Picture glossy, cocoa-dark éclairs crowned with jewel-bright sprinkles, their shells crackling delicately to reveal a cloud of spiced pastry cream—cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves drifting up like the comforting aroma of a holiday hearth.
Imagine the contrast: crisp, golden choux giving way to silky warmth, a whisper of peppermint and a soft chocolate sheen that catches the twinkle of December lights.
These are the little gifts that make winter gatherings feel generous and remembered.
One December, a snowstorm trapped us indoors before a neighborhood potluck; a single batch of these éclairs turned an anxious afternoon into a calm, sweet triumph—the tray came back empty, and the house smelled like celebration.
Whether you’re planning ahead for a festive dessert table, looking for a make-ahead treat for busy weeknights, or adding sparkle to a slow Sunday supper, this recipe’s got you.
I’ll guide you through every step so it’s joyful, not stressful.
Ready? Let’s cook!
Why You’ll Love It
- Delivers cozy holiday flavors: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
- Achieves bakery-quality choux shells at home
- Offers silky, spice-kissed pastry cream filling
- Finishes with glossy chocolate and festive toppings
- Includes pro tips for crisp, fail-proof results
Ingredients
- 1 cup water — cold and clean for best steam
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed — high-fat European style melts evenly
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt — balances sweetness
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar — aids browning
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted — guarantees smooth choux
- 4 large eggs, room temperature — incorporate more easily
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk — rich base for pastry cream
- 1/2 cup heavy cream — adds silkiness to custard
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar — sweetens pastry cream
- 3 large egg yolks — thickens and enriches
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch — primary thickener
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour — stabilizes custard
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract — real vanilla for best flavor
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon — warm holiday spice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg — freshly grated if possible
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves — a little goes a long way
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened — finishes pastry cream glossy
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped — 55–60% cacao melts smoothly
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, hot — for ganache
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup — keeps glaze shiny
- 2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candy, optional — adds festive crunch
- 2 tablespoons festive sprinkles, optional — color pop on top
- 1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar, for dusting, optional — delicate finish
Step-by-Step Method
Preheat & Prep Pans
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a large round tip in a piping bag. Sift the flour and set aside. Gather a medium saucepan, wooden spoon, whisk, and instant-read thermometer.
Have a wire rack ready. Crack eggs into a bowl to warm slightly. Prepare a small bowl of water for smoothing peaks.
Cook the Choux Base
Combine water, cubed butter, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the sifted flour all at once.
Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a dough forms and pulls from the sides. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, to dry the dough slightly.
Cool & Beat In Eggs
Transfer the hot dough to a mixing bowl. Beat 2 minutes to cool until just warm. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Watch the texture closely.
Stop when the dough is smooth, glossy, and falls from the spoon in a thick V-shaped ribbon. Avoid over-thinning by holding back some egg if needed.
Pipe & Prep for Baking
Spoon dough into the piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip. Pipe 12 logs, each about 4.5 inches long and 3/4 inch wide, spacing well.
Smooth any peaks with a damp fingertip. Lightly mist the surface with water to promote steam and lift. Keep sizes uniform for even baking and puffing.
Bake, Reduce Heat & Dry
Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350°F without opening the door. Continue baking 18–20 minutes until deeply golden and puffed.
Check color and feel; shells should be firm. If needed, add 2–3 minutes. Underbaked shells collapse, so bake until well set and light when lifted.
Vent & Cool Completely
Remove the eclairs from the oven. Pierce each end with a skewer to release steam. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Avoid filling warm shells to prevent sogginess. If humidity is high, return empty shells to a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes with the door cracked to dry further.
Infuse Milk with Spices
Combine whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a saucepan. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Heat over medium until just steaming, not boiling.
Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Let the mixture sit off heat for a minute to infuse. Keep warm while you prepare the yolk mixture for tempering.
Whisk Yolks, Sugar & Starches
Whisk granulated sugar and egg yolks until pale and thick. Add cornstarch and 1 tablespoon flour. Whisk until smooth with no lumps.
This mixture should be glossy and ribbony. Proper whisking makes certain a silky pastry cream and prevents starch clumping when the hot milk is added.
Temper & Cook Pastry Cream
Slowly whisk half the hot milk into the yolk mixture to temper. Return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium, whisking constantly, until thick bubbles form and the mixture reaches 185°F.
Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla and softened butter. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
Chill Until Set
Press plastic wrap directly onto the pastry cream’s surface to prevent a skin. Chill for 1 hour until cold and set. Before using, whisk briefly to smooth.
If the cream feels too thick, loosen with a tablespoon of cold milk. Keep chilled while you prepare the shells for filling.
Fill the Eclairs
Fit a piping bag with a 1/4-inch round tip. Fill with chilled pastry cream. Insert the tip into the vent holes at each end of each shell. Pipe until the éclair feels slightly heavy and resists filling.
Avoid overfilling, which can split shells. Wipe any excess cream from the ends.
Make the Chocolate Glaze
Place chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl. Heat heavy cream until hot and steaming. Pour over chocolate with light corn syrup. Let sit 2 minutes.
Whisk gently from the center outward until smooth and glossy. Aim for 90–95°F for ideal dipping viscosity. Rewarm briefly if it thickens.
Dip, Garnish & Set
Dip the tops of filled eclairs into the warm glaze. Let excess drip back into the bowl. Set on a wire rack. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint, festive sprinkles, or dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Allow glaze to set 20–30 minutes before serving. Serve the same day, or refrigerate filled eclairs up to 24 hours.
Ingredient Swaps
- Dairy-free: Use plant butter for the dough; replace milk/cream in pastry cream with full-fat coconut milk or oat milk + 1–2 tbsp extra cornstarch; use dairy-free chocolate and coconut cream for glaze.
- Gluten-free: Swap all-purpose flour in choux with a cup-for-cup GF blend (with xanthan gum); replace pastry cream’s flour with cornstarch only (add 1–2 tsp extra).
- Egg-free: Choux relies on eggs; instead, use store-bought vegan puff pastry for shells. For pastry cream, use 2–3 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tsp agar or vegan custard powder with non-dairy milk.
- Budget: Use vegetable oil spread for butter (in pastry cream, keep to real butter if possible for flavor), semi-sweet chips instead of bar chocolate, and skip corn syrup (add 1 tsp butter to ganache for shine).
- Flavor twists: Replace spices with 1–2 tsp instant espresso or orange zest; swap peppermint topping for crushed toasted nuts. Use white chocolate glaze with red/green sprinkles for a festive look.
- Regional availability: If heavy cream is scarce, make ganache with equal parts evaporated milk and chocolate; if vanilla extract is pricey, use vanilla sugar or a little almond extract.
You Must Know
Doneness • If the dough ribbon looks too runny after adding eggs, stop adding more and chill 5–10 minutes; it should fall in a thick V and hold ridges—too loose leads to flat shells.
Troubleshoot • When shells are pale or feel soft after cooling, return to a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes with the door cracked; this drives off interior moisture so they stay crisp instead of collapsing.
Scale • For 6 eclairs, use 1/2 quantities across dough, cream, and glaze; pipe 4.5-inch logs at 3/4 inch wide and target ~20–22 g dough per shell for even baking.
Flavor Boost • For a mint-chocolate finish, infuse 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract into the warm ganache and keep it near 90–95°F; the aroma pops while the viscosity stays ideal for clean dips.
Make-Ahead • To keep shells crisp up to 24 hours, store unfilled at room temp, then refresh at 300°F for 3–4 minutes; fill cold pastry cream straight from the fridge and glaze within 10 minutes of filling.
Serving Tips
- Plate three eclairs with fresh raspberries and mint; dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar.
- Serve on a platter lined with crushed peppermint and cocoa nibs for festive crunch.
- Pair with hot chocolate, mulled wine, or espresso; add orange zest curls on top.
- Drizzle extra warm ganache zigzags; finish with gold leaf or sparkly sprinkles.
- Offer a trio: classic chocolate, peppermint-sprinkled, and cinnamon-sugar dusted varieties.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate filled eclairs in an airtight container up to 24 hours.
Add crunchy toppings just before serving.
Unfilled shells keep 2 days at room temperature or 3–4 days refrigerated.
Pastry cream can be made 2 days ahead.
Eclairs freeze well unfilled up to 1 month.
Thaw, re-crisp at 300°F, then fill and glaze.
Reheating
Reheat unfilled shells in a 300°F oven 5–8 minutes.
For filled eclairs, warm briefly: microwave 10–15 seconds at 50% power, or set over gentle stovetop steam briefly.
Avoid overheating to prevent sogginess.
