Report card day at our house is a reason to celebrate, and what better way than with food? We don’t reward our kids with money for grades, as my goal is for them to intrinsically want to do well. A special meal with an extra-special dessert is the way I show my love. Pumpkin Spice Cream Puffs with Caramel Sauce was my creation for 1st quarter report cards, and both of my kids thought it was a good reward for a job-well-done!
The Recipe Overview
For Pumpkin Spice Cream Puffs, I took a traditional pâte à choux dough and added pumpkin. While these baked, I made a homemade pumpkin spice pudding. Finishing off the pumpkin creation was a homemade caramel sauce. This is a tasty fall dessert, full of pumpkin flavor and fancy enough for your next dinner party.
Pâte à choux dough sounds difficult, but truthfully, if you can stand at the stove and stir while the dough cooks, you can easily make it! Same with homemade pudding. Stirring is the key. For both, the taste and ingredients are superior to anything purchased from the grocery store. I found that once I took the time to make recipes from scratch, I never wanted to purchase premade items if I could help it. The cream puff recipe is a modification from my trusty Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. The caramel sauce comes from the same book. The pudding recipe is a variation of the vanilla pudding my students make in a school lab. It is lovely, both with or without the pumpkin pie spice.
For the Pumpkin Spice Cream Puffs, I actually made the cream puffs and the pumpkin spice pudding the day before serving. As a working mom, it’s hard to find time to make “fancier” recipes and eat them on the same night. Cream puffs work out great pre-made. I simply wrapped and refrigerated the puffs after they cooled. The next evening, I reheated in a 350º F before serving. The caramel sauce is incredibly fast and super tasty. The leftovers are great on ice cream, cake, or stirred into a drink!
Pumpkin Spice Cream Puffs with Caramel Sauce is a tasty fall treat, fancy enough for a dinner party and special enough for report card day! Don’t let the French name fool you…anyone with a large saucepan and a wooden spoon can make a great pâte à choux dough. Try these Pumpkin Spice Cream Puffs and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you. Have a wonderful week.
Pumpkin Spice Cream Puffs with Caramel Sauce
Notes
Cream puffs may be re-crisped in a 350 F oven until warm.
Ingredients
Cream Puffs
- 1 c. water
- 1/2 c.butter
- 1/8 t. salt
- 1 T. sugar
- 1/4 t. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 c. flour
- 1/4 c. canned pumpkin
- 3 eggs
Pumpkin Spice Pudding
- 2 1/2 cups milk, divided
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon butter
Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
- 1 T. cornstarch
- 1/4 c. water
- 1/3 c. half and half
- 2 T. light corn syrup
- 1 T. butter
- 1 t. vanilla extract
Instructions
Cream Puffs
- Preheat oven to 400º F and grease a cookie sheet.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
- Add flour and pumpkin pie spice all at once. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a ball.
- Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
- Add eggs and pumpkin, beating well with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.
- Drop dough by 12-15 tablespoons onto greased sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden.
- Remove from cookie sheet, pierce side of each cream puff with a paring knife to release steam.
- To serve, cut puff in half, removing undercooked dough. Add Pumpkin Spice Pudding and drizzle with Caramel Sauce.
- If not serving immediately, wrap tightly and refrigerate, placing in 350º F oven to re-crisp when serving.
Pumpkin Spice Pudding
- Place 2 cups milk and salt in a saucepan.
- Sprinkle sugar on milk and do no stir; heat over medium-high.
- Quickly combine cornstarch with ½ cup milk; add egg yolks and mix well.
- When milk comes to a low boil, remove saucepan from the heat and SLOWLY stir in cornstarch mixture.
- Pudding will begin to thicken. Return to the heat and cook for 1 minute, until thick and bubbly.
- Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and butter.
- Cover top of pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate, or serve immediately.
Caramel Sauce
- In a medium saucepan combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water.
- Stir in half and half and corn syrup.
- Cook and stir until bubbly. Cook and stir for two more minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
- Drizzle over cream puffs and refrigerate leftovers for later use.