Crisp hollow golden brown shell filled with creamy vanilla custard-like filling, topped with a simple chocolate ganache. Classic Eclairs dessert that will wow the crowd at your next gathering!
These classic eclairs a great dessert to share anytime. Make ahead. Freeze for later. Enjoy now. Make minis or regular-sized classic eclairs or choose a size in between.
This classic eclair recipe is simple and simply delicious. Fool-proof if you follow the easy recipe directions and ingredients.
The crowd will be wowed by this scrumptious dessert especially when they find out it’s a homemade fool-proof easy recipe!
HOW DO U MAKE THE ECLAIR SHELL HOLLOW?
This recipe is really cool and will make a hollow shell as it bakes.
It’s kind of like magic.
The dough-like mixture is filled with eggs which, while it cooks, creates air pockets as it puffs up. When the shells are done they will be hollow or practically hollow and ready to be filled with delicious cream.
CAN I USE THE SHELL RECIPE TO MAKE CREAM PUFFS (round balls filled with cream and sprinkled with sugar)?
Yes!
You can use this recipe to make your own cream puffs. You can also use the same cream filling. Just omit the chocolate and sprinkle with powdered sugar… you have a delicious cream puff!
We love eclairs but cream puffs are great too. If you plan to serve a crowd, cream puffs are great because they are very “stackable” (no sticky chocolate). You can make them large or small, bite-sized puffs.
Bake time will vary depending on what size eclair or cream puffs you make. This recipe is for 18 large eclairs.
Other sizes you can make. These sizes or the dough line BEFORE baking:
- Large classic eclair: 5-6 inch
- Medium classic eclair: 4-5 inch
- Small classic eclair: 2-3 inch
- Small cream puff: 1- 1 1/2 inch ball
- Large cream puff: 2-inch ball
Other filling options:
- 3-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse like in these Inside Out Eclairs
- Easy Raspberry Mousse
- Mint Mousse
- Easy Lemon Cream like in these Lemon Cream Puffs
- Chocolate Espresso (chocolate pudding with extract in place of vanilla pudding)
- Lemon Custard (or lemon pudding in place of vanilla in this recipe)
HOW HARD IS IT TO MAKE CHOCOLATE GANACHE?
Chocolate ganache is a simple, elegant touch you can easily add to chocolate desserts.
This simple ganache is made from 2 ingredients, cream, and chocolate. That’s it!
If you like sweeter chocolate you can use milk chocolate. If you’re a dark chocolate lover, you can use dark chocolate.
MAKING GANACHE:
To make this simple chocolate ganache you add 1 part cream to 2 parts chocolate. Melt in the microwave 30 seconds at a time. It usually only takes 30 seconds to a minute to get warm enough.
Stir… and stir until the cream is incorporated into the chocolate.
It will become a shiny, rich chocolate color when it’s ready with no signs of cream or white streaks. It takes a minute or two of constant stirring to get the cream incorporated.
WHAT PIPING TIP SHOULD I USE TO MAKE CLASSIC ECLAIRS OR CREAM PUFFS?
You don’t need a piping tip although I would recommend it. You can use a plastic bag with a large 1/2 inch cut in the tip. If using a tip, I’d recommend a plain round piping couplet (the piece you put inside the bag then put the piping tip on and screw a nut to secure the tip), large round size 806 piping tip, A1 piping tip, or a large star size 829 piping tip. When I make eclairs or cream puffs I use a regular round piping couplet,
You can find the full printable recipe below. ENJOY!
Classic Eclairs
Crisp, golden brown shells filled with creamy vanilla custard-like filling, topped with a simple chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
Shell (Choux dough):
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 4 to 5 eggs, one at a time, if using large or XL eggs you may only need 4, if using medium eggs you will need 5, dough should be soft enough to pipe but firm enough to hold it's shape
Vanilla Cream Filling:
- 1 3.4 oz vanilla pudding, dry mix
- 1 2/3 cup cold milk, 2% or whole
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Simple Chocolate Ganache:
- 1/2 cups chocolate chips, milk or semi-sweet
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 tsp vanilla, OPTIONAL
Instructions
Eclair Shells (Choux dough):
- In a large saucepan bring to boil, water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar.
- Once butter is melted, reduce heat to low, add flour, and stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes. This helps remove extra moisture and gives the flour time to cook.
- Remove from heat. Let cool to 125-135 degrees (hot to the touch but not burning).
- Add eggs, one at a time. Incorporate completely before adding the next egg. Add 5 eggs until the mixture turns into a soft paste that will still hold its shape.
- Using a plastic piping coupler or piping tip of your choice (large opening) and Ziploc bag, immediately pipe paste in the desired size (small- 2-3 inch, medium 4-5 inch, large 5-6 inch, cream puffs- round balls). Bake time will vary depending on size.