Midnight Mass Dessert Tradition
As the church bells fade into the cold night, I set a tray of glossy, peppermint-kissed eclairs on the table like little lanterns of comfort.
After Midnight Mass, we don’t crave a feast—we crave ceremony. I brew strong coffee, warm a small pitcher of cream, and invite everyone to choose an éclair by its sheen.
The chocolate glaze should still whisper warmth; the shells stay crisp, the spiced pastry cream cool and silken.
I plate them simply: two per person, a drift of confectioners’ sugar, a few crushed peppermint sparks.
We pause, breathe in cinnamon and clove, and take that first hush of a bite.
If you’re serving a crowd, set out napkins, a small knife, and let conversation do the rest.
Final Thoughts
Ready to bake some Christmas magic? Give these eclairs a try as written, or tweak the filling and toppings to suit your holiday vibe—peppermint crunch, sparkly sprinkles, or your own festive twist!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Freeze Unfilled Choux Shells and for How Long?
Yes—you can freeze unfilled choux shells for up to 2 months. I cool them fully, freeze on a tray, then bag airtight. Recrisp from frozen at 300°F for 5–8 minutes until light, hollow, and fragrant.
How Do I Make These Gluten-Free Without Compromising Texture?
Use a 1:1 swap of a high-quality gluten-free all-purpose blend with xanthan gum. I’d dry the panade well, add one extra egg if needed, bake darker, then dry shells briefly. Cornstarch thickens pastry cream beautifully.
What’s the Best Way to Ship Eclairs as Gifts?
Ship them chilled, unfilled shells and pastry cream separately. I’d pack crisp shells in snug tins with parchment, include cold packs, overnight ship. You’ll pipe on arrival, glaze then. It preserves bite, silken filling, and glossy tops.
Are There Kid-Friendly, Non-Caffeinated Flavor Variations?
Yes—try vanilla bean custard with strawberry jam, banana cream with caramel drizzle, or cinnamon-apple pastry cream. I’d top with white chocolate, crushed berries, or rainbow sprinkles. Kids adore gentle sweetness, bright colors, and familiar fruit warmth.
How Do Altitude Adjustments Affect Baking Times and Temperatures?
At higher altitudes, I bake hotter and longer: increase oven 15–25°F, extend time a few minutes. I add moisture, reduce sugar slightly, and dry shells briefly after baking. Watch color and feel; trust golden, light, hollow cues.
Christmas Eclairs
Equipment
- 1 Medium saucepan
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Whisk
- 2 Mixing bowl
- 1 Fine mesh sieve
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 piping bag
- 1 large round piping tip 1/2 inch
- 1 small round piping tip 1/4 inch
- 1 Wire rack
- 1 small offset spatula
- 1 instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 4 ounce semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream hot
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoon crushed peppermint candy optional
- 2 tablespoon festive sprinkles optional
- 1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar for dusting, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bring water, butter, salt, and 2 teaspoons sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add sifted flour all at once, stir vigorously until a dough forms and pulls away from the pan, then cook 1–2 minutes to dry slightly.
- Transfer hot dough to a bowl and beat 2 minutes to cool until just warm to the touch.
- Beat in eggs one at a time until the dough becomes smooth, glossy, and falls from the spoon in a thick V-shape.
- Pipe 12 logs about 4.5 inches long and 3/4 inch wide onto the parchment, spacing well.
- Smooth any peaks with a damp fingertip and mist lightly with water.
- Bake 15 minutes at 400°F, then reduce to 350°F and bake 18–20 minutes more until deeply golden and puffed.
- Pierce each éclair end with a skewer to vent steam and cool on a wire rack completely.
- For pastry cream, heat milk and 1/2 cup cream just to steaming with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Whisk sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon flour until pale and thick.
- Temper yolk mixture with half the hot milk, then return to the saucepan and cook, whisking, until thick bubbles form and it reaches 185°F.
- Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and 2 tablespoons butter, then strain through a sieve into a bowl.
- Press plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill 1 hour until cold.
- Fit a small round tip to a piping bag, fill with pastry cream, and pipe cream into each éclair through holes at the ends until filled and slightly heavy.
- Make glaze by pouring hot cream over chopped chocolate with corn syrup, resting 2 minutes, then whisking smooth and glossy.
- Dip tops of filled eclairs into warm glaze, letting excess drip, and return to the rack.
- Sprinkle with crushed peppermint, festive sprinkles, or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and let set 20–30 minutes before serving.
Notes
