Description
This Easy Cream Puff Dessert features a light and airy cream puff crust topped with a creamy vanilla pudding and cream cheese filling, finished with whipped topping and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Perfect for a crowd-pleasing, no-fuss dessert that combines flaky pastry texture with silky pudding goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Puff Crust
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups milk, divided
- 3 (3.4-ounce) packages Instant French Vanilla Pudding mix
- 8 ounces whipped topping (like Cool Whip), defrosted
Topping
- Chocolate syrup (like Hershey’s), as needed
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly coat a 13×9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray to ensure the cream puff crust doesn’t stick.
- Make Dough Base: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and butter and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in the flour vigorously until a soft dough ball forms.
- Cool Dough: Transfer the hot dough to a mixing bowl and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes, which prevents the eggs from cooking when added.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time to the dough, mixing thoroughly after each addition until you achieve a smooth batter.
- Bake Crust: Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake at 400°F for 20–23 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and puffed. Allow it to cool completely before filling.
- Prepare Filling: Beat the softened cream cheese with 1 cup of milk until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 3 cups of milk and instant vanilla pudding mix, then blend until thickened. Fold the pudding mixture into the cream cheese blend to combine.
- Assemble Dessert: Spread the pudding filling evenly over the cooled cream puff crust. Top with the defrosted whipped topping, smoothing out the surface evenly.
- Chill: Refrigerate the assembled dessert for at least 1 hour or overnight to allow it to set properly.
- Serve: Drizzle with chocolate syrup just before serving to add a rich, chocolaty finish.
Notes
- Make sure the dough cools properly before adding eggs to avoid scrambling them.
- The dessert improves in flavor and texture after chilling overnight.
- Use full-fat cream cheese for best taste and creaminess.
- If you do not have instant pudding mix, prepare regular pudding and refrigerate until thickened before adding to cream cheese.
- This recipe can be customized by using different pudding flavors or topping with fresh fruit.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
