Choux Pastry

This choux pastry recipe is perfect for beginner bakers and seasoned pros alike. 

What Is Choux Pastry?

Choux pastry (or pâte à choux) is a French pastry dough that is made without leavening agents. Instead, it relies on a high moisture content to create steam and puff the pastry during baking. The delicate dough is associated with cream puffs, eclairs, beignets, and so many more decadent desserts. 

Choux Pastry Ingredients

You’ll need just six simple ingredients to make this traditional choux pastry recipe: 

• Water: The liquid in this choux pastry recipe is plain water. 
• Butter: The fat is butter, which ensures a rich pastry.
• Sugar: A bit of sugar sweetens things up, but it’s not always necessary. 
• Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. 
• Flour: All-purpose flour creates structure in the choux pastry dough. 
• Eggs: Eggs bind the dough together. Plus, they add richness and moisture. 

How to Make Choux Pastry

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade choux pastry: 

1. Boil the water, butter, and sugar (if using). 
2. Quickly stir in the flour until the mixture forms a ball. 
3. Let cool, then beat in the eggs. 

Test Kitchen Tips

This recipe was developed in our test kitchen. Check out some tips and tricks from culinary experts that might make the cooking process easier: 

• If desired, after step 3, transfer mixture to a bowl and beat in eggs using an electric mixer.
• “[Beating in the eggs] can be done with a mixer, but this makes such a small amount, I generally find it easier to do by hand, then have to bother with cleaning the mixer,” says recipe developer Juli Hale. 

How to Use Choux Pastry

Ready to put your homemade choux pastry to good use? Try one of these sweet ideas straight from our test kitchen: 

How to Make Cream Puffs With Choux Pastry 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
3. Pipe or drop 2-inch mounds of choux pastry onto a prepared baking sheet. 
4. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn off the oven. 
5. Let the cream puffs stand in the oven 5 minutes more. 
6. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. 
7. Fill with desired filling.

How to Make Eclairs With Choux Pastry

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
3. Pipe choux pastry in five logs on a prepared baking sheet. 
4. Bake for 20 minutes. 
5. Turn off the oven, then let them stand in the oven for 5 more minutes. 
6. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. 
7. Fill with desired filling.

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams