These S'mores Cream Puffs combine campfire nostalgia with elegant patisserie! Perfect for gatherings or a cozy night in in the summertime. Or make these cream puffs anytime for a taste of summer year round!
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These S'mores Cream Puffs are a new take on the classic summer treat! These cream puffs are baked with a crispy graham cracker craquelin on top, then filled with chocolate ganache and homemade marshmallow cream! Topped with *more* ganache and a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs, this will be your new favorite way to enjoy s'mores--no campfire required!
If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Pecan Pie Cream Puffs, Root Beer Float Cream Puffs, and Cookie Dough Cream Puffs!
Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make these decadent cream puffs! Measurements for each of the ingredients are included in the recipe card, below.
Graham Cracker Craquelin Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter - The butter is the base of your craquelin, and allows the craquelin to get hard enough to cut when chilled, and also to be soft and fold over the cream puffs when baked. I use unsalted butter so that I control the amount of salt in the recipe. You want your butter to be at room temperature.
- Brown Sugar - For sweetness and a slight molasses flavor.
- Flour - Provides structure for the craquelin. I used all-purpose flour, and sifted it before using to ensure it doesn't have any lumps.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs - For the classic graham cracker flavor in the craquelin.
- Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the craquelin.
Cream Puff (Choux) Ingredients
- Milk - For moisture and richness. I used whole milk.
- Sugar - For a slight sweetness and keeping the cream puffs soft.
- Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the cream puffs.
- Unsalted Butter - For moisture and richness. Unsalted so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Flour - Provides structure for the cream puffs. I used all-purpose flour.
- Eggs - For moisture, structure, and leavening. I used large eggs.
Homemade Marshmallow Cream Ingredients
- Egg Whites - Whipped egg whites make your marshmallow cream light and fluffy! The whites are "cooked" when you add the hot sugar syrup.
- Cream of Tartar - Helps to stabilize the whipped egg whites.
- Sugar - Adds sweetness and firms the marshmallow cream a bit.
- Agave Syrup - Adds sweetness and helps to prevent crystallization of the sugar.
- Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the marshmallow cream.
- Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor. I love the little black flecks it leaves in the marshmallow cream! If you don't have vanilla bean paste or prefer not to use it, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.
Hint: Looking for recipes to use your two leftover egg yolks in? Check out my Blueberry Curd Tart or my Strawberry Jam Cookies!
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients
- Chocolate - For (amazing) flavor. You can choose whatever kind of chocolate you like, but dark chocolate is a lovely complement to the super sweet marshmallow cream. I used 60% cacao. I suggest using a chopped chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips, as chocolate chips have stabilizers and your ganache might not turn out as smooth/pourable. Using high quality chocolate is important here!
- Heavy (Whipping) Cream - For richness, creaminess, and a pourable consistency.
Instructions
Here's how to make this recipe, step by step! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.
Making Cream Puffs with Craquelin
- Combine butter and brown sugar. Mix until smooth. Then add the remaining craquelin ingredients and mix until combined.
- Roll the mixture out between two sheets of parchment, chill, then cut out rounds. Store the craquelin rounds in the freezer until you need them.
- Combine water, milk, sugar, salt, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the flour and quickly beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and shiny.
- Scrape the mixture into a mixer and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until smooth.
- Pipe the mixture into small mounds on a lined baking sheet, and top each mound with a craquelin round. Bake as directed in the recipe card (below).
Tip: Make sure to read the recipe card carefully (below), as it gives additional tips on how to ensure your cream puffs are a success!
Making Marshmallow Cream and Ganache
- In a small saucepan, warm the sugar, agave syrup, water, and salt, whisking occasionally. Continue to heat until the mixture reaches 240℉.
- Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. When the sugar mixture reaches about 230℉, turn the mixer on and whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.
- Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and, with the mixer running, slowly pour into the whipped egg whites. Continue beating for 10 minutes. Add vanilla bean paste and mix to incorporate.
- For the ganache, combine chopped chocolate and cream in a small heatproof bowl and microwave on 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst, until the mixture is smooth.
Hint: You want the sugar syrup to get to the "soft ball" stage. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can carefully drop a bit of the syrup into a bowl of cold water. Leave it to cool for a moment, then pick it up and press it between your fingers. If it's sticky and you can mold it between your fingers easily, you're at soft ball stage. If it's too hard, you've gone too far and need to start over.
Substitutions
Here are a few quick substitutions that you can make with this recipe:
- Instead of Agave: No agave? An equal measure of light corn syrup or honey will do the job!
- Instead of Vanilla Bean Paste: If you can't find vanilla bean paste or prefer not to use it, you can instead substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.
Equipment
While not all of this equipment is strictly necessary, here are some things that I used to make this recipe:
- Biscuit Cutter - I used a 2-inch round cutter to cut out my craquelin rounds.
