Sourdough Cream Puffs (Sourdough Pâte à Choux)

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Cream puffs can feel intimidating, but I’m about to show you just how easy they can be. Light, tender, and perfectly hollow, these Sourdough Cream Puffs (Sourdough Pâte à Choux) are a simple way to turn sourdough starter into something that feels straight from a French bakery. They bake up with that classic airy shell and a crisp exterior that makes them perfect for filling, and this version is simple and approachable to make at home.

What is traditional Pâte à Choux?

Traditional pâte à choux is a French pastry dessert that forms the foundation for cream puffs, eclairs, profiteroles, and the like.

It’s made by cooking water and milk with butter, flour, and salt to create a thick paste. Then, the eggs are beaten to form a glossy, pipeable dough.

The magic of pâte à choux lies in it’s baking: It doesn’t use leaveners like yeast or baking powder.

Instead, the high water content in the dough creates steam causing the pâte à choux to puff up and form hollow centers perfect to pipe with your favorite fillings.

Why Use Sourdough Starter in Pâte à Choux?

Sourdough starter (or thick discard) works seamlessly in pâte à choux because it contains both flour and water, allowing us to replace the flour in the dough and some of the hydration with starter.

This gives us a 100% fermented sourdough pastry! As the starter cooks in the base, it thickens and creates a traditional choux base with a smooth, pipeable texture.

The added benefit is the fermentation itself; helping break down the flour for easier digestion and the starter adds a lovely depth of flavor you won’t get in the traditional version.

Tools You’ll Need:

1. Medium saucepan or pot- for cooking the pâte à choux.
2. Whisk- for stirring the pâte à choux.
3. Stiff Spatula- for making sure the choux doesn’t burn while cooking it.
4. Stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer– for incorporating eggs into pâte à choux. You can do this by hand but it can take a while. You’ll also use a hand mixer or stand mixer for the whipped cream filling.
5. Large mixing bowls- for mixing the pâte à choux and whipped cream.
6. Piping bags- to pipe the pastry and the whipped cream. You can also use a ziplock but the puffs may not turn out as uniform. These pastry bags are large and perfect for piping pastry and cream.
7. Piping tips (optional)– for piping and filling the puffs. I used a Wilton 1A tip to pipe the body of the cream puffs, and a Ateco # 867 tip for the whipped cream. These tips are optional, you can just use a ziplock and snip off the tip but the results may not be as uniform and consistent.
8. Baking sheets- to bake the cream puffs.
9. Parchment paper- to make sure the cream puffs don’t stick to the baking sheet. You can also use a silicone mats.
10. Pastry brush- for the egg wash; you can also use a folded paper towel.
11. Toothpick or skewer- for venting puffs to dry them out.
12. Small sieve (optional)- for dusting the tops of the puffs with powdered sugar. This tiny hand held sieve is my favorite for jobs like this!

Gather your Ingredients:

1. Unsalted Butter– Adds flavor and richness to the choux pastry.
2. Water– Creates a lighter texture so the pastry isn’t weighed down by too much fat.
3. Milk– Adds richness to the pastry and ensures the perfect puff texture.
4. Sourdough Starter (100% hydration)– Adds structure to the pastry and enhances the dough’s elasticity without gumminess. You can use starter at peak or slightly past, but I find a thicker more recently fed starter to have the best result and consistency.
5. Salt- balances out the flavors of the pastry.
6. Sugar- To lightly sweeten the choux and to encourage browning to the exterior.
7. Vanilla Extract or Paste- Gives cozy sweetness to the pastry and the whipped cream.
8. Eggs- Essential for building steam and creating hollow puffs; they give structure and shine to the exterior.
9. Heavy Cream– Creates a rich whipped cream to fill the puffs.
10. Cornstarch (optional)- this helps thicken the whipped cream so it’s more stable for piping but it’s entirely optional.
11. Powdered Sugar- to sweeten the whipped cream and dust on top of the cream puffs.

Now let’s make cream puffs!

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Choux Pastry

Preheat the oven to 400°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside for later.

In a medium saucepan or pot, add the cold cubed butter, water, milk, salt, sugar, and vanilla. Heat over low heat until the butter melts and mixture simmers. Be careful not to boil at this stage, or your mixture may curdle.

Next, you’ll add the starter. You’ll want to add this all at once! Stir the starter into the mixture vigorously WITH A WHISK to combine everything over medium/low heat for 1-2 minutes.

Switch to using a spatula to mix the pastry once it starts to thicken to avoid the pastry burning in the corners. A film should start to form on the bottom of the pan and the dough should start to ball together. Your consistency should look like mashed potatoes.

Remove the mixture from the heat immediately once it’s the correct consistency and transfer to a mixing bowl and allow it to cool 7-10 minutes before adding the eggs. It’s important not to add the eggs when the paste is too hot or the eggs will curdle.

Step 2: Add Eggs to the Pastry

While the paste is cooling, beat your eggs in a bowl lightly and set aside. Please note carefully how to add the eggs as you WILL NOT be adding all of the eggs you will be adding egg until the choux reaches the right texture and any left over egg will be used to brush on top of the pastries.

When the dough has cooled down, add about 1/4 of the beaten eggs (this is best to measure in grams for consistency I add 50g at a time) into the dough and beat into the dough with stand mixer or hand beaters. It’s important to add the eggs gradually to avoid adding too much egg.

Continue adding eggs into the dough and beating around 30 seconds to a minute with each addition. I like to stick with adding 1/4 of the eggs (or 50g) at a time. You will use more or less egg depending on how much your dough has been dried out during the cooking phase.

Your dough has enough egg added when:

• It’s glossy and smooth

• Forms a thick ribbon or “V” shape when dropped from a spoon

You will not need every drop of egg, so go slow and pay attention to the above cues.

If you’ve added too much egg your dough will run off the spoon, if you’ve added too little egg your dough will be stiff and won’t form a “V”. I aim for exactly 175g of egg added to the choux, this is my sweet spot for the perfect texture (this leaves about 1/4 cup of egg left over).

Step 3: Pipe the Cream Puffs

Transfer your dough to a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1A tip, or a Ziplock that you will snip about 1/4 inch of the end off of.

Mist the parchment paper or the silicone mat that the cream puffs will be piped on, this added moisture will be absorbed by the pastry and help create a more airy puff. You can also lightly brush the parchment or mat with a wet paper towel if you don’t have a spray bottle.

Using your pastry bag with the choux, pipe round mounds of the choux about 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch tall. I like to space these out a few inches in 3 rows of 4 to each pan. I usually end up with 18-20 puffs.

Using a wet fingertip, lightly smooth any peaks that are sticking up on the puffs for a more uniform appearance.

Add 2 teaspoons of water to your remaining egg from your dough, and whisk together. Brush gently over the tops of your puffs with a pastry brush for a more golden finish.

Step 4: Bake Your Puffs

Make sure your oven has been preheated and at 400°F (190°C) for a few minutes to ensure the oven is really hot.

Transfer the cream puffs to the hot oven, and bake at 400°F (190°C) for 20 minutes. The biggest part of successfully baking pâte à choux is DON’T OPEN THE OVEN.

After you’ve baked the puffs at a higher heat for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F (163°C) and bake another 18-20 minutes until deep golden brown. Once again, as tempting as it may be if you open the oven the puffs run the risk of falling. Don’t make my mistakes!

Once puffs are done baking, poke a small hole using a toothpick or skewer in each puff immediately after baking on each side.

Return the puffs to the turned off oven (don’t forget to turn the oven off!), and crack the door allowing them to rest for 10 more minutes to dry them out even more.

Remove from the oven after the drying period and allow the puffs to cool completely. Make sure they’ve completely cooled prior to filling them!

Step 5: Prepare the Whipped Cream Filling

Before making your whipped cream, pop the beaters in the freezer to make sure they’re really cold for a minute.

In a mixing bowl add the cream, powdered sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Beat the cream on medium until the mixture begins to thicken, then increase the speed to high and whip the cream until it’s formed stiff peaks when you are mixing it.

Transfer the whipped cream filling to a piping bag fitted with a Ateco # 867 tip (or a Ziplcock with 1/4 inch of the end snipped off).

Step 6: Assemble the Cream Puffs

Once the puffs are completely dried, cut them in half using a serrated knife. Pipe the whipped cream filling in swirls on the bottom half of the puffs.

After filling the centers, place the tops on the cream puffs. Dust the tops with powdered sugar using a small sieve.

Another delicious alternative to whipped cream to use as a filling in your puffs is my Pastry Cream Recipe (Crème Pâtissière), which is smooth, rich, and delicious in these puffs.

Enjoy your fresh Sourdough Cream Puffs!

Yields 16 cream puffs

How to Store:

Baked Shells (unfilled): After the puffs have been baked (if they haven’t been filled), you can store them unfilled in an airtight container in the freezer. Remove when ready to fill and proceed with the filling directions listed above.

Filled Puffs: Puffs are best enjoyed right after being filled, but you can store them in an airtight container and refrigerate them up to 1 day. Be aware the whipped cream can start to soften during this time.

Whipped Cream: The whipped cream can be made up to a day in advance and stored in an airtight container before using in the refrigerator. Remove and whip again for 30 seconds to a minute to refresh and pipe into your puffs.

FAQ’s:

If you enjoyed this recipe, drop a comment and star review and don’t forget to try more of my sourdough pastry recipes!

Sourdough Pastry Recipes:

• Jumbo Sourdough Strawberry Rolls
• Sourdough Boston Cream Donuts
• Sourdough Cookie Butter Donuts