Oh, the delicate magic of French pastry! There’s nothing quite like sinking your teeth into a perfectly crisp shell that gives way to the softest, airiest filling imaginable. That’s exactly what we’re chasing today with these stunning Strawberry Cream Puffs. I remember the first time I baked cream puffs with my mom — the excitement when they puffed up just right. Adding strawberries to this version brought back all that joy but with a bright, modern twist. Trust me, achieving that light choux pastry filled with real, fresh strawberry cream is way easier than it looks!
Why You Will Love These Strawberry Cream Puffs
Honestly, these pastries are just delightful. They manage to look fancy but come together surprisingly fast, especially if you skip the optional crunch. They are the perfect showcase for fresh berries!
- The shells are incredibly light and hollow—perfect for filling!
- That fresh strawberry cream is airy, not heavy like traditional pudding.
- They capture that beautiful Strawberry Shortcake Aesthetic easily.
- Makes about 40 puffs, so there’s plenty to share!
Essential Equipment for Perfect Strawberry Cream Puffs
You don’t need fancy gadgets, but having the right tools makes this whole process so much smoother. For lighter French pastry, precision matters! Make sure you have these things handy before you start boiling water.
Here’s what I always pull out:
- A sturdy saucepan for making the base dough.
- A good whisk or even a handheld mixer if you want the cream whipped up fast.
- A piping bag fitted with a reliable round tip—crucial for consistent puff sizes.
- A flat baking tray lined with parchment paper, because nothing sticks like choux!
- A stick blender—this is my secret weapon for getting that smooth strawberry puree for the cream.
Ingredient Breakdown for Strawberry Cream Puffs
Okay, let’s look at what we need because this recipe breaks down into distinct, manageable parts. Getting the ingredients ready beforehand is half the battle, especially with these delicate Strawberry Cream Puffs. We need three main components to make magic happen: the pastry shell, that addictive crunch topping if you choose to use it, and, of course, the star of the show—the fresh strawberry cream filling.
A quick note on salt: I always suggest using sea salt here, but you can check out my thoughts on using kosher salt versus other types if you’re curious about the difference in flavor impact in your baking! We rely on salt even in sweet doughs to balance everything out.
For the Choux Pastry
This is the foundation! Remember, the butter cubes need to be soft but not greasy, so set them out a little early. Also, be ready for the eggs—you might only need three and a half, or you might need all four! It all depends on how much liquid your flour soaks up.
- 236 mL (1 cup) water (8 fl oz)
- 115 g (cubed and at room temp) unsalted butter
- 133 g AP flour (1 cup + 1 ½ tbsp)
- 4 large eggs (remember, you might not use the whole amount!)
- 1 tsp sea salt (use less if using table salt)
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract (optional, but nice!)
For the Optional Craquelin Topping
If you want that wonderfully crunchy, cookie-like top contrasting with the creamy interior of your puffs, you absolutely must make the craquelin. It keeps these from being just soft pastries; it adds a fantastic texture contrast!
- 115 g unsalted butter (4 oz / 1 stick)
- 1 Pinch sea salt or kosher salt
- 127 g white sugar (about ⅔ cup)
- 127 g AP flour (about 1 cup + 1 tbsp)
For the Fresh Strawberry Cream Filling
This filling is what takes it over the top from a regular cream puff to an amazing fresh dessert. We use gelatin just to give the whipped cream just enough structure so it doesn’t weep right away, so pay attention to blooming that powder!
- 226 g frozen or fresh strawberries (8 oz)
- 100 g sugar (½ cup)
- 1 tsp gelatin powder
- 2 tbsp water (for blooming the gelatin)
- 360 mL whipping cream (1.5 cups, 35% fat)
- 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- (Optional Macerated Filling Ingredients): 170 g fresh strawberries (hulled and cut small) + 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Strawberry Cream Puffs
Alright, deep breath! We are making pastry here, but remember, it’s just flour, water, and steam doing the heavy lifting. We have a total time commitment of about 105 minutes, so let’s get organized. Following the order below—getting the optional topping ready first, then the shells, and finally the cream—keeps everything moving smoothly so your Strawberry Cream Puffs come out perfectly puffy.
