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 and 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 (pate a 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 pate a 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 pate a 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! 🙂
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16 inch Disposable Pastry bags
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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.
You can switch between US and metric measurements using the buttons below the listed ingredients.
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.
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 just 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.
Dasharnia Adams says
June 5, 2019 at 20:36Love the recipes. Very helpful. Thanks
Dainius says
May 30, 2019 at 23:53Hello, 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
Munmun says
May 26, 2019 at 12:01Hello!
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.
Nok says
May 20, 2019 at 05:37I’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 !
Lilli says
May 4, 2019 at 14:24Hello! 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!!!
Dini says
May 4, 2019 at 16:20Hi 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.
Riz says
April 26, 2019 at 00:48Thank you for this detailed recipe!
What if I wanted to top it with craquelins? Do I still follow 375F?
Thanks again!
Dini says
April 26, 2019 at 09:56Hi Riz!
Thank you! 🙂 I have a separate recipe for craquelin choux pastry that you can check out here. You can use any kind of craquelin and follow the recipe to get perfect craquelins. I hope it helps!
Dhruv says
April 14, 2019 at 09:36Hi…I tried this but sadly it didn’t workout..I added quite a few more eggs but the mixture didn’t seem to get to a pipe-able consistency…any chance that this could be due to heating of the flour-butter-water mixture too long?
Dini says
April 14, 2019 at 16:51Hi Dhruv!
I’m not sure what is happening. Was the dough too thick? or too runny?
Even if you overcooked the flour butter dough, adding 1 or at most 2 eggs will fix that right up. It shouldn’t stay stiff after adding a few more eggs than the recipe states.
What was the texture of the cooked dough before you added the eggs? Also how large are the eggs?
Hopefully we can figure out what might have been happening.
Lindsey Gray says
April 6, 2019 at 15:24What a great article! I tried choux pastry from a Will Torrent recipe, but it was a disaster. Followed your instructions and it turned out perfectly, I can’t wait to make some more. Thank you so much for your fantastic info – I’ll be following from now on!
Jennifer says
March 21, 2019 at 09:31I made eclairs for the first time yesterday. My first batch looked nice and found but didn’t really rise much. I had some dough left in the piping bag but had a couple of errands so I ran out and did that. After an hour or two, I decided to cook the rest of my dough and piped it out. They rose beautifully! I’ve looked at lots of recipes and no one mentions letting the dough sit for more than five minutes. Can you tell me why I had those results?
Dini says
March 21, 2019 at 16:36Hi Jennifer!
I actually do let my choux pastry rest overnight sometimes, and get the opposite result, where it doesn’t puff up as much. So it is interesting that your eclairs rose more! The only reason I can think of is probably that the gluten in the flour may have been more relaxed, allowing for more expansion – but I can’t be certain. Thank you for letting me know 🙂 I would have to check out why that happened next time I make eclairs. Also, can I ask whether it was my eclairs recipe that you tried or a different one?
Chris says
March 12, 2019 at 14:56I stand corrected! and will correct my own mistake. I thought the 5 was a “numbering” of ingredients…I didn’t read it as 5.1!!! I guess a perfect example of “shit happens!”
Dini says
March 12, 2019 at 15:05Hi Chris!
That’s ok!
But thank you for mentioning that number. It was meant to be 5 oz, but it was saved as 5.1 by mistake. But it’s corrected now! I did slightly modify the amount of flour recently, to make the recipe more foolproof as well. 🙂
Cheers,
Dini
Chris says
March 12, 2019 at 14:53I thank you for the information and I read several posts about how great this recipe is. Did someone make a change? What I am seeing says 1 oz of flour (30 gms)…that can’t possibly be correct.
Kath says
March 5, 2019 at 09:02You should seriously get credit for All the recipes out there for puff pastry as there are clearly tons of people, including myself, who followed them precisely and still ended up with flat shells, since they were remiss in providing these important guides to insure success! Wish I had read your post first as these little devils are exhausting to make! I wonder if mine came out flat because I used a Kitchenaid mixer to beat n the eggs? Does that overwork the dough? Mine came out very shiny/glossy and spread out on the baking sheet too much. Also, my recipe called for 5 eggs (1 cup of liquid/50/50 milk/water) and 1 cup of flour (Bon Appetite Mag.), I think the ratio of wet to dry might have been off (I’ll use your tip on eggs next time). Also, does the size of your saucepan matter? I used a small one, but now I think medium would have been better so the dough could spread out over a larger surface area to have contact with more heat (it looked glossy and not matte when it left the pan; no matter how much I cooked it, I could barely get that fine film to appear on the pan.) Thank you so much for all your help! We shall try again! Oh, I also love your addition of vanilla, mine tasted very bland
Dini says
March 12, 2019 at 20:47Hi Kath!
Thank you so much! 🙂 I am currently in the process of updating this recipe with some more information to make eclairs. Hope you will come and check it out in about a weeks time.
You can use a stand mixer, a hand mixer or even a whisk or spatula to mix the eggs into the dough. It shouldn’t have an effect on the final result unless you don’t mix the eggs properly, or if you mix the dough for a very very long time without checking on it.
It does sound like you may have added too many eggs though. A lot of recipes call for a very glossy dough that looks runny, but in reality you want a glossy dough that is definitely not runny. So you have to add the last amount of eggs a little at a time to prevent adding too many eggs.
The size of the saucepan won’t really matter, but if you use a small saucepan you will have to “cook” the dough longer to make sure you are cooking off excess water. I’ve made mine in different sized saucepans, and only need to adjust the time I cook the dough after adding the flour.
It’s ok if the dough looks “oily” or “matte” when cooking the dough, as this depends on the butter, flour and water content. And if you’re dough does look oily, or if you’re using a non-stick pan, the film doesn’t really appear either. Just take note of how long you need to heat the dough to get great choux pastry results, and remember the time for the next time you make choux pastry.
I’m glad you like the addition of vanilla! I personally prefer not to add vanilla to my choux pastry, but I know some people like it. I like adding a little extra salt to my choux pastry dough (even for sweet fillings) because that makes it tastier for me 🙂
I hope this helps you for next time!
Greg says
February 21, 2019 at 17:49Good evening!
This is a very good recipe for paté a choux, especially with the addition of extra flour to the classic 2:1:1:2 formula! I stick with AP flour, and use a little less than you do, but I’m not convinced an extra half-ounce matters much. I also use a little more salt, about 7 grams (1/4 ounce) for each 16 oz of liquid which I feel helps to prevent cracking. I tend to use 3/4 water and 1/4 whole milk too which I think helps mouth feel.
There are a lot of different ways to make choux; I’ve seen videos of famous chefs using just the four basic ingredients, plus salt – choux is mostly about drying the panade enough.
A lot of recipes specify to cool the panade in a stand mixer while beating – what this does is to remove even more water as steam, although I’ve never seen anyone actually state that that’s what happens during the beating and cooling! Like someone else said, if the dough is too wet, you won’t be able to add enough egg and still achieve the right consistency for piping.
I saw one recipe that specified to use mineral water, claiming that the calcium and magnesium strengthened the structure. I haven’t tested that yet, I currently use RO purified water for everything. But I’m interested to see if that makes any difference. Keep up the good work!
