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Lemon Cream Puffs

These Lemon Cream Puffs are a delightful, airy dessert bursting with zesty lemon filling and whipped cream—perfect for any occasion!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Choux Pastry, Cream Puff, Easy, Lemon, Quick
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3.4 oz instant lemon pudding 1 box
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 zest lemon
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Powdered sugar for garnish

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of butter, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often to prevent burning.
  • Once boiling, remove from heat and add 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
  • Allow the dough to cool for about 5 minutes. When slightly warm, add 4 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until dough is smooth and glossy.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
  • Pipe small mounds about 1.5 inches in diameter onto the baking sheet, spacing them apart.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Do not open oven door during baking. Remove and cool on wire rack.
  • Prepare lemon filling by whisking 3.4 oz instant lemon pudding with 1 cup milk until smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
  • Gently fold whipped cream into lemon pudding mixture. Add zest of 1 lemon and combine well.
  • Once cream puffs are completely cool, make a small slit in the side of each puff with a sharp knife.
  • Fill a piping bag with lemon filling and pipe into each puff until generously filled.
  • Dust filled cream puffs with powdered sugar. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Double boiler or saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Piping Bag
  • Baking Sheet
  • Parchment Paper

Notes

  • Do not open the oven door while baking to prevent puffs from collapsing.
  • Ensure cream puffs are completely cool before filling to avoid melting the filling.
  • Leftover unfilled choux pastry can be frozen for later use.
  • Try seasonal variations like adding berries or limoncello for different flavors.
  • Use any flavor of instant pudding to customize the filling.