Easy Cream Puff Dessert (2024)

If you are fan of cream puffs you are going to LOVE this Easy Cream Puff Dessert. It’s a seriously impressive but incredibly easy make-ahead dessert that is a great choice for any gathering.

Ahhh, cream puffs. They are hands down my favorite dessert.

My mom was a master at creating the most delectable cream puffs I’ve ever had in my life. I used to request them each year on my birthday and she always obliged. Such wonderful memories.

If, like me, you’re a cream puff nut, you’ve just got to try this recipe!

It really hits the nail on the head in the flavor department. But it’s also completely fuss-free to create and makes enough to serve a crowd.

If you’re looking for something simple but delicious to add to a party dessert menu, this is it, friends! I love 13- x 9-inch desserts for entertaining. They are easy to transport and you can slice and serve pieces of varying sizes depending on who, and how many, you are serving.

Ingredient Notes

• Cream puff pastry – The easy pastry recipe includes water, butter, all-purpose flour, and eggs.
• Custard filling – A rich but super easy custard made with instant boxed pudding mix, softened cream cheese, and a little milk.
• Topping – The whole delicious thing is topped of with whipped topping (I use Cool Whip) and a drizzle of store-bought chocolate syrup.

How to Make Cream Puff Pastry

Creating the cream puff pastry crust for this dessert is magical! The ingredients and method are the same you would use to create individual cream puffs but instead of dropping the pastry dough in small dollops on a baking sheet, it is pressed into the bottom a 13- x 9-inch pan.

As the crust bakes, it rises up the sides of the pan to create the perfect shell-like crust for the filling. This would be a very fun recipe to make with little ones. Watching the crust rise up the sides of the pan is almost like a science experiment.

Do not fear cream puff pastry! It is surprisingly easy to make. In fact, if you can boil water, you can make cream puff pastry. Seriously. Take a look at the recipe card at the end of this post for the details.

How to Make Easy Cream Puff Dessert

1. Once the crust is completely cool you’ll fill it with a creamy, custard-y filling that is whipped up in nothing flat. Layer whipped topping over the custard filling and pop it in the refrigerator to chill for a couple of hours.
2. Just before serving, drizzle it with a little chocolate syrup.

Valerie’s Tips and Variations

• Spray the backside of an offset spatula with nonstick cooking spray and use it to spread the sticky cream puff pastry dough into the pan.
• Be sure your cream cheese is softened before beginning so it will blend easily. It should sit out on your kitchen counter for 45 to 60 minutes.
• Make sure you pick up instant pudding and not the regular pudding mix that requires cooking on the stove. Instant pudding is clearly labeled as such.
• I love using Jell-O French Vanilla Instant Pudding for this recipe. It really nails that familiar cream puff custard flavor. If your store doesn’t carry the French Vanilla – just go with plain vanilla and add about ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for a similar effect.
• Not feeling vanilla? Get creative! Browse the instant pudding selection at your store and choose something that calls to you. Cheesecake, White Chocolate, and Coconut Cream would ALL be amazing in this.
• Look for the chocolate syrup in a plastic squeeze bottle to make it super easy to drizzle over the Cream Puff Dessert.
• I like this dessert best after it has chilled for 2 to 4 hours.

More Easy Dessert Recipes

• Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Dessert
• Fast and Easy Cherry Crisp
• One Bowl Chocolate Cake
• Next Best Thing to Robert Redford Dessert

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