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Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs

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Light, golden cream puff shells filled with creamy spiced pumpkin pie filling and generous swirls of maple whipped cream. These elegant individual desserts are perfect for Thanksgiving and fall celebrations.

Ingredients

¾ cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup water

3 large eggs, at room temperature

Orange food coloring paste, as needed

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 cup canned pumpkin

½ cup evaporated milk

1.5 cups heavy cream

A couple pinches table salt

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Powdered sugar, to taste and for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Measure the flour and set aside.
  2. Combine the butter, sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup water in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
  3. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly stir in the flour all at once. Return to the heat and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 to 2 minutes, until the dough is smooth and forms a ball.
  4. Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer and cool for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the 3 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy. Mix in enough orange food coloring paste to achieve the desired color.
  6. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip. Pipe 1½-inch rounds approximately 1½ inches high onto the prepared baking sheets. Smooth peaks and round the tops with a moistened finger.
  7. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for about 30 minutes more, until puffed and golden brown.
  8. Turn off the oven and leave the shells inside the closed oven for 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
  9. For the pumpkin filling, whisk the brown sugar, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large saucepan.
  10. Add the pumpkin and evaporated milk and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes or until noticeably thickened.
  11. Let the pumpkin filling stand for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
  12. For the maple whipped cream, place the heavy cream and a couple pinches of salt in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
  13. Add the maple syrup and vanilla. Add powdered sugar to taste if additional sweetness is desired, then continue beating until stiff peaks form.
  14. Cut each cooled cream puff shell in half horizontally. Spoon pumpkin filling onto each bottom half, then spread or pipe maple whipped cream over the filling.
  15. Replace the tops of the cream puffs. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Notes

Orange food coloring can be omitted for naturally golden cream puff shells.

For stronger maple flavor, add a little extra maple syrup gradually so the whipped cream remains firm.

Finely chopped toasted pecans can be sprinkled over the pumpkin filling before adding the whipped cream.

A pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice can be added to the whipped cream for extra warmth.

Use a star piping tip for a decorative whipped cream finish.

For smaller party-size cream puffs, pipe smaller rounds and reduce the baking time as needed.

Assembled cream puffs are best eaten the same day because the filling gradually softens the shells.

For make-ahead preparation, store the cooled shells in an airtight container and refrigerate the pumpkin filling and whipped cream separately. Assemble shortly before serving.

If unfilled shells soften, briefly warm them in a low oven until crisp, then cool completely before filling.

Homemade pumpkin puree can be used if it is as thick as canned pumpkin; drain or reduce watery puree before using.

Unfilled baked shells can be frozen for longer storage, but freezing fully assembled cream puffs is not recommended.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://chocolatecoveredamy.com/pumpkin-pie-cream-puffs/