Profiteroles!
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Classic profiteroles are one of those desserts that feel instantly festive, especially when piled high and finished with rich chocolate sauce. Crisp choux pastry, a soft vanilla mascarpone filling and a glossy chocolate topping make them a true Christmas favourite for sharing.
They look impressive, but the real magic is in the contrast… light pastry, cool cream, and warm chocolate all working together in every bite. Of course, they are great for the rest of the year too.
Why profiteroles are one of the best Christmas desserts
Profiteroles are so popular at Christmas because they feel indulgent without being heavy. Unlike many festive desserts, they can be made in a way that feels light enough to follow a big meal, while still delivering a rich and satisfying finish.
They also work brilliantly for sharing. Instead of slicing or portioning, they’re served as a pile or platter, which makes them ideal for relaxed entertaining where presentation still matters.
The combination of textures is what makes them stand out. Crisp pastry, soft filling and smooth chocolate create contrast in every bite, which is why they feel more special than a standard cream dessert. These beauties are also perfect for the rest of the year – as they are light, but moreish.
Ingredients and swaps
Each ingredient in choux pastry has a physical job to do. So, while the list is short, the quality and type matter.
- Unsalted butter – This provides the fat needed for a rich flavour and a crisp shell. You can use a baking spread, but butter gives a slightly firmer structure helping the profiteroles hold their round shape.
- Plain flour – Do not be tempted to use self-raising flour here. We want the “lift” to come from the steam, not chemical raising agents.
- Eggs – Medium Eggs provide the moisture that turns into steam. Add them gradually as you may not need every drop to reach that perfect “dropping” consistency”.
- Mascarpone – I love the velvety richness Mascarpone provides but any full-fat cream cheese will work.
- Cream – I use double cream in the sauce and filling, in the US this is Heavy Cream. It needs to have a high enough fat content to whip up to a thick texture and not leak out.
- Chocolate – I have used milk chocolate in this recipe to make it more child friendly. A strong 70%+ dark chocolate would work well here too for a more adult version of profiteroles.
- Sugar and salt – a pinch of each help the pastry brown through caramelisation. Whilst the salt helps to balance the sweet flavours.
How to get light and crisp profiteroles
Full instructions on how to make profiteroles can be found in the recipe card below.
I pipe my profiteroles onto a lined tray. I pipe directly downwards, with a round piping tip in my large piping bag. As profiteroles bake, the exterior sets first while the inside remains full of steam. This internal steam is what pushes the pastry outward and creates the hollow centre.
Once the structure has formed, the pastry needs time to dry out in the oven. This drying stage is what ensures the shells stay crisp rather than soft or doughy after cooling.
The moment they come out of the oven, you must release the steam to prevent moisture from settling back into the shell. This step is what locks in the crisp texture and prepares them for filling.
Troubleshooting making choux pastry
In my experience, the most common issue with profiteroles is collapse after baking, which usually happens when they are removed from the oven too early. Choux needs enough time to fully dry out internally so the structure can hold once cooled.
Another frequent problem is a hollow shell that feels soft or slightly damp inside. This is nearly always caused by trapped steam, which is why releasing moisture immediately after baking is essential for a crisp finish.
If profiteroles spread or lose their round shape, the choux mixture was likely too loose before baking. This usually comes from adding too much egg or not cooking the base mixture long enough before incorporating it.
Uneven rise is often linked to inconsistent piping size. Even small differences in portioning can affect bake time and structure, leading to some shells being lighter or more fragile than others.
For best results, the mixture should feel firm enough to hold shape when piped but still soft enough to expand in the oven without cracking.
FAQs
Yes, but you’ll get a more rustic finish. You can use a spoon, although the shape will be less uniform and they may bake unevenly.
Yes, choux pastry is very flexible. Pastry cream, whipped cream or flavoured custards all work well depending on how rich you want the final dessert to be.
Store them with space between them or in a single layer. Stacking them too early can cause the chocolate coating to set unevenly and stick.
Yes, but they will be softer and less structured. Most people prefer them chilled because the contrast between crisp pastry and filling is stronger.
A good quality milk or dark chocolate both work, but milk chocolate gives a sweeter, more traditional finish while dark chocolate creates a richer, slightly less sweet coating.
Easy Profiterole Recipe
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- 150 ml water
- 65 g plain flour
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 2 medium eggs (beaten)
- Pinch of sugar
- Pinch of salt
Vanilla Mascarpone Cream
- 250 g mascarpone
- 75 ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
Chocolate Sauce
- 100 ml double cream
- 150 g milk chocolate
Instructions
For the Choux Pastry
- Preheat your oven to 200ºc/180ºc fan, and line a large tray with parchment paper.
- Bring the water, sugar, salt and unsalted butter to the boil in a pan over a medium heat.
- Remove from the heat as soon as it boils, and add in ALL of the flour in one go.
- Stir like crazy and beat for about 15 seconds or so till a smooth ball shape is formed and it’s coming away from the edge of the pan. If it doesn’t come away, cook the mixture on a low heat for a little longer and try again.
- Leave the mixture to cool for five minutes or so, off the heat.
- Beat your eggs, and then GRADUALLY beat it into the flour mixture. Beat fully and well each time you add in more egg until you reach a smooth, glossy and dropping consistency.
- If the mixture becomes really thin, you've added too much egg. If it curdles, you've added too much at one time, and if the mixture is too stiff, you've not added enough.
- Pipe little rounds onto the tray, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes roughly until crisp. I made 20 profiteroles with this batch.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and pierce the bottom of the profiterole immediately with a skewer and leave to rest with the hole facing upwards to let the steam escape and let the pastry cool (be careful they will be very hot!).
For the Vanilla Mascarpone
- Add the vanilla, mascarpone and double cream and stir with a spoon to combine.
- Add in the icing sugar and stir again. Whisk up until thick.
- Pour the mixture into a piping bag, snip off the end, and carefully fill the profiteroles with the cream through the steam hole until full.
For the Chocolate Sauce
- Heat the cream in a pan over a low-medium heat.
- Add in the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth.
- Leave to cool before using.
- Coat the profiteroles with the sauce and then decorate how you fancy. I made a giant pile and then drizzled over some extra chocolate!
Notes
- I use these large piping bags for the choux pastry and the filling
- I use this round piping tip to pipe my profiteroles
- These are best on the day of making, but can last 2-3 days in the fridge
- This choux pastry will work for eclairs, with an increased baking time.
How to store profiteroles
You should eat profiteroles the day you make them, as the contrast between crisp pastry and soft filling is perfect. Once filled, they will keep in the fridge for 2–3 days, although the pastry will naturally soften over time.
If you want to prepare ahead, it’s best to store the choux shells separately and fill them closer to serving. This helps maintain texture and prevents the pastry from absorbing moisture from the filling.
Related Christmas dessert recipes
My Christmas dessert selection is quite broad, from my white chocolate berry tart, to my gingerbread chocolate tart, and my baileys bread and butter pudding. These puddings are all delicious with quite a varying amount of flavours in there, but I adore them all. I want my desserts to please everyone around the table, and whilst some people might not like baileys, or some might not like gingerbread, everyone likes profiteroles in my book.
I have just made these, and although still warm they are lovely.
I have filled some with the mascarpone cream, and some with creme pat, and a few with both.
They look lovely.
Thanks for the recipe.
Another wonderful recipe by Jane, profiteroles went down a treat for Christmas Day dessert x
Hi Jane, does your profiteroles recipe appear in your ‘Celebrate’ book? Many thanks