Katalin says
February 15, 2019 at 13:35Hey, thanks for your recipe and detailed description! I now reached a stage with my eclairs that the top is properly neat, not a single crack however the bottom has one big crack literally in the middle all the way of each eclair which makes them difficult to fill plus very disappointing having almost a whole under the perfectly looking eclairs. Do you have any suggestion how to make crispy, hard eclair bottom? Many thanks
Dini says
February 17, 2019 at 19:34Hi Katalin
It sounds like the choux pastry collapsed as it was cooling.
I would suggest using bread flour instead of AP flour, as this will provide a thicker shell, and to bake them until they are darker in color too. Remember to pierce each eclair to let the hot air inside the pastry to escape and dry out the inside, so that it minimizes collapsing.
Hope that helps!
I’ll be updating this post with more information on how to get perfect eclairs next week.
Cheers,
Dini
Susan McGillicuddy says
February 14, 2019 at 18:11Hi Dinni:
I made two trays of your choux pastry today. It came together beautifully but it did collapse in the end, I am thinking I need to add more flour. I weighed all the ingredients carefully. The dough was not too runny either and a spoon did stand in it. I used an ice cream scoop about 1 3/4 inches in diameter. I want to fill the pastry with chicken salad and make little swans for my daughter in laws baby shower. I baked them at 420 for 10 min then turned it down to 320 for 30 minutes. I don’t yet know how crispy the shells should be before removing them from the oven. I did go ahead and eat one and it reminds me of popovers. Very good. How to solve the problem? Please advise.
Dini says
February 16, 2019 at 18:39Hi Susan!
Did you prick each pastry case with a skewer? If the hot air doesn’t have a way to escape from inside the case, they can cause the choux pastry to collapse. Also, I wouldn’t recommend baking the choux pastry at 320°F either, as this is too low of a temperature for them. If they underbaked (which can happen at a low temperature), they can collapse then too. The choux pastry should be a dark golden color at least (or even darker, for a more sturdier choux pastry case), for it to be done.
The larger the choux pastry, the longer it will take to bake.
An extra step (optional) you can take to prevent choux pastry from collapsing is to prick the cases (or make a small cut in them), and then let them cool down in the half open oven. The gradual cooling process can also prevent them from collapsing, especially if you’re choux pastry is underbaked.
I hope that helps!
Mary says
January 28, 2019 at 15:18Thank you for this! After 2 disappointing tried, we started troubleshooting our choux and found your website! It was very helpful!
Traci says
January 18, 2019 at 12:14This is my first time making a shoux pastry. Thank you for all of the helpful hints. They came out beautifully. However, they are a little eggy tasting. I’m almost positive that they tasted this way because, you forgot to tell, in your recipe, when to add the vanilla, so I forgot until they were already in the oven. Although you do mention it in the “ingredients” portion of your recipe, it would be helpful, for us beginners, if you were to mention it in the actual step by step instructions. I now know better. But, for beginners, maybe you could edit your instructions. Thank you for all of your helpful hints.
Dini says
January 18, 2019 at 17:29Hi Traci, thank you so much and I’m glad they came out beautifully for you. 🙂 And thank you for letting me know about the vanilla, I’ve edited the instructions now to include the vanilla extract. It goes in with the first addition of eggs to the dough.
Mernie says
January 4, 2019 at 19:21Forgot to add stars!
Mernie says
January 4, 2019 at 19:19Thank you so much for this post!!! I just made Paris brests from Beeta’s recipe on MonPetiteFour.com. They didn’t rise and were overly doughy, seemingly raw in the centers. I cooked them longer, but the inside never changed, and I followed the recipe exactly. I was determined to try again and get it right. After reading your article, I realized that my dough was too wet, and that I didn’t need to add all the egg that was called for. Plus I sprayed water on the pan (; I was sooo excited to peep in my oven and see puffs! Thank you again, it was very helpful understanding what happens in the process. I wish I could add pictures of my first result and this result…anyway, this will be my go to recipe!
Mernie says
January 4, 2019 at 20:48Correction!!! So sorry to Beeta on Monpetitfour, the recipe I used was tastemade* (I had them both pulled up…)
Dini says
January 4, 2019 at 21:46Hi Mernie, thank you so much for letting me know! I’m really glad the recipe came out well for you. I always love understanding the process, especially with baked goods, which lets me adapt them to my taste in all sorts of ways! 🙂
Florence says
December 26, 2018 at 17:44Hi! May I know will there be any difference whether bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour is used?
While cooking the dough after I mix in the flour, a layer of dough seems to stick to the bottom of the saucepan despite I continue to stir & keeping the heat at medium-low. I cooked the dough for about 5mins as it doesn’t seems to pass the spoon test. Not sure if it is my saucepan that is the problem. Could u know if anything is wrong? Nevertheless, my puffs seems to turn out well after baking for 25mins.
Dini says
December 26, 2018 at 19:25Hi Florence!
There shouldn’t be a difference whether you use bleached or unbleached flour. I have used both and have had similar results!
As for the dough sticking to the bottom of the pan, it could be the type of pan that you have as well, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It’s only a a concern if hardened or crusty pieces of dough are formed on the bottom of the pan, and are being re-introduced to the rest of the dough as you mix it. This can cause the choux pastry to split as it’s baking because it won’t be smooth.
But if the dough comes together nicely, then it’s ready. The spoon test is a handy way of telling if it has too much water, but if you do use a heavier spoon, it might not stay up because it’d be too heavy to sit in the soft dough. It’s safe to say that the dough would be ready if you cooked it for at least 2 – 3 minutes 🙂
The fact they turned out puffy, beautiful and delicious, means that you are definitely doing everything right!
I hope that helps 🙂
Nora K. Salazar says
December 22, 2018 at 02:10Hey Dini, such a great recipe you had posted. The pastry looks yummy! I can’t wait to make that.hope that will also look like this.thanks for sharing this tips. Keep posting this type of recipes.. 🙂
Tanya says
December 12, 2018 at 23:15Dini, thank you for all the details of the recipe! Although, I am on a keto diet, where I have to avoid carbs, therefore regular flour can’t be used. I normally substitute flour with superfine almond flour, but with choux pastry it is much more challenging, so I tried adding a bit gluten and xanthan gum too, but still results in delicious but flat pastry, they rise first but then they deflate, and there aren’t enough air pockets formed inside. I guess I can’t get the correct balance of ingredients considering amond flour acts a bit differently and is heavier. Any ideas how to adopt your recipe for keto? There are some recipes online, but they aren’t quite working very well, mostly they resemble choux, but it’s not quite there. Would greatly appreciate your input on this! Since there are more and more people that go keto are looking for such recipes, I’m sure I’m not the only one looking forward to a good keto choux recipe!
Christine says
December 1, 2018 at 14:32This was my first attempt at choux so I was trying out the recipe, my equipment and my skills and it worked really well! Thanks! Profiteroles are my husband’s favourite dessert but I was afraid of choux. I just decided what the heck and went for it!
Zoe Kohler-Boland says
November 30, 2018 at 23:26This really is a good recipe, and I appreciate the inclusion of tips and trick. On that note, I have one to add: when you remove the dough from the heat (after adding the flour, stirring until smooth, and cooking), beat it until no more steam is released. If the dough isn’t beaten until all of the steam is released, it’s very easy to make the dough too wet when adding the egg (or to be unable to add enough egg without making the dough too wet).
Dini says
December 2, 2018 at 21:57Thank you Zoe!
That’s a great tip too 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!
