Picture this: you bite into a delicate, puffy pastry shell, and a burst of tangy-sweet lemon cream fills your mouth. Heaven, right? Now imagine achieving that blissful moment without a drop of dairy. Impossible? Not anymore! These vegan lemon cream puffs are the plant-based dessert revolution you never knew you needed. They’re so good, your non-vegan friends will be begging for the recipe (and questioning everything they thought they knew about vegan desserts).
Why These Vegan Lemon Cream Puffs Are Absolutely Worth Making
Let’s be real – vegan pastries often get a bad rap. But these lemon cream puffs? They’re the golden child of vegan baking. The choux pastry puffs up just as gloriously as its egg-laden counterpart, creating that perfect hollow center for the star of the show: a silky, zingy lemon cream that’s so luscious you’ll want to eat it straight from the bowl (no judgment here – I’ve done it multiple times).
Whether you’re entertaining guests, bringing dessert to a potluck, or just treating yourself after a long week, these little clouds of citrusy joy will make you look like a pastry genius. Plus, they’re surprisingly simple to make, despite looking like something from a fancy French patisserie window. Isn’t it time you impressed everyone with your plant-based pastry skills?
Vegan Lemon Cream Puffs
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer (for whipping aquafaba)
- Piping bags with round and star tips
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Small knife or scissors (for slicing/venting)
Ingredients
For the Vegan Choux Pastry
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons aquafaba liquid from canned chickpeas
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the Vegan Lemon Cream Filling
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for color, optional
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze (Optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
Making the Choux Pastry
- Preheat and prep: Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you’re using a worn-out baking sheet that’s seen better days (we’ve all been there), maybe add a second sheet underneath to prevent burning.
- Make the base: In a medium saucepan, combine water, vegan butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Is your kitchen already smelling amazing? Just wait.
- Add the flour: Once boiling, remove from heat and add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Return to low heat and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to dry out the dough. Your arm might get tired – consider it your pre-dessert workout.
- Transfer and cool: Move the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Nobody wants scrambled aquafaba, trust me.
- Whip the aquafaba: While the dough is cooling, beat the aquafaba with cream of tartar in a separate bowl until it forms soft peaks. This is your egg replacer magic happening before your eyes!
- Combine: Gradually fold the whipped aquafaba into the cooled dough until fully incorporated. The dough should be shiny and fall slowly from the spoon.
- Pipe the puffs: Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 2-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each puff. Use a damp finger to smooth any pointy tops.
- Bake: Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Do NOT open the oven door during the first 20 minutes – your puffs will deflate faster than your enthusiasm on Monday morning.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and make a small slit in the side of each puff to release steam. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Making the Lemon Cream Filling
- Prep your ingredients: Zest and juice your lemons. Pro tip: room temperature lemons yield more juice, so plan ahead! Or microwave them for 10 seconds if you’re impatient like me.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch.
- Add liquids: Slowly whisk in coconut milk, lemon juice, and zest until smooth. Add a tiny pinch of turmeric if you want that vibrant yellow color.
- Cook until thick: Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Keep whisking! You’re building arm muscles and a delicious dessert simultaneously.
- Finish the cream: Remove from heat and whisk in vegan butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Cool: Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface (to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate until completely cooled and set, about 2 hours.
Assembling the Cream Puffs
- Prepare filling: Once cooled, give your lemon cream a good whisk to ensure it’s smooth and creamy.
- Fill the puffs: Cut the cooled choux puffs horizontally. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with the lemon cream and generously pipe it into each puff. Be generous – skimping on filling is a crime against pastry.
- Glaze (optional): Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest to make a glaze. Drizzle or dip the tops of the filled puffs. Let set for about 10 minutes.
- Serve: Arrange on a pretty plate and prepare for the “oohs” and “aahs” – followed by suspicious questions about whether they’re really vegan.
Notes
- The choux pastry may not rise quite as much as traditional egg-based choux, but the aquafaba does a surprisingly good job as a replacement.
