Cream Puff Dessert Variations
Change the pudding: You have plenty of options for a different flavor of pudding! I bet a caramel or butterscotch pudding would work well with the existing toppings, and so would banana pudding. To invert the color scheme, use a vanilla pudding mix for the filling layer and top with homemade chocolate whipped cream. In this case, consider white chocolate ice cream topping as one of your garnishes, along with either dark chocolate or caramel.
Dial up the richness with a cheesecake filling: The combination of chocolate pudding and cream cheese results in something that’s similar to cheesecake. Lean into that flavor and pick a filling from our extensive list of no-bake cheesecake recipes.
How to Store Cream Puff Dessert
Any uneaten cream puff dessert should be covered and refrigerated immediately. You can cover the pan itself or transfer the uneaten portion to a food storage container with a tight-fitting lid.
How long will this cream puff cake recipe last?
The leftover dessert should be eaten within three or four days. That’s partly because the cream cheese filling is perishable, and partly because the crust will become soggy.
Can I freeze the cream puff dessert?
Yes, the pudding, cream cheese and whipped topping contain enough stabilizers to freeze and thaw nicely. The topping is soft, so freeze any leftovers first and then wrap them for storage. If you’re deliberately making a pan ahead of time to freeze and serve later, leave off the ice cream toppings. Cover the pan and freeze the dessert, then slide it into an oversized freezer bag and squeeze out as much air as possible.
Thaw the dessert overnight in your fridge, then decorate it with the toppings and almonds right before serving.
Cream Puff Dessert Tips
Does the water have to be boiling?
The water should be at a full rolling boil for best results. You want the butter and water to be thoroughly (if temporarily) mixed when you add the flour so the butter can coat the strands of gluten and make them nice and stretchy.
Can I make actual cream puffs from the same dough?
You certainly can. It’s exactly the same kind of dough (technically a stiff batter, though that’s a fine distinction) used to make cream puffs. To make cream puffs, scoop the dough into a large piping bag with a round or star tip and pipe out little mounds of soft dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Start them the same way, in a 400° oven, then once they’re fully puffed and golden, turn the oven down to 200° and give them another 15 to 20 minutes to dry out. This helps keep the cream puffs from being doughy inside or collapsing as they cool. As for how to fill them, look at our cream puff recipes for inspiration.
Can I make this as individual servings rather than one large pan?
You can, though it’s a bit challenging because of how the crust puffs. In a muffin pan, for example, the cream puff dough will try to expand and fill the whole space. Your best bet is to smear small rounds of the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then pipe a thin rim of dough around their edges. When baked, they’ll make nice little individual cases for the filling. Alternatively, bake up individual cases with puff pastry, as you would to make vol-au-vents as appetizers, and use that instead of the cream puff dough.
Could I do a savory version of this?
Oh, you bet! The dough is often used for a cheesy appetizer version of cream puffs called gougeres, so it works well in savory applications. You could use the cream puff crust to hold a batch of your favorite party dip, for example. When your guests get to the bottom, they can simply tear up the crust to get those last bits of goodness. You might also try it with the filling from one of our savory cheesecakes or a par-cooked frittata filling just at the stage where you’d normally slide your skillet into the oven.
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