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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My foolproof Pastry Cream Recipe lets you create a professional bakery experience right at home—so easy, yet so luxurious!
- Perfectly Creamy: Silky smooth with a rich vanilla flavor.
- Foolproof & Simple: Easy-to-follow steps for flawless results every time.
- Versatile & Delicious: Ideal for filling cakes, cream puffs, eclairs, tarts, and more.
- Just Like a Pastry Chef’s: Master a classic technique used in top bakeries.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepares in minutes and stores beautifully.
As Bold Bakers, mastering a classic pastry cream is a must for achieving thick, smooth, and silky results. I’ve updated this post with step-by-step photos and refined the instructions to make them even more straightforward.
A few key notes: If you don’t have a vanilla pod, vanilla bean paste works perfectly—just stir it in at the end with the butter. For extra depth, I also add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract when using paste. And don’t skip the sieving step! Even the best pastry cream can develop tiny lumps from cooked egg or cornstarch, so straining ensures a perfectly smooth, lump-free Crème Pâtissière.
My vanilla pastry cream works perfectly in Homemade Cream Puffs, Chocolate Ganache Covered Eclairs, and delicious Fruit Tarts, so feel free to whip up a batch of this versatile dessert filling for all your creamy dessert needs!
Bold Bakers Loved This!
“I have tried multiple recipes to attempt to find a cream filling that is up to the standard of my Aunt Jeanne! Today this recipe gave me that achievement ❤️ Thank-you Gemma and BBB!!” — Betsy
“I’ve always wanted to make my own pastry cream, and this recipe made it so easy! The step-by-step photos really helped, and the vanilla flavor is perfect. Will definitely be using this for my next batch of eclairs!” — Olivia M.
“Such a simple and delicious recipe! The texture is spot on, and the hint of vanilla is just right. I used vanilla bean paste, and it turned out amazing. This will be my go-to for filling cream puffs from now on!” –David T.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 3/18/2025, to include NEW step-by-step photography, explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, make-ahead and storage instructions, how to flavor and use pastry cream, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips.
Table Of Contents
- What Is Pastry Cream?
- Tools You Need
- Ingredients and Substitutes
- How To Make Simple Pastry Cream
- Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
- How to Use Creme Patissiere
- How to Flavor Creme Patissiere
- FAQs
- More Easy Creams and Frostings
What Is Pastry Cream?
Crème Pâtissière (AKA Crème Pât) is a French pastry cream, a thick custard used to fill desserts.
- Rich & Creamy – A luscious custard with a smooth texture.
- Simple Ingredients – Made with milk, eggs, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Vanilla-Infused – Flavored with vanilla, ideally scraped from a pod for the best taste and signature black specks.
Tools You Need
Ingredients and Substitutes
Whole Milk
- Provides a creamy base for the custard.
- Substitute: Non-dairy milk like almond, coconut, or soy milk (choose full-fat for best texture).
Vanilla Bean Pod
- Adds a rich vanilla flavor and gives the cream its signature specks.
- Substitute: Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. If using paste, stir it in with the butter; for extract, add ½ teaspoon with the butter.
Granulated Sugar
- Sweetens the pastry cream and aids in thickening.
- Substitute: You can use coconut sugar or allulose sugar instead.
Egg Yolks
- Thicken the cream, contributing richness and flavor.
- Substitute: Egg replacers like cornstarch or custard powder, though the result may be less rich.
Cornstarch
- Thickens the custard to give it the proper consistency.
- Substitute: All-purpose flour, but cornstarch gives a smoother, more velvety finish.
Butter
- Adds creaminess and smoothness to the custard. Either salted butter or unsalted butter will work.
- Substitute: Coconut oil or plant-based butter for a dairy-free version.
How To Make Pastry Cream Easy
- Prepare the Vanilla: Cut the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds.
- Heat the Milk: In a medium saucepan, combine milk, vanilla pod and seeds, and ¼ (2 oz/58 g) of sugar. Place over medium-low heat until the mixture comes to a simmer.