Preparing the Choux Pastry Shells
First things first, crank that oven up to 375°F / 190°C! In a saucepan, get your water, butter, salt, and sugar heating until it hits a rolling boil. Pull it off the heat and dump in all your flour at once. Stir like crazy until it forms a dough ball that absorbs all the water. Now, this next part is important: return it to the heat for a couple of minutes to cook the dough out a bit—you want a dough that can stand a spoon up in it!
Let it cool just enough so it doesn’t scramble the eggs. Then, add your pre-whisked eggs slowly, mixing well after each addition. Stop adding eggs when the dough is glossy and falls off your spoon in a slow ‘V’ shape. Pipe those mounds onto your parchment, and listen to me: WHEN they go into the oven, DO NOT open that door before 22 minutes pass! They need that heat surge to puff, or they’ll deflate into sad little disks. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden, then cool them completely away from any drafts. For more technique inspiration, check out this classic cream puffs recipe!
Making the Craquelin (If Using)
If you want that wonderfully crunchy, cookie-like top contrasting with the creamy interior of your puffs, you absolutely must make the craquelin. It keeps these from being just soft pastries; it adds a fantastic texture contrast! Cream the butter, sugar, and salt until it’s light. Mix in your flour until it just looks crumbly. You need to get this dough into a bag and roll it super thin—maybe 2 to 3 mm thick. Toss those bags in the freezer until they are rock hard. Then, just freeze-cut your little discs big enough to sit on top of the piped choux mounds right before they go into the oven. Easy crunch!
Crafting the Strawberry Cream Filling
While the shells cool, let’s make our gorgeous filling. First, simmer your strawberries and sugar until soft, then blend that down into a smooth coulis using your stick blender. Now for the structure: bloom your gelatin in water, then microwave it gently for about 10 to 20 seconds until it’s totally liquid, but don’t let it boil! Whip your heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla until you hit a nice soft, mid-peak. Slowly drizzle in that melted gelatin while whipping. Finally, whisk in your chilled strawberry coulis until everything is uniform. You want it stiff enough to pipe but still airy.
If you want that extra burst of Strawberry Baking flavor, quickly toss your diced strawberries with sugar and let them sit in the fridge for 20 minutes to macerate. Drain those juicy bits before adding them to the cream later!
Assembling Your Strawberry Cream Puffs
Now for the fun part! Let your shells cool completely, or they’ll melt that beautiful cream instantly. You have two options for filling. You can slice the puffs cleanly in half, spoon in a generous swirl of the cream, dot it with some of those sweet macerated strawberry bits, and cap it with the top half—this gives you that gorgeous Strawberry Desserts Recipes look.
Or, for an easier method, use your piping tip and poke a small ‘X’ on the bottom of the shell. Insert the tip through the ‘X’ and squeeze that strawberry cream right into the hollow center until it feels weighty. Dust the tops lightly with confectioner’s sugar and maybe add a sliced strawberry for decoration if you like that finishing touch. Seriously, serve these right away when that choux is crisp!
Tips for Perfect Strawberry Cream Puffs Baking
Baking these beauties requires just a couple of key insights to keep them from collapsing. My biggest piece of advice for perfect Strawberry Baking is about temperature consistency.
First detail: That initial dough cooking on the stovetop? Don’t rush past that step! Cooking out the moisture is what sets up the steam explosion in the oven. If you undercook it, the shells will be dense, not hollow. Second, and this is crucial for real expertise, keep that oven door shut tight during the main puffing time. A sudden temperature drop is how you instantly deflate your hard work.
For the cream, make sure your strawberry coulis is completely chilled before adding it to the whipped cream, or it’ll melt the structure we built with the gelatin. If you want more general tips on getting that airy crunch, this advice works for all things pastry, like I shared when talking about scone making! Check out my guide on perfect baking basics. If you want to see how the Food & Wine folks handle their pastry, take a peek here too: Food & Wine cream puffs.
Storage and Keeping Your Strawberry Cream Puffs Fresh
If you’ve mastered the shells, you might be tempted to bake a massive batch ahead of time, and that’s a smart move! The choux pastry shells are incredibly sturdy if they are baked correctly until they are golden brown and very crisp. You can totally bake these shells a full two days in advance. Just make sure they are fully cooled, and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep them away from any moisture!
