Vanilla Strawberry Eclairs

Picture slender golden eclairs, their shells crisp and airy, giving way to clouds of vanilla-kissed cream freckled with ruby strawberries. A whisper of warm jam and a satin-white chocolate glaze catch the light, while crushed berries perfume the air—comfort you can see, touch, and taste.

I love these because they turn simple pantry staples into something quietly celebratory: color, crunch, silk, and a bright berry finish that feels like a hug.

I first made them on a gray afternoon when my kids needed cheering; the kitchen filled with vanilla steam and strawberry sweetness, and the mood lifted before the tray even cooled.

They’re elegant enough for birthdays and brunches, yet practical for busy weeknights or Sunday suppers—make the cream ahead, bake the shells, and assemble when you’re ready to delight.

Whether you’re hosting or treating yourself, these eclairs deliver calm and joy in every bite. Ready? Let’s cook!

Why You’ll Love It

• Delivers bright vanilla cream with juicy strawberry bursts
• Balances crisp shells with silky, cloud-light filling
• Elevates dessert tables with bakery-worthy looks
• Streamlines steps; approachable even for beginners
• Stays crisp and fresh with smart bake-and-dry method

Ingredients

• 120 ml water — filtered if possible (use room temp)
• 120 ml whole milk — full-fat for structure (use fresh)
• 115 g unsalted butter, cubed — high-fat European style preferred
• 6 g granulated sugar — just a touch for browning
• 3 g fine salt — balances sweetness
• 150 g all-purpose flour, sifted — low-protein for better puff
• 4 large eggs, room temperature — essential for emulsifying
• 1 large egg, beaten — for egg wash, strain for smoothness
• 500 ml whole milk — for pastry cream, don’t substitute
• 100 g granulated sugar — for pastry cream, superfine dissolves faster
• 30 g cornstarch — thickens pastry cream cleanly
• 4 large egg yolks — rich, bright color
• 28 g unsalted butter, softened — adds gloss to cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract, divided — real vanilla for best aroma
• 200 ml heavy cream, cold — whip well-chilled
• 250 g strawberries, hulled and diced — ripe but firm
• 150 g strawberry jam, smooth — warmable, low seeds
• 120 g white chocolate, chopped — good-quality couverture melts evenly
• 30 ml heavy cream — for glaze, adjust for spreadability
• 20 g freeze-dried strawberries, crushed — vibrant color and tang
• 10 fresh strawberry slices — garnish, pat dry
• 10 g powdered sugar — light final dusting

Step-by-Step Method

Pipe the Choux Logs

Preheat the oven. Make choux by boiling water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Stir in flour off heat, then cook to dry slightly. Beat to cool, then add eggs until the batter forms a soft V from the paddle. Pipe 4–5 inch logs on parchment, spaced apart. Brush with egg wash and smooth peaks with a damp finger.

Bake, Then Dry the Shells

Start hot at 400°F/205°C to set structure. Bake 15 minutes without opening the door. Reduce to 350°F/175°C and continue 15–18 minutes until deeply golden and puffed. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and dry for 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.

Cook the Pastry Cream Base

Heat milk until steaming. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and yolks until smooth. Temper with hot milk, then return to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick bubbles form and it turns glossy. Remove from heat, whisk in butter and vanilla, then strain. Press wrap onto the surface and chill.

Whip and Lighten to Diplomat

Whip cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Loosen the chilled pastry cream by whisking briefly. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream in two additions to keep it airy. Gently fold in half the diced strawberries and remaining vanilla. Chill the filling 1–2 hours to firm for clean piping.

Fill the Cooled Eclairs

Use a small round tip. Poke two small holes in the bottom of each shell to prevent splitting. Pipe the strawberry-vanilla diplomat cream into both holes until the éclair feels pleasantly full but not bursting. Wipe any excess. Arrange filled eclairs on a rack set over a tray for easy glazing.

Jam-Glaze the Tops

Warm strawberry jam until fluid and smooth. Strain if needed to remove seeds, then cool slightly so it stays spreadable but not runny. Using a small offset spatula, spread a thin, even layer over each éclair top. Let it set for a few minutes to tack up before adding the white chocolate glaze.

Make the White Chocolate Glaze

Melt chopped white chocolate gently with heavy cream until smooth and glossy. Stir to a spreadable consistency; it should ribbon from the spoon. If too thick, add a teaspoon of warm cream. If too thin, let it cool slightly. Keep the glaze warm so it coats cleanly without pulling the jam layer.

Dip, Decorate, and Set

Dip or spread glaze over the jam-topped eclairs. Sprinkle crushed freeze-dried strawberries while the glaze is still tacky. Garnish each with a fresh strawberry slice. Chill at least 1 hour to set. Before serving, dust lightly with powdered sugar. Enjoy within a day for the best texture and flavor.

