National Cream Puff Day is celebrated on January 2 each year. Cream puffs are light, hollow pastry shells filled with whipped cream, pastry cream or ice cream, often dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with chocolate. They're made from choux pastry, the same dough used for éclairs and profiteroles. Crisp outside and airy inside, cream puffs look fancy but are surprisingly simple to make.
History of National Cream Puff Day
Choux pastry is often linked to the 1500s, when, according to a popular story, a chef in the household of Catherine de' Medici created a hot dough for her court after she moved from Italy to France. Over the next two centuries, French pastry chefs refined the recipe. The name 'choux' means 'cabbages' in French, because the baked puffs look like little cabbages.
Choux pastry works through steam. The dough is cooked on the stovetop with butter, water and flour, then eggs are beaten in. In a hot oven, the water turns to steam, puffing up the dough and leaving a hollow center ready for filling.
Cream puffs became popular in the United States in the 1800s. One famous American tradition is the cream puff at the Wisconsin State Fair, served there since the 1920s, where hundreds of thousands are sold each summer. Who created National Cream Puff Day is not documented.
Why National Cream Puff Day Matters
Cream puffs are a great example of kitchen science: steam, not yeast or baking powder, makes them rise.
They're versatile, used in desserts such as profiteroles and croquembouche, the towering French celebration cake.
Baking choux pastry also builds confidence in the kitchen, teaching techniques that open the door to many classic French desserts.
How to Celebrate National Cream Puff Day
- Bake cream puffs: make choux pastry and fill with whipped cream.
- Try profiteroles: fill puffs with ice cream and top with chocolate sauce.
- Make éclairs: pipe the same dough into long shapes.
- Go savory: fill puffs with chicken salad or cheese.
- Visit a bakery: buy fresh cream puffs from a local shop.
Celebrating at Work, School and Home
At work, a tray of mini cream puffs makes an elegant treat for a New Year kickoff meeting. In classrooms, baking or science classes can explore how steam makes choux pastry rise, comparing baked and unbaked dough. At home, families can bake cream puffs together; children can help pipe dough and fill the puffs. Keep the oven door closed while they bake so the puffs don't collapse.
Fun Facts About National Cream Puff Day
- 'Choux' means 'cabbages' in French.
- Steam makes choux pastry puff up.
- Cream puffs have been sold at the Wisconsin State Fair since the 1920s.
National Cream Puff Day FAQs
When is National Cream Puff Day?
National Cream Puff Day is celebrated on January 2 each year.
What is a cream puff?
A hollow pastry made from choux dough and filled with cream.
What is choux pastry?
A dough cooked on the stovetop with butter, water and flour, then mixed with eggs, which puffs up with steam.
What's the difference between a cream puff and an éclair?
Both use choux pastry; cream puffs are round, while éclairs are long and usually topped with chocolate.
Why did my cream puffs collapse?
They were likely underbaked or the oven door was opened too early.
Where are cream puffs famous in the U.S.?
The Wisconsin State Fair is famous for its cream puffs.