Caramel Cream Puffs

These caramel cream puffs are made from light choux pastry, creamy vanilla custard, and a crunchy caramel sugar coating.

What are cream puffs?

Taking a few different names a cream puff is also known as a profiterole, chou a la creme, or choux puff. They are French choux pastry balls filled with whipped cream or pasty cream.

The outer shell is light and crisp and the inside is smooth and creamy. The perfect combination of textures.

Typically profiteroles are dipped in chocolate or a caramel sauce. These cream puffs are dipped in caramel and set to a hard and crunchy shell. The sweet crunchy shell not only adds a crunch element to these, but it also adds a delicious caramelized flavor to compliment the custard.

How to make the perfect caramel top

Caramel is one of those things that are so easy to make, but also so easy to stuff up. One wrong stir or a moment of forgetfulness can turn it into a lumpy or burnt mess. Follow these tips for the perfect caramel shell.

Don’t stir in the caramel

One of the most important tips when making caramel is to stir it as little as possible. Stirring the sugar agitates the sugar crystals and causes them to clump up and crystallize.

The moment your sugar starts to crystalize, the other sugar crystals will follow suit, and sooner enough all your caramel will have crystallized too.

If you notice sugar crystals beginning to form on the sides of the pan you can brush them off with a wet pastry brush. This will prevent them from growing.

However, the best way to prevent this is to allow the sugar to dissolve in the pan without stirring it. Simply swirl the pan a couple of times to even out the heat distribution. Once the caramel begins to turn golden you are safe to stir!

Keep an eye on it

Caramel is extremely sensitive to timing. If you forget about it for a couple of minutes there is a possibility that it has already burnt.

Make sure you keep a close eye on your caramel at all times when it’s on the heat, even if you think it’s taking too long.

Trust me it’ll save you the trouble of making it all again!

Remove from the heat as soon as it is golden

The caramel will continue to cook even after taking it off the heat. It’s important that you take it off the heat when it turns a light amber. After you take it off it will continue to cook and reach the perfect caramelized color.

If you’ve accidentally left your caramel on the heat for too long you can place the bottom of the saucepan directly into a bowl of cold water. This will cool the pan right down and prevent it from cooking too much more.

If you do place it in cold water keep in mind that the caramel will set up faster, so you will need to move quickly when dipping your choux pastries.

Ingredients to make caramel choux puffs

Craquelin

• Brown sugar: You can use granulated sugar too, but I like the golden color and caramelized flavor brown sugar brings to the tops of the pastries.
• All-purpose flour: Flour makes up the body of the craquelin which is essentially a cookie that sits on top
• Unsalted butter: Make sure you use unsalted butter otherwise the top of your choux puffs will be too salty!

Choux pastry

• Whole milk: Make sure you use whole milk as the difference in fat and protein content in skim or plant-based milk will affect the structure of the pastry
• Water: Water adds moisture to the dough. This is what helps it rise in the oven to that tall and round shape.
• Unsalted butter: Butter helps to give the dough that golden brown color and crisp yet tender texture.

• Salt and sugar: Both are needed to give the pastry flavor, but not necessarily a sweetness or saltiness.
• Flour: The flour makes up the body and structure of the choux puffs.
• Large eggs: Eggs are needed as they bind everything together, while also giving them structure and helping them rise.

Pastry cream or creme patisserie

• Egg yolks: Egg yolks give the custard flavor as well as thickening properties.
• Sugar: Sugar is needed to sweeten the custard. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of sugar to your taste.
• Cornflour: Aka cornstarch, also acts as a thickener. I prefer using cornflour as it has a lower tendency to clump up in comparison to flour.

• Milk: Milk makes up the body of the custard. I don’t recommend substituting whole milk for skim milk or other kinds of milk as the resulting custard won’t be as creamy and smooth
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is needed to give it that delicious flavor. Feel free to switch up the extract to something else if you’d like. Almond extract or even a splash of liquor works deliciously!
• Butter: Butter gives the custard that extra silkiness and velvety mouthfeel.

Assembly

• Thickened or heavy cream: While some cream puffs will be filled with pure pastry cream, I find it too thick and cloying. By folding whipped cream into the pastry cream it creates a light and delicious custard. Whipping cream works too!
• Granulated sugar: This is needed for the caramel! You can also use caster or superfine sugar. The smaller sugar crystals will make it easier for the caramel to form.

Tips For Perfect Caramel Cream Puffs

Use Cold Mixing Bowl for Cream

For the fluffiest and most stable whipped cream, start with a chilled metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment. Place both in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before whipping. This helps the cream whip faster and maintain volume, especially important in warmer kitchens.

Add Gelatin for Stability

If you’re preparing the cream puffs ahead of time or serving in a warm environment, consider stabilizing your whipped cream. Bloom 1 teaspoon of gelatin in 2 teaspoons of water, gently melt it, and then fold it into the cream while whipping. This helps the cream hold its shape for hours without weeping.

Double Bake for Crispiness

After baking the choux pastry, pierce each puff with a skewer or knife to release steam, then return them to the oven at 160°C (320°F) for 5 minutes. This extra step helps to dry out the interior, preventing sogginess and extending the crispness of the shell.

Variations

Salted Caramel Twist

Enhance the flavor complexity of your caramel glaze by adding a pinch of flaky sea salt once the caramel reaches the desired color. This turns the glaze into a salted caramel, creating a perfect balance between sweetness and a subtle savory edge.

Coffee Cream Filling

Transform the flavor of your filling by substituting the vanilla bean paste with 1 to 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder or strong coffee extract. This gives the cream a deep, rich coffee profile that pairs beautifully with the caramel topping.

Chocolate-Dipped Choux

Instead of topping the cream puffs with caramel, dip the top of each choux shell in melted dark or milk chocolate. Allow them to set before filling. This variation is perfect for chocolate lovers and adds a more intense flavor contrast.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Berries and Mint

For a fresh and colorful presentation, plate your cream puffs with a handful of fresh raspberries, blueberries, or sliced strawberries. Garnish with a small mint sprig. The acidity of the berries complements the sweetness of the cream and caramel.

Stacked as a Croquembouche

Arrange your filled cream puffs into a cone-shaped tower using caramel as edible glue. This classic French dessert presentation is perfect for weddings, birthdays, or special gatherings and makes an impressive centerpiece.

With Iced Coffee or Liqueur

Pair the cream puffs with a glass of cold brew coffee or a dessert liqueur such as Licor 43 or Bailey’s. The bitterness of coffee or the sweetness of liqueurs complements the richness of the cream and caramel.

Catherine Zhang

My name is Catherine, a food blogger and dessert lover. If I look familiar you may have seen me on NETFLIX's Zumbo’s Just Desserts S2! As an Australian-Chinese pastry chef and recipe developer I share recipes and tips on desserts inspired by amazing flavours, fresh produce and of course my Asian background.

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