This easy recipe for Meyer Lemon Cream Puffs makes the most amazing, light, bright, and creamy puffs filled with homemade Meyer lemon curd and vanilla whipped cream! Everything can be made from scratch and these pastries are absolutely delicious!
After almost 10 years, our little Meyer lemon tree gave us some beautiful lemons! Since we live in Oregon, this is pretty exciting and maybe not so hard to believe since our weather isn't exactly citrus-worthy. However, the little tree made it happen just in time to try out this recipe for Meyer Lemon Cream Puffs!
Jump to:
- Why I Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients for This Recipe
- What are Meyer Lemons?
- What Dough Are Cream Puffs Made of?
- What is the Difference Between a Cream Puff and a Profiterole?
- Where Does the Lemon Flavor Come From?
- Do I have to Make Homemade Whipped Cream?
- Expert Tips for Making Homemade Cream Puffs
- Recipe FAQs
- More Delicious Lemon Recipes to Check Out
- Meyer Lemon Cream Puffs
Why I Love This Recipe
I love Meyer lemon cream puffs because they offer a delightful balance of tangy citrus flavor from the Meyer lemons and a light, airy texture from the cream puffs. The combination of zesty lemon filling and whipped cream creates a heavenly treat that always satisfies my taste buds and brightens my day.
I've wanted to make cream puffs for quite some time and after obsessively watching the Great British Baking Show and seeing some Instagram pics, the timing was perfect. After you make this basic pastry dough or pâte à choux, you will be able to make these cream puffs and so much more!
Key Ingredients for This Recipe
Meyer lemon curd: Meyer lemon curd provides a tangy and citrusy filling for the cream puffs. It can be homemade or store-bought and offers a burst of flavor with its unique combination of sweetness and tartness.
Unsalted butter: Butter adds flavor and richness to the cream puff dough and using unsalted butter helps balance the saltiness of the dough. Butter also helps create layers and contributes to the light and flaky texture of the pastry. The butter needs to be at room temp before making the dough.
Eggs: Eggs are essential in cream puff dough, acting as a binder and providing structure. They contribute to the puffs' light and airy texture. Ensure your eggs are at room temp.
Heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream is used to make the whipped cream filling for the cream puffs. It adds richness and a creamy texture to the filling.
Powdered confectioners sugar: Powdered confectioners sugar is used to sweeten the whipped cream and dust the finished cream puffs. It adds a touch of sweetness and an attractive powdered appearance.
What are Meyer Lemons?
Meyer lemons are smaller and sweeter than regular lemons and have almost a vanilla-herbal thing going on in my opinion. They smell AMAZING and they are also darker in color than regular lemons.
If you can't find Meyer lemons or don't want to wait 10 years for your tree to produce (just kidding, I think we almost killed it, but that's another story...), then you can always just use regular lemons. If you do, a splash of orange juice may help balance the tartness.
What Dough Are Cream Puffs Made of?
Honestly, I was surprised at how easy these were to make. The dough recipe is a basic choux pastry dough.
This is the base for other pastries like éclairs and profiteroles. So if you are craving a filled baked treat, you can now take your pick! To get the "cream" in a cream puff, you can add whipped cream or pastry cream.
What is the Difference Between a Cream Puff and a Profiterole?
Sometimes cream puffs are confused with profiteroles. The difference is that profiteroles are frozen and cream puffs are not.
Where Does the Lemon Flavor Come From?
These cream puffs are lemon flavored from the lemon curd used in the filling. You can use my recipe for Meyer Lemon Curd or use store-bought lemon curd.
Do I have to Make Homemade Whipped Cream?
No, You don't have to use homemade whipped cream, but I highly recommend it. Homemade whipped cream has a fresh flavor you just can't get from store-bought. And you can control the sweetness level which I also appreciate.
But, if you don't want to make whipped cream at home, you can use store-bought whipped cream or whipped topping.
Expert Tips for Making Homemade Cream Puffs
- You will need 2-3 medium-large Meyer lemons. They aren't usually very big, so keep that in mind. You can also use regular lemons.
- If you make your own lemon curd, it needs to chill for at least an hour, so make it first or ahead of time.
- Plan ahead and pull out your eggs, milk, and butter ahead of time because they need to be at room temperature.
- You need 2 pastry bags, one for the puffs, and one for the whipped cream (if you want it to be fancy). If you don't have pastry bags, you can always use ziplock bags and cut off one corner.
- Don't be like me and open the oven door a few times to check on your puffs, they need the heat to get puffy! In fact, just leave it closed the whole time 😆.
- Zest your lemons before you juice them.
- For the best results when making the whipped cream, make sure the cream and your bowl are nice and cold before you start whipping. Keep both in the freezer until you are ready to start.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make the lemon filling ahead of time and refrigerate it. Store the lemon filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir before using it to ensure a smooth consistency.
