Light, crisp pastry puffs filled with cold, creamy ice cream and finished with warm chocolate sauce — these classic profiteroles look fancy but come together with a handful of pantry staples and a little stovetop magic.
Profiteroles are one of those desserts that feel straight out of a restaurant menu, but they’re surprisingly approachable at home. If you’ve ever made cream puffs or chouquettes, you already know the heart of the recipe: pâte à choux, a simple dough that puffs dramatically in the oven and bakes up hollow in the center.
This version keeps things classic by filling the crisp shells with scoops of ice cream. Then they’re finished with warm chocolate sauce or a sprinkling of powdered sugar right before serving. This dessert is such a showstopper, whether you’re serving it for a casual dinner with friends, a holiday gathering, or a special night in like Valentine’s Day.
Why You’ll Love This Profiteroles Recipes
- Restaurant-worthy, but doable. The ingredients are simple, and the technique is more about timing than tricky steps.
- Perfect for entertaining. You can bake the shells ahead of time and assemble right before serving.
- That hot-and-cold contrast. Warm chocolate sauce over cold ice cream is always a win.
- Easy to customize. Different ice cream flavors, sauces, or even a stacked presentation can make this recipe your own.
Key Ingredients & Why They Matter
- Unsalted butter – Adds richness and helps create a tender but sturdy shell.
- All-purpose flour – Gives the dough structure so the puffs rise and hold their shape.
- Eggs – The real magic here. They provide moisture for steam (which makes the puffs rise) and structure as they bake.
- Fillings and toppings – Ice cream plus chocolate sauce or powdered sugar turn these from cream puffs into profiteroles.
How to Make Profiteroles
Cook the base.
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, sugar, and salt and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously. Keep cooking and stirring until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and a thin film forms on the bottom. This step cooks out excess moisture so the puffs rise properly.
Release the steam.
Transfer the hot dough to a mixing bowl and beat on low speed for about 30–60 seconds. You’re not trying to whip it, just letting some of the steam escape and cooling it slightly so the eggs don’t scramble when you add them.
Add the eggs gradually.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing fully after each addition. The dough should turn smooth and glossy and fall from the spoon in a thick ribbon that slowly dissolves back into the bowl. If it should still look stiff after the last egg, add a teaspoon or two of beaten egg to loosen it.
Portion for even baking.
Use a piping bag or a #40 cookie scoop (about 1½ tablespoons) to portion the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between each mound. This keeps the puffs uniform, which helps them bake and dry at the same rate.
Bake in two stages.
Start with a hot oven to set the rise, then lower the temperature to let the shells dry and turn deep golden. Avoid opening the oven during the first part of baking, as the burst of steam inside the oven is what helps the profiteroles puff.
Dry the shells.
Once baked, pierce the side or bottom of each puff with a skewer to release trapped steam. Return them to the turned-off oven with the door cracked for a few minutes to drive off any remaining moisture. This step makes a big difference in how well they hold ice cream.
Fill and finish.
Let the shells cool completely. Slice them in half, add a small scoop of ice cream, replace the tops, and spoon warm chocolate sauce or sprinkle powdered sugar over each serving right before bringing them to the table.
Tips for Success
- Measure accurately. Use your digital kitchen scale to measure the flour or lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and level the top. If you need a refresher or are wondering why this matters, be sure to read my tips for how to measure flour.
- Look for the ribbon. The dough should fall slowly from the spoon in a thick ribbon. If it’s too stiff, add a little beaten egg; if it’s too loose, it won’t hold its shape.
- Don’t rush the bake. Deep golden shells are sturdier and less likely to collapse when filled.
- Dry them out. Piercing the shells and letting them sit in the turned-off oven helps drive off excess moisture, which keeps them crisp longer.
Variations and Serving Ideas
- Store-bought vs homemade chocolate sauce. Either route is perfectly fine. For a homemade option, try my thick, spoonable hot fudge sauce. For a more ganache-like sauce, heat ½ cup heavy cream until steaming, pour it over ½ cup finely chopped dark chocolate and add 1 tablespoon butter. Stir until smooth and glossy, then let it cool slightly before serving.
- Change the sauce. Try caramel, white chocolate, or a berry-chocolate sauce.
- Or skip the sauce. A simple dusting of confectioners’ sugar on top is easy and elegant.
- Switch the ice cream. Coffee, chocolate, or berry flavors work beautifully.
- Try a cream filling. Profiteroles are sometimes filled with pastry cream, whipped cream, or even lightly sweetened mascarpone instead of ice cream. A great option if you’d rather skip the hot-and-cold contrast.
- Make it a centerpiece. Stack profiteroles into a small tower and pour the sauce over the top just before serving.
- Mini version. Use a smaller scoop for bite-size profiteroles for parties.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Unfilled shells: Bake the puffs and let them cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Re-crisp in a 350°F oven for a few minutes and cool before filling.
Assembled profiteroles: Best enjoyed immediately. Once filled, they don’t store well.
A Simple Dessert That Always Feels Special
If you love desserts that look impressive without a lot of fuss, these profiteroles are a great one to keep in your back pocket. Simple ingredients, a little stovetop stirring, and a dramatic finish at the table — it’s the kind of recipe that feels special every time you serve it.
More Elegant but Easy Desserts
Profiteroles
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- ice cream, for serving
- chocolate sauce, for serving
- confectioners' sugar, for serving
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line baking pans with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Bring butter, water, sugar, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Add the flour all at once, stirring until it forms a smooth ball and a thin film forms on the pan. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Beat on low speed to release the steam until the mixture is warm but not hot.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until the dough is glossy and pipeable. It should form a thick ribbon that slowly falls from the spatula.
- Scoop or pipe 1½-inch mounds onto the prepared pans. (A #40 cookie scoop works well.)
- Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until puffed and deep golden.
- Pierce the bottoms with a skewer to release steam. Then return them to the oven (turned off, door ajar) for 5–10 minutes to dry further. Cool completely.
- Slice the puffs horizontally and fill with small scoops of ice cream just before serving.
- Spoon or drizzle warm chocolate sauce over the top, or sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
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Notes
- Piping vs scooping: Either method is fine here, so just go with your preference. A #40 cookie scoop (about 1½ tablespoons) makes evenly sized profiteroles that are easy to fill and serve.
- Beating the dough briefly on low after cooking helps release steam and cool it slightly before adding the eggs.
- For the best texture, make sure the shells are deep golden and fully dry before removing them from the oven.
- Ice cream ideas: Vanilla is classic, but chocolate or berry flavors are great, too.
- Chocolate sauce: For an alternative to store-bought, heat ½ cup heavy cream until steaming, pour it over ½ cup finely chopped dark chocolate, add 1 tablespoon butter, and stir until smooth and glossy. Let it cool slightly before serving. For a thicker, scoopable sauce, try my hot fudge sauce.
- Storing unfilled shells: Bake and cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 1 month. Re-crisp in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes and cool before filling.
- Filled profiteroles: Best enjoyed immediately; once filled with ice cream, they don’t store well.
