Cream puffs are made with a unique egg-based dough that when baked, creates cloud-like pastry puffs that are light and airy with hollow centers. Typically, they are split and filled with sweetened whipped cream, custard or ice cream. They look fancy but are actually very easy to make! Our mini churro version is from our Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook. We’ve leveled up traditional cream puffs by giving them a mini size that enrobes with a decadent cinnamon sugar topping and a sweet-salty caramel whipped cream filling. Everyone will want to pop them in their mouths, for an explosion of flavor and textures that’s a treat to eat.
Pull out this recipe when you want to impress without a lot of work, whether as the perfect ending to a holiday meal or any time you’re serving family or friends. Take the pressure off last-minute preparations by using our make-ahead directions below. No one needs to know just how easy they are to make!
Mini Churro-Salted Caramel Cream Puffs
- Prep Time 45 min
- Total 1 hr 45 min
- Servings 28
- Ingredients 13
Ingredients
Cream Puffs
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour
- 4 eggs
Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons caramel topping
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
Icing
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
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Step1Heat oven to 400°F. In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup butter and the water over high heat, stirring occasionally, until boiling rapidly. Stir in flour; reduce heat to low. With wooden spoon, beat vigorously about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat.
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Step2Add eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously after each addition until mixture is smooth and glossy. Onto ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by 28 level tablespoonfuls about 3 inches apart.
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Step3Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until puffed and golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; prick side of each puff with tip of sharp knife to release steam. Cool away from drafts 30 minutes.
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Step4Line work surface with cooking parchment paper. In small bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. Roll cream puffs, one at a time, in melted butter; shake off excess. Roll in cinnamon-sugar. Place on paper. Using serrated knife, cut off top third of each puff; reserve tops.
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Step5In medium bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and caramel topping; beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in salt.
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Step6Spoon or pipe about 1 tablespoon filling into each cream puff. Cover with reserved tops.
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Step7In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and oil uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over cream puffs.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 Cream Puff
- Calories
- 120
- Calories from Fat
- 80
- Total Fat
- 8g
- 13%
- Saturated Fat
- 5g
- 25%
- Trans Fat
- 0g
- Cholesterol
- 50mg
- 16%
- Sodium
- 75mg
- 3%
- Potassium
- 35mg
- 1%
- Total Carbohydrate
- 9g
- 3%
- Dietary Fiber
- 0g
- 0%
- Sugars
- 5g
- Protein
- 1g
% Daily Value*:
- Vitamin A
- 6%
- 6%
- Vitamin C
- 0%
- 0%
- Calcium
- 0%
- 0%
- Iron
- 2%
- 2%
