I am not much of a sweet tooth person, but there are few sweet treats to which I will never say No and one of those is Cream Puffs. After some serious thought and hours of internet browsing, I decided to take an attempt and bake it at home.
I was surprised and smiling from cheek to cheek as I saw those cream puffs rising tall. Kept my fingers crossed and hoped that it doesn’t fall flat after a while. It didn’t and they were still standing firm when I took them out of the oven. I kept staring impatiently for them to cool down and after a while, I held one in my hand.. they were perfect (at least in my world).
After the puffs came out the way I wanted, I had to look for some filling to use and what better than mascarpone with strawberries, right? 
Cream Puffs filled with Mascarpone and Strawberry
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9 puffs 1x
Description
Buttery light cream puffs filled with rich mascarpone cheese and fresh strawberries, creating a delightful and irresistible treat.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 g) mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a deep pan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add 6 tbsp of unsalted butter. Stir until the butter is completely melted.
- Add 1 1/2 tsp of sugar and a pinch of salt to the mixture, stirring continuously.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 cup of all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then, add 3 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe small mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each mound.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown and crisp. Do not open the oven door during baking.
- Remove from the oven and let the puffs cool completely on a wire rack.
- For the filling, whip 1/2 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup of mascarpone cheese with 1 cup of powdered sugar until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
- Slice the cooled puffs in half and fill each with a generous spoonful of the mascarpone mixture. Add sliced strawberries on top of the filling and replace the top of the puff.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Ensure the dough is smooth and glossy before piping.
- Avoid opening the oven door during baking to prevent the puffs from collapsing.
- These puffs are best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for a day.
- You can substitute mascarpone with cream cheese for a tangier filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 puff
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 17
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 80
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why must I not open the oven door while the puffs are baking?
The notes explicitly warn against opening the oven door during the 20–25 minutes of baking at 425°F (220°C). Choux pastry puffs up because of steam trapped inside — a sudden drop in oven temperature from opening the door can deflate them before the structure sets.
How should I make the dough smooth and glossy before piping?
After the dough ball forms and you take the pan off heat, let it cool for 5 minutes, then add the 3 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The notes stress ensuring the dough is smooth and glossy before transferring it to the piping bag — under-beaten dough produces flat, dense puffs.
Can I substitute the mascarpone in the filling?
Yes — the notes suggest substituting cream cheese for the 1 cup of mascarpone for a tangier filling. The rest of the filling (½ cup heavy cream and 1 cup powdered sugar) stays the same.
This I must try. Thank you for the recipe.
they truly look beautiful!