Making such an iconic pastry at home may feel intimidating, but my eclair recipe is here to help you achieve the perfect pastries fit for a French patisserie. Crisp, delicate eclair shells are filled with silky pastry cream and topped with a decadent, shiny chocolate ganache. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced baker, you can create this homemade eclair recipe with my expert tips and tricks!
This recipe has been popular on my site for years, but I have retested it to update the post with more tips and troubleshooting guidance! I take you through each step of the process to create these beloved treats with ease—from preparing the choux dough to achieving the perfect pastry cream. Plus, two common mistakes to avoid that cause the eclair shells to fall flat.
A reader, Rosemary, says: “This is the easiest recipe for eclairs to understand and follow. It is the first one to actually work for me.” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
What Is Choux Pastry?
Choux pastry, also known as pâte à choux, forms the base of an array of French pastries, from eclairs to cream puffs. It is made by boiling water, butter, sugar, and salt on the stovetop before removing it from the heat, beating in flour, and mixing in eggs with an electric mixer or stand mixer. Choux pastry is a versatile dough that puffs up beautifully when baked. It has a light and crisp shell and an airy, buttery interior that can be filled with sweet or savory fillings.
What’s The Difference Between Eclairs And Profiteroles?
Eclairs and profiteroles are both classic French pastries made using choux pastry dough, but they have a few distinct differences. Eclairs have a long, cylindrical shape and are typically several inches long and filled from the bottom with a pastry cream. They are also typically topped with a chocolate glaze or ganache, or another flavor of glaze.
Profiteroles are small, round puffs and are smaller in size than eclairs. Profiteroles traditionally have a whipped cream or custard filling,and the tops are dipped or drizzled in melted chocolate or caramel sauce, or simply dusted with powdered sugar.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions For Eclairs
These are the main ingredients you need to make French eclairs. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Whole Milk — provides a rich and creamy base for the pastry cream, which is crucial for achieving the right consistency and flavor.
Vanilla Bean — infuses the pastry cream with a deep, aromatic, and robust vanilla flavor. Alternatively, use 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Large Eggs — choose whole eggs and bring them to room temperature to help create the best structure for the pastry dough, allowing the dough to puff up in the oven. Egg yolks are used as a natural thickening agent, giving the pastry cream a custardy texture and rich flavor.
Granulated Sugar — sugar sweetens the pastry cream and shell and helps enhance the overall pastry flavor. Regular granulated white sugar works best.
Cornstarch — helps thicken the pastry cream to ensure it is smooth and holds its shape well.
Butter — choose unsalted butter to best control the seasoning of the filling and pastry, and ensure it is cold before adding to the pastry cream so that it incorporates slowly.
All-Purpose Flour — provides the base of the choux dough. Use unbleached all-purpose flour for the best results, and sift the flour before measuring it to avoid lumps.
Heavy Whipping Cream — the rich, smooth base for the chocolate glaze and gives each eclair a glossy finish.
Semisweet Chocolate — use semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars for a balanced, rich chocolate flavor in the glaze that isn’t overly sweet.
Tips For Making Choux Pastry
Add an extra egg if the dough is thick. The consistency of the choux dough should be thick but smooth, and it should fall slowly from the paddle or spoon. If the dough is too thick and clinging to the beaters or paddle, gradually add an extra egg or part of an egg, beating until well incorporated and the consistency is correct.
Add extra flour if the batter is too runny. The dough should not be too runny, or it won’t hold its shape when piped. If the batter doesn’t hold ribbons when falling off the beater, sift in a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition until you reach the correct consistency.
Use a large star tip to pipe dough. This helps create the classic ridged eclair shell texture, which is aesthetically pleasing and helps them bake evenly.
Why Did My Pastry Shells Fall Flat?
If your choux pastry falls flat after baking, the dough could have been too wet or dry. You want the dough to be thick, smooth, and glossy, and fall in ribbons from the beater; add more flour if it’s too runny and more egg if it’s too stiff. Most commonly, too much egg is added, and the batter is runny. (If it easily leaks out of your pastry tip without squeezing it, it is too wet.