- Mix the Eggs and Cornstarch: In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and the remaining ¼ (2 oz/58 g) of sugar.
- Temper the Eggs: While whisking constantly, slowly pour ⅓ of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture until it’s fully incorporated. Then, pour it back into the saucepan and boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly for 3-4 minutes, until thickened.
- Finish the Cream: Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the vanilla pod and any lumps.
- Cool & Store: Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent skin from forming. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (up to 3 days). Use to fill cream puffs, profiteroles, or pastry tarts.
FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Use Full-Fat Dairy or Creamy Non-Dairy Milk: For the best flavor and texture, use full-fat dairy milk or a rich non-dairy milk. Fat is key to achieving the ideal custard consistency.
- Choose Cornstarch Over Flour: While flour is traditionally used to thicken pastry cream, starch works just as well and is gluten-free, giving your cream a smoother texture.
- Use Large Eggs: Always use 3 large egg yolks at room temperature for the best results in creating a rich, thick custard.
- Substitute with Vanilla Bean Paste: If you don’t have a vanilla pod, vanilla bean paste works perfectly as it contains seeds, giving you that same great flavor and specks.
- Flavor Your Sugar with the Spent Vanilla Pod: After using the vanilla pod, dry it out and place it in a pot of sugar to infuse it with a lovely vanilla flavor. It can also be reused in future custard recipes!
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Make Ahead:
- Prepare pastry cream up to 3 days in advance for convenience.
- Let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
Storage:
- Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Allow at least 4 hours in the fridge before using.
Freezing:
- Avoid freezing pastry cream as the texture may change when thawed. Refrigerate for best results.
How to Use Creme Patissiere
- Homemade Eclairs: Light and airy pâte à choux pastries filled with rich pastry cream and topped with glossy chocolate ganache.
- Quick & Simple Summer Fruit Tart: A crisp puff pastry base topped with chilled pastry cream and fresh, juicy fruits.
- Homemade Boston Cream Donuts: Soft, fluffy donuts filled with silky vanilla pastry cream and coated with a decadent chocolate glaze.
- Luxurious 24-Layer Chocolate Cake: An impressive cake featuring layers of tender chocolate cake, silky pastry cream, and rich ganache.
How to Flavor Pastry Cream
- Lemon pastry cream (Citrus Flavor)
- What to add: Add 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest (or orange/lime zest) to the milk.
- When to add: Add the zest to the milk mixture while heating it. Strain it out before adding it to the egg mixture.
- Coffee (Coffee Flavor)
- What to add: Add 1-2 tablespoons of instant coffee or espresso powder, or 2 tablespoons of brewed coffee.
- When to add: Dissolve the coffee in a little hot water and whisk it into the milk mixture, or steep it in the milk as it heats.
- Chocolate (Chocolate Flavor)
- What to add: 3-4 oz (85-115g) of dark or milk chocolate, chopped.
- When to add: After cooking the pastry cream, whisk in the melted chocolate until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Liquor (e.g., Rum, Amaretto, Grand Marnier)
- What to add: 1-2 tablespoons of your preferred liquor.
- When to add: Stir it in at the very end after the cream is cooked, along with the butter.
- Almond or Hazelnut (Nutty Flavor)
- What to add: ½-1 teaspoon of almond extract or hazelnut extract.
- When to add: Stir in at the end with the butter.
- Spices (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom)Almond or Hazelnut (Nutty Flavor)
- What to add: ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom, or 1 cinnamon stick or 2-3 cardamom pods.
FAQs
Yes. You’ll need to use full-fat dairy milk or creamy non-dairy milk (almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk or soy milk).
It not only makes this recipe easier but also makes it taste as delicious as possible.
Do not use skim milk, half and half, or heavy cream for this recipe. Half and half will make your custard too thick and detract from the flavor, heavy cream will separate and make your custard greasy, and skim milk will be too thin.
Eggs are a crucial ingredient for my easy pastry cream recipe as they add thickness and flavor.
