Savory profiteroles stuffed with a creamy goat cheese filling are so delicious and make the perfect dainty snack or canape! Drizzled with honey and with the thyme added to the choux pastry to give some herby depth to the flavor - these are always a hit at parties and look and taste so fancy.
The savoury profiteroles filling is made with whipped goat cheese and cream cheese, seasoned with salt and pepper, and piped in until it's full to bursting - because you only live once right? I haven't got any time for a profiterole that's only half full.
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What makes these savory cream puffs a winner
- These delicious savory choux puffs work well as canapés, small bites, and finger food before a dinner party, at events, or when celebrating holidays like Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving.
- They are freezer friendly, so I can make them ahead of time whenever I'm hosting to free some time for other things on the day of the event.
- Well-balanced flavors and textures in canapes will win any crowd, that's for sure. The crisp and airy choux pastry shell provides a delicious contrast to the rich and creamy filling inside.
I am a huge fan of cheese and honey appetizers, I just think it's the most perfect flavor combination and I'll also use any excuse to serve whipped goat cheese, like with this beetroot carpaccio salad that's another favorite of mine. Read on for my savory profiteroles recipe...
Ingredients
- Plain flour: You can use all-purpose four as well.
- Butter: I always use unsalted butter because it gives me full control of the amount of salt that goes into my baking or cooking.
- Sugar: just about a ½ teaspoon of white granulated sugar.
- Salt
- Cold water
- Eggs: please ensure that your eggs are at room temperature.
- Fresh thyme
- Goat cheese: a good quality creamy goat cheese.
- Cream cheese: full-fat cream cheese is the best option.
- Honey: I used honey to drizzle over these cheese profiteroles, which brings a slightly sweet note that doesn't overpower the overall taste of the cream puffs.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full quantities and step-by-step directions (and it's easy to print out).
How to make savory profiteroles with creamy cheese filling
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius / 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat the water, butter, sugar, and salt together in a medium-sized saucepan and bring it to boiling point. Break the butter into small chunks so that the water doesn't boil before it has melted into it.
Prepare the savoury choux pastry
- Quickly sieve the flour into the hot liquid and remove it from the heat whilst stirring vigorously to form a smooth paste. It is important to do this fast, all at once.
- Put back on the heat and continue to stir the mixture for a few minutes - we need to cook out the flour, or the profiteroles won't rise when we bake them. It will form a smooth, shiny ball that holds its shape together if you roll it around the saucepan (see video).
- It now needs to cool down to room temperature before we add in the egg, or it will scramble. Turn it out into a large mixing bowl and put it in the fridge or even the freezer for a few minutes until it is no longer hot to touch (slightly warm is fine).
- Whisk the eggs together and add slowly into the pastry mixture, stirring continuously until you reach the desired consistency. We want to achieve a silky, gloopy mixture that will slowly start to fall off a spoon rather than stick to it. However, you don't want it too liquid or runny, so bear in mind that if your eggs are especially large, you may not need it all. Once you reach this point, add the chopped thyme leaves.
- Put the mixture into a piping pastry bag and cut 1cm from the end.
- Pipe small mounds, around teaspoon in size of choux pastry onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving a gap between each one because the choux buns will rise and expand slightly in the oven.
- Dab your finger into the water and then flatten the little peak left by the piping nozzle.
- Now flick a tablespoon water all over the whole tray. This is because steam is the rising agent with profiteroles, so we need to create steam in the oven whilst they bake.
Bake the profiteroles
- Bake the profiteroles in the preheated oven for 17-19 minutes until they are golden brown. Be governed by color rather than time, as all ovens vary.
- Take the profiteroles out of the oven and carefully make a small piping hole in the bottom/base using the end of a sharp knife. It needs to be big enough to fit the nozzle of a piping bag into it. Now put the profiteroles back on the tray with the hole facing up and put them back in the oven to dry out for one more minute.
Prepare the cheese sauce filling for profiteroles.
- Place the goat cheese and cream cheese together in a bowl or stand mixer and whisk together. If it is too stiff, add a splash of milk to slacken it. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and place into another piping bag.
Stuff the profiteroles with the creamy cheese filling
- Pipe the whipped goat cheese filling into the savory profiteroles until they ar full. Drizzle over some honey, and serve.
Hint: You will know you have piped enough filling into the profiterole when it begins to bulge slightly and pushes the nozzle of the piping bag back out again.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ways you can change this savory profiterole recipe to suit you.
- Cheese - you could try this recipe using feta instead or other soft cheeses!
- Fresh Herbs - why not add other herbs like rosemary?
- Dairy-free - cashew cheese would also taste delicious in this recipe.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Large baking trays
- Silicon non-stick reusable baking liner or baking paper
- Piping bags
Storage
Empty profiteroles can be stored in an airtight container before filling and will be fine for 2-3 days. Alternatively, they freeze really well.
