Love egg nog or have some leftover? Transform it into a whipped eggnog pastry cream to fill these Eggnog Cream Puffs with. They’re the perfect bite-sized dessert for entertaining guests during the holidays and a great finger food for New Year’s Eve!

Want more mini desserts? Try these 3-ingredient Pretzel Hugs or Rolo Pretzels, some classic Oreo Balls, or festive Red Velvet Truffles.

Cream puffs filled with whipped eggnog pastry cream.

Why You’ll Love These Cream Puffs

  • Finger Food: Everyone loves food you can eat with your fingers. Just like a cookie, you can grab one of these egg nog cream puffs and enjoy it immediately.
  • Festive Flavor: Vanilla cream puffs are classic, but eggnog cream puffs are next level delicious and such a fun flavor for the holidays. You might even like them better than the original!
  • Freezer Friendly: Want to make these ahead of time? No problem just freeze them! Take them out to thaw 30 minutes before serving. (Note: The shell will be soft if prepared ahead of time.)
Top view of eggnog cream puffs with one cut open in the center.

Eggnog Cream Puffs

I’m not going to lie, this is a slightly more technical recipe. But creating the perfect pastry shells and crafting the whipped eggnog pastry cream offers a satisfying culinary challenge with delicious rewards at the end.

The choux pastry, or pâte à choux, is piped into profiteroles and baked to golden perfection.

The eggnog pastry cream is tempered and chilled, then folded together with whipped cream for a rich and satisfying filling.

These little eggnog cream puffs will disappear quickly and be the talk of the night! I’ll show you step-by-step exactly how to make them.

Eggnog cream puffs on a plate with one cut open showing the filling inside.

Make the Choux Pastry

*NOTE: Full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Steps to make cream puffs (pate a choux).
  1. Heat the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan until a rolling boil.
  2. Remove from heat, add flour and stir.
  3. Return to heat and keep stirring until it balls up, no dry spots remain, and is less steamy.
  4. Put mixture in a stand mixer. With a paddle attachment mix on medium speed until it has cooled down slightly; can touch it without it being too hot.
  5. Add eggs, one at a time, waiting until the egg has mixed in completely before adding another one. (Mixture will go from clumpy to cohesive every time you add an egg.)
  6. Once all eggs are incorporated the mixture will be shiny and stringy.

Pipe and Bake the Cream Puffs (Profiteroles)

  • Place the choux pastry mixture into a piping bag with a round tip (I used a Wilton 2A).
  • Pipe 1.5-inch cream puffs (profiteroles) on a pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Squeeze and lift. Do NOT swirl the dough like frosting.)
Piping pate a choux into cream puffs on a sheet tray with a silicone baking mat.
  • Dip your finger in water to smooth the peaks and to round the tops.
  • Bake at 425˚F for 10-12 minutes, until the cream puffs have some nice height.
  • Lower the oven to 350˚F and bake an additional 18-20 minutes or until a deep GOLDEN BROWN.

PRO TIP: You want to make sure the cream puffs are done on the inside and won’t fall when you remove them from the oven. Quickly pull one out of the oven if you think it is done and see if it keeps its shape. You should be able to tell when you pick it up if it feels light and airy or dense and heavy. If it is still heavy, leave them in the oven. It’s basically impossible to fix these if you pull them from the oven too early. And keep the oven door shut as much as possible to not lose any heat. Check through the glass with the oven light on.

Baked cream puffs on a sheet tray.

Make the Eggnog Pastry Cream

While the cream puffs are cooling, make the eggnog pastry cream.

Steps to make eggnog pastry cream.
  1. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the eggnog and milk just to a boil. Remove from heat.
  2. Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch together in a medium-sized bowl. Add the eggs and whisk to combine.
  3. Use a ladle to slowly pour the hot eggnog mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. (This is called “tempering.”)
  4. Once the eggnog mixture has been incorporated into the eggs, pour it back into the pan and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly.
Finishing steps to make eggnog pastry cream.
  • Once thickened, remove from heat and add the butter, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until combined.
  • Place eggnog pastry cream into a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the top (to prevent a crust from forming). Chill quickly by refrigerating immediately or placing the dish inside of another dish with ice water. Cool completely.

Add Whipped Cream

The eggnog pastry cream will be extra thick, which is perfect for thinning and lightening up with some whipped cream. You can cheat and use an 8oz tub of Cool Whip, but I prefer homemade whipped cream.

Whipping cream and combining it with eggnog pastry cream.
  • Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks using a stand mixer and the whisk attachment.
  • Add the chilled eggnog pastry cream and fold together until combined.
Whipped eggnog pastry cream in a mixing bowl.

Filling the Eggnog Cream Puffs

Now that the shells are made and the whipped eggnog pastry cream is ready, you can fill the cream puffs. It would also be really delicious in these cream horns.

Filling cream puffs with whipped eggnog pastry cream inside of a piping bag.
  • Place the eggnog cream into a piping bag with a small star tip (I used a Wilton 18).
  • Poke a hole into the side of each cream puff with the tip and squeeze until you feel the cream puff expand.
  • Dust the tops with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

PRO TIP: I like to poke a hole to add my filling where there is a crack in the cream puff because it’s slightly thinner there. Of course you can use a sharp knife to make a slit if you’d like.

