Recipe

Classic Chocolate Éclairs

Crisp choux pastry filled with thick vanilla pastry cream and topped with a glossy chocolate glaze, with a simple timeline and no-drama troubleshooting.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A row of classic chocolate éclairs on a parchment-lined baking sheet, filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with glossy chocolate glaze, natural window light, real food photography

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Éclairs look like the kind of pastry you only eat under the glow of a bakery case. But the truth is: if you can boil butter and whisk like you mean it, you can make éclairs at home. The magic is classic French choux pastry. It bakes up hollow, crisp, and ready to be stuffed with the good stuff.

This recipe is my go-to: vanilla pastry cream that sets up thick, choux shells that dry out properly (read: no sad, soggy collapse), and a simple chocolate glaze that looks fancy but behaves itself. I also included a timeline so you can spread the work out and still land a tray of glossy, bakery-style éclairs.

A close-up photo of choux pastry being piped into long strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet using a pastry bag

Why It Works

Crisp shells with room for filling: We dry the panade on the stove, then finish baking with a drying phase so the inside is not steamy.
Pastry cream that holds its shape: Enough starch plus a proper boil means it sets thick and pipes cleanly.
Glossy chocolate top: A simple chocolate ganache-style glaze gives you that classic shine without being overly sweet.
A timeline you can actually follow: Make components ahead, assemble close to serving for the best texture.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Storage Tips for Éclairs

Éclairs are at their best the day you assemble them, but you can absolutely plan ahead.

Food safety note: Because pastry cream is dairy-and-egg based, keep filled éclairs refrigerated. In a warm kitchen, do not leave them out for more than about 1 to 2 hours.

Best strategy

Store shells and filling separately and assemble when you want them. This keeps the shells crisp longer.

Choux shells

Room temp: 1 day in a paper bag or loosely covered container.
Freeze: Up to 1 month (for best quality), sealed well. Thaw at room temp, then crisp in a 300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

Pastry cream

Refrigerate: Up to 3 days in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface to prevent a skin.
Do not freeze: It can turn grainy and weepy.

Assembled éclairs

Refrigerate: Up to 24 hours. They will soften as they sit. If you want the best bite, glaze and serve within a few hours of filling.

Common Questions

Why did my éclairs turn out soggy inside?

The usual culprit is trapped steam. Two fixes: fully bake until deeply golden and then dry the shells. In this recipe, you poke a small vent hole and let them sit in the turned-off oven to drive off moisture. If they still soften later, re-crisp them at 300°F for 5 to 8 minutes, then cool before filling.

Why did my choux collapse after baking?

Collapse almost always means the shells were underbaked or still wet inside. Bake until the exterior is firm and golden, and avoid opening the oven until the shells are fully risen and starting to brown (about the first 25 to 30 minutes). The drying step at the end helps a lot.

My pastry cream is runny. Can I save it?

Sometimes. If it never reached a real boil, it will not thicken. Return it to the saucepan, whisk constantly over medium heat, and bring it to a gentle boil for 30 to 60 seconds so the starch fully gelatinizes. Then chill again until cold. If it is still thin after chilling, it likely needs more starch next time or your measurements were off.

Can I make these without a piping bag?

Yes. For the choux, you can spoon it into a sturdy zip-top bag and snip off a 1/2-inch corner. For filling, a zip-top bag also works, or you can split the shells and spoon the cream in like a sandwich.

Why did my choux batter feel too stiff or too loose?

Egg size and how much moisture cooks off on the stove can change things. Add eggs gradually and stop when the batter is glossy and forms a thick ribbon that slowly drops from the spatula. If it is too stiff, beat in a little more egg. If it is too loose, it is tough to fix, but chilling 15 minutes can help slightly.

Do I have to use a chocolate glaze?

Nope. You can dust with powdered sugar, or dip the tops in a quick vanilla icing. But the classic chocolate top is the vibe for a reason.

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
Whisk
Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
Hand mixer or stand mixer (optional, but makes beating in eggs much easier)
Mixing bowl
Fine-mesh strainer (helpful for extra-smooth pastry cream)
Plastic wrap
Sheet pans
Parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat)
Pastry bag with a large round tip (Ateco 806 or similar) or a zip-top bag
Small round tip for filling (optional) or a skewer for making holes
Wire rack for glazing

The first time I made éclairs, I treated choux like a fragile science experiment and somehow still ended up with a tray of lopsided puff logs that looked like they had opinions. They tasted incredible, though, and that was the point. Over time I learned the real secret is not perfection, it is drying. Dry the dough on the stove, dry the shells in the oven, then fill them when you are ready to show off. Once you nail that rhythm, éclairs stop feeling intimidating and start feeling like a very delicious flex you can pull off in a normal home kitchen.

Classic Chocolate Éclairs

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Servings 12 éclairs (about 4 inches each, depending on piping)

Ingredients

Vanilla Pastry Cream

2 cups (480 g) whole milk
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, divided
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 large egg yolks
3 Tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
2 Tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste)

Choux Pastry (Éclair Shells)

1/2 cup (120 g) water
1/2 cup (120 g) whole milk
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, beaten and added gradually (about 200 g without shells)

Chocolate Glaze

4 oz (113 g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup (120 g) heavy cream
1 Tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter (optional, for extra shine)
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Timeline

Day before (optional): Make pastry cream. Refrigerate.
Bake day: Bake shells and cool completely.
Assemble: Fill and glaze 1 to 4 hours before serving for the crispest shells.

A real photo of thick vanilla pastry cream being whisked in a saucepan on a stovetop

1) Make the Vanilla Pastry Cream

Heat the milk mixture. In a medium saucepan, warm the milk with 1/4 cup of the sugar and the salt over medium heat until steaming and just beginning to bubble at the edges. Do not let it fully boil.
Whisk the yolks. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until slightly lighter. Whisk in cornstarch and flour until smooth.
Temper. While whisking the yolk mixture constantly, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the hot milk. Keep whisking until smooth.
Thicken. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a gentle boil. Let it boil for 30 to 60 seconds, still whisking, until it looks thick and glossy.
Finish, then strain while hot. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter and vanilla. For ultra-smooth cream, strain immediately while it is still hot and fluid through a fine-mesh strainer.
Chill correctly. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2 hours.

2) Bake the Choux Éclair Shells

Prep. Heat oven to 425°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment. (Optional but helpful: draw 4-inch lines on the back of the parchment as guides.)
Melt, then boil. In a saucepan over low heat, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Melt the butter completely without simmering hard. Once the butter is fully melted, increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a full boil.
Add flour and dry the dough. Add flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a spatula or wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides. Keep stirring and cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, leaving a thin film on the bottom of the pan. This step helps prevent soggy shells.
Cool briefly. Transfer dough to a bowl. Let sit until it is no longer steaming heavily, about 3 to 5 minutes. If you want to be precise, aim for roughly 140 to 160°F so the eggs will not scramble.
Add eggs gradually. Add beaten eggs a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. A hand mixer or stand mixer makes this much easier, but elbow grease works too. Stop when the batter is glossy and smooth, and it falls from the spatula in a thick ribbon that slowly sinks back into itself. You may not need every last drop of egg.
Pipe. Pipe 12 logs about 4 inches long and 3/4 inch wide, spaced about 2 inches apart. Smooth any pointy tips with a damp fingertip.
Bake, then dry. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce heat to 375°F and bake 18 to 22 minutes more, until deeply golden and firm.
Vent and dry. Remove pan. Poke a small hole in the side or end of each shell with a skewer to vent steam. Return shells to the turned-off oven with the door cracked for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

3) Make the Chocolate Glaze

Heat cream. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat heavy cream until steaming and just beginning to simmer.
Melt and smooth. Pour hot cream over chocolate. Let sit 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in butter (if using) and a pinch of salt. Let cool until it is slightly thickened and coats a spoon, about 10 minutes (timing can vary).

4) Fill and Glaze

Prep pastry cream. Whisk chilled pastry cream until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or use a zip-top bag with a small corner snipped.
Fill. Use the steam hole you made, or poke 2 to 3 holes along the bottom of each shell. Pipe pastry cream in until the éclair feels heavy and you see a little resistance.
Glaze. Dip the top of each filled éclair into the chocolate glaze, let excess drip off, then set on a rack to set for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve. Serve right away, or refrigerate briefly. For the best texture, let refrigerated éclairs sit 10 minutes at room temp before eating.

Troubleshooting

Soggy shells

Cause: Underbaked or not dried.
Fix: Re-crisp unfilled shells at 300°F for 5 to 8 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

Runny pastry cream

Cause: Not boiled long enough, or not chilled long enough.
Fix: Reheat and bring to a gentle boil for 30 to 60 seconds while whisking. Chill fully.

Shells split or burst

Cause: Oven too hot for too long, or uneven piping.
Fix: Keep the initial 425°F blast to 10 minutes, then reduce. Pipe evenly and smooth tips.

Flat éclairs

Cause: Too much egg (batter too loose) or oven opened early.
Fix: Add eggs gradually next time. Avoid opening the oven until the shells are fully risen and starting to brown.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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