Now, the filling is a different story altogether. Because we’re using real whipped cream and fresh strawberries, these are absolutely best eaten the same day you fill them. Seriously, they are spectacular fresh, and waiting even until the next day can make the crisp shell start to get a little soft where it meets the cream. If you absolutely must fill them ahead of time (say, an hour or two before serving), put them in the fridge, but be prepared that they won’t have that amazing crackle anymore.
If you prepare the strawberry coulis and macerated berries ahead of time, keep those components refrigerated separately in sealed containers. Don’t even think about whipping the cream until you need to assemble and serve. These light, airy desserts really shine when they are fresh out of the kitchen!
Variations on Classic Strawberry Cream Puffs
While I think the strawberry version is just unbeatable, these shells are a perfect canvas for all sorts of wonderful fresh strawberry desserts! If strawberries aren’t in season, swap them out for raspberries or a mix of summer berries. That simple swap keeps the bright, light flavor profile we love.
For a little something extra in the cream, add a tiny micro-plane grating of lemon zest right into the whipped cream with the vanilla. It cuts through the sweetness beautifully and makes the strawberry flavor pop even more! It really elevates the entire Strawberry Shortcake Aesthetic when you look at the presentation too. It’s so easy to change it up!
Frequently Asked Questions About Strawberry Cream Puffs
I get so many questions whenever I post these beautiful pastries! It’s natural; baking choux can feel a little intimidating at first! Let’s clear up some common worries so you can dive into your next batch with confidence. These are such wonderful easy strawberry desserts, once you memorize the steps!
Can I make the choux pastry shells ahead of time for my Strawberry Cream Puffs?
Absolutely, you can! And I highly recommend it, especially if you’re serving these for a party. The shells can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you need them around longer, freeze them! The key, though, is that they must be completely cooled and crisp before you even think about filling them with that lovely cream.
What is the best way to achieve a Strawberry Shortcake Aesthetic?
This is where you get to play artist! If you slice those puffs neatly in half rather than piping in from the bottom, you can really layer things up. Start with a hearty amount of the strawberry cream, dot it generously with those sweet, macerated strawberry pieces we made, and then top it off with the other half of the shell. A final little dusting of powdered sugar or one perfect, vibrant berry right on top really sells that gorgeous look!
My cream puffs did not puff up; what went wrong?
This is usually one of three things, so don’t panic—it happens to everyone! Most often, you rushed the initial step of cooking the dough on the stove. You need to cook out the excess moisture so actual steam can form in the oven. If you don’t cook the dough enough, you end up with dense cheeks instead of hollow shells. The other big culprit is opening the oven door too soon. Keep it shut until they’re golden and set!
Nutritional Estimates for Strawberry Cream Puffs
Now, I always tell folks that if you’re filling something with fresh berries and homemade cream, it’s a treat, not an everyday food group! But if you’re curious, here are the averages per puff, based on the recipe yielding 40 servings.
Keep in mind that these numbers can absolutely change depending on exactly what brand of butter or sugar you use or how big your puffs end up being. For the full official word on all the numbers, check out our dedicated disclaimer page.
- Calories: 184
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Protein: 2g
- Sugar: 10g
Share Your Strawberry Desserts Recipes Experience
Now that you know all the secrets to nailing these perfect pastries, I really want to hear about how yours turned out! Did the craquelin give you that amazing crunch you were hoping for? Did your family completely devour them?
Please take a moment! Leave a star rating right below this text, and tell me about your experience in the comments. It truly makes my day to see when you’ve successfully made one of our family favorites. I love seeing all your beautiful presentation shots—sharing creations makes baking so much more fun!
If you’ve tried any other fun Strawberry Desserts Recipes using fresh berries, feel free to mention those below too! I’m always looking for new inspiration. If you need to reach out with a specific question, you can always use the contact form there.
Happy baking, and thank you for trying this recipe!
By Grace Williams, Contributor at Recipes by Betty.