Chelsea R. Miller says
November 18, 2018 at 17:19I tried your recipe after a previous recipe resulted in (delicious) flattened pastries, not the puffs I needed. These came out great! I ended up using about 3 eggs. Thank you so much for this!
Aminta says
October 15, 2018 at 15:49Hi, I tried out your recipe today and it was looking so good until it came to the time of baking. It did not rise at all in the oven but tasted so good. The dough was definitely not too runny as it piped beautifully and held it shaped. However, it never rose in the oven. I do have a fan oven and I did not turn down the temperature by 20 degrees (saw comments about this only later). Could this be the reason? Thanks
Dini says
October 15, 2018 at 20:57Hi Aminta,
That has never happened to me before, so it’s hard to say exactly what may have gone wrong. The pastry rises due to water and eggs in the dough, and if the dough is light as well (but not runny). The oven couldn’t have been a reason because some people bake choux pastry in ovens as high as 400°F, which can cause the choux pastry to puff up more (because the water evaporates faster). If it never rose, it could be that the dough was too heavy and needed more eggs in the mix, or was too dry at the start. But it’s hard for me to provide a definitive reason without seeing the results and the dough.
Aminta says
October 16, 2018 at 08:32Thank you for your quick reply. I think it may have been too little eggs. I have just baked another batch and it is perfect!
Dini says
October 16, 2018 at 12:43Thank you for letting me know Aminta. I’m glad it turned out well! 🙂
Vikki says
October 9, 2018 at 10:13Thanks so much for this. My old standby recipe just doesn’t see to work anymore – fluffy egg buns are delicious, but not exactly desserts. Using weight ratio and a lower temp made the most beautiful puffs I’ve ever made! It turned out that I was using too much flour, and needed 5 eggs rather than 4. Perfection!
Ashley says
October 5, 2018 at 14:40Hi! I made this and they looked great coming out of the oven – golden brown, nicely risen and firm shell. I poked them with a toothpick but after they cooled they were soft – still held their shape though. Any advice? Is it possible to crisp them up in the oven? Thanks!
Dini says
October 5, 2018 at 16:51Hi Ashley,
Choux pastry shells don’t remain super crisp for a long time. They will lose the crispness as they cool down, and more so once they have been filled. You can absolutely crisp them up in the oven a little more if you like, or leave them in the oven a little longer next time too. The more the choux pastry dries out, the more crisp they become (but then lose the custard-like inside).
I would also recommend using bread flour instead of AP flour next time. These would produce a thicker shell that may stay crisp for longer, however the shell will be thicker than these ones here. I hope that helps!
Cheers,
Dini
Regina says
September 25, 2018 at 17:51Ok, to be fair, they haven’t come out of the oven yet and I haven’t tasted them yet, but as it’s my first go, I’m sure they’ll be a mess. I did significant research before finding your recipe and I’m very grateful for all the detail you included! I used your recipe, but I had to add a little extra egg, as I never achieved the “glossy” or looser texture in your “perfect” photo. I weighed everything and pre beat the eggs before I added them individually as you stated to do. The mixture even after 4.5 eggs was I think SLIGHTLY too thick to pipe, so I spooned them. What did I do wrong here? I feel like if I added more egg, they’d taste eggy. Also, at what point should I be adding the vanilla?
Dini says
September 26, 2018 at 20:27Hi Regina,
How did the choux pastry turn out? The vanilla can be added along with the first addition of eggs, so that it gets mixed in properly. The choux pastry will be pretty thick but with a large pastry tip, it should be pipeable. If the final result is an airy crisp shell, then you’ve been successful! 🙂 Do let me know how they turned out if you can, so I could hopefully provide more information to help you.
Dani says
September 10, 2018 at 06:45Hi! The water can be substituted with milk?
Dini says
September 10, 2018 at 19:38Hi Dani,
Yes, you can use milk instead. The choux pastry shells may turn out a little softer if you use milk, and it will add a touch more flavor as well. I hope that helps.
Amanda says
September 9, 2018 at 19:37I’m obsessed with this recipe and I’ve made it 20+ times in the past year and it’s resulted in perfect pastry every time. Thank you so much for your detailed instructions and explanations. I’ve also used your pastry cream recipe once and it was a hit! Greetings from Trinidad and Tobago!
Dini says
September 9, 2018 at 22:10Hi Amanda, thank you so much for letting me know. I’m really glad you love this recipe! It’s one of my favorites too. 🙂
Anjali says
August 21, 2018 at 11:06Works beautifully! I had a fail of a batch from adding the flour when the water/butter wasn’t boiling enough (stirred forever… never became right), so tried again waiting first for a real boil and they’re perfect. Thank you for all this detail!
Colleen says
August 14, 2018 at 12:09Hi dini I made some eclairs and buns by Paul hollywood and they were as flat as pancakes ! I tried again with your recipe and method and omg !!! They came out very puffed up and totally perfect as u said they would so thanks a mill love them x
Dini says
August 17, 2018 at 12:50Thank you so much for letting me know Colleen! 🙂 I’m so glad they came out well for you and you loved the recipe!
Bridgette Boydell says
June 25, 2018 at 08:47My oven has options for a fan forces, conventional(convection) or conventional and fan forced together. I am having trouble determining which setting is preferable as some websites suggest fan forced is necessary to keep the oven dry while others say that fan forced is too strong and will affect the shape of the pastry? I was wondering which setting you would recommend? and if fan forced should I be dropping the temperature in your recipe by 25 degrees?
Thanks for sharing such an informative recipe!!!! 🙂
Dini says
June 26, 2018 at 21:35Hi Bridgette!
When it comes to baking (especially pastries and cakes), I always stick with conventional only. I find that using the fan forced options, create lopsided baked goods. For these Choux pastries, definitely stick with conventional 🙂
I don’t mind using fan forced for roasting or grilling at high temperatures and yes! You do decrease the temperature by 20°C which is about 70°F.
I hope that helps!
Vũ Diệu Linh says
June 7, 2018 at 08:40I always have trouble when baking. At first, when the pastry shells come out, the bottom is darker but inside the shell, it is still a little bit wet. Just can’t find out the reasons.
Also the tips are super helpful, never read such tips before.
Thank you, Dini. They saved me from stupid mistakes.
Ann says
April 19, 2018 at 23:06Hi, I’ve made this for the first time and they turned out gorgeous. I was thinking if the dough can also make eclairs? Thank you!
Dini says
April 23, 2018 at 21:53Hi Ann, thank you so much for letting me know, I’m glad they turned out well for you! And yes, choux pastry is what is used to make eclairs as well, and I’ve shared a recipe for mini eclairs that used this choux pastry – https://www.theflavorbender.com/chocolate-eclairs-coffee-creamer-creme-patissiere/
I hope that helps!
Ann says
April 30, 2018 at 13:32Oh! hi, Yes they were really gorgeous as in they made by a pro. I was very happy and excited for the result of my choux. You can check them on Pinterest, I’ve commented and posts a photo there. And also yes, I’ve made the eclairs already and they were still gorgeous. Thank you always and you’re welcome. xxx
Lisa says
March 28, 2018 at 10:23Thank you so much for writing such a detailed post on choux pastry. I have made the pastry many times, and it always worked…..until today. It’s too runny and I couldn”t figure out why. I was about to add =extra flour, but thought I’d check the internet first, and luckily I found your post! After reading it (and I promise I WON’T add extra flour!), I think my problem is that the eggs I used were larger than normal so made the pastry runnier than normal.
