Featuring a crisp choux pastry shell, luscious pastry cream filling, and a decadent, glossy chocolate glaze, every bite of these easy profiteroles is like a taste of heaven! Whether making them for a special occasion or just because, these fun, bite-sized treats are guaranteed to impress!
Best foolproof profiteroles recipe
If you've ever dreamt of making profiteroles at home, you're in the right place! Mastering choux pastry might seem intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, you'll feel like a pastry chef!
Having perfected foolproof recipes for éclairs and Paris-Brest (and even a Paris-Brest class), I know that great choux pastries boil down to the right ingredients and baking technique. This classic profiteroles recipe turns my éclairs into a bite-sized form that makes them even more irresistible.
However, why this is the best profiteroles recipe isn't just about getting it right in my kitchen but also making sure you can recreate it easily in yours. Therefore, I break down every step in detail, plus troubleshooting tips to avoid the common choux pastry pitfalls before they happen. Let's get started!
Katalin's key take on what is the difference between a cream puff and a profiterole?
While the names of these two French desserts are often used interchangeably, a few key differences set them apart:
For starters, while both use choux pastry dough, they differ in size and how they're filled. Cream puffs are typically larger and sliced in half before adding the filling. On the other hand, profiteroles are often bite-sized and filled through a tiny hole in the bottom.
The presentation is also a key difference. Cream puffs are simple and either dusted with powdered sugar or lightly glazed, while profiteroles are usually drizzled or glazed with chocolate sauce like éclairs.
However, both desserts are totally irresistible!
Profiteroles ingredient tips
Using the right ingredients makes all the difference when it comes to light, airy profiteroles, and rich pastry cream. Use 3% whole milk and European-style butter (unsalted butter only) with at least 82% fat for the best results.
Unlike most baking recipes, the butter and milk temperature doesn't make a difference for the choux pastry since they will be heated (although softened butter is best, so the choux pastry ingredients will melt together at the same time). However, the eggs must be at room temperature to emulsify correctly. If necessary, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes before starting.
A small amount of granulated sugar and salt is necessary to enhance the flavor, balance the sweetness, and contribute to the golden brown color. Don't skip the salt!
One key baking secret is that high-protein bread flour (around 13% protein) is a must, as anything lower won't create a light, hollow center. If "bread flour" isn't labeled in your country, check for flour suitable for bread dough.
When making the pastry cream and chocolate ganache, use the best vanilla extract available, heavy cream with at least 36% fat, and a high-quality semi-sweet chocolate like Callebaut or Lindt.
First, you need to cook the dough
Start by sifting the flour to remove lumps, then set it aside. Heat the butter, water, milk, salt, and sugar in a stainless steel saucepan over medium heat until it simmers.
Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and add the sifted flour in one heap.
Stir the mixture quickly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the flour is fully incorporated and a smooth dough forms without visible flour bits in it.
Return the pan to the heat and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until a thin layer forms on the bottom of the pan and some liquid evaporates.
Transfer the dough to the stand mixer bowl. Use the paddle attachment to mix the dough for about a minute on low speed so it cools slightly.
Be extra careful when mixing the eggs in
Lightly whisk the room-temperature eggs, then slowly and carefully mix them into the dough in small amounts while the mixer is on, ensuring they are fully incorporated before adding more. You may need to adjust the amount of egg depending on moisture loss during cooking and the type of flour used.
Within 2-3 minutes, the dough should turn smooth, glossy, and a pipeable texture. If it slowly falls off the paddle in a V shape, it is good to go!
This is how you pipe profiteroles
To pipe, use a piping bag fitted with a 0.5-inch French star nozzle (never use a round tip, unlike other online recipes state). Spoon the dough into the bag, then chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
Once chilled, pipe 16 evenly sized profiteroles onto a perforated baking mat or rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave enough space between each to give them room to expand.
Hold the piping bag vertically at a 90° angle and apply steady pressure while piping. To smooth any peaks, gently tap them with a wet fingertip.
