You will fall in love with these light and puffy pastry shells, filled with creamy tangy lemon curd filling, from your very first bite. They are so dreamy!
As much as I love my dainty little macarons, sometimes I just want quick and easy dessert. And most of the time these little creme puffs are exactly what I need.
I love them for their light and crispy exterior, creamy tangy filling. and undeniably pop-able nature. Seriously, I pop them into my mouth one after another promising to stop before each one. I’m worst when it comes to self-control!!
Creme puffs are so incredibly easy to make and requires just a few pantry ingredients. It’s magical to watch these little shells puff up in the oven, just like watching little ruffled feet form on french macarons. 🙂
I’ve tested these recipe numerous times, and came to the conclusion that water should be the base of the batter, unlike my classic eclair recipe, where I use half milk and half water. I realized that milk adds too much fat in this batter, which prevents the shells to puff up. This recipe is now tested and practically foolproof for you to enjoy.
To make the filling, I whipped up some heavy cream and folded it with lemon curd. This creates creamy, tangy, sweet perfection!
Have you ever made creme puffs before? What is your favorite filling?
Lemon Creme Puffs
Ingredients
For pastry shells:
- 4 tablespoons 55gr unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup 80gr all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
For Filling:
- 1/2 cup 120ml heavy cream
- 2/3 cup 180gr lemon curd*
- Powdered sugar for dusting optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or silicone mat.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 2/3 cup (150ml) of water, butter, sugar and salt and bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Once the butter is melted and mixture is boiling, add the flour all at once, reduce the heat to medium. Using a wooden spoon, continuously stir the mixture. The dough will start to form into a ball. Keep mixing for another 3-4 minutes until light crust forms on the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer the dough into a mixing bowl with paddle attachment and mix it for a few minutes on low speed until the mixture is at room temperature. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This will help to get egg absorbed into the dough quicker. The dough should not be too runny, yet not too thick. It should be just runny enough to fall back into a ribbon, as shown on the photo above.
- Transfer the batter into a pastry bag and pipe into 1.5-inch rounds couple inches apart. Level peaked tops with a wet fingertip, if needed.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the sheets top to bottom and back to front half way. The pastry shells should be golden brown, crispy and puffed up. (Note: If the creme puffs go flat as they come out of the oven, it means they are slightly undercooked and needs to be bake a bit longer. Simply put them back in the oven and bake for a few more minutes.) Transfer the shells onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make the filling, whip the heavy cream until hard peaks form in a mixing bowl with whisk attachment. Fold in lemon curd and gently mix until smooth. Transfer the filling into a pastry bag with small round tip (I used Wilton #7).
- When ready to serve, pipe the filling into each pastry shell through a small hole on the side. (Mine usually have a small hole somewhere, but you can also make a small slit with a knife.) Alternatively, cut the pastry shells horizontally and fill the shell that way. Arrange the creme puffs on a platter and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Simona says
I’m making these beauties this weekend! Mmmm can’t wait.
Shinee says
Yay, I’m so excited for you, Simona. I just made some cream puffs the other day, but I’m craving more. Let me know how yours turn out, or share a photo if you don’t mind. 🙂
yoe says
hey i love this reciepe but the second time that i did it, the dough was too runny and obviously slipped easily by the sleeve pastry
Shinee says
Hi, Yoe! Glad you love this recipe. If the batter got too runny, it may be due to large eggs. Did you by chance use extra large eggs, or something?
Emmy says
My puffs did not puff – Any idea what could have gone wrong? They looked like the pictures until coming out of the oven. They were more puffy when they came out of the oven but sank as the cooled. Perhaps they were too wet?
Shinee says
Emmy, it sounds like the creme puffs are a little undercooked. You can put them back in the warm oven and cook for a few more minutes. They usually puff back up. They just need to dry out inside to stay puff, as they cool. Hope this helps.
Kati says
I made these yesterday to take to a barbecue. They were delicious! And I have never actually made cream puffs before, shocking! They were super easy to make and your recipe was perfect for helping me get perfect little cream puffs. The only issue I had was mine got a little dark at 25 minutes in the oven so next time I will try a little shorted cook time and keep a closer eye on them the last 10 minutes. Thanks for the great recipe! PS, I also made your homemade lemon curd and it is amazing! I need to find another recipe to use the rest of it or I might just eat it with a spoon 🙂
Shinee says
Kati, I’m so happy you’ve got to try these little gems! Here’re a few other recipes you can use your leftover lemon curd: https://www.sweetandsavorybyshinee.com/tag/lemon-curd/. Thanks for sharing your feedback. 🙂
Kaylene @ The Links Site says
Oh my goodness I haven’t made cream puffs for years! Just the thought of these lemon cream puffs is enough to change that though!
Shinee says
Yes, yes!! They are fantastic! 🙂 Thank you, Kaylene!