Easy Gluten-Free Cream Puffs
This is the dessert of my dreams, featuring a classic cream puff shell (which you can’t tell is gluten-free, although you can use regular all-purpose flour if you can eat gluten) with a silky almond pudding filling (or scoops of vanilla ice cream), and a silky chocolate ganache topping. The pâte à choux dough is far easier to make than you might think and can also be used for eclairs and cheesy gougères. The baked shells freeze beautifully, making this an excellent dessert for entertaining. If you’re going with the pudding filling, you’ll need to make this pudding recipe, adding ¼ teaspoon of almond extract in addition to the vanilla (the pudding needs to chill for at least 2 hours, but you can make it while the puffs bake or a few days ahead).
Servings: 24 puffs
Ingredients
Pâte à Choux Dough (Puffs)
- 1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup)
- 1 cup water
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (148g) gluten-free flour, preferably Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure (or you can use regular all-purpose flour)
- 4 large eggs
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream (plus more as needed)
- Pinch salt
Filling
- Homemade pudding (add ¼ teaspoon almond extract) or vanilla ice cream
Instructions
Make the pâte à choux dough
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the lower third and a rack in the upper third. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the butter, water and salt in a medium saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. As soon as the water reaches a full boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the flour. Stir vigorously to combine with a rubber spatula (work quickly to prevent lumps). Keep stirring until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a rough ball (it should look thick and shiny). Let the dough cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Using electric hand beaters, beat one egg into the dough. Once it’s fully combined, add the next egg and beat until fully combined. Continue in this way until all of the eggs have been incorporated (the dough will come together, then separate, then come together again). Once the dough forms a thick ball, use a rubber spatula to scrape the corners, stirring well (be bold here, as you want a smooth-ish mound of dough).
- Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop (or you can dollop the dough using two spoons or pipe it with a piping bag), scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a 2-inch space between each. Using a wet finger, nudge the puffs into a round-ish mound and smooth out the tops.
Bake
- Bake the shells on the prepared racks for 20 minutes. Rotate the pans and switch their positions. Continue baking until golden brown and firm on the outside, about 10-15 minutes longer (it’s best to cook them on the longer side as this will ensure they’re crisp—they should be evenly browned). When the shells come out of the oven, immediately use a skewer or chopstick to poke a hole in the bottom of each (this will allow the steam to escape, preventing the puffs from getting soggy). Transfer the puffs to a rack and let them cool completely. Do Ahead: Once fully cooled, the shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or frozen for 1 month.
Make the chocolate ganache
- Place the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl with a pinch of salt. Microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring between each, until silky smooth (alternatively, place the chocolate and cream in a double boiler and cook on the stovetop until melted). If you’re going to be drizzling the chocolate sauce over the puffs (as opposed to dipping them—see below), feel free to add another small splash of cream to make a thinner sauce. Do Ahead: The chocolate ganache can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Reheat it in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth.
Assemble and serve
- For cream puffs, whisk the chilled pudding until smooth. Cut off the tops of the puffs and use a small spoon to dollop the pudding into the cups (or you can pipe the pudding directly into the puffs using a piping bag with a metal tip). You can either dip the top of the puffs into the ganache, or you can drizzle the assembled puffs with the ganache.
- For profiteroles, cut off the tops of the puffs and fill the cups with a small scoop of ice cream. Pop the tops back on and drizzle with the chocolate ganache.
- Do Ahead: The puff shells can stored at room temperature for 1 day or can be frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost them at room temperature. You can make the pudding up to 3 days before, if using. If you piped the pudding into the puffs you can refrigerate them for up to 6 hours before serving.
Notes
- I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour, which I recommend (along with King Arthur Measure for Measure). You can also use regular all-purpose flour.
- The same pâte à choux dough can be used to make eclairs or savory cheese puffs (gougeres).
- A 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop makes it easy to scoop the dough. However, you can also use two spoons (or a piping bag).
- You can make the homemade pudding a day or two ahead, which streamlines the recipe. You can either cut off the top of the puffs and spoon the pudding into the center, or you can use a piping bag with a metal tip to pipe the pudding into the puff.
- The unfilled puffs freeze beautifully. Defrost them at room temperature then fill to your heart’s content. Profiteroles on a Tuesday? Why not!!
- For another perfectly imperfect dessert, try these gluten-free Blueberry Hand Pies.
Loved this recipe? Check out @nickisizemore for more!