Strawberry cream puffs look like a bakery dessert, but they’re surprisingly simple to make at home. Instead of cooking traditional cream puff dough on the stovetop, this recipe uses frozen puff pastry to create light, flaky shells filled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
The best part? You don’t even need a mixer. This version uses ready-to-serve whipped cream from a can, making it a quick dessert that anyone can assemble.
If you like simple strawberry desserts, you may also enjoy my strawberry dump cake and fresh strawberry galette made with pie crust.
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Living in Wisconsin, the cream puffs at the Wisconsin State Fair are always one of my favorite treats. They’re huge pastry shells filled with fluffy whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. This recipe is my easy at-home version - inspired by that classic flavor but made with puff pastry and fresh strawberries so anyone can make them successfully.
Why I Love This Recipe
This easy strawberry cream puff recipe skips complicated pastry techniques while still giving you a classic cream puff experience.
Using canned whipped cream keeps the filling light and simple, with no mixing or special equipment required.
The puff pastry shells bake tall and flaky, creating a perfect pocket for strawberries and cream.
It’s a beginner-friendly strawberry dessert that looks impressive on a serving platter.
These are ideal for spring holidays, showers, or last-minute company when you need an easy strawberry dessert.
Important Puff Pastry Brand Note (Read This First)
Not all puff pastry packages are the same size anymore.
Jus-Rol puff pastry (the refrigerated kind) contains one large sheet.
Pillsbury puff pastry contains two smaller sheets.
This recipe is written using one Jus-Rol sheet. If you are using Pillsbury, you will need both sheets to make the same amount.
If you use only one Pillsbury sheet, you will end up with half the servings and smaller shells.
What Are Strawberry Cream Puffs?
Traditional cream puffs are made using choux pastry, a cooked dough piped onto a baking sheet. This shortcut version uses puff pastry instead, which naturally forms flaky layers and a hollow center while baking.
After baking, the shells are filled with whipped cream and strawberries to create a simple strawberries and cream dessert.
Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry (Jus-Rol size)
1 can ready-to-serve whipped cream (about 6–7 oz can)
1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
Unroll the puff pastry and using a biscuit cutter cut 12 circles measuring 3 inches wide. Make sure to only press down with the biscuit cutter (don't turn) to cut the circles.
Step 3
Place cirlces on the baking sheet, lined with parchment, leaving space between them. Bake 15–16 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
Step 4 - Important Step
Remove from oven, let cool for a couple of minutes, then slice each pastry in half horizontally while still warm.
Return the halves to the oven, cut side up, and bake 1 - 2 more minutes.
This dries the interior and prevents soggy cream puffs.
Step 5
Cool completely on a wire rack. These may look underwhelming. Keep in mind they are the edible containers for whipped cream and strawberries - Mmmmm.
Step 6
Right before serving, spray whipped cream onto the bottom half of each pastry shell.
Step 7
Add sliced strawberries over the whipped cream.
Step 8
Place the top pastry layer over the filling and dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired.
Serve immediately. Have napkins available. It gets a little messy!
How to Keep Cream Puffs From Getting Soggy
Baking the pastry halves a second time after cutting them open is important. This removes trapped steam and creates a dry shell.
Only assemble just before serving. Strawberries release juice quickly and will soften the pastry if they sit too long.
Variations
Use blueberries or raspberries instead of strawberries.
Drizzle chocolate syrup over the tops.
Add sliced bananas with the strawberries.
Sprinkle with toasted almonds for a little crunch.
Storage
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a covered container and eat within a day. The pastry will soften, and the whipped cream may deflate a bit, but they will still taste good.
FAQs
You can bake the puff pastry shells up to 24 hours in advance. Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Wait to add the whipped cream and strawberries until just before serving. Once filled, the moisture from the filling will soften the pastry.
The inside of puff pastry holds steam after baking. If the shells are not opened and baked briefly a second time, the trapped moisture will soften them.
Slice the pastries open while still warm and return them to the oven for 3–5 minutes. This dries the interior and keeps the shells crisp after filling.
Puff pastry rises best when it is cold going into a fully preheated oven. If the dough becomes warm or sticky while cutting it, refrigerate it for about 10–15 minutes before baking.
Also avoid pressing down on the edges when cutting, as compressed layers cannot puff properly.
Fresh strawberries work best for this dessert. Frozen strawberries release too much liquid as they thaw and will make the pastry soggy.
If you must use frozen berries, thaw them completely and pat them very dry with paper towels before adding them to the cream puffs.
Yes. Spoon the whipped topping into the pastry shells right before serving. It will be slightly thicker than spray whipped cream but works well and holds its shape longer.
Easy Strawberry Desserts
Easy Strawberry Cream Puffs with Puff Pastry and Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry Jus-Rol size
- 1 can ready-to-serve whipped cream about 6–7 oz can
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries sliced
- Powdered sugar for dusting optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unroll the puff pastry and using a biscuit cutter cut 12 circles measuring 3 inches wide. Make sure to only press down with the biscuit cutter (don't turn) to cut the circles.
- Place cirlces on the baking sheet, lined with parchment, leaving space between them. Bake 15–16 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
- Remove from oven, let cool for a couple of minutes, then slice each pastry in half horizontally while still warm.
- Return the halves to the oven, cut side up, and bake 1 - 2 more minutes. This dries the interior and prevents soggy cream puffs.
- Cool completely on a wire rack. These may look underwhelming. Keep in mind they are the edible containers for whipped cream and strawberries - Mmmmm.
- Right before serving, spray whipped cream onto the bottom half of each pastry shell.
- Add sliced strawberries over the whipped cream.
- Place the top pastry layer over the filling and dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired.
- Serve immediately. Have napkins available. It gets a little messy!
Nutrition (estimate)
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