I updated the recipe to beat the remaining egg so that you can easily add just a little bit at a time. Very often, I only need to use half of the egg. If it’s very dry or I mismeasured my flour a touch, sometimes it needs all of it. But this way, you have control of how much you add. You can see in the image below how choux pastry with too much egg collapses and ends up flat.
Also, an underbaked shell can collapse and turn flat. If you poke the choux or open the oven door too soon, the underbaked shells can fall since their structure hasn’t fully set. They need to be crispy and firm on the outside in order to release steam and not lose their shape. In the image below, you can see an underbaked shell that was poked too soon and flattened out compared to the properly baked shell that stayed tall with an open interior.
Pro Tips For The Best Eclairs
Accurately measure ingredients. Creating the pastry and cream filling is an intricate process that requires precision for the best results. If possible, use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients.
Draw lines on the parchment paper as a guide. This will help you pipe each shell to the same length for evenly sized eclairs. Be sure to flip the paper over so the guidelines are on the bottom side and you aren’t piping the dough directly onto the pen or pencil lines.
Don’t open the oven during baking. While tempting, avoid opening the oven door until it is near the end of the baking time to check for doneness. It can cause the temperature to drop quickly, and the choux pastry can collapse.
Poke baked shells to keep them crisp. Eclair shells can become too soft if their steam is not released immediately after baking. Poke two small holes in the bottom of each shell with a skewer or the tip of a sharp knife to release the steam.
Assemble the eclairs just before serving. Fill the eclairs with pastry cream shortly before serving for the best texture contrast between the crisp shell and the creamy filling.
Use a piping bag for the filling. The easiest way to fill the shells with the pastry cream is to use a piping bag with a small round tip to pipe the filling.
How To Make Eclairs
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making homemade eclairs. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Make the Filling: Bring the milk and vanilla bean to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let the milk steep for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean pod. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, then whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.
2. Whisk in ¼ cup of the steeped milk mixture into the egg yolks. Then slowly whisk in the rest of the milk. Strain the mixture back into the saucepan.
3. Cook over medium-high heat, gently whisking constantly, until thickened and just starting to bubble. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the cold butter until fully melted. Transfer to a clean bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream (this prevents a skin from forming), and let the custard cool slightly at room temperature. Chill for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.
4. Make the Choux Pastry: Make ten 4-inch-long lines on a piece of parchment paper, spacing them a few inches apart. Flip the paper over and place it on a large baking sheet. Fit a large pastry bag with a large open star tip (869). Bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a rolling boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Then, immediately from the heat.
5. Add all the flour at once, and stir hard with a wooden spoon until all the flour is mixed in. Place back over medium heat and stir constantly for 30 seconds.
6. Scrape the mixture into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. (You can also use an electric hand mixer.) Start mixing at medium speed. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, while mixing. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl between each egg. Mix until the dough is smooth, glossy, and thick but will fall slowly and steadily from the paddle when you lift it out of the batter. If the dough clings to the paddle, beat the remaining egg and mix it a little at a time until the dough is the right consistency.
7. Pipe the Shells: Put the choux dough in the pastry bag, and pipe lines of dough 4 inches long using the markings as your guide. Smooth out any bumps or points of dough by wetting your finger and tapping the points down. (You can lightly brush the dough with an egg wash if you want the shells darker brown and shiny.)
8. Bake the Shells: Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the heat to 375°F and continue baking until puffed and golden brown, or about 25 minutes more. Remove them from the oven and immediately release the steam in each one by poking two holes in the bottom with a skewer or the tip of a knife. Cool pastry shells completely on a wire rack.
9. Fill the Shells: Remove the pastry cream from the fridge and whisk it vigorously until smooth and loosened. Transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain piping tip, or a tip designed to fill donuts. To fill the shells with cream, you can poke a hole in the end of each cooled eclair shell, or two larger holes on the bottom using a small pastry tip. Gently pipe the custard into the eclairs through the holes you just made, and put them back on the wire rack.