To store cream puffs, first, allow them to cool completely at room temperature. Then, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days to maintain their freshness and texture.
Yes, you can use store-bought whipped cream or whipped topping.
While the lemon filling complements the cream puffs beautifully, you can use other fillings like pastry cream or chocolate ganache if you prefer different flavors. You can also add fresh fruit with whipped cream in place of the lemon curd.
More Delicious Lemon Recipes to Check Out
If you get a chance to make these Meyer Lemon Cream Puffs, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes right in your inbox.
Meyer Lemon Cream Puffs
Equipment
- fine mesh sieve
- round piping tip for the pastry
- star piping tip for the whipped cream (optional)
Ingredients
Cream Puff Batter
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temp
Filling Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 5-6 tablespoon powdered confectioners sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup lemon curd or store-bought
Instructions
Cream Puff Pastry (choux pastry dough)
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. This recipe makes about 24 puffs so it will take 3 batches to bake with 8 puffs per baking sheet.
- Add the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan on the stove and mix over medium to high heat. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Add flour and quickly stir into the mixture. It really starts to form more of a dough at this point.
- Return the pan to the stovetop on medium heat and stir constantly for a few minutes, cooking until mixture pulls away from the pan and a film forms on the bottom of the pan. This happened pretty quickly for me.
- Transfer the dough to a stand mixer or bowl and beat on low speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture has cooled. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium speed until each is fully mixed in. Mix until shiny and almost ribbon like.
- Place the dough in a pastry bag with a round tip. Pipe round circles spaced at least 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Try not to pull up and leave a peak, but you can smooth down with your finger if needed.
- Place one baking sheet at a time in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes, until golden and airy. Keep an eye on them because they brown quickly! Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat step 5 for the rest of the pastry dough and make sure your oven heats back up to 425°F before the next pan goes in.
Whipped Cream
- Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and begin whipping at medium speed. Add the powdered sugar and continue to whip on medium speed. Add the vanilla and whip the cream on medium-high speed until nice and fluffy.
Assembly
- Once your puffs have cooled, cut them open with a serrated knife, trying to keep the top slightly attached. Your puffs should be airy inside with some nice holes to work with.
- At first, I placed a dollop of curd and swirled some whipped cream inside from a pastry bag. It worked fine but I really wanted to get equal amounts of whipped cream and lemon curd in each bite. So, I filled my pastry bag with half whipped cream and half lemon curd. It worked perfectly, like a swirl of frozen yogurt with two flavors. Yum!! Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar on top and enjoy!
Notes
-
- You will need 2-3 medium-large Meyer lemons. They aren't usually very big, so keep that in mind. You can also use regular lemons.
-
- If you make your own lemon curd, it needs to chill for at least an hour, so make it first or ahead of time.
-
- Plan ahead and pull out your eggs, milk, and butter ahead of time because they need to be at room temperature.
-
- You need 2 pastry bags, one for the puffs, and one for the whipped cream (if you want it to be fancy). If you don't have pastry bags, you can always use ziplock bags and cut off one corner.
-
- Don't be like me and open the oven door a few times to check on your puffs, they need the heat to get puffy! In fact, just leave it closed the whole time 😆.
-
- Zest your lemons before you juice them.
-
- For the best results when making the whipped cream, make sure the cream and your bowl are nice and cold before you start whipping. Keep both in the freezer until you are ready to start.
- Store any leftover puffs in a covered container in the fridge. They will last 2-3 days.
- Nutrition facts are for the cream puff only with no filling.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Alyssa Hixenbaugh says
Wow, these look so decadent and delicious! I need to make some asap.
Emily says
Oh yes, they are a must-bake. LOL!😂
Peg says
You do not have any steps numbered 8 -10 so in your instruction step #6 it is confusing when you state: "Repeat steps 8-10 for the other baking sheet and make sure your oven heats back up to 425°F before the next pan goes in."
Emily says
Peg, thank you so much for letting me know! I updated the recipe to try and make it shorter and missed that completely. It's been fixed, thanks again!🙂
Julia says
I love everything lemon and these sound amazing. I've not tried making my own lemon curd before but I'm going to give it a try. They look really good!
Emily says
Julia, if you love lemon, making your own lemon curd is going to be amazing!! I hope you love it!
Gabriela says
I had never seen this dessert before it seems like an absolute treat. I love how detailed you are when you give us all the steps to accomplish the perfect dish.
Emily says
It's a good one, Gabriela, and definitely a treat!
Bobbie says
These lemon cream puffs sound delicious! I can’t wait to try 😊
Emily says
Thanks, Bobbie. Enjoy!