Description
These lemon cream puffs feature crisp, airy choux pastry shells filled with a tangy, silky lemon cream—perfect for spring parties, brunches, or any occasion that calls for an elegant, crowd-pleasing dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar (optional)
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice (about 2–3 lemons)
- Zest from 2 lemons
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream, cold
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
- Add flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides (about 2-3 minutes).
- Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, until dough is thick and pipeable.
- Scoop dough into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 12 equal mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Smooth tops with a wet finger.
- Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding.
- Immediately poke a small hole in each puff to release steam and transfer to a cooling rack.
- For the lemon curd: In a heatproof bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and eggs. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly until thickened (8-10 minutes).
- Remove from heat and whisk in softened butter until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- In a cold mixing bowl, beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in cooled lemon curd gently until smooth and fluffy.
- Slice each puff in half horizontally. Pipe or spoon lemon cream filling into the bottom half, then cap with the top.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend. Dairy-free options include plant-based butter and coconut cream. Bake shells ahead and fill just before serving for best texture. Freeze unfilled shells for up to 1 month. Add vanilla bean paste or berries for variations.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream puff
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 90
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 16
- Protein: 3
Keywords: lemon cream puffs, choux pastry, spring dessert, party dessert, lemon curd, cream puff recipe, French pastry, brunch sweets