Picture glossy, blush-pink eclairs lined up like little pillows, their shells crisp and golden, giving way to cool clouds of strawberry-studded cream.
Imagine the scent of warm pastry drifting through your kitchen, a whisper of vanilla and summer berries, and the first bite: delicate snap, then silky sweetness—comfort that feels celebratory.
I treasure these Strawberry Eclairs because they turn simple moments into small occasions; they look bakery-fancy yet deliver the kind of joy usually reserved for birthdays.
One spring, a last-minute family visit collided with a packed schedule, and this recipe saved the day—shells baked while I whipped the filling, and we’d dessert that felt special without stress.
They’re perfect for baby showers, Sunday suppers, or “just because” treats after busy weeknights, and they chill beautifully for make-ahead ease.
You’ll get professional results with approachable steps and a few smart tricks. Ready? Let’s cook!
Why You’ll Love It
- Delivers bright, fresh strawberry flavor in every creamy bite
- Achieves bakery-quality choux shells with reliable rise
- Balances light, airy texture with rich, silky filling
- Sets with a glossy white chocolate-strawberry glaze
- Preps ahead; shells freeze and fillings chill well
Ingredients
- 120 ml water — room temp is fine (use filtered if possible)
- 120 ml whole milk — adds richness (avoid skim)
- 115 g unsalted butter, cubed — for clean flavor (European-style preferred)
- 5 g granulated sugar — tiny boost for browning (don’t omit)
- 3 g fine salt — balances sweetness (use fine, not flaky)
- 150 g all-purpose flour, sifted — prevents lumps (measure after sifting)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature — for proper emulsion (weigh if large varies)
- 250 g strawberries, hulled and diced — ripe but firm (bright, fragrant berries)
- 50 g seedless strawberry jam — reinforces flavor (choose real fruit jam)
- 360 ml heavy cream, cold — whips best cold (min 36% fat)
- 50 g powdered sugar, sifted — smooth sweetness (prevents lumps)
- 5 ml vanilla extract — rounds flavor (pure, not imitation)
- 1 g fine salt — sharpens cream’s sweetness (don’t skip)
- 120 g white chocolate, chopped — for glaze body (use real cocoa butter)
- 20 g coconut oil or neutral oil — thins and sets glaze (refined coconut oil)
- 2 drops red or pink gel food coloring (optional) — tint to pale blush (gel, not liquid)
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting (optional) — soft finish (sift just before serving)
Step-by-Step Method
Preheat and Prep
Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Sift flour and set aside. Prepare a large piping bag with a large round tip. Ready a small skewer for venting. Chill mixing bowl and whisk for cream. Dice strawberries and pat dry. Keep eggs at room temperature. Set a cooling rack nearby for baked shells.
Cook the Panade
Combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat until butter melts. Add sifted flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until smooth, glossy, and a thin film coats the pan. Remove from heat.
Cool and Beat In Eggs
Transfer hot dough to a mixer bowl. Paddle on low 1 to 2 minutes to cool slightly until warm, not hot. Beat in eggs one at a time on medium speed. Let each egg fully incorporate before adding the next. Aim for a thick, pipeable dough that slowly forms a V off the paddle. Adjust with a teaspoon of beaten egg if needed.
Pipe the Eclairs
Fit a large piping bag with a large round tip. Pipe 10 straight logs, about 12 cm long, evenly spaced on the lined sheet. Keep pressure steady for uniform thickness. Smooth any peaks with a damp fingertip. Lightly mist with water to encourage puff. Work quickly to prevent skin forming on the dough.
Bake and Dry Shells
Bake at 220°C for 10 minutes without opening the oven. Reduce temperature to 180°C and continue baking 20 to 25 minutes until deeply golden and firm. Remove briefly, poke a small hole in each shell with a skewer. Turn off oven, return shells, and dry with the door cracked for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
Whip the Cream
Chill cream, bowl, and whisk. Whisk heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to soft peaks. Keep strokes steady to avoid overwhipping. The cream should be smooth and billowy. Don’t beat to stiff peaks. Keep the mixture cold to maintain structure. Set aside while preparing strawberries.
Fold in Strawberries
Gently fold diced strawberries and seedless strawberry jam into the whipped cream. Use a light hand to keep the mixture airy. Avoid overmixing to prevent weeping. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. Transfer immediately to a piping bag fitted with a small round or Bismarck tip. Keep chilled.
