Welcome to the ultimate recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Puffs! If you’ve been searching for a dessert that perfectly balances light, airy pastry with rich, creamy filling and a decadent chocolate topping, you’ve found it. This show-stopping treat looks impressive but is surprisingly straightforward to make right in your own kitchen. We’re breaking down every step to ensure your cream puffs come out perfectly golden, puffed, and ready to be filled with luscious peanut butter cream.
Whether you’re making them for a special occasion or just to satisfy a craving, these Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Puffs are guaranteed to be a hit. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this unforgettable dessert.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Recipe
There are so many reasons to adore these cream puffs. The choux pastry is light and crisp, creating the perfect shell for the velvety smooth peanut butter filling. The rich chocolate glaze on top adds a final layer of indulgence that brings it all together. It’s a classic dessert with a modern, irresistible twist that peanut butter and chocolate lovers will dream about.
- Perfect Texture Combination: The crisp pastry, creamy filling, and smooth glaze create a delightful sensory experience.
- Impressive for Guests: They look like they came straight from a French patisserie, making them perfect for parties and holidays.
- Surprisingly Simple: Don’t let the fancy name intimidate you! Our step-by-step guide makes the process easy to follow, even for beginners.
The Three Key Components
Mastering these Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Puffs is all about understanding the three core elements. Each part is simple on its own, and when combined, they create something truly magical.
The Perfect Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux)
Choux pastry is a light, delicate dough that puffs up in the oven to create a hollow center, perfect for filling. The magic is in the method: cooking the flour and butter with water before adding the eggs. This process creates a unique structure that traps steam, forcing the pastry to expand and become airy. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it sounds!
The Creamy Peanut Butter Filling
This isn’t just any filling. We’re whipping heavy cream, powdered sugar, and creamy peanut butter into a stable, luscious cream. It’s light yet packed with peanut butter flavor, providing the perfect counterpoint to the crisp choux shell. For a similar flavor profile in a simpler form, you might also enjoy these no-bake peanut butter cookies.
The Rich Chocolate Glaze
The finishing touch is a simple yet elegant chocolate glaze. Made from semi-sweet chocolate and a touch of butter, it provides a rich, glossy coating that hardens slightly. This chocolatey layer perfectly complements the peanut butter filling, reminiscent of classic chocolate peanut clusters.
Essential Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses simple pantry staples to create an extraordinary dessert. Here’s what you’ll need to gather:
For the Choux Pastry:
- Water
- Unsalted Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Large Eggs
For the Peanut Butter Cream Filling:
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Unsalted Butter
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Puffs Step-by-Step
Follow these instructions carefully, and you’ll have perfect Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Puffs in no time. We’ll walk through making the pastry, preparing the filling, and bringing it all together.
Step 1: Create the Choux Pastry
- Prep Your Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Boil the Base: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the Flour: Remove the pan from the heat and add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a thick dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan. This should take about 30-60 seconds.
- Cool the Dough: Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed for 2-3 minutes to cool it down slightly.
- Incorporate the Eggs: With the mixer still on low, add the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. The final dough should be smooth, thick, and glossy.
- Pipe and Bake: Transfer the choux dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 1.5-inch mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Use a wet fingertip to smooth down any peaks. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Do not open the oven door for the first 20 minutes!
- Cool Completely: Once baked, turn off the oven. Pierce a small hole in the side of each puff to allow steam to escape, and let them cool completely on a wire rack. This helps prevent them from becoming soggy.
Step 2: Whip Up the Peanut Butter Cream Filling
- Beat the Cream: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- Add Peanut Butter: Gently fold in the creamy peanut butter until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined. Be careful not to overmix and deflate the cream.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate the filling until you are ready to assemble the cream puffs.
Step 3: Assemble and Glaze Your Cream Puffs
- Fill the Puffs: Once the choux puffs are completely cool, transfer the peanut butter cream to a piping bag. Insert the tip into the small hole you made earlier (or create a small opening in the bottom) and pipe the filling into each puff until it feels full.
- Make the Glaze: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Dip and Set: Dip the top of each filled cream puff into the melted chocolate glaze. Place them back on the wire rack and allow the glaze to set for about 15-20 minutes before serving. For another easy truffle-like dessert, check out these Oreo truffles.
Pro Tips for Perfect Cream Puffs Every Time
Making choux pastry can be tricky, but these tips will help you succeed.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Packing the flour can make your dough too dense.
- Don’t Open the Oven! Opening the oven door prematurely can cause your cream puffs to collapse. Wait at least 20 minutes before checking on them.
- Cool the Dough: Ensure the dough has cooled slightly before adding the eggs. If it’s too hot, it will cook the eggs.
- Vent the Shells: Piercing the shells after baking is a crucial step. It releases trapped steam and helps the interior dry out, keeping them crisp.
Storage Instructions
Cream puffs are best enjoyed the day they are made. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Note that the pastry will soften over time. You can also prepare the components in advance! The unfilled pastry shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month. The filling can be made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can bake the choux pastry shells up to 2 days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also make the filling a day ahead. For best results, fill and glaze the cream puffs right before serving to keep the shells crisp.
Store any leftover filled and glazed cream puffs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The pastry will soften slightly as it absorbs moisture from the filling, but they will still be delicious.
For the best results, use a processed, creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butters tend to separate and can make the filling oily or grainy.
Cream puffs usually collapse for two reasons: they were underbaked, or the oven door was opened too early. The initial high heat creates steam to puff them up, and the remaining time dries out the structure. Also, be sure to pierce them after baking to let steam escape.
More Decadent Dessert Recipes
If you loved these Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Puffs, you’re sure to enjoy some of our other rich and chocolatey creations. For a truly decadent experience, try this hot chocolate fudge recipe. It’s a simple yet impressive treat that’s perfect for any occasion.
Enjoy Your Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Puffs!
There’s nothing more satisfying than biting into a perfect, homemade cream puff. We hope you love this recipe as much as we do. It’s a fantastic project for a weekend afternoon and a dessert that is sure to wow anyone who tries it. If you make this recipe, we’d love to see it! Share your creations and tag us on Pinterest!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Puffs Recipe
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Puffs: The Ultimate Treat
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 30-60 seconds).
- Transfer the dough to a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment. Beat on low for 2-3 minutes to cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy.
- Transfer dough to a piping bag with a large round tip. Pipe 1.5-inch mounds onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven for the first 20 minutes.
- Turn off the oven. Pierce the side of each puff to let steam escape. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a large bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold in the creamy peanut butter until just combined. Do not overmix. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Transfer the peanut butter filling to a piping bag. Insert the tip into the cooled choux puffs and fill generously.
- Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Dip the top of each filled cream puff into the chocolate glaze. Place on a wire rack to let the glaze set, about 15-20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Tip 2: Ensure the choux pastry shells are completely cool before filling them to prevent the cream from melting.
Tip 3: Use a standard creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy for the best filling texture; natural peanut butters can separate.
