Cream puffs in the air fryer with vanilla cream and jam are a classic dessert that many people know and love. But with new technology like air fryers, new possibilities have emerged for preparing these treats. In this recipe we’ll explore why and how you can make cream puffs in an air fryer, which is not only an innovative approach but can also add a new dimension to how these traditional choux pastry desserts — cream puffs and French éclairs — can be enjoyed.
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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why make cream puffs in the air fryer?
Using an air fryer to make cream puffs has several advantages. First of all, cooking in an air fryer requires significantly less fat than traditional cooking methods. This results in lighter and healthier desserts without compromising on flavour. In addition, the air fryer is incredibly efficient and can reduce the cooking time considerably, making it an ideal method for the busy dessert lover.
What kind of cake are cream puffs?
Cream puffs are a type of French choux pastry that puffs up during baking and creates a light and airy texture. Once baked, they have a crisp outer shell with a hollow inside, which makes them perfect for filling with different kinds of cream or jam. The choux pastry used for cream puffs is also the basis for other well-known desserts such as éclairs and profiteroles.
I recommend this lovely coffee for our airy cream puffs
Cream puffs with vanilla cream and jam call for a cup of coffee with a round, soft character – not too strong, so it doesn’t overpower the delicate vanilla flavour. I prefer a medium-roast Arabica, which adds a light sweetness and nutty notes that complement the creamy filling and the sweet jam in the best way. I can warmly recommend Freehand Dolce Coffee Beans – 1 kg. – it’s exactly the kind of balanced, silky-smooth coffee that lifts a classic dessert and makes the afternoon complete.
Who invented cream puffs and where do they come from?
Choux pastry was developed in France around the beginning of the 16th century. It was a chef named Panterelli who invented the dough while working for Catherine de Medici. The dough was further developed over the years and got its current name and form in the 18th century. Originally, éclairs and cream puffs were variations of the basic concept of choux pastry, each adapted to different fillings and forms of presentation.
Preparation techniques for choux pastry and the vanilla cream so they get the perfect consistency
To achieve the perfect consistency and result with choux pastry in an air fryer, it’s essential to let the dough rest before baking. This gives the liquid time to absorb into the flour, which helps create a more even texture. In addition, a uniform size of your cream puffs is necessary to ensure that they all bake evenly.
When it comes to the vanilla cream, the key to perfect consistency is to whisk the egg yolks well with the sugar until they become pale and fluffy. This introduces air into the mixture, which helps the cream become light and fluffy. Heating the milk slowly is also critical to prevent the eggs from coagulating.
Get the perfect texture in your cream puffs
Add the eggs one at a time to the dough. Once you’ve added an egg, whisk thoroughly until the dough becomes smooth and glossy before adding the next one. This ensures that the dough gets the optimal consistency to puff up beautifully during baking. If the dough feels too stiff after the first eggs, you can add a little egg at a time until you reach the right consistency. This technique helps create light and airy cream puffs with the perfect hollow inside, ready for delicious fillings.
To prevent your cream puffs from sticking to each other or to the air fryer basket, you can spray a little oil on the baking paper before baking. This little trick helps ensure that the baked cream puffs can easily be lifted off the baking paper and keep their beautiful shape and crisp surface.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
What flavour variations of filling and toppings can you make for the cake?
- Chocolate cream with raspberry topping: Replace the vanilla cream with a rich chocolate cream and top with fresh raspberries for a fruity contrast.
- Lemon cream with meringue topping: Use lemon cream as the filling and top with a lightly torched meringue for a sweet and tangy combination reminiscent of a delicious lemon meringue pie.
- Caramel and nut cream: Add a salted caramel cream and sprinkle chopped, roasted nuts over the top for a dessert with bite and texture.
- Coffee cream with chocolate pieces: Use a coffee cream to fill the cream puffs and sprinkle with finely chopped chocolate pieces for a mocha-inspired variant.
Conclusion on cream puffs in the air fryer
By using an air fryer to make cream puffs (choux pastry), you open up a world of possibilities where you can experiment with flavour and presentation without the heavy feeling of oil that traditional deep-frying can give. With the right technique and some creative flavour combinations, cream puffs made in the air fryer can become a new favourite in any home.
Recipe
Cream Puffs in the Air Fryer with Vanilla Cream and Jam
Cooking Guide
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Step 1:
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Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
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Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Piping bag with star tip
- 1 To skåle
- 1 Whisk or electric mixer
- 1 Saucepan
Shopping list
Ingredients
Cream Puffs:
- 1 dl water
- 50 g butter
- 60 g wheat flour
- 2 pcs eggs
Vanilla Cream:
- 250 ml milk
- 1 pcs vanilla pod
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 pcs egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cornflour
Topping:
- 1 jar strawberry jam
How to make it
Cream Puffs:
- Bring 1 dl water and 50 g butter to the boil in a saucepan. Add 60 g wheat flour and stir quickly until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Let the dough cool slightly, then add 2 pcs eggs one at a time, whisking well after each egg.
- Fill the dough into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe small mounds of dough into the air fryer basket (lined with baking paper).
- Air fry at 200°C for approx. 20 minutes or until golden.Start the online kitchen timer here
Vanilla Cream:
- Split 1 pcs vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Heat 250 ml milk, the vanilla seeds and the pod to just below boiling point.
- Whisk 2 pcs egg yolks (pasteurised) and 3 tbsp sugar together, then add 1 tbsp cornflour.
- Pour the warm milk over the egg mixture while whisking. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat while stirring until the cream thickens.
- Remove the vanilla pod and let the cream cool.
Assembly:
- Cut a small hole in the bottom of each cream puff and fill them with vanilla cream using a piping bag.
- Top each cream puff with a teaspoon of 1 jar strawberry jam.
Our notes for the recipe
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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