Top view of egg nog cream puffs with one cut open in the center.

Serving, Storing, and Tips

  • Serve: These eggnog cream puffs are best eaten immediately, as filled cream puffs will absorb moisture from the filling and soften and stale as time goes on.
  • Store: Refrigerate filled cream puffs in an airtight container up to 2-3 days.
  • Make Ahead: You can pre-make the pâte à choux and the filling separately, waiting until just before serving to combine them. Pastry cream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Pâte à choux can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Re-crisp the pastry in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 5 minutes then let cool before filling.
  • Freeze: You may freeze the filled cream puffs for up to 3 months if you don’t mind the softer texture. Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container or zip-top bag. To thaw, remove desired number of cream puffs from freezer and place on a platter. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Cream puffs filled with whipped egg nog pastry cream.
Top view of eggnog cream puffs with one cut open in the center.

Eggnog Cream Puffs

Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 40 cream puffs
Bite-sized cream puffs are filled with a whipped eggnog pastry cream for a holiday flavored dessert.
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Ingredients

Pate a Choux (Cream Puff Shell)

  • 1 cup (237 ml) water
  • 6 Tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 5.75 oz (163 g) all-purpose flour, about 1 ⅓ cups
  • 1 cup (237 ml) eggs, (approx. 4 large eggs + 1 egg white = 8 ounces)

Eggnog Pastry Cream

  • ¾ cup (177 ml) full fat eggnog
  • ¾ cup (177 ml) whole milk
  • 6 Tbsp (75 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 ½ Tbsp (21 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp salt

Whipped Cream

  • 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) heavy cream
  • ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425℉. Line two sheet trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
  • PATE A CHOUX (CREAM PUFF SHELLS): Heat water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan until a rolling boil. Remove from heat, add flour and stir.
  • Return to heat and keep stirring until it balls up, no dry spots remain, and is less steamy.
  • Put mixture in a stand mixer. With a paddle attachment mix on medium speed until it has cooled down slightly; can touch it without it being too hot.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, waiting until the egg has mixed in completely before adding another one. (The mixture will go from clumpy to cohesive every time you add an egg. Once all eggs are incorporated the mixture will be shiny and stringy.)
  • Place the choux pastry mixture into a piping bag with a round tip (I used a Wilton 2A). Pipe 1.5-inch cream puffs (profiteroles) on a pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Squeeze and lift. Do NOT swirl the dough like frosting.) Dip your finger in water to smooth the peaks and to round the tops.
  • Bake at 425˚F for 10-12 minutes, until the cream puffs have some nice height.
  • Lower the oven to 350˚F and bake an additional 18-20 minutes or until a deep GOLDEN BROWN. (You want to make sure the cream puffs are done on the inside and won’t fall when you remove them from the oven. Quickly pull one out of the oven if you think it is done and see if it keeps its shape. You should be able to tell when you pick it up if it feels light and airy or dense and heavy. If it is still heavy, leave them in the oven. It’s basically impossible to fix these if you pull them from the oven too early. And keep the oven door shut as much as possible to not lose any heat. Check through the glass with the oven light on.)
  • EGGNOG PASTRY CREAM: In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the eggnog and milk just to a boil. Remove from heat.
  • Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch together in a medium-sized bowl. Add the eggs and whisk to combine.
  • Use a ladle to slowly pour the hot eggnog mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. (This is called “tempering.”)
  • Once the eggnog mixture has been incorporated into the eggs, pour it back into the pan and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly.
  • Once thickened, remove from heat and add the butter, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until combined.
  • Place eggnog pastry cream into a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the top (to prevent a crust from forming). Chill quickly by refrigerating immediately or placing the dish inside of another dish with ice water. Cool completely.
  • WHIPPED CREAM: Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks using a stand mixer and the whisk attachment.
  • Add the chilled eggnog pastry cream and fold together until combined.
  • ASSEMBLY: Place the eggnog cream into a piping bag with a small star tip (I used a Wilton 18).
  • Poke a hole into the side of each cream puff with the tip and squeeze until you feel the cream puff expand. Dust the tops with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Serve: These eggnog cream puffs are best eaten immediately, as filled cream puffs will absorb moisture from the filling and soften and stale as time goes on.
  • Store: Refrigerate filled cream puffs in an airtight container up to 2-3 days.
  • Make Ahead: You can pre-make the pâte à choux and the filling separately, waiting until just before serving to combine them. Pastry cream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Pâte à choux can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Re-crisp the pastry in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 5 minutes then let cool before filling.
  • Freeze: You may freeze the filled cream puffs for up to 3 months if you don’t mind the softer texture. Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container or zip-top bag. To thaw, remove desired number of cream puffs from freezer and place on a platter. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Serving: 1 cream puff, Calories: 90kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 38mg, Sugar: 4g
Author: Amber Brady
Course: Pies, Cheesecake, and Other Desserts
Cuisine: French

*Originally published 12/23/2011. Post updated December 2023.

Egg Nog Cream Puffs
Egg Nog Cream Puffs