Feyza says
March 22, 2018 at 04:01Hello,
Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Is it possible to freeze the shells?
Dini says
March 22, 2018 at 22:39Hi Feyza!
Thank you! 😀
And yes, you CAN freeze the empty choux pastry shells. But they need to be completely cooled before being stored in an airtight container, in the freezer. But please do note, that it still will lose some freshness compared to freshly baked choux pastry shells.
I hope that helps! 🙂
Feyza says
March 22, 2018 at 23:44Thank you for the quick reply. The shells turned out great I’ll try freezing them, today.
Bea says
March 19, 2018 at 01:05Thank you for your tutorial! I just made the cream puffs by measurements as I always do and I knew they were going to have to much flour. Silly me..of course it did . Then I bfound your site to fix it. Run out 9f eggs so now I have double decker puffs! Next time I won’t deviate. Thank you so much
jeanne mccann says
December 28, 2017 at 15:09After following a recipe for croquembouche on Bon Appetit’s website and ending up with flat, awful choux buns, I scoured the internet for the best directions and finally found your site! Wow, what a difference! This is the best choux recipe ever! Your instructions are fantastic, and I really appreciated all of your detailed explanations. I made this recipe twice (I was afraid to double it — very bad at math!) and got perfect results. I also followed your recipe for creme pat — which was also fantastic, and came out perfect. I made my croquembouch for Christmas dinner using your two recipes (and David Leibowitz’s caramel directions) and the whole thing was an absolute triumph. Major kudos to you!
Dini says
December 28, 2017 at 19:24Hi Jeanne,
Thank you so much for your kind words, it made my day! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the choux pastry and creme pat recipes. They are some of my favorites too. Happy holidays to you and best wishes for a great new year!
Cheers,
Dini.
Antonio says
December 11, 2017 at 22:23Are these supposed to taste eggy?
Dini says
December 12, 2017 at 08:47Hi Antonio!
These have never turned out to be eggy for me, and for most who have tried it. I would recommend adding the eggs when the choux dough base is not too hot to prevent the eggs from “cooking”, and a little extra vanilla can help too. 🙂
I hope that helps!
Claire says
December 10, 2017 at 04:45My first attempt at making choux pastry with this recipe and turned out perfect! I was so excited!!! The only thing is that I only cooked them for 20mins before they were golden brown and needed to be taken out before over-browning…could have just been a powerful oven but definitely glad I was keeping an eye on them!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe xx
Audra says
November 23, 2017 at 00:41I had never made this before, hadn’t even heard of it until a couple weeks ago when I saw it on a show. Inspired, I set out to find a recipe and came across yours. Since I had never made it, I followed your recipe to the letter. My kids made it with me because we wanted to do together. We were thrilled as each step came finished how you said it should. We made sure to leave the oven door shut. And we were absolutely thrilled when we pulled the beautifully puffed up, golden brown results from the oven. Thank you so much for your detailed post.
Wendy Lewis says
November 17, 2017 at 19:47I just made an attempt at choux puffs, and unfortunately it was with a recipe that was very unclear. I ended up with dense baked balls of dough that didn’t truly puff at all. I’m thinking I used to much flour because it formed a dough immediately; there was no waiting for it to leave the sides of the pan. Do you think that might have been the problem? Or handling it too much when I was putting it on the pan?
Dini says
November 17, 2017 at 20:06Hi Wendy!
Unfortunately, I can’t be 100% certain without knowing what the recipe stated and the quantities it required…
However, it does sound like you added too much flour. With choux pastry, it’s the water (and to an extent the eggs as well) that acts as the raising agent. So if there is too much flour, the flour absorbs the water and the dough will be too heavy / not have enough water to evaporate and puff up.
I hope that helps 🙂
Reena says
November 5, 2017 at 19:18Hi Dini,
Do you have a receipe for cream puff filing?
Thank you,
Reena
Dini says
November 8, 2017 at 23:18Hi Reena
Unfortunately I dont have one yet. But I will share one soon! 🙂
Thank you!
Dini says
December 1, 2017 at 14:45Hi Reena!
I’m happy to say that I have a recipe for Pastry cream which is perfect to fill profiteroles or eclairs! 🙂
https://www.theflavorbender.com/creme-patissiere-vanilla-pastry-cream/
Lind says
November 4, 2017 at 20:53Hi Dini, great advice but I still need help with my choux pastry, I’m intolerant to dairy so can I change the butter in the recipe for dairy free margarine like Nuttelex for cooking & baking. And do I use the same weight amount or can you suggest something I can use? Thanks
Dini says
November 4, 2017 at 21:39Hi Lind!
I have actually made dairy free profiteroles using dairy free margarine (similar to nuttelex). I use the same weight as the butter. Choux pastry cases (profiteroles or eclairs) made with a butter alternative, can usually be a little softer than the butter counterpart. But it’s still very do-able and still tastes great! Be mindful that margarine has a higher water content than butter, so you may need to “cook” the choux pastry dough a little longer once you add the flour. The best test to make sure there is no extra moisture in the dough is the spoon test 🙂 After that follow the recipe (and tips) and you should still have nice and puffy choux pastry cases! I hope that helps!
Lind says
November 4, 2017 at 22:21Hi Dini, thanks for the quick reply I’m still a newbie to baking what is the spoon test you mentioned?
Dini says
November 4, 2017 at 22:27Hi Lind, the spoon test is actually described in the post 🙂 This is where you test the consistency of the dough with a spoon.
Lind says
November 4, 2017 at 23:20Thanks
Judy says
November 3, 2017 at 05:06Hi Dini.
I tried your choux puff recipe today and all puff baked perfectly! But when I tried to remove them from the parchment paper after removing them from the oven, most of the puffs stayed stuck to the paper so the bottoms came off ‘holey’. What should I do?
Dini says
November 3, 2017 at 09:25Hi Judy!
I am so sorry that happened! I haven’t heard of that happening with choux pastry before, because properly cooked choux pastry releases beautifully from parchment paper with very little help. Is the parchment paper you used a brand that you always use, or is it a new brand? I ask this because I have had baking mishaps using unfamiliar (and low quality) parchment paper that got stuck to my food in the past. If you find that parchment paper doesn’t work for you for any reason, you can brush your baking tray with butter, and then dust it with flour instead of using parchment paper too. 🙂 I hope that helps!
Veronica says
October 25, 2017 at 17:06Hi, I was wondering if you could translate the recipe into cups and teaspoons please.
Dini says
October 25, 2017 at 17:24Hi Veronica!
The ratio of ingredients for choux pastry using cups is 1:1:1:1 (1 cup water, 1 stick butter, 1 cup flour, 1 cup eggs). HOWEVER, the reason why I created this tutorial is because these ratios DO NOT give consistent result every single time. The best way to get consistent results is to measure out the ingredients and I would highly recommend purchasing a cheap digital kitchen scale. It’s a great investment too. You are absolutely welcome to try these cups measurements :), but my recipe measurements are slightly different to ensure consistent results every time!
I hope that helps.
Cheers
Dini
Veronica says
October 26, 2017 at 17:52So I went thur the Web and the ratio came out different for me, it’s 1 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, 1-1/2 cups of flour, and 4 eggs.
Dini says
October 26, 2017 at 18:00You can try that, But the choux pastry may come out doughy. There are two ratios for Choux pastry. One is 2:1:1:2 by weight or 1:1:1:1 by volume. This translates to 1 cup of water (8 oz), 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup, or 4 oz), 1 cup flour (4 – 5 oz, depending on how you measure the flour), and 1 cup of eggs, (which is about 4 large eggs or roughly 8 oz).