I allow three large eggs to come to room temperature before I separate the yolks and the whites.
You can save your whites by placing them in a plastic bag and freezing them for when you want to make Meringues!
Your pastry cream may be lumpy for a few reasons, but the most likely culprits are heating it too high or not stirring it well enough when it was coming to a simmer.
To avoid the stress, I always pass it through a sieve as soon as I’ve cooked it to remove lumps.
A simple fix for pastry cream that is too thin is to add a little more cornstarch. Just add a bit at a time until you reach the proper consistency.
The opposite problem, now you’ve added too much cornstarch or have cooked it for too long. Slowly add in the tiniest amount of milk while stirring.
More Easy Creams and Frostings
- Chocolate Pastry Cream
- Stabilized Whipped Cream
- Dulce De Leche
- Whipped Ganache Frosting
- Best-Ever Buttercream Frosting
IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 3/18/2025, to include NEW step-by-step photography, explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, make-ahead and storage instructions, how to flavor and use pastry cream, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips.
Try These Recipes!
Pastry Cream (Creme Patisserie)
Ingredients
- ½ vanilla pod
- 2 cups (16 fl oz/480 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons (1 oz/28 g) butter, cubed
Instructions
- Cut the vanilla pod length ways and scrape out the seeds.
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, vanilla pod and seeds, and ¼ (2 oz/58 g) of sugar. Place over medium-low heat until mixture comes to a simmer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining ¼ (2 oz/58 g) of sugar.
- Temper eggs: while whisking constantly, slowly pour ⅓ of the hot milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, until it has been incorporated. Pour mixture back into the saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, for roughly 3-4 minutes, until thickened.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the vanilla pod and any lumps.
- Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent skin from forming and allow it to cool down to room temperature then store in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 3 days before serving. Use to fill cream puffs, profiteroles, or pastry tarts.
Recipe Notes
- Use Full-Fat Dairy or Creamy Non-Dairy Milk: For the best flavor and texture, use full-fat dairy milk or a rich non-dairy milk. Fat is key to achieving the ideal custard consistency.
- Choose Cornstarch Over Flour: While flour is traditionally used to thicken pastry cream, starch works just as well and is gluten-free, giving your cream a smoother texture.
- Use Large Eggs: Always use 3 large egg yolks at room temperature for the best results in creating a rich, thick custard.
- Substitute with Vanilla Bean Paste: If you don’t have a vanilla pod, vanilla bean paste works perfectly as it contains seeds, giving you that same great flavor and specks.
- Flavor Your Sugar with the Spent Vanilla Pod: After using the vanilla pod, dry it out and place it in a pot of sugar to infuse it with a lovely vanilla flavor. It can also be reused in future custard recipes!
I love it!!! What if you don’t have a vanilla pod or can’t afford to buy them? Maybe use vanilla extract as a substitute?
I have tried multiple recipes to attempt to find a cream filling that is up to the standard of my Aunt Jeanne! Today this recipe gave me that achievement ❤️ Thank-you Gemma and BBB!!
Hi Gemma,
If I want to do a chocolate version, what would be the best way to do it?
Thanks for all your help.
Is there a lactose free alternative? Full fat coconut milk?
this was a very easy to understand recipe! thanks for providing clear explanations
You have some spelling mistakes on your lovely website. Should read “scraped” not scrapped. x
Hi Gemma,
I made the creame and it was lump free going into the fridge, however when I took it out overnight I had tiny lumps. I did not have the full 2 cups of milk and used 1/2 a cup of creame for the balance. When I took a little bit out on put it on my finger tip it started to disappear/melt. I think it is butter bumps from the higher fat content of the creame, has this ever happened to anyone else? Can this be SAVED???
If using vanilla bean paste, how much would I use?
I was reading the comments and wondering what else can this pastry cream be used for?
For the non-trained home cook, can we use an electric hand mixer for tempering the eggs and thickening the pastry cream?