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Japanese cream puff is a light, crispy pastry filled with delicious pastry cream filling. With its perfect blend of a crunchy shell and a rich, smooth center, it’s a must-try for dessert lovers everywhere.
Japanese Cream Puff Recipe
A Japanese cream puff is a beloved treat you’ll find in bakeries all across Japan. It’s the ultimate blend of sweet, airy, and custardy goodness, and it’s becoming popular in bakeries across Asia, with chains like Beard Papa’s making it even more well-known.
A good cream puff is always perfectly puffed on the outside but hollow on the inside, with a creamy, smooth and addictive filling called crème pâtissière (fancy name for pastry cream).
What really sets these cream puffs apart is how the textures and flavors work together—the crispy shell and rich, creamy filling make each bite absolutely enjoyable!
In this Japanese cream puff recipe, I’ll be teaching you how to make easy Japanese cream puffs and a delicious pastry cream filling, so you can enjoy this delightful treat at home!
For more Japanese-style baking and pastries, check out my recipes for Cotton Soft Milk Bun, Japanese Cheesecake, and Japanese Cheese Tarts.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients. You only need a few easy-to-find ingredients like butter, sugar, and flour, so anyone can make this Japanese cream puff without any fancy stuff.
- Delicious filling. The crème pâtissière filling is creamy and smooth, adding an extra layer of yumminess that makes every bite a treat.
- Quick cooking process. The steps are straightforward and don’t take much time, making it super easy to fit baking into a busy day. Plus, the dough comes together really quickly on the stovetop!
- Consistent results. You can expect perfect Japanese cream puffs every time, making this recipe great for beginners.
Japanese Cream Puff Ingredients
- Butter – helps make the cream puff tender and gives it that delicious buttery taste.
- Eggs – help the Japanese cream puffs rise and give them a light, airy texture that everyone loves.
- All-purpose flour – helps form the pastry shell, so you get that perfect puff every time.
- Milk – helps make the filling smooth and rich, which is what makes it so tasty.
- Egg yolks – used in the pastry cream, egg yolks add richness and help thicken the filling, giving the crème pâtissière its smooth texture and creamy flavor.
- Caster sugar – this fine sugar dissolves easily, making it perfect for sweetening both the dough and the pastry cream.
- Unsalted butter – added to the pastry cream to give it more richness and help create that smooth, glossy filling that pairs perfectly with the Japanese cream puff.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Japanese Cream Puff
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put butter, sugar, and water in a saucepan on low heat. Turn off the heat once the butter has melted.
Step 2: Add in the flour. Stir quickly until the dough is formed and does not stick to the saucepan. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes to dry up the water a little bit.
Step 3: Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool for about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time using an electronic mixer (low speed) or a hand mixer until the mixture is well combined and sticky.
Step 4: Scoop the dough into a piping bag. Squeeze and pipe the dough onto a greased baking sheet or silicone mat. Leave enough room in between each pastry. The dough should make 8 large puffs.
Step 5: Bake in a preheated oven at 392°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 374°F (190°C) for 10 minutes. Once the puffs turn golden brown, switch the temperature to 356°F (180°C) and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Step 6: Crème Pâtissière (Filling).
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a saucepan. Sift the all-purpose flour into the egg mixture, and mix well.
Step 7: Pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking consistently until well incorporated.
Step 8: Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it thickens and firm up. Remove the heat and whisk in butter.
Step 9: Transfer the creme to a bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use. Transfer the creme into a piping bag before assembling.
Step 10: To make the cream puffs, cut the puff half horizontally. Pipe the creme on the bottom part of the puff and cover it with the top part. Serve the cream puff with powdered sugar dusting on top.
Baking Tips For Home Bakers
- Let your eggs sit at room temperature before using them. This helps them mix in better and makes your cream puffs lighter.
- Make sure to let the dough cool a bit before adding the eggs. This prevents them from cooking and keeps the mixture nice and smooth.
- Try not to open the oven door while they’re baking, especially in the first 10-15 minutes, or your cream puffs might deflate.
- Let the Japanese cream puffs cool completely before filling them. This keeps them light and crispy instead of soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Japanese cream puffs are light and airy, with a hollow center packed with smooth pastry cream, while French cream puffs are crispy and filled with rich pastry cream or whipped cream. The flavors in Japanese cream puffs are usually milder, and they tend to have a simpler look compared to the fancier French ones.
If your cream puffs don’t puff up, it might be because the dough was undercooked or not enough steam was made. Just make sure to bake them at the right temperature and try not to open the oven door for the first 10-15 minutes!
Lumpy pastry cream can result from cooking the mixture too quickly or not whisking vigorously enough. To fix it, you can strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve to smooth it out.
Store leftover unfilled cream puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If filled, keep them in the fridge and enjoy within a day for the best texture.
Definitely! You can use the same pastry dough to make profiterole, or even savory dishes like cheese puffs (gougeres) by adding cheese to the dough.
This Japanese cream puff recipe has 602 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
If you are having an afternoon tea or coffee, you may pair them with the following treats:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Japanese Cream Puff
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (40g) butter
- 2 teaspoon (10g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (100ml) water
- 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- 2 small eggs
Crème Pâtissière (Filling) (Adapted from The Little Teochew)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup (60g) caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons (20g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200ml) milk
- 1 tablespoon (14g) butter, for additional shine and firmness
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put butter, sugar, and water in a saucepan on low heat. Turn off the heat once the butter has melted.
- Add in the flour. Stir quickly until the dough is formed and does not stick to the saucepan. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes to dry up the water a little bit.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool for about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time using an electronic mixer (low speed) or a hand mixer until the mixture is well combined and sticky.
- Scoop the dough into a piping bag. Squeeze and pipe the dough onto a greased baking sheet or silicone mat. Leave enough room in between each pastry. The dough should make 8 large puffs.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 392°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 374°F (190°C) for 10 minutes. Once the puffs turn golden brown, switch the temperature to 356°F (180°C) and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Crème Pâtissière (Filling)
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a saucepan. Sift the all-purpose flour into the egg mixture, and mix well.
- Pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking consistently until well incorporated.
- Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it thickens and firm up. Remove the heat and whisk in butter.
- Transfer the creme to a bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use. Transfer the creme into a piping bag before assembling.
- To make the cream puffs, cut the puff half horizontally. Pipe the creme on the bottom part of the puff and cover it with the top part. Serve the cream puff with powdered sugar dusting on top.
Notes
- Let your eggs sit at room temperature before using them. This helps them mix in better and makes your cream puffs lighter.
- Make sure to let the dough cool a bit before adding the eggs. This prevents them from cooking and keeps the mixture nice and smooth.
- Try not to open the oven door while they’re baking, especially in the first 10-15 minutes, or your cream puffs might deflate.
- Let the Japanese cream puffs cool completely before filling them. This keeps them light and crispy instead of soggy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What is 1 stick of butter
Hello. One stick of butter is a US measurement. It is equivalent to 113 gm.
if i use cake flour should i add baking powder or baking soda ?
Please don’t change any ingredients. If you do, I can’t guarantee the results.
Hi Bee! Thank you so much for the recipe. Tastes so good! My gal loves it ❤️
Awesome thanks for trying!
Cream puffs have always been my weakness and favorite! My whole family loves these!
Hi, may I know what kind of milk?
If I don’t want to use milk, what can I use?
Thank you
You can use water, soy milk. Any kind of milk is fine, I used full milk.
Thank you very much. I am going to try to do it soon.
Wonderful recipe! Very light and delicious. A tip, though, for this and all cream puff recipes.
tnx rasamalaysia for CREAM PUFFS