If you have found a different ratio that works for you, I would recommend that you go with what works for you. This post was created after a lot of trial and error to make sure consistent results can be achieved every time. 🙂
Good Luck Veronica!
Faye says
September 8, 2017 at 05:50Hi
I just made choux pastry for the first time and followed your recipe step by step and used water.
Turned out great!
Thanks so much
Dini says
September 16, 2017 at 01:17Hi Faye, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and it turned out great! Thank you so much! 🙂
Jo Jo says
July 8, 2017 at 19:56OMG!!! I have tried to make pate a choux for years and NEVER gotten it perfect. I didn’t really mind, most of the time it was flat and custardy and just like you I find the soft shell yummy, lol. But I still dreamed of some day baking perfect cream puffs that actually puffed and were crispy without overbrowning or overbaking! And I finally did it!!!!! I FINALLY FREAKING DID IT!!!!!! Bless you for finding a solution and sharing it!!!! You have no idea how freaking excited I am to FINALLY get PERFECT cream puffs!!!!! Eeeeeeeek!!!!!! The excessive amount I ate in celebration may be contributing to my current hyper bouncing off the walls excitement, lol
connie says
July 7, 2017 at 09:45any ideas on how to adapt your recipe to gluten free???
Emily says
July 17, 2018 at 23:40Hi Connie,
I have been baking gluten-free for years and know how frustrating it can be. I have not tried to make gluten-free choux pastry yet, but I have perfected cakes, biscuits and cookies.
The science behind gluten-free baking is basic. Gluten a protein that forms as a natural reaction to working and cooking wheat flour. The gluten serves as a binding agent which allows the flour to stick together with enough force to rise and hold its shape. Baking gluten free, especially with store bought gluten free flour is expensive and often falls flat, literally, because there is not enough protein to hold the dough together as it bakes.
There are two ways to get around this problem, You can fix it 99% of the time by adding more egg to your recipe. I usually substitute the water in a recipe with more eggs. 1 cup of water becomes 1 cup of eggs (about 4 large eggs). This works beautifully in cakes, but might not work for choux pastry which needs water to rise. The other thing that you can try, which I recommend for this project, is to purchase xanthan gum. Its a little pricey, but worth the investment because a little goes a long way and it last forever if you keep it in the refrigerator. I plan to start by adding 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum for every cup of flour used. I have never needed more than that, but you may need to experiment with adding more if you don’t get the leavening effect you are looking for.
Please keep in mind two things: 1) I mix my own gluten free flour which is far cheaper and more effective for baking than any pre-mixed flour i have found, so you might need to play around with your recipes even with my tips. 2) Altitude plays a big role in cooking. I live about 1100 ft above sea level.
Don’t get frustrated if it takes a few attempts to get right. Write the original recipe you want to make in a notebook in pen, then take good notes off to the side in pencil each time you bake saying what you tried, the results, and ideas on how to adjust the recipe to fix the problem on your next attempt. I know it’s terrible to love baking and eating sweets and then go gluten free. You feel like you have to do without because it is difficult and expense. Keep at it. If you are interested, I would be happy to give you my flour mix recipe. It is cheaper than store bought mixes, which really takes the pressure off the trial and error process of gluten free baking because you don’t see dollar signs every time your recipe falls flat.
I hope that this helps you!
~Emily
Elizabeth says
June 30, 2017 at 17:18Hi, I’m really impressed by your tutorials it is very detailed. The only thing different with my recipe is that I use 1 cup of all purpose flour instead of 4.5 Oz’s and they turn out great
Dini says
June 30, 2017 at 17:30Thank you so much Elizabeth! 🙂 I love choux pastry!
It will definitely work with 1 cup of AP flour too! 1 cup of AP flour weighs between 4.25 (scoop and level method)- 4.6+ oz (scoop and packed method), depending on how you measure the flour. I use just over a cup to ensure that the dough is stiff and stays crispy!
Alexandria says
June 25, 2017 at 22:52Hi Dini!
You never mentioned how many pastries this recipe makes.
Also, what would be an ideal temperature to add the eggs into the mixture? Would it be based on touch or based on a food thermometer.
Thank You
Grace says
June 15, 2017 at 19:27I read this meticulously three or four times and finally attempted it….and my pastry turned out AMAZING!! I am not a baker whatsoever- I tend to burn things- but this gave me confidence! Thank you so much!!
Zillah Di says
May 26, 2017 at 21:05Hi. I love your post! So wonderful to learn some reasons behind why things fail so you can troubleshoot! I was wondering if you have any advice for making Choux without butter? Eclairs are one of my partners faves but he has an extreme lactose intolerance. For most recipies I substitute with an olive oil base margarine, coconut oil or vegetable shortening, but it takes me a while of playing around to get some of the recipies right. Do you have any advice?
Thanks very much in advance
Dini says
May 30, 2017 at 18:50Hi Zillah!
I am so glad you enjoyed my post! I am very sorry for my late reply too… The good news is that I have made dairy free eclairs for most of my adolescent life because my mother is lactose intolerant and loved eclairs! I use a dairy free butter or margarine instead of butter, but be mindful that these contain a higher moisture content. This means you may need to “cook” the dough a little longer, until you can stick a spoon in the dough and it will stay upright (the same way you would troubleshoot for the version in my post). The pastry shells are not as crispy, but they are still delicious 🙂
I don’t really use shortening, because I don’t like the mouthfeel of shortening, but I haven’t tried it for Choux pastry. I hope that helps and Good luck!
Zillah Di says
June 1, 2017 at 12:30Thank you very much! I tried with margarine and they worked great! Thanks for the tip about cooking the dough a bit longer, think that has been why I failed in the past. Thank you for the reply
Saruda says
May 20, 2017 at 19:53Thank you so much for posting this. I’ve tried so many choux pastry recipes, and every times the shells came out hard and dry, and I could not figured out why.
I like soft, and soggy shell too, this really helps. So, if I want soft shell, I should replace water with milk, and add more liquid, correct? About how much more liquid should I add?
Dini says
May 23, 2017 at 23:30Hi Saruda!
I wouldn’t recommend adding extra liquid because the batter will be too runny and you won’t be able to pipe them onto the tray. Using milk (instead of water), and cake flour instead of AP flour will add to softening the choux pastry shell as well! Once the choux pastry is baked, and you take it out of the oven, don’t prick the shells to let out the air, and the heated air will create a softer shell too. I hope that helps!
Alan says
April 30, 2017 at 00:08Hi Dini
I love your post and I’ll be watching for more 🙂
My dad has been teaching me today how to make choux pastry – he used to be pastry cook but hadn’t cooked choux for 20 years.
His recipe is 1:1:1:1:x
100g milk, 100g water, 100g butter, 100g flour, and 4 eggs to start and adjust consistency with maybe a 5th egg. He also uses “strong” flour and salted butter.
He’s a great pastrycook but not great with instructions so I’ve found your post to be very helpful in filling the gaps.
Many thanks
Dini says
April 30, 2017 at 00:22Hi Alan!