Strawberry Cream Puffs
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk or Handheld Mixer
- Piping Bag with Round Tip
- baking tray
- Stick Blender
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- 236 mL water 8 fl oz / 1 cup
- 115 g unsalted butter cubed and at room temp
- 133 g AP flour 4.7 oz / 1 cup + 1 ½ tbsp
- 4 large eggs you might not use the whole amount
- 1 tsp sea salt less if using table salt or fine salt
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract optional
Craquelin (Optional)
- 115 g unsalted butter 4 oz / 1 stick
- 1 Pinch sea salt or kosher salt
- 127 g white sugar about ⅔ cup
- 127 g AP flour about 1 cup + 1 tbsp
Strawberry Cream
- 226 g frozen or fresh strawberries 8 oz
- 100 g sugar ½ cup
- 1 tsp gelatin powder
- 2 tbsp water
- 360 mL whipping cream 1.5 cups. 35% fat content
- 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar more if you like a sweeter filling
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Macerated Strawberry Filling (Optional)
- 170 g fresh strawberries hulled and cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F / 190°C.
- Place the salt, water, sugar (if using), and butter in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- When the water starts to boil (the butter should be melted), remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the flour all at once. Vigorously mix the flour in with a wooden spoon or spatula until it absorbs all the water.
- Return the pan to medium heat. Cook the dough for 2 to 5 minutes, mixing and moving it until the dough pulls away from the side of the pan. If you gather the dough on one side, a spoon stuck in the dough should stand upright.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool slightly for a few minutes. Whisk all the eggs together in a jug.
- Add the vanilla extract (if using). Add the whisked eggs in 4 to 5 additions, mixing the eggs into the dough well between each addition using a handheld mixer or whisk. Only add enough egg to achieve a glossy, pipeable dough consistency; you may not use all the eggs.
- Prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment paper. Pipe circular mounds of the choux pastry dough, about 1.5 inches at the base and 1 inch high, using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
- For craquelin tops, place a circular disc of the prepared craquelin cookie dough on top of each piped mound, centered, without pressing it down.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the center of the preheated oven until the shells puff up and are golden brown. Do not open the oven door until at least 22 to 25 minutes have passed.
- Remove the shells from the oven and let them cool completely in an area free from drafts. Cooling them inside a switched-off oven with the door open is a good option.
- For the craquelin: Place the butter, salt, and sugar in a bowl and cream them together until fluffy.
- Add the flour and mix until the mixture is crumbly. Use your hands to bring the crumbs together to form a soft dough.
- Split the dough into two equal portions. Roll each portion inside a ziploc bag until it is about 2 to 3 mm thick. Remove excess air and freeze both bags on a tray until completely frozen.
- Once frozen, cut 1.5 to 2-inch circles from the dough, aiming for about 40 discs total. Place the discs on a parchment-lined tray and return them to the freezer until needed.
- For the strawberry cream: Place the strawberries and sugar in a saucepan. Heat until the strawberries soften and the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and use a stick blender to blend the strawberry mixture until smooth. Cover and chill until completely cold.
- When ready to make the cream, place the water in a heat-proof bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water, mix gently, and let it bloom for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Microwave the bloomed gelatin mixture for about 10 to 20 seconds until the gelatin dissolves. Do not let it boil.
- Place the whipping cream, vanilla, and confectioner’s sugar in a bowl. Whisk on medium speed. Add the dissolved gelatin while the cream is whipping.
- Whip the cream until you reach a soft peak stage. Continue whipping until the cream is slightly stiffer, but not at a stiff peak stage (mid-peak).
- Add the chilled, blended strawberry coulis and whisk to mix it completely with the cream. Whisk until it thickens and returns to a mid-peak stage.
- Keep the cream in a piping bag fitted with a ½ inch open star tip.
- For the macerated strawberry filling: Place the diced strawberries and sugar in a bowl. Mix well and let it sit in the fridge to macerate for at least 20 minutes.
- To assemble, you can fill the pastry cases by inserting a piping tip into the bottom, or by cutting the cases in half.
- To fill from the bottom, cut a small “x” on the bottom of the pastry case. Insert the strawberry cream piping tip into the pastry case from the bottom and squeeze the cream in until full.
- To cut and fill, slice the choux pastries in half along the middle or slightly closer to the top. Fill the bottom half with strawberry cream.
- Optionally, place a small amount of the drained, macerated strawberries on top of the cream, then add another swirl of strawberry cream. Place the top half of the choux pastry back on.
- Dust the tops with confectioner’s sugar and add a sliced strawberry for decoration if desired. Serve immediately.