Mom’s Famous Cream Puffs Recipe
Light, golden cream puffs filled with a rich, creamy vanilla filling and finished with powdered sugar for an easy, irresistible homemade dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 large package instant vanilla pudding mix about 5.1 ounces
- 3 cups cold milk
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the water, butter, and salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
- Continue cooking and stirring for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and cool for approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until the dough becomes smooth and glossy.
- Drop generous 2-tablespoon mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them.
- Bake at 400°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until puffed, firm, and deep golden brown. Do not open the oven while the pastries are rising.
- Remove from the oven and carefully poke a small hole in each cream puff to release steam.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Gradually beat in the cold milk.
- Add the instant vanilla pudding mix and beat for about 2 minutes, until thick and creamy.
- Refrigerate the filling for 10 to 15 minutes if needed to help it firm up.
- Slice each cooled cream puff horizontally and generously spoon or pipe the vanilla filling inside.
- Replace the tops and dust with powdered sugar immediately before serving.