Thank you so much! That is definitely a interesting recipe to try 🙂 I have heard the 1:1:1:1 ratio for volume (1 cup flour, 1 cup butter, 1 cup of liquid 1 cup of eggs), but never for weight! I’ll give it a go next time to check the results! I tend to add just a touch more flour (if it’s AP) just to make sure the pastry is a little stiffer, but that extra flour is not necessary with Strong flour as it absorbs more water! And it does tend to give crispier shells.
For this post, I really wanted to know what the outcome would be for variations for AP flour, since most people are familiar with it… More choux pastry (and other) troubleshooting posts to come as soon as I finish my cookbook! 🙂 I hope you do come back!
Thank you again!
Cheers, Dini
Christina Brincat says
April 23, 2017 at 05:44Thanks so much for your amazing recipe & tips. Virtually my first attempt (after many years). Turned out perfect shells, crispy, puffed up and full of air. Used very strong Canadian flour with high gluten content. Now I need to work on my piping skills.
Diana says
April 19, 2017 at 17:40Is it normal if my choux tastes eggy?
Dini says
April 23, 2017 at 17:09Hi Diana
Usually choux pastry shouldn’t taste eggy. Sometimes this can happen if the eggs are added while the choux pastry base is too hot, as it cooks the eggs. I would recommend adding the eggs when the base has cooled down to see if that would make a difference!
I hope that helps!
Dini
Alifiya says
April 5, 2017 at 01:48may i change the water with milk??
Dini says
April 5, 2017 at 11:21Hi Alifiya, yes you can use milk instead of water, but it does soften the choux pastry shell though. Hope that helps.
Maha says
March 31, 2017 at 03:49Excellent recipe. I just made these and they turned out perfect! Thanks so much.
Ally says
March 16, 2017 at 12:44Please help mine test like scrumbled egg 🙁 what did go wrong? Thanks
Dini says
March 16, 2017 at 15:45Hi Ally
Did the choux pastry dough turn out to be like scrambled eggs? or does the end product taste like eggs?
Ally says
March 16, 2017 at 15:53It came out perfect but it tast eggy.
Dini says
March 16, 2017 at 16:37Hi Ally,
I haven’t had that problem when I make Choux pastry with this recipe. But if it tastes eggy, I suggest trying it with less eggs (only just enough to make the dough pipeable and glossy), to reduce the egg taste?
I hope that helps!
Barry Dunn says
March 9, 2017 at 01:07I have been making Choux pastry for a lot of years, and have had mixed success.
Around 50% of the time quite successful, the remainder, very average.
Following your recipe exactly and the tips supplied, I have made the pastry a number of times and not once have achieved anything less than perfect on each occasion.
Very much appreciated.
nick says
March 6, 2017 at 01:18hello, im just using your recipe and it turns out perfect! but it doesn’t has a cripsy texture, just soft 🙁 whats wrong with my choux ? 🙁 please help, thank you so much!
Dini says
March 6, 2017 at 11:58Hi Nick!
Thank you for letting me know!
It sounds like the Choux pastry may have needed a little more baking time to dry out/crisp up in the oven. Since every oven is different, it’s hard to predict how much extra time it might need to come out perfect since it depends not only on the oven, but the size of the choux pastry shell. Remember to prick the shells to let the shells dry out completely, so that the heat doesn’t make it soggy too. Another option is for you to try the same recipe with bread flour instead of AP flour which also helps with creating a crisper choux pastry because of the higher protein content.
I hope that helps!
nick says
March 8, 2017 at 21:50I already use my bread flour. baked it for 30minutes and it turns out very brownie, im afraid that my choux tasted bitter and looks scary lol thanks for your reply Dini! i love your blog anyway :))
Dini says
March 8, 2017 at 21:56You are too kind Nick! Thank you so much!
But I will try to get to the bottom of this 😀 I’ll be making some choux pastry in the coming week or two, and will keep an eye out for any variations – AP vs Bread flour. I will let you know if I find out anything!
Chef Eric says
April 11, 2017 at 00:34If you let the flour mix to completely cool down before adding the eggs your cooked choux will be crispier.
Maude says
April 17, 2017 at 12:19If you want extra crispy, you can look up recipe for a Craquelin for puff pastry. Its made of butter, brown sugar and flour. When you put it on top before baking the said pastries, it will give an incredibly crispy petit choux à la crème 😉
Madoka says
March 5, 2017 at 12:27Oh, I’ll definitely try these tricks the next time I make eclairs! My eclairs aren’t exactly bad, but not perfect yet hehe. I do have a question though: when I get my eclairs out of the oven, they’re crispy and nice. But when I fill them with custard, the pastry becomes soft. This didn’t happen the first couple of times I made eclairs, but it’s happened the last two times and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Is it normal for the pastry to go from crispy to soft? If not, what do you think I might’ve done wrong?
Thank you!
Dini says
March 6, 2017 at 12:01Hi Madoka!
There’s usually a time limit before the eclairs become soggy, BUT I suggest that you try to make the eclairs with bread flour (or high protein flour), as that will help the shell crisp up more than with AP flour. You can also bake the shell just a touch longer, to make it crisper, but it sounds like, it needs a thicker structure to withstand the filling. This will be my next round of experimenting, but it will take a little longer for it to make it to the blog! If you do try it, let me know how it comes out! I hope that helps!
Priscilla says
February 28, 2017 at 04:45I love this recipe,i failed my first batch (another recipe) ,it was too runny. Was looking around for a solution but I found this and decided to just make a new one. I’ve added only 3 eggs,since my first dough was so runny, I took precautions and made the dough not as liquid-like as seen in the pictures,I placed one in the oven and it rised!! Thank You so Much.
Arikka says
February 21, 2017 at 19:43My dough was too thick and had no idea how to fix it, I used 4 eggs and beated them into the mix individually and it was think I went ahead and piped them on the sheet and back them but they didn’t puff. . I do not know how to fix this or what causes it
Dini says
February 21, 2017 at 23:53Hi Arikka
I’m not quite sure what happened there. Usually if the choux pastry doesn’t puff up, it’s because the dough is too heavy. This could be due to too much flour, or the use of a heavy flour like spelt or wholewheat, or that the water evaporated too much in the cooking process.
Could you let me know if the choux pastry dough become glossy when you added the eggs and How you weighed your flour? I might be able to help you if I knew a little more! Thank you!
Amy Marie says
February 16, 2017 at 08:22I have tried making Choux over and over again. Why I keep trying….well, I don’t know. I made some amazing eclairs last night and the pastry was sensational. I followed exactly what you said to the T. Thank you so very much!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
January 31, 2017 at 11:32Whoa! Lots of WONDERFUL info here! Thanks for taking the guess work out of it – love the pictures. Should be easy to do, now!
Onie Panjaitan says
January 5, 2017 at 23:37This is a basic yet the best Choux Pastry!! I tried other recipes and your is the one that came out perfect. It was light, has flavor, and the crust was just right. Thank you for doing all the hard work by testing it out!! Great recipe!
Michelle says
December 23, 2016 at 22:49Can you pipe out the pastry and leave out to cook after first batch has finished. I made 2 trays and the tray that was on top shelf of oven was cooked and rose perfectly but the bottom tray did not rise as much and overall not as good as top tray. After I took top tray out of oven I moved the bottom tray up and cooked for a few more minutes. Was wondering if next time I should cook them in 2 batches. What do I do with the piped batter in between, just leave on bench or should I put it in the fridge, cover, not cover. So many questions, sorry.
