Creamy + Puffy = Cream Puffs!

As a kid, my health-conscious mom had a food pyramid posted on the fridge at some point. My "I've been working up a farmer's appetite in the field all day" dad added his own base to the pyramid. Under the original base of grains on the old food pyramid, he had penciled in the most important category that had apparently been inadvertently left off of the list: the Donuts, Pancakes, and Cream Puffs category. :-) Cream puffs are one of Dad's favorite desserts, and therefore something we had occasionally as a treat and something I learned to make.

I didn't think this was anything unusual until I began making them for friends after I got out of college. I got rave reviews, and people thought they were so impressive! Even better, they're SO easy with Grandma's recipe, with just 4 ingredients. Hence, when my friend Steve decided it was time to learn to bake, he wanted to learn to make cream puffs. So, tonight, he made them while I "supervised." They turned out marvelously!

Here's Grandma's recipe:

Cream Puffs


1 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1 c. sifted flour
4 eggs
(pinch of salt, optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat water and butter in medium saucepan until boiling. Stir in flour. Keep on burner, stirring constantly until mixture forms a ball (about 1 1/2 minutes). Remove from heat. Cool 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and velvety. Drop from spoon onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake until they appear dry, about 30-35 minutes. Cool. Store in dry place so they don't get soggy. Cut in half. Fill with pudding, whipped cream, or a combination. Best eaten fresh. Yield: 8 large or 12 small puffs.