Recipe

Choux Pastry

A simple stovetop dough that bakes into crisp, airy shells for cream puffs, éclairs, and more.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A tray of golden cream puffs made from choux pastry cooling on a parchment-lined baking sheet on a warm kitchen counter

Choux pastry looks fancy, but it is basically the kitchen version of trust falls. You cook a simple dough on the stove, beat in eggs, then the oven does the dramatic part: big puff, crisp shell, and a hollow center just begging for whipped cream, pastry cream, or something cheesy.

This is my go-to method for reliable choux at home with normal tools. If you can stir a pot and you can resist opening the oven door, you can make choux.

Flour, butter, eggs, milk, water, salt, and sugar measured in small bowls on a clean kitchen counter, ready for choux pastry

Why It Works

Crisp edges, airy centers: Starting the dough on the stove gelatinizes the starch so it can trap steam and puff.
Consistent texture: Drying the panade (the cooked dough) for a minute or two prevents soggy, heavy shells.
Clear doneness cues: You will bake until deeply golden, then dry the shells so they stay crisp instead of collapsing.
Flexible: Same base dough makes cream puffs, éclairs, profiteroles, Paris-Brest rings, or savory cheese puffs.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Unfilled baked shells: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. For longer storage, freeze up to 2 months. Refresh straight from room temp or frozen in a 325°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes until crisp.

Filled cream puffs or éclairs: Refrigerate and enjoy within 24 hours for best texture. The filling softens the shell over time. If you are prepping ahead, bake the shells and fill right before serving.

Choux dough (before baking): Best baked right away. In a pinch, you can pipe onto a sheet pan, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours (up to about 8). The longer it sits, the less dramatic the puff can be. Let sit at room temp 15 to 20 minutes before baking.

Common Questions

Why did my choux not puff?

Most common culprits: the oven was not fully preheated, you opened the oven too early, or the dough had too much or too little egg. The dough should be glossy and pipeable and fall off the spatula in a thick V shape.

Why did my shells collapse after baking?

They were underbaked or still too wet inside. Go for a deeper golden brown than you think, then dry them in the turned-off oven with the door cracked. You can also poke a small hole in each shell right after baking to vent steam.

Do I have to use a piping bag?

No, but it helps. A zip-top bag with a corner snipped works for most shapes. For round puffs, you can spoon and smooth with a damp finger, they will just look more rustic.

Can I make this with all water instead of milk?

Yes. Water-only gives a slightly crisper shell but less browning and a bit less richness. Using half milk and half water is a sweet spot for most home ovens.

How do I know when I added enough egg?

Add the last egg gradually and stop when the dough is shiny, smooth, and falls from the spatula in a thick V. If you drag a finger through the dough, the groove should slowly relax, not snap shut immediately.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Medium saucepan
Wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Kitchen scale (helpful, not required)
Stand mixer with paddle or a hand mixer (or strong arm and a bowl)
Sheet pan
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Piping bag with round tip (optional but recommended)

The first time I made choux, I treated it like any other dough and got humbled fast. Too much egg and it spread like a pancake. Too little and it puffed, then collapsed like it remembered it had somewhere else to be. Once I learned to watch the texture instead of the recipe like it is a law, choux turned into one of my favorite kitchen magic tricks. It is the kind of bake that makes you feel like you could totally run a tiny pastry case, even if you are still cooking dinner in sweatpants.

Choux Pastry

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings Makes 12 to 14 cream puffs (or 10 to 12 éclairs)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar (optional, helps browning for sweet choux)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, at room temperature (you may not use all of the last egg)
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten (optional, only if needed to adjust dough texture)
1 large egg, lightly beaten (optional, for a very light egg wash on éclairs)

A saucepan on the stove with choux panade dough being stirred vigorously with a wooden spoon as it pulls away from the sides

