Gluten free Cream puffs and eclairs are one of the most elegant desserts! With a drizzle of chocolate ganache or salted caramel, or whatever you fancy. Making cream puffs and eclairs doesn’t have to be a daunting task. One simple dough recipe (pate choux) and you can easily pipe it into any shape you want.
Gluten free cream puffs and eclairs are some of the easiest shapes to pipe. Dots and lines, it doesn’t get any easier than that! I used a large french tip to pipe my cream puffs and eclairs, which is why you can see those little faint ridges. The dough puffs up a lot when you bake it, so the ridges aren’t as distinct. I just love how fancy they look!
When baking gluten free cream puffs, eclairs, or anything made from pate choux dough it is very important that you let the the oven preheat BEFORE you put the dough in the oven. The dough puffs up because as the moisture in the dough heats up it creates steam which lifts the dough up and fills the inside of the gluten free cream puff or eclair with air.
It is also important not to under-bake your gluten free cream puffs puffs. I’ve found that when I under bake them the quickly deflate, and then where are you supposed to put the whipped cream?
I really love how versatile gluten free cream puffs are, and pate choux in general. This time I filled my gluten free cream puffs with whipped cream, sweetened with just a touch of powdered sugar and a dash of vanilla.
I drizzled the tops with some chocolate ganache and salted caramel just for fun!
You can also fill cream puffs with pudding, custard, mousse, or one of my favorites: go for a savory approach and stuff it full of chicken salad. The possibilities really are endless!
Try these gluten free matcha cream puffs with a dairy free option!
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter or dairy-free butter substitute (like Earth Balance, Melt, or Coconut Oil)
- 1 cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup my GF Rice Flour Blend
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 4 eggs
- approx 3 cups of your desired filling choice whipped cream, pudding, mousse, citrus curd, or savory chicken salad(I used whipped cream today)
- Optional- powdered sugar, salted caramel, or chocolate ganache for topping
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat bring the butter, water, and salt to a boil.
- Remove from heat and immediately stir in the GF flour blend and xanthan gum, working quickly to avoid large lumps. The dough will pull away from the sides of the pan and appear quite gummy.
- Let cool at least 10 minutes and then beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth. (I find using a mixer, heavy duty hand or transferring the mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer, is easiest.)
- Load the dough into a piping bag fitted with your tip of choice (I used a french tip) OR a large ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.
- Preheat your oven to 400F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Pipe your dough onto the prepared baking sheets leaving at least 3 inches between shapes.
- Pipe approx 1 heaping tablespoons worth of dough into a ball shape (hold bag perpendicular to pan, pipe and then release. You can smooth the top off using a slightly wet finger)
- Pipe just as the cream puffs but use about half as much dough, about 2 teaspoons worth.
- Pipe a line of dough approx 1 inch tall, 1 inch wide and 3 inches long, OR make them larger and pipe 1½ inches tall, 1½ inches wide, and 5-6 inches long
- Bake for approx 30 minutes, the dough will be a darker golden brown and firm to the touch and the puffs will have risen quite a bit. If you make larger eclairs or larger cream puffs they may require slightly longer baking time.
- Let cool completely. Split in half, scrape out any soft dough, and fill with your desired filling. Alternatively fill using a pastry bag fit with a round tip.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with ganache or caramel sauce.
Linked up at Gluten-Free and DIY Tuesday, Gluten-Free Fridays, Real Food Recipe Roundup, Tuesday Good Eatin,Gluten-Free Wednesdays, and Allergy Free Wednesday.
These look amazing!
Thanks Sharon!
These look absolutely incredible! And gorgeous photos, too. My mouth is watering. ;D
Thanks Megan!
What’s the gf rice flour recipe please?
I’m sorry Stacey, it looks like I forgot to add the link. All of my flour blends are here. I’ll go back and add the link right away.
Gorgeous!! I’m going to try them very soon and will report back!
I can’t wait to hear how they turn out for you! Thanks Ali!
These look amazing, not like gluten free at all. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Thanks Karen!
How fun! It’s fair season and these totally remind me of the HUGE ones at our State Fair. Pinned!
Thanks Laura!
This may sound NUTS but I have never had an eclair before in my life! These look far too good to be true!
Thanks GiGi. They taste just as good as any eclair I had in my gluten days. 🙂
Wow those look incredible. These go on my must try list 🙂
Thanks Sandi!
These look so good, I can barely stand it! YUMMMO!
Your class sounds great, now to prcitace at home!! Those cupcakes look delicious! No baking here yesterday but a lemon cake in the oven and a boiled chocolate cake about to go in!!
Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you share this week!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Thanks Cindy!
These look amazing! I used to make cream puffs with wheat all the time, but haven’t made them since going gluten-free. Gotta try it now!
Thanks Elise! Who doesn’t love cream puffs?
I have never tried to make my own eclairs or cream puffs, but you make me want to try….and the idea of stuffing with chicken salad!! Love it! Featuring your recipe this week!
Thanks Tessa! I’ll look for it tomorrow. 🙂
Wow! These look amazing! Such beautiful photos too!
Thanks so much for sharing!!
xx
Thanks Betty!
These are GREAT… made the sf frosting with them.. perfection
For your flour blend does 2 parts mean 2 cups?
A part is whatever increment you want. As long as you use the same “part” for all of the flours/starches you are fine. So you can use 1/2 cup for each part if you only want to make 2 cups total flour, or you can use 2 cups for each part if you want to make 8 cups of flour. I formulated the blend this way so that you can make as much or as little as you need.
Your rice flour blend looks great, however I also have a potato sensitivity in addition to the gluten. What is the best thing I can substitute for potato starch (or flour) in recipes? I am new at all this. THANK you for any help you can give.
I
Hi Paula,
I’d suggest substituting cornstarch or more tapioca starch for the potato starch. The results won’t be exactly the same, but should be similar. I don’t know of any substitutes for potato flour, I don’t normally use it in my recipes.
Good Morning! JUST made this on the weekend and wanted to THANK YOU! The cream puffs were so light and airy! I always try to find some sort of nice dessert for my fiance, and can never quite find a good one or one that tastes like the food he had before he was diagnosed with celiacs. This recipe has topped them ALL! Will definitely use for this holiday season! Thank you so much!!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed them Martha!
My first batch is baking in the oven. I think they are going to turn out!
I’m curious, though – the instructions say to:
2. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the GF flour blend and xanthan gum, working quickly to avoid large lumps. The dough will pull away from the sides of the pan and appear quite gummy.
3. Let cook at least 10 minutes and then beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth. (I find using a mixer, heavy duty hand or transferring the mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer, is easiest.)
Does this mean that I should put the mixture BACK on the heat for 10 minutes? It isn’t clear what to do with it. I returned it to the heat and just kept mixing it.
I’ll let you know how they turn out, but would like to get that step 3 clarified. 🙂
Thank you – Oh wait! I just tasted one out of the oven – DEE-licious! My guests are going to be impressed (and they taste like regular cream puffs – not like GFers!)
Thank you so much. Looking forward to your response.
GwenEllyn.
Hi GwenEllyn,
Thank you for catching that. It appears to be an auto-correct typo. You are actually supposed to let it cool for 10 minutes. Because the typo was an actual word I missed it. Letting it cool just keeps the eggs from scrambling as they hit way too hot flour paste.
I’m so glad that you made them, and that they turned out so well!
Brianna
Wow! I think because I kept ‘working’ the pastry, the reheating didn’t cause a problem. I’ll remember to COOL them for 10 minutes next time. 🙂
I just had another one, in fact, with a little turkey salad in it. I’m excited to share them with friends and you’ve made their making so easy. They are on the 5 star list!
Thanks for your prompt response.
GwenEllyn.
I love filling mine with chicken sala. Soooo good!
I’m so happy that you love them GwenEllyn!
I just saw your eclairs on a recipe round up, oh my! They look sensational, I’ve not had eclairs in four years, now I’ll have to try some 🙂
Can’t wait to hear when you do, Sheena!
I am so thankful for this recipe because of my gluten intolerance/sensitivity and because of my love for this recipe which I thought I could no longer have. I was wondering though if you could post the recipes for the salted caramel and the chocolate gnoch as well because I would like to also experiment with these but would like to use the right recipe. If you could just link it to this page or email me when you post them so I can find them I would so appreciate it. Thanks!
Absolutely amazing! My entire family love them! I’ve looked everywhere for a good recipe and this is easily the best! Thanks so much!
So happy that you enjoyed them Emily!
If I use an all purpose plain flour is it going to turn out? The only things I have in my cupboard are corn flour and GF plain flour! (the plain flour is majority rice flour and potato starch)
It may or may not, I can’t tell for sure. I recommend using my flour blend because that is what I tested the recipe with. If you are not using my flour blend I suggest using one similar. If you do try something different let everyone here in the comments know how it turned out.
I am wondering if anyone has tried making these two days before using them, and how they stored them to keep them fresh? I’ve read many different opinion on other sights, but would like know if anyone was successful , or not, storing this recipe..
I want to serve them at my daughters birthday on Monday, and I would like to make them ahead of time. Thanks
I’ve frozen them with success. Freeze them right after you fill them, and then just bring them out to thaw several hours before you want to eat them.
Can I use your flour blend for all my baking?
For most baking, yes! It isn’t a straight across sub for wheat flour though. You’ll need to use xanthan gum or something else to give your recipes structure.
I have found that my blend doesn’t work well in yeast breads and rolls, or for pasta dough. The higher starch content makes it more like cake flour. It is perfect in cakes, cookies, quick breads,and muffins!
I tried making these and OMG this is the best thing I’ve ever baked! They are amazing! Thank you so much. I went gluten free 5 years ago and I’ve craved eclairs and this is the first time I’ve satisfied that craving haha
Hi Teneille,
I am so very happy that you enjoyed them! Hugs -Brianna