Triple Chocolate Cream Puffs Recipe

There are some desserts that, delicious as they may be, are more casual, everyday treats, like the humble chocolate chip cookie or a classic fudge brownie. Then there are those desserts that immediately seem better-suited for fancier occasions, with sophisticated appearances and flavor profiles that are nothing short of bakery-worthy — and we'd definitely argue that these triple chocolate cream puffs, brought to us by recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse, fall into that latter category. Between their bold, layered chocolate flavor and adorable bite-sized nature, these lovely little treats almost look too good to eat (but something tells us your guests won't have any problem eating them anyway).

Although cream puffs can come in all sorts of sweet or savory flavors, Rosenhouse triples down on the chocolate approach for optimal decadence, incorporating chocolate into all three components of the puffs: the choux pastry, the cream filling, and the ganache. The result, as you might imagine, is one that is just about guaranteed to impress party guests and chocolate lovers alike. "These cream puffs are the ultimate party flex — while they're simple to prepare with some key tips, they're incredibly impressive, perfectly bite-sized, and totally indulgent," Rosenhouse says. And, while these cream puffs may be a little more involved than your average dessert, they really aren't all too complicated to make, so long as you take your time and follow the steps carefully. 

For this recipe, you'll need ingredients for the three components of the puffs: the pâte à choux (the pastries themselves), the cream filling, and the ganache. For the pastry dough, you'll need unsalted butter, granulated sugar, kosher salt, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and eggs. Then, for the cream filling, you'll want heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, more cocoa powder, and more salt (along with optional mini chocolate chips). Finally, the ganache calls for heavy cream, dark chocolate, and salt.

To prepare the pate a choux, in a small pot, heat the butter, ½ cup water, sugar, and salt over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to low, add the flour and cocoa, and cook, stirring, until a smooth dough forms.

Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat in eggs, one at a time.

Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pipe 1-inch mounds of batter onto the baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart.

Wet your finger and press down to smooth out any kisses on top of the mounds.

Once the oven is preheated, bake for 30-35 minutes until the cream puffs are firm and light in weight.

Cool completely, then slice the tops to separate.

To prepare the cream filling, whip the cream, confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, and salt to stiff peaks.

Fold in mini chocolate chips if desired.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag (fitted with an open star tip if you have one) and chill until ready to use.

To prepare the ganache, in a microwave-safe container, heat the chocolate, cream, and salt in short spurts, stirring to combine until smooth.

Open up the cream puffs, placing the tops next to the bottoms.

Pipe the filling into the bottom halves.

Add the top to close.

Spoon the ganache over each puff.

Serve immediately.

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If you feel intimidated at the prospect of making these triple chocolate cream puffs, fear not — Rosenhouse has provided us with better baking tips to ensure the process runs smoothly from start to finish. "Making great cream puffs is all about just taking it one step at a time," she stresses, so take care as you move through this recipe. The first component is, of course, the pate a choux, and note that the dough will come together pretty quickly in the saucepan. "Just look for a playdough-like consistency before transferring the dough to a stand mixer," Rosenhouse says. "Let the mixer work the dough for a few seconds to work off excess steam, then beat in the eggs one by one, taking time to really let the dough come together before adding the next to eliminate the risk of lumps or uneven batter."

Another common hardship that first-time cream puff bakers run into is the difficulty of piping same-sized dough mounds onto the baking sheet. Rosenhouse recommends tracing circles onto your sheet of parchment paper before flipping it over and using those as guidelines when piping. Another option is to print out a template online and place it under the parchment paper for the most precise guide (just remember to pull the paper out before baking!). "Bake until the puffs are light in weight and crisp, to keep them from becoming soggy and deflating as they cool," Rosenhouse adds as a final tip. Make sure to let the puffs cool completely before filling for the best possible texture.

These cream puffs aren't the quickest dessert to just whip up on a whim, and if you plan to make them from start to finish all in one go, it's best to allot a good chunk of your day for doing so. That said, cream puffs are actually great desserts to make ahead since you can prepare each of the three components separately and bring them together right before serving. And we're not just talking hours or days ahead — we're talking full months (with a little help from the freezer). 

"Cream puffs are great make-ahead sweets," Rosenhouse tells us. "You can make, bake, and cool the puffs completely, then freeze them in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container for up to two months." When you're ready to assemble the full cream puffs, simply allow the puffs to thaw at room temperature before filling and ganache-ing. You could also make the choux pastry dough itself in advance, and store it in the piping bag for upwards of two days before commencing with the recipe. Whatever route you take, make sure you don't fill the puffs and top them with ganache until right before serving, otherwise the texture of the puffs may become deflated or soggy.

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