Instructions

Prep the oven and pan. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment. If you want extra even sizing, trace 2-inch circles on the underside of the parchment for cream puffs, then flip it so pencil is underneath.
Boil the liquids, butter, salt, and sugar. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar (if using). Bring to a full boil (butter fully melted) so the flour hydrates properly when added.
Add flour and cook the dough. Reduce heat to low. Add the flour all at once and stir hard with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides. Keep stirring and cooking 1 to 2 minutes to dry the dough slightly. You should see a thin film on the bottom of the pan.
Cool briefly. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl. Let it cool 3 to 5 minutes so it is warm but not scorching. (If you add eggs while the dough is too hot, they can scramble.)
Beat in the eggs. With a mixer on medium (or by hand with determination), beat in 3 eggs one at a time until fully absorbed and the dough looks smooth and glossy. For the 4th egg, add it gradually and stop when the dough falls from the spatula in a thick V shape. If you held back part of that last egg and the dough still feels too stiff, use a little of the optional extra beaten egg, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you hit the right texture.
Pipe or portion. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip (about 1/2 inch) or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Pipe 12 to 14 mounds (about 2 inches wide) for cream puffs, or 10 to 12 logs (about 4 inches long) for éclairs. Leave about 2 inches of space between puffs (and a little more between éclairs) so they have room to expand. As a rough guide, each 2-inch puff uses about 2 tablespoons of dough. Smooth any pointy tops with a damp fingertip so they bake up rounded instead of burnt-tipped.
Bake with a hot start. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, quickly reduce temperature to 375°F and bake 18 to 25 minutes more, until deeply golden brown and crisp. (If your oven runs cool or drops temperature slowly, you can bake at 400°F for 12 minutes, then 375°F until deep golden.)
Dry the shells. Turn the oven off. Use a skewer or the tip of a knife to poke a small hole in the side of each puff to vent steam. Return the pan to the oven and crack the door open with a wooden spoon. Let dry 10 minutes. This is what helps keep the centers from staying damp, especially on humid days.
Cool completely. Move shells to a rack and cool fully before filling. Fill with whipped cream, pastry cream, ice cream, or your favorite savory filling.

Practical Tips and Variations

Choux checkpoints

Panade looks right: Smooth, no dry flour streaks, and it forms a cohesive ball that pulls from the pan.
Egg stage looks right: Glossy and pipeable. When lifted, it makes a thick V off the spatula.
Baked shell looks right: Deep golden (not pale), feels light, and sounds a little hollow when tapped. That deeper color is your dryness insurance.

About parchment and silicone mats

Parchment: Reliable lift and browning in most home ovens.
Silicone mat: Works, but it can slow browning a bit. If your shells tend to stay blond, parchment is your friend.

Sweet options

Classic cream puffs: Split and fill with sweetened whipped cream, dust with powdered sugar.
Éclairs: Pipe logs, fill with pastry cream, then dip tops in a simple chocolate ganache.
Craquelin topping: Press a thin frozen cookie-disc on top of each piped puff for a crisp, crackly cap.

Savory options

Gougères (cheese puffs): After eggs are incorporated, fold in 1 cup (100 g) grated Gruyère or sharp cheddar plus a pinch of black pepper. Bake as directed. These are dangerously snackable.
Herb choux: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped chives or parsley. Great with chicken salad or ham.

Make-ahead game plan

Bake the shells the day before, store airtight, then re-crisp at 325°F for 5 to 8 minutes.
Fill right before serving for the best crunch-to-cream contrast.
Optional egg wash for éclairs: Brush very lightly, if at all. Avoid drips down the sides, which can glue the dough and affect rise.

A platter of filled cream puffs dusted lightly with powdered sugar on a simple table setting with a neutral linen napkin

Nutrition information is estimated.

Did you make this? Tag @Mom's Best Recipes

Choux Pastry

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Classic Chocolate Éclairs with Vanilla Pastry Cream

Homemade Chocolate Éclairs

Boston Cream Pie

Homemade Gelato Base

Storage Tips

Common Questions

Why did my choux not puff?

Why did my shells collapse after baking?

Do I have to use a piping bag?

Can I make this with all water instead of milk?

How do I know when I added enough egg?

Choux Pastry

Ingredients

Instructions

Practical Tips and Variations

Choux checkpoints

About parchment and silicone mats

Sweet options

Savory options

Make-ahead game plan