--- title: "Choux pastry: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Choux pastry is a cooked dough of water, butter, flour and eggs that puffs hollow in the oven. It makes eclairs, cream puffs, profiteroles and gougères." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/choux-pastry" --- # Choux pastry Choux pastry is a cooked dough of water, butter, flour and eggs that puffs hollow in the oven. It makes eclairs, cream puffs, profiteroles and gougères. Also called Pâte à choux, Choux paste, Cream puff dough. Choux pastry is a soft dough made by cooking flour in boiling water and butter, then beating in eggs. In a hot oven the water turns to steam and puffs the dough into a hollow shell. You fill the shells with cream or [crème pâtissière](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/creme-patissiere) for eclairs, cream puffs and profiteroles, or add cheese for savory gougères. ## How to do it 1. Heat 125 ml (½ cup) water, 50 g (3½ tablespoons) butter and a pinch of salt until the butter melts and the water boils. 2. Take the pan off the heat and stir in 75 g (about ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) flour all at once. 3. Put it back on medium heat and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until the dough forms a ball and leaves a thin film on the pan. 4. Let it cool for 3 to 5 minutes, then [beat](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/beat) in 2 to 3 eggs, one at a time. 5. [Pipe](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pipe) onto a lined tray and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 to 30 minutes, without opening the oven for the first 15 minutes. ## How to tell it is done The dough is ready to pipe when it is glossy and falls from a spoon in a thick V-shaped ribbon. The baked shells are deep golden brown, feel light, and sound hollow when tapped. Pale shells collapse as they cool. ## Why it works Cooking the flour in water swells the starch so the dough can hold a lot of egg. In the oven, water in the dough turns to steam and pushes it outward. The egg proteins set and hold the puffed shape, leaving a hollow inside. ## How to store it Unfilled shells keep in an airtight box for a day, or frozen for a month. Crisp them for 5 minutes at 180°C (350°F) before filling. ## Common mistakes * Adding all the eggs at once. The dough can turn too runny to pipe. Stop when it reaches the V-shape stage, even with egg left over. * Opening the oven early. The steam escapes and the shells sink. * Underbaking. Bake until really brown, then pierce each shell to let steam out. * Filling the shells too early. They go soft within a few hours. ## Where it comes from Choux is a French pastry. The name means "cabbage", after the shape of the puffs. ## Choux pastry recipes 4 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/F550BD7C-82B8-41C1-9CC8C3EC182D17E7/petit-choux.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&format=webp)Petit chouxwww.arla.se](https://www.arla.se/recept/petit-choux/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/DEF17AE0-841B-4718-AB9F75E1AA40B31E/petit-choux-bollar-med-lojrom-och-hummer.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&format=webp)Petits-choux med löjrom och hummerwww.arla.se · 60 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/petit-choux-bollar-med-lojrom-och-hummer/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/CCDBA976-038E-47D5-8B471DA7EFEBB7F1/lobsterroll-med-rostad-paprika-och-chorizo.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&crop=(0,250,0,-280)&format=webp)Lobsterroll med rostad paprika och chorizowww.arla.se · 60 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/lobsterroll-med-rostad-paprika-och-chorizo/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/87ABD332-106F-403D-A156BFBEF49DE229/lojromssemla.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&crop=(0,416,0,-115)&format=webp)Löjromssemlawww.arla.se · 60 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/lojromssemla/) ## Related terms * [PipeTo pipe is to squeeze frosting, cream, batter or dough through a bag and nozzle to make neat shapes. Here is how to fill the bag, hold it and press evenly.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pipe) * [Crème pâtissièreCrème pâtissière is a thick custard of milk, egg yolks, sugar and starch, used to fill eclairs, tarts and doughnuts. Here is how to make it smooth.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/creme-patissiere) * [Egg washEgg wash is beaten egg, often thinned with water or milk, brushed on dough before baking. It gives a shiny, golden crust and glues seeds and seams.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/egg-wash) * [Piping bagA piping bag is a cone-shaped bag you squeeze to pipe frosting, cream, meringue and choux dough into neat shapes. Here is how to fill it and pipe evenly.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/piping-bag) * [GanacheGanache is chocolate melted into hot cream. Change the ratio and it becomes a glaze, a whipped frosting or firm truffles. Here are the ratios to use.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/ganache) [More in baking and dough](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/baking-and-dough)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)