I love gluten free choux pastry based desserts equally, but cream puffs truly have my heart. There is something so delicious about a chewy, lightly crispy and slightly sweet shell of pastry that is filled with airy light cream. Given my fondness, I knew I had to post this recipe from my cookbook: gluten free cream puffs.
Gluten free cream puffs
These gluten free cream puffs are made from a delicious gluten free choux pastry. The pastry uses majority white rice flour with a small amount of tapioca flour. However, it can also be made entirely with rice flour, eliminating the need for a starch based flour.
Eggs, milk and butter create the choux pastry magic. Of course, lactose free milk is my milk of choice for a gluten free and low FODMAP choux pastry.
Next, the whipped cream filling! I love me some lactose free whipped cream, but we’ll also delve into some dairy free options.
There you have it: gluten free cream puffs that are nut free, made without xanthan gum and easily dairy free and/or low FODMAP.
Notes on the cream
As we have discussed, I like to use lactose free whipping cream for this recipe. It tastes exactly the same as regular whipping cream – delicious. If you can’t buy lactose free whipping cream where you live, you can add lactase drops to the cream.
You need to follow the instructions of the brand you use and make the lactose free cream about 24-48 hours ahead of time. I use Intoleran drops. Be sure to buy drops because dissolving the tablets in cream would be an absolute pain.
Make sure you buy whipping cream – not light, cooking or any other variety. Whipping cream has stabilisers to ensure it whips up nicely.
If you don’t want to use regular cream, you have two options: coconut cream or Flora plant based cream.
Coconut cream is a little trickier to whip than regular cream, but it does work. To use coconut cream, choose a good quality brand with a high percentage of coconut (a lot of them are filled with water). I like Ayam brand in Australia.
Refrigerate the tins overnight before you use them, then scoop down to the bottom and allow any liquid to drain off. Whip with the icing sugar until fluffy.
Flora plant cream is a little easier to use. It takes longer, but it whips up just like regular cream. Allow soft peaks to form before adding in the sugar. If you’d like more info on this, I have written about it in my vegan Ninja Creami ice cream recipe (not sponsored, by the way).
Recipe notes
- To make these cream puffs low FODMAP, simply use lactose free cream. If you are using the coconut cream option, choose a brand without inulin. There is no entry on the Monash FODMAP app for Flora Plant cream. It does use lentil protein, but pea protein can be low FODMAP and lentils have a low FODMAP threshold. Whether or not you’d like to try it is up to you.
- I always find cream puffs the best on the day you make them, but they do keep well in the fridge. I haven’t tried freezing them.
- I couldn’t ascertain the different between a gluten free profiterole and a cream puff. Some people said they are the same, some people said that gluten free profiteroles are filled with pastry cream.
- If you’d like to use this recipe to make gluten free profiteroles, you can fill them with the lactose free pastry cream on my website.
- Make sure you read all the tips in the gluten free choux pastry post. A good cream puff needs a nice and puffy choux casing, so it’s important to get the quantity of egg just right.
More gluten free dessert recipes
- Gluten free Yuzu tiramisu
- Gluten free chocolate cake (with a vegan version and a dairy free version)
- Halva and pistachio brownies (gluten free)
- Ninja Creami cookie dough ice cream (gluten free)
- 3 ingredient chocolate mousse (dairy free option)
Gluten free cream puffs
Ingredients
For the cream puffs:
- 1 batch gluten free choux pastry (see the notes below the recipe for the link)
For the lactose free whipped cream filling option:
- 250ml full fat lactose free whipping cream (not light, cooking or any other variety as it won't whip) see notes
- 10-20 g icing sugar (or to your taste) see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
For the dairy free coconut whipped cream filling option:
- 400ml can coconut cream, refrigerated for 24 hours prior to use see notes
- 20 g icing sugar (or to your taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
- Prepare the choux pastry as per that recipe (linked below). When you get to step 7, pipe the pastry into 10 gold ball sized rounds. Bake following recipe instructions and set aside to cool completely.
- To prepare the filling, whip the cream of choice using hand beaters until soft peaks form. Sieve in the icing sugar and continue to beat until incorporated and the cream is light and fluffy. Stop the beaters to add the vanilla (if you are using paste) as it tends to get tangled in the beaters. Beat once more to combine, being careful not to over-whip.
- Transfer the cream into a piping bag with a small round nozzle. Use a sharp knife to create a small hole in the base of each cooled pastry.
- Pipe the cream into the base of each choux until it puffs up a little. Repeat with the remaining cream puffs. If it's hot, pop them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to settle before sprinkling them with some icing sugar and serving. You can also top them with a chocolate topping (recipe in my gluten free eclair recipe).
- I find cream puffs are best on the day of making but they do keep well in the fridge. I have not tried freezing them as they disappear too quickly at my house.
Notes
- See my gluten free choux pastry recipe here.
- See the notes in the body of the post for making these low FODMAP or dairy free.
- Lactose free cream is slightly sweeter than regular cream. This is because the lactase enzyme converts lactose into glucose and galactose, which makes the cream taste sweeter. Add sugar to taste when using lactose free cream.
- See the notes in the choux pastry recipe to ensure you make the puffiest, best choux pastry possible. It’s important to add the right amount of egg or they won’t puff up nicely.
- See my gluten free eclair recipe here.
- *Whipping cream generally contains xanthan gum. Check that yours doesn’t if you need these to be completely xanthan gum free. You can also use the coconut cream option.
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