Ingredient Swaps

• Dairy-free: use plant milk (oat/almond) in both choux and pastry cream; swap butter for vegan block butter; whip coconut cream in place of heavy cream.
• Gluten-free: replace all-purpose flour in choux with a strong 1:1 GF baking blend that includes xanthan; pastry cream is already GF (uses cornstarch).
• Egg-free: choux relies on eggs—use a vegan pâte à choux recipe (aquafaba + starch + vegan butter) and a cornstarch-thickened vanilla pastry cream with extra starch; texture will differ.
• Budget/availability: substitute white chocolate glaze with simple vanilla icing (powdered sugar + milk/water); use frozen strawberries (thawed, well-drained) or omit fresh garnish; seedless raspberry jam can replace strawberry jam.
• Flavor twists: add lemon zest to pastry cream; swap vanilla for almond or rose water; top with dark or milk chocolate instead of white.

You Must Know

• Doneness • If your choux paste looks greasy or leaves a butter sheen on the bowl paddle, add 1–2 tsp milk and beat 20–30 seconds until it falls in a soft V ribbon; this rehydrates and restores emulsion so shells rise evenly and avoid tunneling.
• Troubleshoot • When shells are pale at 18 minutes and feel soft at the sides, keep in at 350°F/175°C for an extra 3–6 minutes until deeply golden and hollow-sounding when tapped; color is the cue that interior moisture has driven off to prevent collapse.
• Avoid • To keep pastry cream from turning runny after folding in berries, blot diced strawberries on paper towels and use only 150–180 g; excess juice dilutes starch gel—cream should mound softly and hold a spoon trail for 3–4 seconds.
• Scale • For 15 eclairs, increase choux and filling ingredients by 50% but keep baking temp the same; pipe slightly shorter (4 in/10 cm) to fit more per tray, maintaining 2 in/5 cm spacing so steam can escape and shape stays straight.
• Flavor Boost • For brighter fruit notes, macerate the diced strawberries with 6–8 g sugar and 1 tsp lemon juice for 10 minutes, then drain and fold in; concentrated juices amplify strawberry flavor without watering the cream.

Serving Tips

• Serve chilled on a slate, dusted lightly with powdered sugar for contrast.
• Pair with dry sparkling rosé or chilled Earl Grey to balance sweetness.
• Add a swoosh of strawberry coulis and a few fresh berries on plate.
• Pipe small dots of whipped cream beside each éclair for garnish.
• Offer alongside vanilla bean ice cream and a mint sprig for freshness.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate filled eclairs in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Garnish just before serving to keep toppings crisp.

Make the shells 2 days ahead and store airtight, or freeze shells (unfilled) up to 1 month.

Re-crisp at 300°F/150°C for 5–8 minutes.

Pastry cream keeps 2 days.

Assemble day-of.

Reheating

For gentle reheating, crisp empty shells in a 300°F/150°C oven 5–8 minutes.

Warm filled éclairs briefly: microwave 5–8 seconds or stovetop steam 1–2 minutes, covered.

Avoid overheating to protect glaze and cream.

Éclair Day in Lyon

As those reheated shells turn crisp and warm in my hands, I picture celebrating them where they shine brightest: Éclair Day in Lyon.

I step into the city’s morning, cobbles damp, air sweet with butter and caramelized sugar.

Boulangeries pull trays from gleaming ovens; steam rises, smelling of toasted milk and vanilla.

I join the queue, palms tingling with heat through the paper sleeve.

When I bite, the shell shatters delicately, airy and tender, giving way to cool vanilla diplomat cream and bright strawberry.

Jam glints like stained glass under a soft white-chocolate sheen, freckled with crushed berries.

Around me, laughter, clinking cups, and powdered sugar drifting like confetti.

You’d love it—simple joy, precise craft, and a city that celebrates every perfect bite.

Final Thoughts

Ready to bake? Give these Vanilla Strawberry Eclairs a try, and feel free to tweak the filling or glaze—swap in raspberries, add a touch of lemon zest, or use dark chocolate if that’s your style.

Enjoy experimenting and sharing!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make Gluten-Free Choux That Still Puffs Properly?

Yes—use a 1:1 gluten-free blend with xanthan gum, plus 10–15% extra egg. I dry the panade well, pipe confidently, and bake hot, then lower. Shells rise, hollow, and shatter delicately like crisp golden clouds.

How Do Altitude Changes Affect Baking Time and Rise?

Higher altitude lowers air pressure, so batters rise faster, set slower, and often collapse; I bake longer, reduce leavening, add a splash more liquid, and raise oven heat slightly. Watch textures: domes firm, centers whisper done.

What Piping Tip Alternatives Work Without a Pastry Bag?

Use a zip-top bag with a snipped corner; I guide thick batter with steady pressure. A parchment cone works too. For lines, I improvise with a bottle or cut straw, smoothing peaks with a damp fingertip.

How to Rescue Overcooked, Dry Éclair Shells?

I revive them with gentle steam: five minutes at 300°F, door cracked, then cool. I brush warm syrup inside, pipe extra cream, and glaze generously. The shells sigh, edges crisp, centers moistened—welcome back, delicate sweetness.

Are There Kid-Friendly Tasks for This Recipe?

Yes—let them whisk sugar and yolks, hull and dice berries, sprinkle rosy crumbs, and dust sugar. I’ll pipe and bake. Together we’ll spread jam, swirl warm white chocolate, and watch glossy shells turn into sweet little boats.