10. Glaze the Eclairs: Heat the cream in the microwave or on the stove just until it starts to bubble and steam. Add the chocolate, and let the mixture stand for a couple of minutes. Then, gently whisk until melted and smooth. Dip the tops of the eclairs in the warm chocolate glaze and set them on a small pan or plate. Chill, uncovered, for at least 1 hour to set the glaze, or keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Eclairs are best if served within a few hours of assembling them.
Eclairs Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 cups whole milk (480ml)
- ½ vanilla bean split lengthwise and seeds scraped
- 6 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (133g)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (25g)
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
For the Choux Pastry:
- 1 cup water (240ml)
- ½ cup unsalted butter cubed (113g)
- 1½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
- 3 large eggs (plus 1 extra if needed)
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream (120ml)
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (or bars, coarsely chopped)
Instructions
For the Filling:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla bean and bring to a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean pod.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain. Whisk in ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the saucepan. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer back into the saucepan.
- Cook over medium-high heat, gently whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until fully melted and combined. Transfer to a clean bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool slightly at room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. The custard can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
For the Pastry:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Using a pencil, draw ten 4-inch-long lines on one side of a sheet of parchment paper, spacing them a few inches apart. Flip the paper over and place it on a large baking sheet. Fit a large pastry bag with a large round tip. Set both aside.
- In a large saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt, and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes. When it is boiling, immediately take the pan off the heat. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add all the flour at once, and stir hard until all the flour is incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds.
- Return the pan to medium heat and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Scrape the mixture into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer).
- Start mixing at medium speed. With the mixer running, add 3 eggs, one at a time. Stop mixing after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until the dough is smooth and glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated. The dough should be thick but should fall slowly and steadily from the paddle when you lift it out of the bowl. If the dough is still clinging to the paddle, beat the remaining egg, then mix in a little bit at a time until the dough is thick but will ribbon off of the paddle.
- Carefully transfer the choux dough to the pastry bag. Pipe fat lines of dough 4 inches long (about the size and shape of a jumbo hot dog) onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each. You should have 8 to 10 lines of dough. (Don’t worry if they aren’t perfect!)
- Use your fingers dipped in cool water to smooth out any bumps or points of dough that remain on the surface. If desired, you can lightly brush the dough with an egg wash.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F and continue baking until puffed and light golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Try not to open the oven door too often during the baking. Once golden, remove from the oven and immediately poke two holes in the bottom using a skewer to release steam. Let the pastry shells cool completely on a wire rack.
For Filling the Shells:
- Poke a hole in the end of each cooled eclair shell, or two larger holes on the bottom, using a small pastry tip.
- Remove the pastry cream from the fridge and whisk it vigorously until smooth and loosened up. Transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain piping tip, or a tip designed to fill donuts. Gently pipe the custard into the eclairs through the holes you just made, filling them with just enough custard to fill the inside but not ooze out. Place them back on the wire rack once filled.
For the Glaze:
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat or by microwave in a medium bowl, just until it starts to bubble and steam.
- Add the chocolate, and let stand for 2 minutes on the counter. Gently whisk until melted and smooth.
- Dip the tops of the eclairs in the warm chocolate glaze and set them on a small pan or plate. Chill, uncovered, for at least 1 hour to set the glaze, or keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Eclairs should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap. Place the wrap directly on the surface of the cream. This will prevent a skin from forming on it.
- Make the pastry filling in advance to save on prep time. The pastry cream needs at least 2 hours to chill before it’s ready to use, so plan the eclair preparation accordingly. The filling can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
- Refrigerate filled eclairs. For the best texture and flavor, store filled eclairs in the refrigerator and consume them within 24 hours.
Nutrition
Storing & Make Ahead Tips
Chocolate eclairs are best consumed within a few hours of being assembled, so the shell remains crisp and the filling is fresh. If you have leftovers, each chocolate eclair can be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 1-2 days, though the texture of the pastries may change when stored for longer periods of time.