Lightly dust the profiteroles with powdered sugar to help prevent cracking. Then, place them in the freezer for at least an hour before baking. Freezing encourages even rise and fewer cracks on your profiteroles.
Bake and watch the magic
Unlike some recipes that change the temperature halfway through baking, I find keeping an even temperature throughout produces the best results. Make sure your oven fan is OFF when baking, as it can create too much air circulation and cause cracks.
Start by preheating your oven to 200°C (392°F). Then, transfer the tray of frozen profiteroles to the oven, lower the temperature to 170°C (338°F), and bake for 30 minutes.
Avoid opening the oven door for the first 20 minutes, which can cause the choux to collapse. If you're baking them for the first time, test one profiterole at the 30-minute mark—it should be golden, puffed up, and hold its shape at room temperature without deflating. If necessary, bake for a few more minutes.
Let your profiteroles cool to room temperature on the mat or baking sheet before the next step!
Fill them with silky pastry cream
To make the pastry cream filling, whisk your sugar and room-temperature egg yolks in a bowl for 1-2 minutes until the texture becomes light and fluffy. Then, mix in the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and vanilla extract until it becomes nice and smooth.
Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it simmers. Slowly pour the warmed milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the yolks while preventing them from scrambling.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring vigorously until the cream thickens. If lumps form, keep whisking until smooth.
Remove from the heat and strain out any remaining lumps if necessary. Then, add the softened butter in small chunks, stirring until fully incorporated.
Let the finished pastry cream cool completely before using. In the meantime, transfer it to a shallow bowl, pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Make a small hole in the bottom of the cooled profiteroles using a skewer or piping nozzle. Transfer the cooled pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip and pipe it into each profiterole until filled.
Finally, top with an easy chocolate ganache glaze
Use a microwave to melt the chocolate for a few seconds until semi-melted, and heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it begins to simmer. Pour the simmering cream over the semi-melted chocolate and use a rubber spatula to stir until smooth. Next, mix in the softened butter.
Set the warm chocolate ganache aside until it cools to approximately 30°C (86°F) and has a smooth consistency that isn't too runny (too warm) or thick (cooled too much).
Dip the tops of the filled profiteroles into the cooled glaze, ensuring they have an even coat. Gently tap it with your fingers to remove any excess glaze.
Place the glazed profiteroles in the fridge for 2-3 minutes to allow the glaze to set before serving.
Troubleshooting profiteroles
They spread too much and lose shape: The dough may be too wet. Try using fewer eggs to achieve a thicker consistency.
They didn't puff up: The oven may not have been hot enough before baking. Too much moisture in the dough can also affect the rise, so consider adjusting the egg quantity.
They collapsed after baking: This usually means they weren't baked long enough. Try leaving them in the oven for a few extra minutes to ensure they are fully set.
They have cracks on the surface: This can happen if the oven is too hot or the fan setting is on. It can also occur if you use the wrong nozzle tip, that is, for example, round without the teeth!
They aren't hollow: If they rise but don't create a hollow center, the flour's protein content may not have been high enough.
How to store profiteroles
Enjoy your profiteroles immediately after filling them for the best texture and flavor. With time, they tend to lose their crispness due to the choux pastry absorbing the moisture from the filling.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a day. Make sure to cover them so they do not absorb any outside odors! If unfilled, you can store them for several days at room temperature in an airtight bag.
I do not recommend freezing filled profiteroles since the texture will change once thawed. However, you can freeze the unbaked choux pastry or unfilled baked profiteroles in a sealed freezer-safe bag. After thawing, you may need to briefly pop them back in the oven to re-crisp.
Do not substitute ingredients
While some baking recipes allow for easy substitutions, profiteroles rely on a few but specific ingredients for their delicate texture and perfect rise. Making swaps can significantly affect the final result.
For example, while you could use vegan butter and plant-based milk, eggs are essential for structure and rise. Similarly, the high protein content in bread flour helps create that lovely air pocket we want to fill with delicious pastry cream. Alternative flour like rice flour can work to make it gluten-free; however, following the recipe as written is always best, especially if you are a beginner.
My final expert tips
- When moving the dough into the piping bag, avoid mixing in air bubbles, as they can affect the piping and, as such, the final result. To get rid of the air pockets, lay the pastry bag flat on the work surface and gently press it with your hands.
- Chilling the dough twice is crucial for crack-free profiteroles, so don't skip these steps. If making profiteroles for the first time, freezing them for 1-2 hours after piping will help ensure the best results.
- Mixing the choux pastry is easiest with a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or electric hand mixer. However, in case of emergency, you can also mix it manually with a hand whisk.
- When making pastry cream, use a small to medium-sized saucepan with even heat distribution to prevent the milk from burning.
- Once prepared, chill the pastry cream in the fridge before using it to help it set into a smooth, pipeable consistency.
Other filling ideas
Swap the pastry cream with my diplomat cream for a light, airy filling.
My chantilly cream is another simple yet elegant alternative. Combine it with my lemon curd, mango curd, or strawberry compote for a bright and fruity twist!
Chocolate lovers can melt 90g / ½ cup of chocolate and fold it into the vanilla pastry cream to make chocolate pastry cream, fill it with my chocolate whipped cream frosting, or use my silky chocolate cremeux.
My raspberry, strawberry, and peanut butter cream cheese frosting are a delicious complement to the ganache glaze.
Split them in half and fill them with your ice cream of choice!
Helpful equipment
Accuracy is a must for flawless profiteroles, so use a digital scale to give you the most precise measurements. You'll also need a digital oven thermometer to ensure the exact oven temperature (another must in this recipe)!
You will need a stand mixer and rubber spatula to mix the ingredients and a perforated baking mat that evenly distributes the heat. You can also use a baking sheet; however, the perforated equipment makes the profiteroles neater. A piping bag and a French star nozzle tip are necessary for making each of the profiteroles!
Try some of my other choux pastry recipes
Once you've gotten the hang of this easy profiteroles recipe, you'll want to try my other choux pastry desserts:
And for even more French-inspired dessert recipes, check out my roundup of the Top Famous French Pastries!
Have you tried this recipe?
Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well!
Profiteroles
Equipment
- Digital scale
Ingredients
For the profiteroles
- 60 g (¼ cups) Unsalted butter 82% European style butter at room temperature, in chunks.
- 60 g (¼ cups) Water
- 60 g (¼ cups) Whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
- 70 g (½ cups + 1 tablespoon) Bread flour high protein content flour, eg. 13%
- 110 g Egg Approximately 2 eggs at room temperature. Might need slightly more or less; see the tips below.
Pastry cream filling
- 240 g (1 cups) Whole milk 3% fat
- 50 g (¼ cups) Granulated sugar
- 40 g Egg yolk approximate yolk of 2 eggs
- 12 g (1½ tablespoon) Corn starch
- 12 g (1½ tablespoon) All purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 28 g (2 tablespoons) Unsalted butter 82% fat, at room temperature
Chocolate ganache glaze
- 170 g (1 cups) Semi sweet chocolate use high quality chocolate e.g., Callebaut or Lindt
- 77 g (⅓ cups) Heavy Cream 36% fat
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) Unsalted butter 82% fat, at room temperature
US customary cup measurement is an indicative figure only. Measure the ingredients with a digital scale by weight (gram). Baking is art but also science which requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
Classic Profiteroles step-by-step
- Sift the flour and set aside. In a saucepan, combine butter, water, milk, salt, and sugar. Heat over medium until simmering, but don’t allow it to boil.
- Remove the saucepan from heat, then add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a rubber spatula until a smooth dough forms, with no visible flour. Return to the heat and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until a thin skin forms on the bottom of the pan and some of the liquid evaporates.
- Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low for about a minute to cool slightly. Gradually add the lightly whisked eggs, a little at a time, allowing each addition to fully incorporate before adding more. The dough should become glossy and pipeable in about 2-3 minutes.
- When ready, the dough should fall off the paddle in a V shape. It shouldn’t be runny. The exact egg amount may vary based on moisture loss during cooking and flour type, so adjust as needed.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 0.5-inch French star nozzle. Refrigerate for 1 hour for the best results.
