Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs
Yield: 16 cream puffs
These fun Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs are the perfect alternative to traditional pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving. Each cream puff is layered with a pumpkin pie filling and fluffy maple sweetened whipped cream!
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Colored Cream Puff Shells:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 6 pieces
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- orange food coloring paste
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- 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
For the Maple Whipped Cream:
- 1.5 cup heavy cream
- a couple pinches table salt
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Colored Cream Puff Shells:
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Measure flour and set aside.
- Bring butter, sugar, salt, and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Immediately remove from heat, and quickly stir in flour mixture all at once. Return to heat and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 to 2 minutes, or until dough is smooth and forms a ball. Transfer dough to the bowl of an electric mixer and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until mixture is smooth and glossy. Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip. Pipe dough onto prepared pans into 1-1/2" rounds that are about 1-1/2" high. Smooth out peaks and round tops with a moistened finger.
- Bake at 425° F for 5 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 375° and bake 30 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown. Turn oven off and let shells stand in closed oven for 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Let cool completely.
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- In a large saucepan, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Add pumpkin and evaporated milk, and whisk until smooth.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Let stand 30 minutes, and then chill for 4 to 24 hours.
For the Maple Whipped Cream:
- Place cream and salt in a large bowl. Beat at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Add maple syrup and vanilla extract. If you like a sweeter whipped cream, add a few tablespoons of powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.* Note: This will make quite a bit of whipped cream, enough to abundantly fill your cream puff shells, as shown in my photos. If you do not plan to use that much whipped cream, you should be good to cut the whipped cream ingredients in half.
To Assemble the Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs:
- Cut each cream puff shell in half horizontally. Spoon pumpkin pie filling onto bottom halves. Spread maple whipped cream on top of filling. Place tops of cream puff shells onto whipped cream.
- Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Once assembled, these are best eaten on the day they are made. If you want to make these a day prior to serving, keep the cream puff shells, pumpkin pie filling, and maple whipped cream stored in separate containers in the refrigerator. Then assemble the pumpkin pie cream puffs the following day.
Notes
Adapted very slightly from Simply Sweet Dream Puffs by Barbara Schieving.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 237kcal Carbohydrates: 23g Protein: 4g Fat: 15g Saturated Fat: 9g Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 97mg Sodium: 166mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 17g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.