If you are fan of cream puffs you are going to LOVE this Easy Cream Puff Dessert. It’s a seriously impressive but incredibly easy make-ahead dessert that is a great choice for any gathering.
Ahhh, cream puffs. They are hands down my favorite dessert.
My mom was a master at creating the most delectable cream puffs I’ve ever had in my life. I used to request them each year on my birthday and she always obliged. Such wonderful memories.
If, like me, you’re a cream puff nut, you’ve just got to try this recipe!
It really hits the nail on the head in the flavor department. But it’s also completely fuss-free to create and makes enough to serve a crowd.
If you’re looking for something simple but delicious to add to a party dessert menu, this is it, friends! I love 13- x 9-inch desserts for entertaining. They are easy to transport and you can slice and serve pieces of varying sizes depending on who, and how many, you are serving.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Cream puff pastry – The easy pastry recipe includes water, butter, all-purpose flour, and eggs.
- Custard filling – A rich but super easy custard made with instant boxed pudding mix, softened cream cheese, and a little milk.
- Topping – The whole delicious thing is topped of with whipped topping (I use Cool Whip) and a drizzle of store-bought chocolate syrup.
How to Make Cream Puff Pastry
Creating the cream puff pastry crust for this dessert is magical! The ingredients and method are the same you would use to create individual cream puffs but instead of dropping the pastry dough in small dollops on a baking sheet, it is pressed into the bottom a 13- x 9-inch pan.
As the crust bakes, it rises up the sides of the pan to create the perfect shell-like crust for the filling. This would be a very fun recipe to make with little ones. Watching the crust rise up the sides of the pan is almost like a science experiment.
Do not fear cream puff pastry! It is surprisingly easy to make. In fact, if you can boil water, you can make cream puff pastry. Seriously. Take a look at the recipe card at the end of this post for the details.
How to Make Easy Cream Puff Dessert
- Once the crust is completely cool you’ll fill it with a creamy, custard-y filling that is whipped up in nothing flat. Layer whipped topping over the custard filling and pop it in the refrigerator to chill for a couple of hours.
- Just before serving, drizzle it with a little chocolate syrup.
Valerie’s Tips and Variations
- Spray the backside of an offset spatula with nonstick cooking spray and use it to spread the sticky cream puff pastry dough into the pan.
- Be sure your cream cheese is softened before beginning so it will blend easily. It should sit out on your kitchen counter for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Make sure you pick up instant pudding and not the regular pudding mix that requires cooking on the stove. Instant pudding is clearly labeled as such.
- I love using Jell-O French Vanilla Instant Pudding for this recipe. It really nails that familiar cream puff custard flavor. If your store doesn’t carry the French Vanilla – just go with plain vanilla and add about ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for a similar effect.
- Not feeling vanilla? Get creative! Browse the instant pudding selection at your store and choose something that calls to you. Cheesecake, White Chocolate, and Coconut Cream would ALL be amazing in this.
- Look for the chocolate syrup in a plastic squeeze bottle to make it super easy to drizzle over the Cream Puff Dessert.
- I like this dessert best after it has chilled for 2 to 4 hours.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Dessert
- Fast and Easy Cherry Crisp
- One Bowl Chocolate Cake
- Next Best Thing to Robert Redford Dessert
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Easy Cream Puff Dessert
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups milk, divided
- 3 (3.4 ounce) packages Instant French Vanilla Pudding, (see recipe note below)
- 8 ounces whipped topping, defrosted (like Cool Whip)
- chocolate syrup, as needed (like Hershey's)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
For the Cream Puff Pastry Crust
- Add the butter and water to a heavy saucepan and place over MEDIUM heat. Cook until the butter has melted and then bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a soft ball.
- Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and let it rest for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly with an electric mixer in between additions. Once all eggs have been added, continue to mix for a minute or two or until the mixture is smooth.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish. Spread the sticky dough out evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. To make it easier, spray the backside of an offset spatula with non-stick cooking spray and use it to spread the dough.
- Bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until puffed up the sides of the pan and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
For the Cream Puff Filling
- Place softened cream cheese and 1 cup milk in a large mixing bowl and beat thoroughly with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth. If there are small bits of cream cheese that don’t completely incorporate, it’s fine. Just beat the mixture so that it is as smooth as possible (starting with room temperature cream cheese will make this step easier). Add remaining milk and the pudding mix and beat again for several minutes on high speed until thickened.
- Spread the pudding mixture over the completely cooled crust. Spread the whipped topping over the pudding mixture and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth it out. Chill for at least an hour or overnight.
- Drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
I have a recipe like this and it is declicious. We call it Chocolate Eclair Dessert. I prefer Mrs. Richardson’s fudge or chocolate topping (in a jar), which I microwave until I can drizzle it on top of the dessert. It is richer than Hershey’s chocolate syrup.
I make my own vanilla pie filling. The flavor is so so much better than box mixes. Sometimes I make chocolate or coconut pie filling. Spread on top of.crust when it has cooled.
Is that half a tsp of vanilla per box of pudding or all 3 if you cannot find french vanilla pudding
I think 1/2 teaspoon for the entire recipe would be enough.
Any thought to doubling the dough part for a thicker bottom?
I wouldn’t recommend it. As written, it cooks up perfectly for the amount of filling and the size of the dish.
Hi Valerie
Any idea what the UK version of the vanilla pudding mix would be? Google suggests both angel delight & custard powder. Don’t want to get this wrong. Please help if you can
I wish I could help but I’m not sure what would be available in the UK that would be similar. Maybe another reader will be able to help.
Can’t have Cool Whip or anything like that sort of thing. Can I use whipped cream instead?
Yes, real whipped cream will be delicious.
This is an amazing recipe! I make with French Vanilla Pudding and it is all the richer.
I must have done something wrong on my dough. B/c the dough came out like a batter 1cup water 1/2 cup butter a d 1 cup flour according to the directions then beat in the 4 eggs
Sorry you had issues with the pastry crust, Phyllis. I can’t be sure went wrong for you but if you watch the video (just above the recipe card) you will see just how the dough should look. It isn’t really as thin as a batter but definitely sticky.
I have the same issue, i wonder if it has to do with how we measure flour. I never scoop my flour straight out, i spoon it and level it. Maybe we shouldn’t do that with this recipe???
I figured out what may have happened because I had the same thing happen as well the first time. It was extremely runny. I had to pitch it and try again. I missed the part about boiling the butter and water. I did not boil the first time and it never thickened. The 2nd time I boiled it and it immediately turned into the ball and looked like in the video. Hope this helps someone because I was scouring the comments looking for what may have happened. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks so much for your tips, Pam. I’m sure your comments will help others. 🙂
Could you use a store-bought frozen puff pastry for this recipe? Looks yummy!
You won’t get the same effect with frozen puff pastry. Cream puff pastry is very unique it the way it rises up when baking. It’s super simple to make! I recommend you give it a try 🙂
Looks so good! Can you freeze it?
I don’t think this one would fare well if frozen.
Love this recipe
This is so fun to make!! I’ve never made cream puff dough it really does have a very unique look when it bakes!!! Everybody thought it was delicious and wanted the recipe😀
This is an amazing recipe! I make with French Vanilla Pudding and it is all the richer.