- After resting, pipe 16 evenly sized profiteroles onto a perforated baking mat, leaving space for puffing, or pipe onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pipe at a 90° angle (holding the piping bag straight vertically) with even pressure. Smooth the tips by tapping them lightly with a wet finger.
- Lightly dust with powdered sugar to prevent cracking. Freeze for at least one hour, or store for longer if needed.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 392°F (no fan). After freezing, place the tray in the oven, reduce the temperature to 170°C / 338°F (no fan), and bake for 30 minutes. Avoid opening the oven for the first 20 minutes. If you're baking for the first time, remove one profiterole after 30 minutes to check. It should be golden, puffed up, and not deflate at room temperature.
- Let the profiteroles cool on the perforated mat at room temperature before filling and glazing.
Pastry cream filling
- Whisk the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Then, add the cornstarch, flour, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
- In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it begins to simmer (but not boil). Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it thickens (about 1 minute after boiling). If the mixture is lumpy, continue whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and strain if needed.
- Gradually add the softened butter in chunks, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Allow the pastry cream to cool completely before using it to fill the profiteroles. Transfer the cream to a shallow bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap.
Chocolate ganache glaze
- The quantity is enough to glaze all 16 profiteroles, with some left to pour on top when serving.
- For the glaze, semi-melt the chocolate in the microwave.
- Meanwhile, heat the cream in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour the simmering cream over the melted chocolate and stir until smooth, then mix in the butter.
- Set aside and allow the glaze to cool to about 30°C (86°F). It should have a smooth consistency—not too runny or thick—before use.
Fill and glaze the profiteroles
- To fill the profiteroles, create a small hole on the bottom using a skewer or piping nozzle. Move the pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle tip and pipe the cream into the profiteroles until fully filled.
- Once filled, dip the tops of the filled profiteroles into the cooled chocolate glaze, ensuring an even coat. Gently tap to remove any excess glaze or clean up with your fingers.
- Let the glaze set in the fridge for 2-3 minutes for a glossy finish.
- Profiteroles are best enjoyed immediately after filling, as they lose their crispiness over time. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a day.
Notes
- Measure your ingredients with a digital scale for accuracy
- For making any choux pastry, use high protein content bread flour for the best results, I am using 12% protein content flour. Do not skip the salt, and use lightly whisked room-temperature eggs.
- Good quality butter and pure vanilla extract are the heart of making pastry cream. Use high-quality 82% fat-content European butter and the best quality vanilla you can access.
- For the chocolate glaze, use good quality semi-sweet chocolate, e.g., Callebaut or Lindt.
- While heating the milk, water, butter, salt, and sugar mixture, ensure the sugar and salt fully dissolve. It is best to start with room-temperature butter so the mixture will melt together at the same time.
- Do not skip sifting flour, as you don't want to deal with flour lumps while making this recipe.
- Please note that you might need slightly more or less egg - and that is normal - depending on the flour you use and how much you dried the mixture while cooking it. Pay very close attention to consistency while mixing the egg and applying the V-shape test.
- There are two chilling times involved - one fridge resting before piping and one freezing before baking. Both of them are important to achieve neat, crack-free results.
- Use a closed star nozzle tip so your profiteroles will puff up neatly. Neither round nor open star nozzle tip will give you the desired results.
- I strongly advise using a digital oven thermometer to measure your exact oven temperature, as most home ovens are either over or under-heat.
- While baking, do not use the fan in your oven, it can encourage cracks on your profiteroles.
- Use a small/medium-sized saucepan with good heat distribution to avoid burning the milk when making pastry cream.
- Let the cream set in the fridge before using. It will further set as it cools into a silky, pipeable consistency.
- While glazing, you want to make sure that the ganache is at the right temperature. If it is too thick (cold), the glaze will set in a wrinkled way. If it is too thin (warm), the glaze will run to the side. Test and try with one profiterole and wait for the right temperature to glaze the rest.
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