Fill the Shells
Turn cooled eclairs upside down. Poke two or three small holes along the underside. Insert the filling tip and pipe cream into each cavity. Fill until the shell feels slightly heavy and resists a bit. Wipe any excess. Work methodically to make certain even distribution. Return filled eclairs to the rack.
Make the Glaze
Melt white chocolate and coconut oil gently in a small saucepan or microwave at low power. Stir until smooth and glossy. Tint with a drop or two of red or pink gel food coloring if desired. Let the glaze cool slightly until thick but pourable. Avoid overheating to prevent streaking.
Dip and Set
Dip the tops of filled eclairs into the glaze. Let excess drip back into the bowl. Place on the rack to set cleanly. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate briefly to firm the glaze. Keep handling minimal to maintain shine. Assure an even coating from end to end for a neat finish.
Chill and Serve
Chill the filled and glazed eclairs 30 to 60 minutes to set the cream and glaze. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Serve chilled for best texture. Enjoy the same day for peak crispness. Store leftovers up to 24 hours refrigerated. Freeze unfilled shells up to one month.
Ingredient Swaps
- Dairy-free: Replace milk with unsweetened almond or oat milk; swap butter for plant-based butter; use coconut cream (whipped) instead of heavy cream; choose dairy-free white chocolate.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend designed for baking (with xanthan gum).
- Egg-free: Choux relies on eggs; for an alternative, make dairy-free pâte à choux using an aquafaba-based recipe or serve strawberries and cream in store-bought GF/DF shells.
- Lower sugar: Reduce powdered sugar in the cream by 25–50% and use no-sugar-added strawberry jam.
- Budget/availability: Use all water instead of half milk; swap white chocolate glaze for a simple powdered sugar–milk icing; replace fresh strawberries with frozen (thawed and well-drained) or more jam.
- Flavor twists: Add a few drops of strawberry extract to boost flavor if berries are mild; tint glaze with beet powder instead of gel coloring.
You Must Know
- Doneness • If your pâte à choux looks greasy or smears rather than clings, keep drying it in the pan until it leaves a thin film and pulls cleanly, about 1–2 minutes; this drives off moisture so shells rise instead of spreading.
- Troubleshoot • When adding eggs, stop as soon as the dough forms a thick ribbon that falls in a slow V from the paddle in 3–5 seconds; too loose batter leads to flat eclairs, too stiff yields cracked tops.
- Doneness • For fully set shells, look for deep golden color, pronounced ridges, and a hollow sound when tapped; internal temp should be ~98–100°C and feel dry after venting 10 minutes with the door cracked.
- Flavor Boost • Macerate diced strawberries with 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1–2 teaspoons sugar for 10–15 minutes, then drain well before folding; brightens flavor and limits excess liquid so the cream stays fluffy.
- Scale • For 15 eclairs, multiply all ingredients by 1.5 and pipe shorter 10–11 cm logs if your tray is tight; keep the same high-then-lower oven temps, but add 2–4 minutes to the lower-temp phase if the batch crowds the oven.
Serving Tips
- Serve chilled on a slate with fresh strawberry halves and mint sprigs.
- Drizzle plate with strawberry coulis; add a dollop of whipped cream.
- Pair with rosé, sparkling Moscato, or berry-infused iced tea.
- Add contrast with dark chocolate shavings and a crack of pink pepper.
- Present trio: plain, lightly dusted, and glazed with pink-tinted chocolate.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Filled strawberry eclairs keep in the fridge up to 24 hours; the shells soften slightly but remain delicious.
For make-ahead, bake shells, cool, and store airtight at room temperature 1 day, or freeze unfilled shells up to 1 month.
Thaw uncovered, fill and glaze the day of serving for best texture.
Reheating
Reheat unfilled shells gently: oven 150°C, 5–8 minutes to crisp.
Filled eclairs: brief microwave bursts (5–10 seconds) to take chill off.
Avoid stovetop; condensation softens glaze and cream.
Serve promptly.
Marie Antoinette–Era Salons
Once the last eclair is warmed and the glaze turns satin-smooth, I picture them carried on a silver tray into a candlelit salon of Marie Antoinette’s Paris—rooms humming with wit, lace cuffs brushing porcelain, and gossip swirling like steam from chocolate.
