These Cream Puffs with Vanilla Pudding Filling are light, fluffy, and delectable! They are easy to make with instant pudding mix!
Cream puffs are a classic French dessert that is soft and will melt in your mouth. While a choux pastry recipe might sound complicated, this cream puff recipe is super easy to make and irresistibly delicious!
As the saying goes, “The proof is in the pudding”! I wanted to make a easy filling so I use a box of instant vanilla pudding to make cream puffs just like how I remember as a kid! Just one bite of this decadent puff pastry and you’ll be sold.
The Best Cream Puffs Recipe
The best part about these cream puffs with vanilla pudding is that they are undeniably delicious and hard not to love! The cream puff filling, while simple, makes all the difference. The dual texture between a flaky baked pastry and soft vanilla pudding pastry cream makes for the perfect cream puff!
It only gets better since these homemade cream puffs are super easy to make. Given the delicious vanilla pudding filling is an instant package mix, all you have to do is stir it in with your wet ingredients and then cool in the fridge while you make your cream puff shells. Assembly is fun and easy too. Before you know it, you’ll have cream puffs that rival your local bakery! Don’t be shocked if people ask you to take some home and for the recipe too!
Cream Puff Ingredients
For the Vanilla Pudding Cream Filling:
- Package of instant vanilla pudding mix
- Heavy cream
- Milk
For the pastry puffs:
- Butter
- Water
- Salt
- All purpose flour
- Eggs
How to Make Cream Puffs
First, you’re going to mix together the instant pudding mix, heavy cream, and milk in a large saucepan. Bring it to a light boil and stir until the mixture forms into pudding consistency.
Once at pudding consistency, take it off the burner and place into a bowl so it can set in the refrigerator.
In a saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil. Lower the heat and stir in the flour and salt until the dough forms into a ball. Take off heat and transfer dough into a large mixing bowl.
Beat in the eggs using a hand mixer.
Add dough in small mounds onto a cookie sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper.
Bake until the puffs are golden brown.
Once baked, let them cool down, and then slice each puff in half so you can begin to fill the bottom of each cream puff with vanilla pudding cream and place the other half on top, so it closes like a sandwich. You can use either a spoon or a piping bag to add the pudding mixture.
Serve warm, or put in the refrigerator to serve chilled later on! I like sprinkling some powdered sugar on top of each one! Enjoy these delicious cream puffs!
Optional Cream Puff Topping
If you can’t get enough sweetness, some opt to place a drizzle of chocolate syrup over the top of the cream puffs for a fun design and even more flavor. For something more simpler simply dust the top of each one with powdered sugar!
Storing Leftovers
Store in an air-tight container and in the refrigerator. If stored properly, your cream puffs with pudding filling will last up to two to three days. It had to be refrigerated since the pudding filling was made with dairy. It can be left safely at room temperature for up to 4 hours only.
Cream Puff FAQs
Why are my cream puffs not fluffy?
If your cream puffs have too much moisture, they will collapse. This means your dough was not dry enough, or you didn’t bake them long enough.
How far ahead can I fill cream puffs?
You can make your cream puff for up to two days if stored properly. However, it will also mean that their shelf life is shorter, so they will only last up to a day after. If you’re taking them to an event, they will likely be eaten up in no time!
What is the difference between an éclair and a cream puff?
The most noticeable difference between an eclair and a puff is the shape (eclairs are oblong and puffs are round), but they are also filled differently. Puffs are often filled with whipped cream or pudding like this recipe, while eclairs are filled with a thicker custard. With that said, I love them both! 🙂
More Vanilla Flavor Recipes
- Snowball Cookies
- Homemade Sugar Cookies
- Funfetti Sprinkle Sugar Cookie Bites
- Peach Cake With Vanilla Frosting
- Vanilla Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling
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Cream Puffs with Vanilla Pudding Filling
PrintIngredients
For the Vanilla Pudding Cream Filling
- 1 (3.4 ounce package) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
For the pastry puffs
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Mix together pudding mix powder, heavy cream and milk in a sauce pan. Bring to a light boil and stir until it forms a pudding consistency. Take off burner, put into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator to set until pudding consistency.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet by covering with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan add butter and water, bringing to a low boil. Lower heat and stir in flour and salt. Stir until the mixture forms a dough ball. Take off heat immediately. Transfer this dough mixture into a large mixing bowl.
- Beat in eggs to dough mixture, one at a time, using a hand mixer.
- Drop tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 20-23 minutes.
- Take out of oven, allow to cool and then slice each puff in half. Add pudding filling mixture onto the bottom of a puff using a spoon or piping bag. Place another puff on top making a cream puff sandwich.
- Serve immediately or chill them in refrigerator to serve later on.
Esther Ragan says
Can I make the night before?
Pamela Reed says
Yes! Bake the shells and make the filling the night before. Store shells in an airtight container and chill the filling. Don’t fill them until just before serving so they stay crisp. Re-crisp shells in a 300°F oven if needed.