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Home » Recipe Type » Desserts
4.9 from 10 reviews

Cream Puffs with Vanilla Pudding Filling

50 minutes
By: Pamela Reed
Posted:9/12/22
Updated:6/13/23
Jump to Recipe

These Cream Puffs with Vanilla Pudding Filling are light, fluffy, and delectable! They are easy to make with instant pudding mix!

closeup of cream puff with pudding filling inside with powdered sugar on top.

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.

unbaked cream puffs on parchment paper.

Bake until the puffs are golden brown.

baked cream puffs.

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!

cream puff with vanilla pudding filling on top of floral plate.

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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These Cream Puffs with Vanilla Pudding Filling are light, fluffy, and delectable! They are easy to make with instant pudding mix!
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4.91 from 10 reviews

Cream Puffs with Vanilla Pudding Filling

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These Cream Puffs with Vanilla Pudding Filling are light, fluffy, and delectable! They are easy to make with instant pudding mix!
By: Pamela Reed
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 50 minutes minutes
serves 12 cream puffs

Ingredients

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.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cream puffs
Did you make this?I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @BrooklynFarmGirl and don’t forget to leave a comment & rating below.

 

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4.91 from 10 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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  1. Esther Ragan says

    May 5, 2025 at 5:22 pm

    Can I make the night before?

    Reply
    • Pamela Reed says

      May 6, 2025 at 9:22 am

      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.

      Reply
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Hi! I'm Pamela, an artist Mom who shares family recipes. My farm is a 1,000 sq ft apartment in NYC. Let's make dinner together.

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