Dini says
December 23, 2016 at 23:14Hi Michelle! I love the questions! 😀
I usually bake one tray at a time, because of my current oven. However, in the past I have baked two trays at once, switching the tray positions in between (quickly, because you don’t want to lose the heat build up). I’d rather bake one tray at a time though 🙂
I pipe one tray at a time and I put the excess choux pastry dough in a pastry bag and leave it in there until I can bake the next batch, at room temperature. You can leave the dough in the bowl too, just cover the bowl with plastic wrap tightly so that it doesn’t dry out and form a crust. Pipe them out before you bake them 🙂 You could keep it in the fridge too, but it will require extra time to bake.
I hope that helps! Please feel free to ask me any other questions you might have!
Leah says
November 12, 2016 at 16:57Thank you so much for the in depth post. After a failed Mary Berry attempt this recipe did the trick! SO pleased with the results!
Alex says
November 12, 2016 at 10:21Finally a recipe that actually works! I have tried so many recipes from pastry chefs that fail. Thanks for all your help!
Anna says
November 7, 2016 at 07:28Thank you so much for all the information! I tried the 2:1:1:2 ratio recipe and 190C temperature and got the best choux I’ve ever made! They were so pretty, with no holes in them (my biggest issue with choux pastry previously) – i couldn’t believe my eyes 🙂 The only thing i’m still struggling with is determining the right dough consistency – because for some reason my dough becomes glossy before it actually becomes pipeable, so this sign doesn’t work for me. Are there any other signs besides the sheen that the dough is ready to use?
Dini says
November 10, 2016 at 21:57Hi Anna!
I am so sorry this reply is late! Technically the choux pastry is “pipeable” as soon as its cooked, but the eggs give them the extra lift and moisture needed for that final result we want! 🙂 The main thing is to not add eggs to the point of it being too runny (where it doesn’t hold its shape). Add enough eggs to make it glossy, but it can still hold its shape when piped or spooned on to a tray – and it sounds like the dough becomes glossy while it still is stiff, and thats ok, as long as you can form the shape you need and bake it.
I hope I didn’t misunderstand what you asked! Please let me know if that made sense 🙂
I am really glad that you loved the choux pastry and it came out so well!
Salika says
October 30, 2016 at 02:11Hi Dini,
Thanks for putting up this very detailed article. Tried and tested successfully. I have always been thinking choux pastry was tough to get right. Your tips definitely helped! Looking forward to seeing others too…
Chiara says
October 23, 2016 at 11:10Hello! I really need help! These tips seem perfect! But I’m making an Italian/American pastry called lobster tails. It’s a flaky pastry that puffs up and u can fill it with cream. To get a nice air pocket in the pastry to add filling you need to add choux pastry. I tried this but it didn’t rise and i had no room to add any filling. Please please can you help me! Does the choux pastry need to be quite thick so it is puffy? I honestly have no idea! Please help!
Thank you so so much if u can help in any way! X
Dini says
October 23, 2016 at 11:41Hi Chiara!
I have actually made lobster tail pastry before as well. They are traditionally made with a buttered and thinly rolled out dough but can be made with puff pastry as a short cut (not choux pastry). Then they are filled with Pastry cream or whipped cream. The puff pastry sheet is rolled out to be thin, brushed with butter and then rolled into a log. Then slice 1 – 2 inch discs from the log (depending on how big you want the pastry to be), and these are stretched out to form the lobster tail-like pastry. Then these are baked until crisp and flaky, and when it’s cooled down, the filling, like cream is piped in – The italian version is stuffed with ricotta or mascaporne and baked with the filling inside. I will do a video tutorial of making these in November (in time for Christmas), because it’s hard to explain how to stretch and flatten these out, but till then, I hope this video helps you – https://youtu.be/-4uP5i4iLyw?t=2m56s
Let me know! 🙂
Dini
Hannah says
October 21, 2016 at 16:33You said that it was optional to add sugar to the recipe, but never specified when to add it in. Would you add it with the butter/water/salt mixture?
Dini says
October 21, 2016 at 16:58Hi Hannah!
Yes, the sugar is added along with the butter, salt and water. The sugar has to dissolve so that it won’t interfere with how the pastry bakes (to prevent cracking and splitting). I hope that helps! 🙂 Thank you!
Jenny says
October 5, 2016 at 12:05Great article and tips. Will definitely try the ‘spray water on baking tray tip’ . Thanks for sharing.
Emily says
September 27, 2016 at 07:22Heya,
Great article! Just a little question I would
Love some help on!!! Why does my choux flatten in the oven before it rises???? Meaning I lose my star shape?
Dini says
September 27, 2016 at 22:00Hi Emily!
Thank you 🙂
It is very hard to get a proper star with choux pastry – Are you looking to make star shapes? or ridged Choux pastry? If you use a large star tip you are able have ridges on the choux pastry – but for this you need to have a stiffer dough by adding less eggs (add just enough to create some gloss, but thick enough to hold shape better).
I hope that helps!
Wendy says
September 22, 2016 at 16:32Can I use self rising flour for this recipe?
Dini says
September 22, 2016 at 17:27Hi Wendy!
Traditional Choux pastry doesn’t use any chemical leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder. Self rising flour has baking powder, and because of that it won’t be suitable for Choux pastry as it can interfere with the natural rise from eggs and water. Hope that helps Wendy! 🙂
Wendy says
September 22, 2016 at 17:41Yes it helps tremendously , Thank you so very much for responding so soon. I live, and am from Louisiana. My nana was french, and made so many wonderful treats when I was little. She passed away before I could learn many of them. Thank you for the time, and effort you put into this. It’s greatly appreciated.
Meda says
August 23, 2016 at 06:25Hi! Some recipe indicate to use half water& half milk. It’s ok from your point of view? Can be more tasty with milk?
Thank you!
Dini says
August 23, 2016 at 07:40Hi Meda! The milk definitely makes the choux pastry softer than using all water. That’s because of the milk proteins interfering with gluten formation.
It is absolutely OK to add 50/50 water and milk or all water or all milk, depending on what you want the end result to be 🙂
Rosie Madaschi says
July 21, 2016 at 20:13Hello! Just wondering what weight of flour I should use if replacing APF with bread flour?
Dini says
July 22, 2016 at 21:23Hi Rosie!
With bread flour, since it has a higher protein content, it can absorb more water. I would suggest only using 4oz instead of 4.4oz (Although I cannot be 100% sure, as I haven’t tried it properly myself). The texture of bread flour does tend to end up being stiffer and chewier, as it does develop more gluten than AP flour. If you stick to the same rules of getting that nice pipeable glossy dough as you add eggs, it should turn out well!
I hope that helps!
Shamima says
June 14, 2016 at 08:01Thanks for all the tips. Every time I try to make it I get different results. Hope the next will be perfect
Faeeza says
May 29, 2016 at 09:45I made them your way and they were lovely. Thank you for taking the time to explain everything
Maggie says
May 27, 2016 at 16:34I tried making these today and for some reason after mixing in the flour and cooking the dough, it remained oily and mushy. It has the consistency of oatmeal. I kept cooking it for a good 10 minutes to see if it would dry out and it did not – the oil kept pooling in the pan. Do you have any tips to prevent this? I followed all of the instructions, except I used white whole wheat flour (but I didn’t think this affected the results…?).
Dini says
May 27, 2016 at 17:12Hi Maggie
I haven’t ever tried making Choux Pastry with Whole Wheat flour or White whole wheat flour because the texture of the flour will be different from White Flour.
