recipe if this is your firt time, so that it’s easier to get the consistency right. I do make half the recipe often, so it becomes easier to get it right the more you make it.
Gretchen Hurtz says
This recipe is terrific. I bake twice a month for the ladies coffee hour in my building and wanted to step up my game so I decided on cream puffs. I was a bit nervous at first but man these came out just about perfect. The only way they weren’t perfect is by my own doing with the lack of piping skills. 10 out of 10 rating for this recipe, thank you!
Dini says
Yay, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Gretchen! 🙂
Della says
The recipe is great it’s the piping I had trouble with. The dough was spilling out from the bag, between the bag and the coupler instead of going through the coupler and nozzle . Any advice?
Dini says
Hi Della
I haven’t had that problem unfortunately. I don’t use a coupler and use the piping tip. Usually this happens when the coupler and bag don’t fit properly.
Hope that helps.
NOELLE says
Perfect detailed explanation, thank you
Noelle says
Can this recipe be doubled easily or is it better to do one batch at a time? Thanks in advance
Dini says
Hi Noelle
You can double the recipe, but make sure that you have a bowl that can accommodate the dough properly. The rules for adding eggs still apply with larger batches.
Since you cannot bake multiple trays at once, it’s important to store the unused choux pastry properly (air tight container, with no air contact).
Hope that helps
Heather Steinmiller says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! None of the four recipes from four different cookbooks gave me any sort of troubleshooting advice. (Yes, this is my first ever attempt.) I’m so delighted to have found this website – I’ll follow your directions and let you know how things go.
Jackie Parisi says
Do you use a mixed when adding the eggs? I have always done that because my mom did that ]; however, the dough tends to crawl up the beaters and not sure that is a good thing. Do you mix yours by hand
I like all your tips. I just made some and used your tips. They are not bad. I filled them with ice cream and froze. Will take them out just prior to serving and drizzle with hot fudge. Mini hot cream puff sundaes!
Dini says
Hi Jackie
You can use a mixer or mix it by hand with a whisk. There is no wrong method to mix in the eggs, as long as it is getting mixed in properly. For smaller batches, I use a whisk and for larger batches I use a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Hope that helps
Katie P says
Thank you so much for these wonderful instructions! I failed with three prior attempts before I found this page, then made a perfect batch. THANK YOU! 🙂
Maribeth says
This explanation regarding choux do’s and don’ts is probably the most comprehensive article I have ever read with respect to creating the perfect cream puff pastry shell. For only 4 ingredients these buggers are near impossible to get right the first few attempts, and believe me, I’ve tried! After reading your very informative lesson written here, I can now proceed with a sense of confidence. Thank you SO MUCH for your experience and wisdom. You’re the best!!!
Maribeth
Loveland, Coloy
Hera says
Hello, I love your recipe. It works perfectly fine, but do you have any suggestion how to make choux doesn’t get sticky to baking paper when it’s done? The bottom part of my choux always get sticky
Dini says
Hi Hera
The only time I have found that the choux pastry gets stuck to the baking paper, is when the baking paper isn’t the best, or the choux is very underdone.
The choux is underdone if it’s nicely browned and puffed up and not soggy in the middle. If that’s not the case, then I recommend switching the parchment paper that you use. make sure you’re not using greaseproof paper or wax paper, and look for parchment paper or nonstick baking paper. My favorite brands in the US / Canada is Reynolds or Paperchef. You can also use silicon baking mat too.
Hope that helps
sylvie says
what do i do if i added too much egg
Dini says
Hi Sylvie
I have added all the information on what could be done if too much liquid or eggs have been added. It’s in the “why are my pastry shells flat or soggy?”
I hope that helps
Shelley A says
I don’t consider myself a baker and this turned out great on the first try. Very helpful tips!
Rinika says
Hi.. was just wondering any way of replacing the eggs? And can we use the batter for churros for choux?
Dini says
Hi Rinika
I haven’t made this without eggs unfortunately as it is a key ingredient in making choux pastry. I recommend searching for a vegan choux pastry recipe which would be designed to work without eggs!
Churros are a thicker batter than choux. Some recipes use eggs and some don’t, so you will have better luck finding a vegan churros recipe too.
I hope that helps!
Ting says
Thank you Dini for the very detailed and informative article and recipe! I was actually doing the Korean mochi bread(similar to choux but the flour I used is different) at the beginning, and failed in the first trial. Then I read your article and work on the mochi bread again and I got a promising result! The way you shared with us on finding the right consistency and the tests are particularly useful, and easy to master!
