Gluten Free Cream Puffs

A light, airy, gluten free cream puffs recipe filled with a creamy and delicious coconut whipped cream flavored with matcha. It’s also dairy, and refined sugar free. 

My kids started school again this week so back into our routine we go. I’ve been dreading the end of summer. I may be holding it together on the outside, but inside I’m on the floor throwing a tantrum like a three-year-old. I know many parents look forward to sending their kids back to school, but since we homeschool, I’m the teacher—although they do have a teacher assigned to them who grades everything (so great because I hate grading stuff 👎) which only means more work piled onto my already over-flowing plate! 😩

I gripe about my busy schedule from time to time, but I wouldn’t change a thing about my life. I love my kids being home each day and I feel it’s one of the reasons my husband and I have good relationships with them. We’ve grown much closer as a family over the years and they feel comfortable talking to us about anything. They’re such good kids—very well-behaved and polite…that alone is worth all the extra time and effort!

I will miss our lazy mornings and carefree days though…and all the summer fruits and veggies! 🍉🍓🍍🍑🍒🍅

To celebrate their first day in a new grade, I made one of their favorite sweet treats—gluten free cream puffs! When I make these for parties, I usually fill them with fresh whipped cream or ice cream, but since it was just us (and we all like green tea 💚) I thought I’d make it a little more special and flavored the whipped coconut cream with matcha powder! 

They were so. good.

The idea of making gluten free cream puffs may be a bit intimidating, but they’re actually pretty easy to make and are very impressive! Your friends and family will think you slaved away in the kitchen preparing these for them and only you’ll know they where whipped up in under an hour. 😉

If you’re not a big fan of matcha or green tea, feel free to omit the matcha powder and use the plain coconut whipped cream or you can use regular whipped cream or even ice cream. Because there’s no sweetener in the puffs themselves, you can also fill the rolls with a savory filling, like chicken or egg salad or whatever you heart desires…the sky’s the limit! Enjoy!

Cream Puffs with Matcha Coconut Cream

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

A light, airy pastry filled with a creamy and delicious coconut whipped cream flavored with matcha. Gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free.

Author: Joscelyn Abreu

Recipe type: Dessert, Gluten-Free

Serves: 24 bite-sized cream puffs

Ingredients

Cream Puffs:

• ½ cup water
• 4 tablespoons butter or dairy-free butter
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup gluten-free multi-purpose flour or unbleached all-purpose flour (I used Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
• 2 large eggs
• Organic Powdered Sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Matcha Coconut Cream:

• 1-2 cans full-fat coconut milk or Coconut Cream, refrigerated (The kind that separates when refrigerated. About 1½ cups firm coconut cream, water discarded)
• 3-4 tablespoons Honey (I like using a thicker, creamy honey when making whipped cream so it doesn't dilute the cream too much, but regular honey can be used too. Can also use Organic Powdered Sugar)
• 2-3 teaspoons Matcha Green Tea Powder, to taste (omit matcha for plain coconut whipped cream)

Instructions

Cream Puffs:

1. This recipe makes about 2 dozen bite-sized cream puffs or 1 dozen regular cream puffs. Can easily double the recipe of you want more.
2. Preheat oven to 425F. Place a piece of parchment or non-stick mat onto a baking sheet and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, bring butter, water, and a pinch of salt to a low boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down and add all the flour to the melted butter/water and stir with a wooden spoon until dough thickens, is smooth, and forms a ball, 1-2 minutes.
4. Remove saucepan from the heat and let dough cool. Transfer cooled dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the first egg and beat until egg is well incorporated. Add second egg and beat 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and fluffy.
5. Scoop dough into a plastic baggie or piping bag and cut of the tip/corner. Pipe small rounds of dough, about ½ tablespoon (or 1 tablespoon for larger) onto parchment paper, leaving about 2-3 inches between each round of dough. Should get about 22-24 small or 12 larger rounds of dough.
6. If your dough has a pointy top you can dip your finger in water and gently pat it down.
7. Place the pan onto the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake at 425F for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350F. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until dough is puffed and golden brown.
8. Remove pan from the oven and pierce the side of each cream puff with the tip of a knife or wooden skewer to allow steam to escape. If knife/skewer comes out doughy place the pan back into the oven for 5-10 more minutes. You want the puffs to be dry and hollow on the inside.
9. Remove puffs onto a baking rack to cool thoroughly. Make sure they are all pierced to allow the steam to escape.
10. Repeat the above steps for remaining batches.

Matcha Coconut Cream:

1. While the puffs are cooling and baking, prepare the cream. Remove can(s) of chilled coconut milk from the refrigerator. Open the can from the bottom and discard any liquid inside. Scoop out the firm coconut fat and place into a mixing bowl along with the honey.
2. Beat with a mixer until honey is well incorporated. Sprinkle in matcha powder a teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition. Stop when the flavor is right for you, about 2-3 teaspoons. Add more honey, if necessary and beat until fluffy.
3. Place matcha cream into the fridge until ready to use.

Assembly:

1. When cream puffs have cooled thoroughly, cut the tops off of each puff. You can also opt to fill the whole cream puff by placing the tip of the pastry bag into a small whole on the side of the puff and filling the hollow center (though filling amount will vary depending on how hollow the center is).
2. Scoop matcha whipped cream into a sandwich baggie or pastry bag and cut off the corner/tip of the bag.
3. Pipe cream into the bottom halves of all the cream puffs and place the other half of the puff on top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional) and serve.
4. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Makes 20-24 bite-sized cream puffs.
5. Cream puffs are best fresh, so assemble right before serving. You can also make the puffs up to a couple of days ahead of time and store unfilled puffs loosely covered at room temperature until ready to fill.

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