Generally if you’re using 100% Wheat flour in the recipe, you will have to add extra water to compensate, because WW Flour absorbs more water. This could explain why the dough is drier (therefore resembles oat meal).
I suggest maybe reducing the flour to 4 oz (instead of 4.4) and maybe that may help. I can’t be 100% sure without having tried it myself. I hope the explanation helps though! I’ll look into it in more detail and let you know if I find out anything else.
Alisha says
November 4, 2017 at 14:39Hi I had the same issue despite using white flour and the correct ratio 2:1:1:2. I also ended up with extremely runny dough in fact rather oily, although I measured the butter. Would you suggest adding more flour or using less butter and any idea why there was so much left over butter in the dough?
Dini says
November 4, 2017 at 15:01Hi Alisha!
My recipe actually does not follow the 2:1:1:2 ratio. In the post I explain why, and also what to look for in the dough in each step of the recipe, so you can always get perfect results. In the ingredients you can see I add just a little extra flour because I find I get better results that way. I also explain in the post, that even though most recipes call for a finite amount of eggs, I don’t always add all the eggs required because sometimes it can make the dough runny. For example, my recipe technically needs 4 eggs, but sometimes (depending on the humidity and protein content of the flour), I only need 3 or 3.5 eggs (this is also mentioned in the post). Choux pastry is a very easy recipe to master if you know what to look for 🙂 I very highly recommend reading this post because I explain everything in detail. Hope that helps, good luck!
Tamara Bolger says
April 13, 2016 at 14:44Love your recipes & your style of writing! Thanks!
Tamara
Alice says
April 3, 2016 at 00:31Is there any possible way of using whole powdered eggs in this recipe? thank you for your time
Dini says
April 3, 2016 at 00:42Hi Alice!
Thank you for visiting my blog! Unfortunately I have never used powdered eggs before, so I can’t be sure if it can be used for this recipe. I just did a quick read about powdered eggs, and they say it does not need to be reconstituted for baked goods. However I don’t know if it will work for Choux pastry as it can be very temperamental with ingredient changes. You can definitely try a half batch and check if the powdered eggs still turn the dough glossy and smooth.
I’m sorry I don’t have any other advice. I’ll ask around and let you know if I learn something 🙂
Nicole Mayo says
March 26, 2016 at 14:19I followed this recipe and got beautifully puffy choux that was crisp on the outside and ‘custardy’ on the inside. However, when I tried one it tasted kind of eggy. Is this normal? I ended up using four eggs to get that shiny consistency.
Dini says
March 26, 2016 at 14:35I’ve never gotten an eggy taste before Nicole 🙁 That can be very off putting and I’m so sorry!
There are a few things you could do though to help with that!
1 – Use the freshest eggs you can possibly get your hands on! 🙂
2 – Add (extra) vanilla
3 – (OR) Add a small piece of lemon zest into the water, but remove it when the water comes to a boil. Yes, it will have a slight citrus taste, and mostly the smell of lemon, but it doesn’t interfere with the flavor too much!
I hope that helps for next time! I am happy that it did come out beautifully otherwise Nicole 🙂 Would LOVE to see what you did with it too!
Renz says
February 22, 2016 at 18:46What type of piping bag do you use? I grew up using the cloth ones for choux pastry but can’t find it easily in Florida for some reason. I think like the plastic ones may pop? What do you think? I’ve never tried “spooning” lol.. I feel like I won’t get a good shape
Dini says
February 22, 2016 at 20:27Hey Renz! I only spoon them on if it’s for just my family 🙂 I always pipe them if I want them to looks neater!
I love the cloth piping bags too and I own them as well, but I admit I find it easier to use plastic disposable bags, because I don’t have to wash them! I use the 16 inch Wilton disposable bags for Choux Pastry because I find them durable and so easy to use – None have popped on me so far! You can buy them in packs on Amazon too! 🙂
renz says
February 22, 2016 at 20:35Yaay. Great. Thanks. Will get those. I see those for sure but can’t seem to readily find the cloth ones. Thank you. And great tips on the post. I learned some of these rhe hard way lol
Veronica says
February 7, 2016 at 15:07I made this today and they came out awesome!!! I filled them with Rumchata Pudding recipe and the drizzled milk chocolate on top. So delicious!!
Your tips and tricks really helped. I knew exactly what to look for when it was done. Thanks again!!
Dini says
February 11, 2016 at 20:42Thank you so much Veronica! I am so happy that you liked the recipe and the tutorial was helpful 🙂 Choux Pastry is much easier to make when you know what to look for.
I absolutely love the sound of Rumchata pudding filled profiteroles! I wish I could try them out 😀
Megan | the bay leaf kitchen says
November 19, 2015 at 23:56This is so great and helpful! I’ve been meaning to make some choux after finishing up the latest season of the Great British Baking Show on PBS. Thanks for the tips and the science!! I love the detail!
Mary says
November 14, 2015 at 11:58I love making choux pastry. It always feels like such an achievement to get it right.
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
November 7, 2015 at 14:25I’m going to give this recipe to my hubby because he LOVES choux pastry … especially profiteroles! Thanks for all the tips!
Zita says
November 7, 2015 at 12:01Thanks, Dini! My mum used to make great Choux pastry. But this is the first time I have read a choux pastry recipe properly given in such easy steps and outlining all the pit falls. Your photos show a tempting array of pastries. If one makes it on your advice one will definitely not be able to shoo ones guests away!
Zita
Dini says
November 9, 2015 at 20:18I am so glad that you liked this post Zita! I loved researching, testing it and writing it! I hope you make Choux Pastry at home too and please let me know how it came out! 🙂
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says
November 7, 2015 at 11:37What an awesome guide to choux pastry! Pinned for future reference! 🙂
Winnie says
November 7, 2015 at 10:18Wonderful post Dini!! Thanks for all the tips – they’re super important
Michele says
November 7, 2015 at 07:34This is so informative! I agree store-bought chop pastry is horrible….this gives all the answers to make it perfectly! Thank you!
Shiho says
November 7, 2015 at 06:16Thank you for sharing your secret, I love Choux pastry and have learnt a lot here.
Farida says
November 7, 2015 at 01:52One of my wishes is to nail the choux pastry! I’m gonna follow your steps, and will take photos 🙂
Wajeeha says
November 7, 2015 at 01:15Wow what an informative post…I’ve always wanted to make choux pastry but was too scared to attempt it. Will definitely try it now, thanks to your post! 🙂
Gloria Duggan says
November 6, 2015 at 23:55This is just like Play Doh in the kitchen…and sooo soooo good!!
Ramona W says
November 6, 2015 at 21:14I have always wanted to make choux pastry! My mother keeps telling me she will show me, but at her age, we don’t have many cooking days as I would like. 🙁 I am totally saving this and if I use your recipe… totally giving you props my friend!! 🙂 I love your sh*t happens.. LOL!!! I know I will fall into that category at first. 🙂
Linda Roisum says
November 6, 2015 at 20:17I took a cooking class at Sur La Table a couple of years ago on how to make Choux Pastry but I have yet to try making it at home … that is until now. Your post gives me the confidence to give it a try.
Boastful Food says
November 6, 2015 at 20:13Great info on an essential recipe, just in time for holiday appetizers…Thanks!
Mila says
November 6, 2015 at 18:38Dini this is such an awesome post!!!! I love how informative it is and in what great detail you go into! Now no one should have a problem making profiteroles!!!!