- For large eclairs, bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes then reduce the heat to 375 for 12-20 minutes or until the shell is golden brown and hollow inside. See notes for additional bake times.
- Cool completely.
Vanilla Cream Filling:
- Whisk pudding mix and milk together. Mix 2-3 minutes. Set in fridge until ready to use.
- In a large mixing bowl, whip cream to soft peaks, add powdered sugar. Whip to stiff peaks. Don't over whip or you'll end up with butter.
- Remove pudding from fridge. Stir until smooth. Fold in whipped cream.
- Using a bag with round piping tip, carefully insert tip into cooled shell. Fill slowly until shell is full. You may need to fill from both sides to fill entire shell.
Simple Chocolate Ganache:
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add cream and chocolate chips. Heat 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted. Usually only takes 30 seconds to 1 minutes. Don't over heat.
- Stir chocolate mixture until cream is fully incorporated into chocolate. Mixture will look rich, smooth and chocolatey when done (1-3 minutes).
- Dip top of each filled eclair into chocolate ganache. Let ganache cool. Store in fridge or freeze for later.
Notes
- Additional cook times:
- For cream puff (about 1 inch round dough) AND small 2-3 inch eclairs bake 425ºF for 10 min then 375ºF for an additional 5-10 min or until hollowed and golden brown.
- For medium 4-5 inch eclairs bake at 425ºF for 12 min then at 375°F for an additional 8-12 minutes or until hollowed and golden brown.
- Best if served fresh but can be frozen for later enjoyment. If frozen, allow eclairs to come to room temperature before enjoying.
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OP: 1.15.19 Updated: 1.16.20
AWESOME! Thanks for sharing Marilee. I hope everyone loved them.
The eclairs turned out perfect! I am taking them to church for a Mother’s Day brunch. Can’t wait to see their faces?
Hahaha! Oh, this made me laugh. I’ll let her know she needs to make them. 😉
These Eclairs look and sound fabulous. Tell Amy to make them for me!!!
Hi Angie. Were the puffs golden brown and crisp on the outside? I have experienced this before, it was because they needed a few more minutes in the oven. If the puff was large they will need more time to fully bake through and “dry out” in order to hold the shape. If baked long enough, they should be crisp, hollow, and golden brown. I hope this helps.
My puffs, puff up and are hollow but once they come out the oven they deflate. Any advice?
Yes, this is happening to me also. They are burning on the top and not hollowing or puffing up.
Major bummer! I’m sorry to hear this. If they puffed but weren’t totally hollow I’d say they needed a little more time in the oven. but not puffing either?… I’m not sure there. Was your dough really soft (runny) or did it hold it’s shape nicely? If it was really soft and didn’t hold a shape, it could mean there was too much moister in the dough (wasn’t cooked long enough).
I’m trying to make these and they’re not coming out hollow or puffed. ?
Hi Stacey! I’m sorry to hear this. I use an electric oven that has been calibrated to make sure it cooks accurately. I’ve also tested this recipe over a dozen times with no issues. Because ovens can vary the cook time has a wide variency (the second lower temp. time is 12-20 minutes).
When I read your comment, two things came to mind, it may be your oven or maybe the size of the eclairs were too big. I’d calibrate your oven to see if the temp is off. (I calibrated my mom’s ovens a month ago and one was off by 50+ degrees!)
I hope it’s better luck next time. These eclairs are really good!
Batter came out beautifully. But I had major problems with the temperature and cook times. Which I’ve never had with following any recipe. Can’t figure out why.
They would brown too dark and there was so much time left to bake. I just took them out. Any suggestions? I even had them in the middle rack set a bit lower.
Hi Michelle! Thanks for stopping by. Eclairs are a fun, delicious treat to have at a party. For a 2-3 inch long shell I would bake at 425 for about 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes. Just make sure they are mostly hollow inside when you pull them out. Have fun at the party!
Hi, your recipe looks great! I’d like to try and made these for an upcoming party but I definitely want to try to make them 2-3 inches long, What might be the recommended baking time for the smaller eclair? Thank you! ?
Hi, K! I’m so sorry to hear this. Is it “soupy” after you heat the milk, water, butter and add the flour or is it just after you incorporate the eggs? If it’s before I would double check your measurements and make sure you heat the mixture with the flour in it until it looks and feels like playdough. If it’s after you add the eggs I would ask, what size of eggs are you using? You might just need to use one less egg. I hope this helps.
I’ve made the recipe 2 separate times & batter keeps coming out runny. Help! What am I doing wrong? It’s like soup & wont hold a shape.
Thanks, Becky! We love this recipe. It is a fairly quick recipe to make. Did you know you can even make the shells ahead of time, freeze them, then when you’re ready to make them you just pop them in the oven just until they crisp up. It makes for an even fast dessert when you’re in need of one. 🙂 Happy baking!
Great recipe. I thought it would take longer than it did to make these. We filled some with pudding and others with whipped cream. Yum!