I then tried doing the choux pastry and they were perfect! I could make 5 little not so perfect looking swans with the 2:1:1:2 recipe on my second trial! Thank you v much! Just wish I could share a photo with you!
Do you also make French macarons? For that little round cookies i still cant get a success.
Kim says
This really is the perfect Choux Pastry! So easy to make. Directions were easy to follow. I made it again the next day and doubled the recipe to make cream puffs and eclairs for the folks who come into the office.
Liz Paton says
Does anyone know if a fan oven works OK for choux pastry as it seems so temperamental and last time I made them was in a normal top and bottom element heated oven?
Dini says
Hi Liz
Choux pastry can be baked in a fan oven. I do find that some fan ovens do require the baking sheet to be rotated halfway through and some don’t. A fan oven also uses both the top and bottom element to heat the oven, but uses air to circulate the heat inside the oven.
I don’t recommend reducing the oven temperature for this recipe (which is usually the case with fan ovens), but keep an eye on the choux pastry to see if it’s baked through. You may need to reduce the temperature halfway through the baking process depending on the size of your choux pastry.
Each oven can be different, so if you’re making this for a special occasion I recommend doing a test batch first (if you’re not familiar with your oven).
Hope that helps!
Sara says
Hello, thanks for the tips to make it choux pastry.I made this dessert today and it turned out great
Gregg says
Thank you for this fantastic and detailed article and recipe. Do you have any further tips for something large like a full sized Paris Brest? (By the way, in the section “NEXT STEP IS COOLING DOWN THE DOUGH” the first 2 paragraphs use the word “eggs” when I think you mean “dough”. It says to wait for the eggs to cool and to place the eggs in a bowl, but it seems like that should be “dough”) Thanks again
Dini says
Hi Gregg!
Thank you so much for letting me know! And I’m so glad that you liked this post!
I have now fixed that part of the recipe 🙂
Thank you again!
katie blackburn says
Mixture too runny. Burnt/overcooked after 25 min
Dini says
Hi Katie,
I’m sorry that the recipe didn’t work for you. The whole recipe and extensive troubleshooting tips are specifically written to avoid a runny dough. I’ve noted all the indications to check when the dough is done cooking, and also how it’s important to add the eggs a little at a time so you can add just enough to get the right consistency, with further ways to check for the correct consistency.
So I do recommend first reading the recipe and post well before attempting, especially if you do run into issues.
The runny dough that you got could mean that you either didn’t cook the dough long enough, or added too much eggs, or both. And runny dough will not puff up properly and will also bake too fast (because it’s too flat) and burn, especially if you pipe them too small.
I hope that helps for next time!
Emily says
First time and PERFECT cream puffs!!! Your details and explanation are amazing. Just wish my piping skills were better…. Practice will make perfect!
Sandy says
Thank you for such a thorough post!
Question: if choosing to pipe and freeze, would I bake straight from frozen? Would cooking time or temperature need to adjust?
Dini says
Hi Sandy
There are bakeries that do pipe and freeze choux pastry. They can be baked from frozen, but the baking time will need to increased depending on how big the piped pastries are. Also, they won’t rise as high as pastries that have been piped and baked right away.
If you’re storing them in the freezer, you have to make sure to wrap the trays well, because freezer burn will also impact the choux pastry dough negatively.
I hope that helps
Roland says
I like the recipe.very simple with lot of details
Rachel says
Hi, is it possible to make only half of the recipe? Thanks!
Dini says
Hi Rachel
It’s possible and all the information for dough consistency are the same. So you will have to go by dough consistency. Make sure that you’re adjusting the cook time for the dough, and not adding too much eggs.
Hope that helps
Kat says
This recipe was perfect. No fail. I tried a different recipe and ended up with deflated pancakes things… but this recipe was my redemption for myself. Now I can move on to something else. Thank you!
Serge Crevier says
I made some today that failed. They were all flattened at the exit of the oven. I searched the Web & found all the little mistakes I made.
My question now: What can I do with the shells, the flattened ones? Can I do some kind of dessert? Or I am out of luck & need to put them in the garbage? There must be some kind of something I can still use them. Thank you.
Dini says
Hi Serge
Sorry for the late reply
When I was young I have eaten many flat choux pastry cases that my mom has made, so it is still very much edible and tasty.
You can either just pipe a (stiff) filling on top of the flat cases to serve it like a mini tart. A savory or sweet filling will work.
You can also create a layer of the flat cases in the bottom of a cake pan, top it up with pastry cream or diplomat cream, top it up with more flat pastry cases and allow it to set.
Once it is unmolded it can be sliced and served too. It will be similar to a Polish Karpatka cake.
I hope that helps for next time!