- Parchment Paper - I like using nonstick parchment to roll out the craquelin and on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.
- Piping Bags - I used a piping bag for both piping the choux pastry onto the baking sheets and to pipe the marshmallow cream into the cream puffs. I prefer piping bags, but you can always use a ziploc bag and snip the corner, too.
- Candy Thermometer - I do give a tip on how to manage making the marshmallow cream without a candy thermometer, but having one takes the guesswork out of it!
Storage
These S'mores Cream Puffs are best enjoyed same-day while the craquelin is still crisp. It's also best to assemble the cream puffs as close to when you plan to serve them as possible. Leftovers will keep for a day in an airtight container.
Other Recipes You May Like
S'mores Cream Puffs
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Craquelin
- 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup flour, sifted (I used all-purpose)
- ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs (plus more for garnish, if desired)
- pinch salt
Cream Puffs
Marshmallow Cream
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup agave syrup (see note)
- ¼ cup water
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces chocolate, chopped finely (I used 60% cacao)
- ⅔ cup heavy (whipping) cream
Instructions
For Craquelin
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and brown sugar. Mix until smooth.
- Add flour, graham cracker crumbs, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Place the mixture between two sheets of parchment (see note) and roll to approximately ⅛" thick. Place the butter mixture (still in the parchment) on a baking sheet and freeze 5 minutes.
- Once chilled, use a 2" round cutter (see note) to cut 24 rounds out of the craquelin. You can gather the scraps and re-roll them if necessary. Place the rounds in the freezer until you need them.
For Cream Puffs (Choux Pastry)
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line baking sheets with parchment (see note) and set aside.
- Combine water, milk, sugar, salt, and butter in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, and while still on the heat, add the flour. Quickly beat mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth and shiny. Mixture will pull away from the sides of the pan. (Do not underbeat or cream puffs may deflate later!)
- Once mixture is thoroughly combined, scrape it into the bowl of a stand mixer. Turn the mixer on low speed. With mixer running, add eggs one a time, allowing each egg to incorporate and mixture to become smooth before adding the next.
- Transfer batter to a piping bag (see note) and cut a hole in the end (about ⅓" across). Pipe mounds of choux pastry at least 2" apart, each about 2" across and ¾" tall (see notes). With those dimensions, you get about 24 cream puffs.
- Remove the craquelin from the freezer and place one round on top of each cream puff gently, without pressing down the dough. The craquelin should be positioned parallel to the pan.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and turn the oven off. Bake 10 minutes with the oven off. Turn oven back on to 350° F and bake another 10 minutes. Then, turn the oven off again, leaving the cream puffs to finish baking for another 10 minutes (This is 30 minutes in the oven total). Resist the urge to open the oven until baking is complete, as this could deflate your cream puffs!
- Once the cream puffs are baked, remove from the oven and poke a hole in the top of each with a toothpick. This will allow any residual steam to escape (otherwise, your cream puffs could deflate…sensing a trend here?). Allow cream puffs to cool completely.
For Marshmallow Cream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment, and move onto the next step.
- In a small saucepan, warm sugar, agave, water, and salt over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. When the sugar mixture reaches about 230℉, turn the mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Continue heating sugar mixture to 240℉. (The goal is to have the egg whites to stiff peaks and sugar mixture to 240℉ at about the same time.)Hint: You want the sugar syrup to get to the "soft ball" stage. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can carefully drop a bit of the syrup into a bowl of cold water. Leave it to cool for a moment, then pick it up and press it between your fingers. If it's sticky and you can mold it between your fingers easily, you're at soft ball stage. If it's too hard, you've gone too far and need to start over.
- When sugar mixture reaches 240℉, remove from heat. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually drizzle sugar mixture into whipped eggs (see note).
- Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat mixture until stiff and glossy, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla bean paste (see note) and mix to combine.
For Chocolate Ganache
- Combine chocolate and cream in a small heatproof bowl and microwave on 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst, until the mixture is smooth. The ganache will set up as it cools. If necessary it can be re-warmed to get it back to a pourable consistency.
For Assembly
- Split the cooled the cream puffs with a thin, serrated knife. (I find that a bread knife works well for this.) Try to do so gently so as not to break all the craquelin.
- Spoon some chocolate ganache into the bottom of each cream puff, then top with some of the marshmallow cream. I used a piping bag to pipe the marshmallow cream into the cream puff both for efficiency and to keep my hands cleaner. Place the top of the cream puff on top. Drizzle with more ganache and garnish with graham cracker crumbs, if desired.
- The cream puffs are best enjoyed same-day while the craquelin is still crisp. It's also best to assemble the cream puffs as close to when you plan to serve them as possible. Leftovers will keep for a day in an airtight container.Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.
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