I’d set our strawberry eclairs among powdered wigs and powdered sugar, letting their blush glaze flirt with the candlelight. To host with that same sparkle, follow my quiet rules:
- Arrange on a mirrored platter so the white chocolate sheen doubles like jewels.
- Pour chocolate or tea in thin porcelain; let the eclairs lead, not shout.
- Offer bites between conversations—small plates, swift napkins, unhurried smiles.
- Pair the strawberry cream with a whisper of rose or lemon zest to echo courtly perfume.
Final Thoughts
Ready to bake a batch? Give these strawberry eclairs a try as written, or make them your own with a splash of lemon zest in the cream or a drizzle of dark chocolate on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make These Gluten-Free Without Affecting the Choux Rise?
Yes—you can. I swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour with xanthan gum, add one extra egg white for structure, and dry the shells thoroughly. You’ll still get golden, hollow puffs that sing when tapped.
How Do Altitude Changes Affect Eclair Baking Times and Temperatures?
At higher altitudes, I bake hotter initially and a bit longer overall. I add moisture, dry shells thoroughly, and watch color: deep golden signals set structure. Expect faster puff, slower set—trust sight, not the clock.
What’s the Best Way to Transport Eclairs Without Smudging Glaze?
Chill them until firm, then nestle each on parchment in a snug, lidded box. I separate layers with parchment, leave headroom, and keep everything cold with ice packs. Drive gently, and reveal like little jeweled treasures.
Are There Kid-Friendly Tasks for Helping With This Recipe?
Yes—invite kids to whisk cream, fold in berries, and dust sugar like snow. I’ll pipe and handle hot ovens. Let them draw parchment guides, poke filling holes, and dip tops gently. Little hands, big smiles.
How Can I Troubleshoot Cracked Shells Specifically on Humid Days?
I dry the dough longer on the stove, mist logs lightly, and bake hotter first. I ventilate the oven, pierce shells to release steam, cool on racks, and avoid overfilling. I prefer strong, well-sifted flour.
Strawberry Eclairs
Equipment
- 1 Medium saucepan
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Fine mesh sieve
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 parchment paper sheet
- 1 large piping bag
- 2 piping tip 1 large round, 1 small round or Bismarck
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 Small saucepan for glaze
- 1 offset spatula or spoon
Ingredients
- 120 milliliter water
- 120 milliliter whole milk
- 115 gram unsalted butter cubed
- 5 gram granulated sugar
- 3 gram fine salt
- 150 gram all-purpose flour sifted
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 250 gram strawberries hulled and diced
- 50 gram strawberry jam seedless
- 360 milliliter heavy cream cold
- 50 gram powdered sugar sifted
- 5 milliliter vanilla extract
- 1 gram fine salt
- 120 gram white chocolate chopped
- 20 gram coconut oil or neutral oil
- 2 drop red or pink gel food coloring optional
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan bring water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a simmer over medium heat until butter melts.
- Add sifted flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms and a film coats the pan, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a mixer bowl and paddle on low 1 to 2 minutes to cool slightly until just warm.
- Beat in eggs one at a time on medium, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next to reach a thick, pipeable consistency that slowly forms a V off the paddle.
- Fit a large piping bag with a large round tip and pipe 10 logs about 12 cm long, spacing well apart.
- Smooth peaks with a damp finger and mist lightly with water for better puff.
- Bake at 220°C for 10 minutes, then reduce to 180°C and bake 20 to 25 minutes until deeply golden and firm.
- Turn off oven, poke a small hole in each eclair with a skewer, and return to the oven with the door cracked for 10 minutes to dry.
- Cool completely on a rack.
- For strawberry cream, whisk cold cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to soft peaks.
- Fold in diced strawberries and strawberry jam until just combined, keeping the mixture fluffy.
- Fit a clean piping bag with a small round or Bismarck tip and fill with strawberry cream.
- Poke two or three holes on the underside of each shell and pipe cream to fill until slightly heavy.
- For glaze, melt white chocolate and coconut oil gently in a small saucepan or microwave until smooth, then tint with gel coloring if using.
- Dip tops of filled eclairs into the glaze, letting excess drip, and place on a rack to set.
- Chill filled eclairs 30 to 60 minutes to set the cream and glaze before serving.
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired and serve chilled.
Notes