Freezing eclairs: Freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then place them in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge for several hours before enjoying. The only thing to note is that the texture will be different once thawed. The shells won’t be crisp, and the chocolate topping may look a bit spotty, but the flavor will still be delicious!
Can You Make The Eclair Components In Advance?
Yes, you can prepare the shells and pastry cream ahead of time and fill them just before serving. Store baked and cooled shells in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
Store prepared and cooled pastry cream in a bowl with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Re-whisk the cream before piping it into the eclairs. Then, prepare the chocolate glaze when the eclairs are filled and ready to be dipped.
Freezing eclair shells: Place the cooled shells in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen shells at room temperature. You can restore their crispiness in the oven 350ºF for 5-10 minutes. Cool before filling.
More French Pastry Recipes To Try
Try one of these divine dessert recipes next!
You can make a batch of dainty, light French macarons whenever the mood strikes! I share all the tips so you can make perfect macarons every time.
Tarte tatin is a gorgeous upside-down with sweet, caramelized apple on a crisp, flaky crust. You only need 5 ingredients to make it!
If you’re looking or a classic French dessert, give mille feuille a try! Three layers of puff pastry are filed with sweet vanilla pastry cream and topped with icing.
Palmiers are a 2-ingredient recipe that’s ready in 1 hour flat! They’re adictively sweet and crunchy.
Canelés are a classic French pastry. They feature a crisp shell with a rich, custardy interior.
If you’ve tried this eclairs recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Kristen Cortese says
worked really well, better than other recipes I’ve used and I found the part of the video where you showed how the consistency should be super helpful, I never knew if it was right or not!
Sarkis says
Im getting ready to make these eclairs but wont be using actual vanilla beans. You mention vanilla bean paste and extract. Do you of the paste or extract should I use?
Caroline says
I’m planning on making these eclairs too, and have a similar question. Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla beans, and if so, how much extract should I use? Thanks, John!
Leah says
Probably won’t help you at this point, but in case someone else comes here with a similar question, I used 2 tsp of vanilla extract and whisked it in with the butter. It turned out great!
Delaney says
Hi! I just made the filling this morning and it smells and tastes great but it turned out very elastic, not really eclair worthy. Do you have any advice how to save it?
jkanell says
It just needs to get whipped briefly and then it becomes silky.
Lindsay says
This recipe looks so intimidating because it’s long, but once you break it up into steps and just do it, you realize it wasn’t that hard. I thought the hardest part was the filling. Mine did not seem as firmed up as yours but after refrigerating it was perfect! Thank you for an amazing and impressive recipe! Everyone was wowed by it!
ISABELLA TAMPLIN BALSIMELLI says
Hi from Brasil! I just love your recepies. I already made this 3 times. Total success!
Now this is a must in my parties.
I tried the chocolate chip cookies too. I´m not sure why, but they spreaded all over.
They still tasted great. Do you think it might be the quality of the sugar?
best regards, and keep on cooking!
Ami G says
I made this recipe twice… the first time I blindly put 3 eggs to the mix and the result was a very liquid batter, the problem was Texas eggs, they are bigger I guess… the second time I only added 3 egg yolks and added the white slowly, I end up with about half of the whites left. The second time the results were marvelous. Great recipe and even better YouTube video. John is the best.
isabella says
Hi from Brasil!
I made them last night. They are perfect! I couldn´t believe I made them myself.
I always cooked, but never made deserts.
But this year I just felt the need to bake cakes, and now Eclairs!
My husband is very hHi fappy!
One question. Can I make the shells and freeze them? From what I understood, the best way is to make the filling the day before?
best regards and thanks
Anisa says
when I was watching the video, I thought “this doesn’t look so easy” but when I tried, it actually was! really love the recipe, followed to the T, everybody loved it, they asked for more <3
jkanell says
So happy you enjoyed!!!!
Katherine says
I enjoyed making these eclaires with my family this weekend!
Ava says
LOVEEE!!! <3