- For the best lemon flavor, use fresh lemons rather than bottled juice – the difference is noticeable!
- The coconut milk should be the full-fat, canned variety – the refrigerated drinking kind won’t provide enough fat for a creamy filling.
- Let the pastry cool completely before filling, or your beautiful lemon cream will melt into a sad puddle.
- These pastries are best served the same day they’re filled, as they tend to soften over time.
-
Consider:
- This recipe is completely vegan – free from eggs, dairy, and other animal products
- Contains gluten from the all-purpose flour (see variations for gluten-free option)
- The main allergens are wheat and possibly coconut (from the milk)
- These cream puffs are best enjoyed the day they’re made, though components can be prepared ahead
- If you have a soy allergy, ensure your vegan butter is soy-free
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Impatience with the aquafaba: Not whipping it enough is like showing up to a marathon without training – disappointment awaits. Whip until soft peaks form, or your pastry won’t rise properly.
- Opening the oven too soon: This is the cardinal sin of choux pastry. Open that door before 20 minutes and your puffs will deflate faster than a birthday balloon in a cactus garden.
- Underbaking the shells: Pale, soggy choux is sad choux. Bake until they’re properly golden and feel hollow when tapped – they should be drier than your sense of humor.
- Not cooking the lemon filling long enough: If you don’t cook until it’s thick, you’ll have lemon soup rather than lemon cream. Keep whisking until you can see the bottom of the pan when you drag your spoon through.
- Filling too far in advance: Unless you enjoy soggy pastry (and if you do, we need to talk), fill these beauties just a few hours before serving, maximum.
Variations & Customizations
- Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Cream Puffs: Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend (one that contains xanthan gum works best). The texture will be slightly different, but still delicious. You might need to add an extra tablespoon of gluten-free flour.
- Vegan Lemon-Lavender Cream Puffs: Add 1 teaspoon of dried culinary lavender to the coconut milk when making the filling and strain before proceeding. Top with a tiny sprinkle of lavender buds for a fancy, floral twist that’ll make your Instagram followers green with envy.
- Vegan Lemon-Berry Cream Puffs: Add a layer of macerated berries (strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries tossed with a little sugar and left to sit for 30 minutes) between the bottom and top of the puff. The berry juice mixing with the lemon cream creates a flavor combination that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance.
FAQs Section
Can I make these cream puffs ahead of time?
Yes, but with some strategic planning. The unfilled choux shells can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature (or frozen for up to a month). The lemon cream filling can also be made a day ahead and refrigerated. However, once filled, the cream puffs are best enjoyed within a few hours, as the moisture from the filling will eventually soften the crisp shells. If you need to fill them earlier, keep them refrigerated until shortly before serving.
Why did my choux pastry not puff up properly?
There are a few culprits when choux fails to puff. First, check if you whipped the aquafaba enough – it needs to reach soft peaks to provide adequate structure. Second, the dough might have been too wet – it should fall slowly from the spoon, not run off quickly. Third, opening the oven door too early causes temperature fluctuations that can deflate your puffs. Finally, remember that vegan choux typically doesn’t rise quite as dramatically as traditional choux, but it should still puff enough to create a hollow center.
Can I use a different plant milk instead of coconut milk for the filling?
While you technically can use other plant milks, the results won’t be as creamy. Coconut milk (the canned, full-fat version) has a higher fat content that creates that luxurious, silky texture we’re aiming for. If you must substitute, cashew cream would be your next best option, followed by full-fat oat milk with a tablespoon of additional vegan butter whisked in. Whatever you choose, avoid thin plant milks like almond or rice milk, unless you’re going for lemon-flavored water rather than lemon cream!
Final Thoughts
There you have it – vegan lemon cream puffs that are so delectable, they might just convert the most devoted dairy enthusiasts. They’re the perfect balance of crisp pastry and creamy lemon filling, with none of the animal products but all of the indulgence. Go ahead, impress your friends, family, or just yourself with these little clouds of citrus bliss. Your secret pastry wizard status is safe with me.
