At first glance these delicate little pastries look like they might take all day, but chouquettes (pronounced shoo-kets) are quick to make — under an hour from start to finish. Light French sugar puffs, they can also be turned into profiteroles (cream puffs) if you want to fill them for a dessert.
These are made with pâte à choux, the same versatile choux pastry used for gougères, eclairs, and profiteroles. The basic method is the same: bring the liquids to a boil, stir in the flour all at once, then beat in the eggs until the dough becomes glossy and smooth. For chouquettes, a touch of sugar is added to the dough and pearl sugar is sprinkled on top for a sweet, crunchy finish.
How to Make Chouquettes
Making the dough is straightforward. Heat water, butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt until they boil, then add the flour and stir vigorously until the mixture forms a smooth mass that pulls away from the pan. Let the dough cool briefly, then whisk in the eggs one at a time until the batter is shiny and holds together.
I prefer a rustic look and scoop the dough with a small cookie scoop or two teaspoons, but you can pipe uniform rounds from a pastry bag if you prefer. Brushing the mounds with a thin sugar glaze before sprinkling pearl sugar creates a pretty, crackly top and helps the sugar adhere.
Baked chouquettes turn golden and crisp on the outside while remaining hollow and tender inside. To avoid deflation, turn the oven off at the end of baking, crack the door open and leave the puffs inside for about five minutes before removing them. Serve warm or at room temperature — they make a lovely snack, party bite, or edible gift wrapped in a paper sack like in Parisian boulangeries.
More of My Favorite French Recipes
- French Onion Soup (a classic with a bite-sized twist on the toasted bread)
- Coq au Vin Blanc (a simplified twist using white wine)
- Salad Lyonnaise (easy to make at home)
- Lyonnaise Potatoes (buttery potatoes with caramelized onions)
- Baked Eggs (a speedy, crowd-pleasing appetizer)
- Brioche Bun (a simple no-knead recipe for buttery brioche buns)
- Peach Clafoutis (a home-baked French dessert classic)
- Blueberry Clafoutis (another seasonal variation)
- Crepe Cake (an elegant layered dessert)
Homemade Chouquettes (French Pastry Sugar Puffs)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125 grams
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons pearl sugar
Sugar Glaze
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400ºF.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Heat water, sugar, salt, and butter in a medium saucepan until boiling. Remove from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
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Let the dough cool for 2 minutes, then whisk in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is shiny and smooth.
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To make the sugar glaze, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, about one minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
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Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet using a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon) or two teaspoons to form walnut-sized mounds. Leave space between each mound for expansion. Alternatively, pipe the dough with a 1/2-inch round tip for uniform puffs.
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Brush each mound with the sugar glaze and sprinkle generously with pearl sugar. Bake 20–25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Turn the oven off, crack the door open, and leave the chouquettes inside for 5 minutes before removing to prevent them from deflating. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- When you add the eggs the dough may look lumpy at first — keep whisking and it will become smooth and glossy.
- For extra crisp chouquettes, pierce each puff with a sharp knife right after removing them from the oven to release steam.
- Use Swedish pearl sugar rather than larger Belgian pieces; the smaller pearls stick and caramelize better.
- To make profiteroles, slice the chouquettes in half and fill with pastry cream, whipped cream, custard, or ice cream; top with chocolate sauce if desired.
- Chouquettes freeze well. Once cooled, transfer to a freezer bag for up to one month. Reheat from frozen by placing on an ungreased sheet in a preheated oven (350ºF) then turning the oven off and leaving the tray inside for 5 minutes, or thaw and bake 5 minutes at 350ºF for a crisper finish.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates and provided for guidance only.
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