Classic eclairs are elegant French pastries made with crisp choux pastry shells filled with luscious pastry cream and topped with smooth chocolate ganache. These bakery-style treats are surprisingly simple to recreate at home with just a few basic components.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crisp exterior with a rich, creamy filling
- Impressive yet straightforward for home bakers
- Customizable with different fillings and glazes
- Ideal for celebrations or special occasions
- Can be made in stages for easier preparation
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
For the choux pastry (pâte à choux):
- Water
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Salt
For the pastry cream (crème pâtissière):
- Whole milk
- Egg yolks
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
For the chocolate ganache:
- Heavy cream
- Dark or semi-sweet chocolate (chopped)
Directions
- Make the choux pastry: In a saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil. Stir in flour until a ball forms. Let cool slightly, then beat in eggs one at a time until dough is smooth and pipeable.
- Pipe and bake: Pipe 4–5 inch lines of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 15–20 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool completely.
- Prepare pastry cream: Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Heat milk and slowly whisk it into the egg mixture. Cook over medium heat until thick, then stir in butter and vanilla. Chill until set.
- Make ganache: Heat cream and pour over chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth and glossy.
- Assemble: Cut or poke holes in eclairs. Pipe in chilled pastry cream. Dip tops in ganache. Let set.
Servings and Timing
- Servings: 12–16 eclairs
- Prep time: 30 minutes
- Bake time: 35–40 minutes
- Chill time: 2–3 hours (for cream)
- Total time: ~3.5–4 hours
Variations
- Fill with whipped cream or flavored custards (coffee, chocolate, fruit)
- Top with white chocolate or caramel glaze
- Add a crackly craquelin layer before baking for texture
- Pipe mini eclairs for bite-size treats
Storage/Reheating
- Refrigerate: Assembled eclairs for up to 2 days (best day of)
- Freeze: Unfilled shells up to 1 month. Reheat to crisp before filling
- Do not freeze filled eclairs: The texture changes
FAQs
Why didn’t my eclairs puff up?
The oven may not have been hot enough, or the dough may have been too wet.
How do I know when the shells are done baking?
They should be golden brown, feel hollow, and sound crisp when tapped.
Can I use store-bought pudding for the filling?
Yes, for convenience, but homemade pastry cream tastes best.
Can I make the components ahead of time?
Yes—prepare and store shells, cream, and ganache separately; assemble the day you serve.
Can I fill them from the bottom instead of slicing?
Yes, poke holes in the bottom and use a piping bag with a long nozzle.
What if I don’t have a piping bag?
Use a zip-top bag with a corner cut off.
How do I prevent soggy shells?
Let them cool completely and fill just before serving. Store in a dry place.
Can I use milk chocolate for the glaze?
Yes, though it will be sweeter and lighter in flavor.
What’s the best flour to use?
All-purpose flour works best for structure and puff.
Can I make gluten-free eclairs?
Yes, with a gluten-free flour blend, but texture may vary.
Conclusion
Classic eclairs bring together crisp pastry, rich filling, and glossy chocolate for a dessert that’s both indulgent and elegant. With a few basic techniques, you can master this timeless pastry and impress your guests—or simply treat yourself.
Print
Classic Eclairs
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins (+chilling time)
- Yield: 12–14 eclairs 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking & Piping
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Elegant French choux pastry shells filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with rich chocolate glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 8 Tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all‑purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- For pastry cream: 2 cups (480 ml) milk, 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar, 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch, 4 large egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- For glaze: 4 oz (115 g) semisweet chocolate, 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 °F (220 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Make choux dough: in saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Remove from heat, add flour all at once, stirring until mixture forms a ball and pulls from pan.
- Return to low heat, cook 1–2 minutes to dry slightly. Transfer to bowl or mixer.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, until dough is smooth and shiny.
- Pipe 4–5″ logs onto parchment, spacing 2″ apart. Smooth tips with wet finger.
- Bake 10 minutes at 425 °F, then reduce to 375 °F (190 °C) and bake another 20–25 minutes until shells are puffed and golden. Avoid opening oven early. Cool on rack.
- Prepare pastry cream: whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale. Heat milk until steaming; slowly whisk into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan, cook over medium, whisking until thickened and bubbling. Remove from heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer to bowl, cover surface with plastic, and chill.
- Make glaze: heat heavy cream until simmering, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
- Fill eclairs: cut or poke hole in shells and pipe pastry cream inside.
- Dip tops in chocolate glaze, let set, then serve.
Notes
- Ensure choux dough is dry before adding eggs—dough should fall in a thick ribbon.
- Don’t open oven during baking to avoid collapse.
- Use room‑temperature eggs for better incorporation.
- Shells can be baked ahead and stored airtight up to 2 days; fill before serving.
- Glaze sets nicely at room temp, but for shine chill briefly before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 eclair
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg