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Easy Classic Baklava

Easy Classic Baklava

If you’ve never made baklava before, now is the perfect time to give it a try—this easy, classic baklava recipe will have you feeling like a pro in no time. Growing up, I had the joy of tasting baklava from countless people and places. In read more

Easy Mini Pumpkin Pies

Easy Mini Pumpkin Pies

We absolutely love these tasty and Easy Mini Pumpkin Pies. There’s something about making it during the fall season that brings a special sense of nostalgia. Sure, we can bake it year-round, but waiting for the leaves to change, the temperatures to drop, and that read more

Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla

Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla

Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla

Cream puffs have always held a special place in my heart. Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla is so delicious and perfect for the fall season.

Today, I want to take a step back and share something personal. I hope you’ll understand. If there’s a recipe that always reminds you of someone you love, I’d love to hear about it.

Thank you for being here, for trusting me with these recipes, and for being part of this journey. Your support means the world to me.

Growing up, I could eat them like M&Ms. But as an adult, they became a bit of a challenge to perfect. My late father-in-law was my toughest critic, often comparing my efforts to those of his sister, who was a master at making them.

I always wondered, how I could measure up to someone so skilled. I knew mine were pretty good for someone who doesn’t make sweets or these kinds of delicate pastries often, but I promised myself that I’d learn how to make them right.

Check my easy recipe for Cream Puffs

cream puff for fall season

Over the past three years, I’ve made them countless times. Each time, I wish he were still here, to try them, critique them, and tell me what I got wrong or if—maybe—this time, they were just right.

Grief is strange. It sneaks up on you when you least expect it. You don’t realize how deeply you miss someone until a memory brings them back.

I’ve lost two important men in my life, and no matter how much time passes, the pain doesn’t disappear. We learn to carry it. I know others have said that before me, but until you’ve lived it, you can’t fully understand how true it is. I miss them, but we must live and move forward.

Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla

You know, blogs used to be about connection—sharing stories, emotions, and experiences. Now, it feels like everything is driven by marketing, SEO, and keywords. I miss the days when someone would comment, “This post has nothing to do with the recipe!” But to me, there was always a connection between my stories and a recipe.

Anyway, I do hope you try making this delicious Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla. Obviously, making your pastry cream is always so much better but I got you if you need a backup plan.

Tap here for more tasty desserts

Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla

If you do not want to make pastry cream then you can use boxed pudding, just add a splash less milk so the pudding is a bit more stiff. Also folding in whipped cream creates an illusion of a silky cream which is super delicious. 

LET ME KNOW IF YOU MAKE THIS. Thank you so much for your support! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest; search @sandraseasycooking

Happy Baking & Cooking!

– Sandra 🙂

Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla

FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS REGARDING TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED FOR THIS RECIPE:

PUMPKIN POWDER: Pumpkin Powder – 8 oz – Pure Pumpkin – Baking & Beverages

PUMPKIN SPICE: Pumpkin Pie Spice

PIPING BAG: Piping Bags and Tips Set, Icing Bags Disposable

PIPING HEADS: Extra Large Piping Tips, Seamless Stainless Steel Icing Piping Nozzle Tip Set

POTS. : Nonstick Ceramic Cookware Set 13-piece,

BAKING SHEETS: Carbon Steel 15” x 21” Baking Sheet Set, 2 Pack

PARCHMENT PAPER: Parchment Paper Sheets for Baking 9-13 IN 120p

BAKING MAT: Silicone Baking Mat, Set of 2 Baking Pads Cookie Sheet, Non-Stick

ELECTRIC MIXER & BOWLS: 5-Speed Electric Hand Mixer, 5 Large Mixing Bowls Set

SPOONS: Wooden Kitchen Utensils Set, 10 Pcs Teak Wood Spoons

Yield: Approx. 24 Choux Pastry

Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla

Cream Puff Recipe

Pumpkin Choux Pastry with Chocolate and Vanilla is a delicious dessert that is both tasty and not as hard as you think.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Choux Pastry

  • 1 cup of whole milk
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin spice
  • 1/2 tbsp. Pumpkin Powder
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 6 large eggs

Pastry cream filling:

  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1 envelope powdered gelatin, unflavored
  • 3 cups milk whole milk
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or extract (I used extract)
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 43 g unsalted butter 3 tbsp, softened
  • 1 cup chocolate, chopped semi sweet or bittersweet (that’s up to you!)

Garnish:

  • Powdered Sugar or Drizzled Chocolate

Instructions

Pumpkin Choux Pastry

  1. Bring milk, butter, sugar, and salt to boil.
  2. Combine the flour with baking powder, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin powder. Add all of it to the milk mixture, and mix rapidly until the dough cooks and forms a ball.
  3. Turn off the heat and let the dough cool down a bit, about 5 to 7 minutes. You can transfer the dough to another large bowl to cool faster.
  4. Mix eggs, then pour just a little at a time into the bowl with the flour mixture; mixing as hard as you can with your wooden spoon to combine well until smooth. If you are using an electric mixer it could get too tough to mix so be aware, but it is easier. When I'm using an electric hand mixer I do up and down movement, then around so it doesn't get stuck.
  5. When all the eggs are incorporated with the flour mixture, it's all smooth without any lumps, put it on the side spice
  6. Preheat the oven to 375F
  7. Use spoon or Head/neck: round tube with 1/5 inch. Body: round tube (2/5 inch) to push them out in an un-greased baking pan. Do not over-fill the piping pastry bag. Halfway would be pretty good. Make sure you have enough room around the pastry so it can grow. I would add 12 smaller shells or 8 bigger puff shells onto a large sheet pan. You can use parchment paper if you have it available.
  8. Spray the puff shells with water. The puff shells will stop growing as soon as the surface turns dry (and crunchy). Therefore, when spraying the puff shells with water, it takes more time before they turn dry and they grow bigger in the oven.
  9. BAKE, but DO NOT OPEN the oven for the next 25 minutes + 20 min. to dry. The 20 minutes are needed to dry the surface of the puff shells and make them crunchier. Otherwise, it is too soft. The puff shells look well done after 25 minutes already. Let them rest in the turned-off oven for an additional 20 minutes, and then 10 min more when you pull them out of the oven. TRUST ME ON THIS!!!
  10. Cut them and fill them when they are cooled down.

Pastry cream:

  1. In a small dish add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of cold water in a bowl then sprinkle 1 envelope, about 2 1/4-2 1/2 tsp.) over the cold water. Make sure not to dump it in a clump, as the powder in the center won’t be able to dissolve and bloom correctly. Mix and allow it to bloom for about 10 minutes. The longer you let it sit, the thicker it will become.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups of milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and it reaches a simmer. Keep an eye on it!
  3. While waiting, whisk together the cornstarch, and egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup of milk. This will help you to make cornstarch into a paste, and it is just easier to combine everything.
  4. Now, gradually add a little of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks to temper them. Be sure to do this slowly, a splash at a time, to prevent the yolks from curdling when you mix them with the hot milk. Trust the process. Whisk continuously, but allow a few seconds in between to see if it is bubbling. When you see the mixture is thick enough and is leaving a nice coating on the mixing spoon or a whisk, take it off the heat completely.
  5. Add a bit of the mixture to bloomed gelatin, like a scoop or so - this will be helpful and quite frankly easier to incorporate gelatin into the cream. Once it is mixed with a bit of cream add it back to the rest of the cream and stir well to combine. Stir in the butter. If you want to flavor the pastry cream (e.g., with chocolate), this is the time to do it. To make chocolate pastry cream in this case because I have half vanilla and half chocolate, split the cream in half and add 1 cup of chopped semisweet (or bittersweet chocolate) to the hot pastry cream, stirring until fully melted and smooth. That's it!
    NOTE: If you see any lumps after the pastry cream reaches a full boil, you’ll pour it through a strainer (fine mesh sieve) into the bowl to halt cooking and prevent curdling or separation.
  6. Gently rub or brush on a bit of butter over the surface of the cream and cover it with plastic wrap just to make sure the wrap touches the surface to prevent skin from forming. *Skin is a very thin layer over milk, puddings, soups, etc., which creates skin look alike film over dishes when it start to cool down. The thickness depends on the fat content and the hotness of the heated dishes.
  7. Chill the cream in the refrigerator. Once cooled, use the pastry cream as a filling for this pastry. If it has thickened too much, you may need to re-whisk it to restore a smooth consistency. For a softer cream, fold in whipped cream before using. Since I made two, I pipped on the bottom chocolate and the top vanilla.
    Stored in the fridge, pastry cream lasts up to 5 days. After this period, it might begin to release liquid. WAITING TIME TO COOL DOWN THE PASTRY CREAM IS NOT INCLUDED. I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR YOU MAKE PASTRY CREAM NIGHT BEFORE JUST TO HAVE THEM READY QUICKER.
  8. Once all of them are filled are ready to chill in the fridge for at least an hour, you could dust them with powdered sugar or drizzle a bt of melted chocolate on top.

Notes

  • Making the chocolate filling is optional but I think it rather goes very well with this combination. It adds warmth which brings it to the next level.
  • WAITING TIME TO COOL DOWN THE PASTRY CREAM IS NOT INCLUDED. I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR YOU MAKE PASTRY CREAM NIGHT BEFORE JUST TO HAVE THEM READY QUICKER.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 216Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 182mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 6g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate, but we try our best.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Anna’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Anna’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Who can resist the joy of homemade cookies? While classic recipes hold a special place in our hearts, I assure you that these Brown Butter Anna’s Chocolate Chip Cookies take the experience to a whole new level. I can’t wait for you all to give read more

No Bake Carlota de Limon Cheesecake

No Bake Carlota de Limon Cheesecake

  When it comes to making fancy desserts, I must admit that I’m not the most skilled in the kitchen. However, No Bake Carlota de Limon Cheesecake has changed my perspective entirely. Not only is this dessert incredibly easy to make, but it also guarantees read more

Tasty Cream Puffs

Tasty Cream Puffs

Recipe for Tasty Cream Puffs

Cream puffs are undeniably delightful treats that captivate the taste buds with their heavenly taste and delicate texture. These irresistible pastries, filled with luscious cream, are a true delight to savor and enjoy.

As someone who is absolutely crazy about cream puffs, I can attest to their sheer deliciousness.

There’s just something magical about the combination of the light and airy pastry shell, and the rich and creamy filling that leaves a lasting impression.

Homemade Pastry

For those who have never experienced the joy of cream puffs, let me paint a picture for you. Imagine biting into a perfectly baked pastry shell that gives way effortlessly, revealing a delectable cream filling that oozes with every bite.

The contrast between the crispness of the shell and the smoothness of the cream is pure bliss.

TAP HERE FOR MORE TASTY SWEET TREATS

Making cream puffs may seem intimidating at first, but with practice, anyone can achieve perfection. I, too, have had my fair share of failed attempts before finally mastering the art of making these delectable treats.

It’s all about perseverance and learning from each attempt. 

Recipe for Tasty Cream Puffs

Growing up, cream puffs were a cherished part of my culinary experience. I wanted to recreate the magic of those childhood memories and make them just as perfect for my family.

As I said, after countless trials and errors, I can confidently say that practice truly does make perfect.

I learned how to make mine from Keiko Baking Studio nearly 12 years ago, and I never looked back.

The key to making this tasty treat lies in the precision of the recipe, as well as the technique of baking and filling.

From ensuring the right consistency of the choux pastry dough to piping it into perfectly sized mounds, every step requires attention to detail.

And let’s not forget about the filling – whether it’s a classic vanilla cream or a more adventurous flavor, the cream should be smooth, velvety, and bursting with flavor.

You can make pastry cream, but I just use a large vanilla pudding with heavy whipped cream to create a magical “shortcut” cream for my cream puffs.

Tasty Cream Puffs

So, if you find yourself yearning for a delightful indulgence, I highly recommend giving cream puffs a try.

With a little patience and a lot of love, you too can create these heavenly treats that will surely earn you the title of a master pastry chef.

Hey, if you decide to make these Tasty Cream Puffs, please let me know in the comments or share it with me on social media such as Instagram or Facebook; @sandraseasycooking with the same hashtag #sandraseasycooking.

cream puffs

Recipes you might like:

No-Bake Pumpkin Bars

Banana Pudding Parfaits

Low Carb Cheesecake

The product I love this week:

100 PCs Icing Piping Bags and Tips Set


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Yield: Approx 24 (smaller)

Tasty Cream Puffs

Tasty Cream Puffs Recipe

Tasty and Easy Cream Puffs Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of whole milk
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 6 large eggs

Filling:

  • Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix 5.1 oz. Box
  • 2 cups cold milk
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Optional garnish:

  • Melted chocolate
  • Powdered sugar

Instructions

Choux Pastry Shells

  1. Bring milk, butter, sugar, and salt to boil
  2. Put the flour all at once (with baking powder) and mix rapidly until the dough cooks and it forms a ball.
  1. Turn off the heat and let the dough cool down a bit, about 5 to 7 minutes. You can transfer the dough to another large bowl to cool faster.
  2. Mix eggs, then pour just a little at a time into the bowl with the flour mixture; mixing as hard as you can with your wooden spoon to combine well until smooth. If you are using an electric mixer it could get too tough to mix so be aware, but it is definitely easier. When I'm using an electric hand mixer I do up and down movement, then around so it doesn't get stuck.
  3. When all the eggs are incorporated with the flour mixture, it's all smooth without any lumps, put it on the side
  4. Preheat the oven to 375F
  5. Use spoon or Head/neck: round tube with 1/5 inch. Body: round tube (2/5 inch) to push them out in an un-greased baking pan. Do not over-fill the piping pastry bag. Halfway would be pretty good. Make sure you have enough room around the pastry so it can grow. I would add 12 smaller shells or 8 bigger puff shells onto a large sheet pan. You can use parchment paper if you have it available.
  6. Spray the puff shells with water. The puff shells will stop growing as soon as the surface turns dry (and crunchy). Therefore, when spraying the puff shells with water, it takes more time before they turn dry and they grow bigger in the oven.
  7. BAKE, but DO NOT OPEN the oven for the next 25 minutes + 20 min. to dry. The 20 minutes are needed to dry the surface of the puff shells and make them crunchier. Otherwise, it is too soft. The puff shells look well done after 25 minutes already. Let them rest in the turned-off oven for an additional 20 minutes, and then 10 min more when you pull them out of the oven.
  8. Cut them and fill them when they are cooled down.

For the filling:

  1. Mix (French) Vanilla pudding with 2 cups of milk instead of 3.
  2. Add 1/4 cup. of heavy whipping cream and mix until the pudding is thick and smooth. We do not want runny.
  3. In another bowl mix 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Mix well until firm peaks form.
  4. Add 1 cup of whipped cream to pudding mixture and fold.
  5. Place in the fridge until ready to fill the pastry.

Fill the pastry:

  1. Cut the choux pastry in half then pipe in or scoop with your spoon about a tablespoon or so of pudding mixture, followed with a tablespoon of whipped cream so you have a tall cream puff.
  2. At this point, you can drizzle a bit of chocolate on top or simply just dust it with powdered sugar. We love both.
  3. Place in the fridge and serve in the next 2 days for the best taste.

Notes

If you do not want to cut the pastry and fill it that way, you can fill it from the bottom without ever cutting it. Use a piping bag with a Professional Stainless Steel Cream Puff Long Nozzle Decorating Tool for Small Pastries.

Click Here to see what I am referring to.

You can make pastry cream if you prefer that instead. I used instant pudding because it is easier for many people, cheaper, and convenient, but if that is not your jam, please find a recipe for appropriate cream puff pastry cream.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 375Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 325mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 8g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate, but we try our best.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Cinnamon and Sugar Crescent Rolls

Cinnamon and Sugar Crescent Rolls

  We all love Cinnamon Rolls, but these Cinnamon and Sugar Crescent Rolls are so good that you will definitely make them over and over again. A sweet pastry treat known as cinnamon and sugar crescent rolls is created with crescent-shaped dough that has been read more

No-Bake Pumpkin Bars

No-Bake Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin recipes are everywhere now that autumn has arrived. Every year, I make an effort to share a few pumpkin-themed recipes on my blog, and this time, I prepared these insanely wonderful No-Bake Pumpkin Bars. These delicious, soft, and easy-to-make No-Bake Pumpkin Bars are quite read more

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

 

I don’t eat breakfast, but a toasted slice of Banana Chocolate Chip bread topped with a silky smooth spread of butter with my morning coffee always hits the spot.

 

To be honest, I don’t eat bread often either. At one point in my life, I could not imagine my life without bread.

 

However, now I learned to live without eating bread every single day. It just does not sit well on my stomach so I limit carbs, especially bread carbs as much as possible. Furthermore, my love for baked goods will always be present in my heart.

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

 

Banana chocolate bread is more like eating a dessert or a delicious warm muffin to me. The funny thing is I love baking bread. It’s one of those things that I find therapeutic on so many levels.

 

When I am stressed I bake or when I want to surprise my neighbors with a homemade edible gift I bake.

TAP HERE FOR MORE DELISH BAKED GOODIES

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

 

From time to time I bake bread like this well I want to surprise my kids for the morning break is over the weekend. Baking bread became part of my life!

 

My lovely family loves Banana chocolate chip bread. It’s one of the most beloved weekends food that they eat for brunch most of the time. 

 

Sometimes we have leftovers so it makes an amazingly quick morning breakfast before school or work.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE TASTY BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH IDEAS

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

If you decide to make this recipe please make sure to tag me on INSTAGRAM @sandraseasycooking using hashtag #sandrasasycooking I would love to see all your delicious creations and share them with my readers as well. Thanks so much for all your love and support!!!

Yield: 8

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Banana Chocolate Chip Bread is delicious, and easy breakfast food that most people love.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Bake Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tap salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 pecans or walnuts
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 3-4 bananas, ripe and mashed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 vegetable oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • Butter to grease a pan

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper that hangs over the longer sides of the pan. You can bake this in a square nonstick pan 9 x 9 or a nonstick pan that's well greased.
  2. In a medium bowl, hand whisks together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugars, salt. At this point, I like adding pecans or walnuts and chocolate chips. Mix to combine.
  3. Add the following ingredients one at a time and gently mix until incorporated; Mash in mashed bananas, mix eggs, then add vanilla extract, oil, and a bit of lemon juice or vinegar. Combine dried ingredients with wet and stir until well incorporated.
  4. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Place pan on the middle rack of the oven.
  5. Bake for about 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
  6. Allow it to cool down for about 10 min in the pan, then turn it on the cookie rack and allow it to continue cooling for 15 more minutes.
  7. Keep it in the fridge for 5 days. Make sure it's in an airtight container

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 321Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 137mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 3gSugar: 37gProtein: 4g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate, but we try our best.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies are among a few that we love baking during the Holiday season. Not only that we enjoy munching on them but also giving them as enable gifts. These are such incredible desserts, but also simple, versatile, and family-friendly. I always make read more