Once filled, keep your savory profiteroles chilled in the fridge and consume within 2-3 days, but they are best enjoyed fresh as they can go soggy once filled if left for too long.
Expert tip
Don't forget to flick water onto the savory profiteroles before you bake them. The steam is what causes them to rise in the oven, and try not to open it too many times during baking.
Frequently asked questions
Profiteroles should have a crisp bite to them, but not be brittle. When baking profiteroles, it is important to be governed by color rather than time. We are aiming for a toffee-colored golden brown and a shell that feels crisp and hollow when you tap it.
When I make choux pastry, I add both a pinch of sugar and a pinch of sea salt regardless of whether or not the filling is sweet or savory. This helps balance the flavor and lets the filling sing without overpowering it. You can add a pinch more salt or sugar though to swing it in either direction if you prefer.
To fill savory profiteroles we make a circular hole in the base with the sharp point of a knife and then pipe the filling in using a piping bag. If you do not have a piping bag, you can cut the choux buns in half and spoon the filling in, but for best results, fill profiteroles with a piping bag.
Yes! Keep them in an airtight container in a cool place until you're ready to fill. No need to refrigerate when they are not filled.
It is best to not fill profiteroles too far in advance as they can go soggy, however, this will be partially led by what your filling is. The water content in the organic farm shop cream cheese I use is very low, but some shop-bought cream cheese can be very watery. If in doubt, put your cream cheese into a clean tea towel and squeeze out the excess water before whipping with the goat cheese.
Yes, you can freeze profiteroles before they are filled. Profiteroles are very easy to make in advance and freeze, I make big batches of this choux pastry and bake the profiteroles, then put them into zip lock bags and freeze them. When ready to use, simply put them on a baking tray and reheat them in the oven for 5-10 minutes until warm and crisp on the outside. For best results, turn them upside down so the piping hole is facing upwards, this will help them thaw faster and dry out as they heat up.
More elegant canapes to try
Recipe Card
Savory Profiteroles With Creamy Goat Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 lined baking tray
- 2 piping bags
Ingredients
Savoury profiteroles
- 50 grams unsalted butter
- 150 ml water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 65 grams plain flour
- 2 large eggs (beaten together)
Savoury profiteroles filling
- 600 grams Goat cheese
- 600 grams Cream cheese
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius / 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat the water, butter, sugar and salt together in a saucepan and bring it to boiling point. Break the butter into small chunks so that the water doesn't boil before it has melted into it.
- Sieve the flour into the water quickly and all at once (do not do this gradually) and remove it from the heat whilst stirring vigorously to form a smooth paste.
- Put back on the heat and continue to stir the mixture for a few minutes - we need to cook out the flour or the profiteroles won't rise when we bake them. It will form a smooth, shiny ball that holds its shape together if you roll it around the saucepan (see video).
- It now needs to cool down to room temperature before we add in the egg, or they will scramble. Turn it out into a glass bowl and put in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Whisk the eggs together and add bit by bit into the pastry mixture, stirring continuously so it incorporates. We want to achieve a silky, gloopy mixture that will slowly fall off a spoon rather than stick to it, so you may not need all of the egg. Stop before it becomes too runny or liquid, then stir through the chopped thyme leaves.
- Pipe your profiteroles. Put the mixture into a piping bag and cut 1cm from the end. Pipe small mounds of around teaspoon in size of the choux pastry onto a lined baking tray, leaving a gap between each one.
- Dab your finger into some water and then flatten the little peak left by the piping nozzle, then flick a tablespoon of water over the whole tray with your fingers.
- Bake the profiteroles in the oven for 17-19 minutes until they are golden brown. Be governed by colour rather than time, as all ovens vary.
- Take the profiteroles out of the oven and carefully make a hole in the bottom rising the end of a sharp knife. It needs to be big enough to fit the nozzle of a piping bag into it. Now put the profiteroles back in the oven to dry out for one or two more minutes with the holes facing upwards.
- Make your filling by whisking together the goat cheese and cream cheese, adding a splash of milk to slacken it if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper and place into another piping bag.
- Pipe the filling: Pipe whipped goat cheese filling into the savoury profiteroles. Drizzle over some honey, and serve.
Helen says
My guests loved these, it was such a novelty to have savoury profiteroles! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Jean Nie says
the perfect bites! these can be a great afternoon snacks that I can pair with tea.
Kalin says
Wow these sound and look incredible!!
Brittany Fiero says
This is the perfect small bites for entertaining. I will be adding this to my Derby party menu!
Mallory says
This recipe is great! LOVE the flavor combos. Thanks for sharing!
Sue says
I am literally drooling over these tasty bites!
Bianca says
These turned out amazing! Thank you so much for the detailed recipe!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
I love making little savoury appetizers with profiteroles. Stuffing them with egg salad, or chicken salad. These goat cheese and honey gems look absolutely delicious!
Kate says
What a great idea! Could put on top of a salad or serve as canapes. Or they could replace the cheese board! Thank you for this delicious recipe.