Bake up a batch of these light and airy Nun's Puffs, a delightful choux pastry dessert baked in a muffin pan and drizzled with sweet honey. A fun and easy treat the whole family will love!
Nun's Puffs are a delightful and fun-to-make recipe that I've been enjoying for years. I discovered this tasty treat in a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook back when I was engaged, and it's been a staple in my kitchen ever since.
The recipe calls for a classic pâte à choux dough, the same as used to make cream puffs, éclairs and beignets. Simply spoon the dough into a muffin pan and bake - the result is a light, airy pastry that's crisp on the outside and soft and crepe-like on the inside, like a cross between a popover and a Dutch baby. They definitely have a distinct eggy flavor, so if you're not a fan, this may not be for you.
I love how puffed-up and golden-brown these Nun's Puffs get in the oven. If you're a fan of cream puffs and beignets, you're sure to love these Nun's Puffs. They are traditionally served drizzled with honey, but you could also try them with whipped cream and fresh fruit and berries.
Nun's Puffs Video
Ingredients
The complete list of ingredients and their exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- butter
- Either unsalted or salted butter will work for this recipe.
- milk
- Most of the time, pâte à choux dough is made with water, but for Nun's Puffs, you need milk.
- I use whole milk, but you could probably use other types of milk, such a reduced fat milk or other alternative milk products, or just use water.
- all purpose flour
- eggs (large eggs)
- sugar
- honey
How To Make Nun's Puffs
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a regular size muffin pan with melted butter or oil, making sure to get it on all sides and even the rim.
- Prepare the pâte à choux dough.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
- Add the milk and bring to a low boil.
- Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, keeping the saucepan on low heat, until the dough comes together in a ball that stays together. Cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, using a wooden spoon, until each egg is evenly mixed in. At first, the dough will separate into chunks, but then will become smooth.
- Divide the dough evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle each puff with sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until puffy and golden brown.
Be sure to cool the dough before adding the eggs.
If you add the eggs when the dough is too hot, the eggs will cook and you'll have "scrambled eggs" in the dough and the texture will be incorrect.
To cool the dough more quickly, I transfer it to a mixing bowl of a stand mixer, turn it on and let it cool off this way, while it's mixing. This really speeds up the process. When the dough isn't steaming anymore and feels just slightly warm, you can start adding the eggs one at a time.
How To Serve Nun's Puffs
The original recipe suggests serving these with a drizzle of honey.
They are also delicious with some whipped cream and fresh fruit and/or berries. I have also had readers who shared that they served Nun's Puffs with sweetened condensed milk or dulce de leche.
Helpful Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
I don't know where this funny name came from, but from doing some research online, I found that Nun's Puffs are a type of dessert pastry that originated in France, where they were referred to as "pets de nonne." This delectable treat is now also produced in various regions, including French Canada, the United States, England, and Spain.
The mixer is faster and easier, but you can simply cool the dough in the pot, then add the eggs, one at a time, right into the dough. You'll have less dishes to wash:). 
Choux pastry, also known as pâte à choux, does not contain any leavening agents such as baking powder or baking soda. Instead, the pastry relies on the steam generated by the evaporation of water in the dough during the baking process to puff up and rise. Additionally, the high moisture content and the presence of eggs in the dough also contribute to the pastry's ability to rise.
The original recipe doesn't contain any sugar in the dough. Sprinkling sugar on top of the pastry adds plenty of sweetness. If you serve the Nun's Puffs with honey, sweetened condensed milk, dulce de leche, caramel or whipped cream, all of those things will add a lot of sweetness.
You can also add a bit of sugar to the dough itself, about ½-1 Tablespoon.
More Simple & Delicious Desserts
Nun's Puffs
Bake up a batch of these light and airy Nun's Puffs, a delightful choux pastry dessert baked in a muffin pan and drizzled with sweet honey. A fun and easy treat the whole family will love!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 12 puffs 1x
- Category: Sweets
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter (½ cup)
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- ½-1 Tablespoon sugar, optional for the dough (not in the original recipe, but can be added for extra sweetness)
- sugar, for sprinkling on top
- honey, optional, for serving
- other options to serve - whipped cream, fresh fruit and/or berries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a regular size muffin pan with oil, on the inside and on the rim.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the milk and bring to a low boil.
- Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, keeping the saucepan on low heat, until the dough comes together in a ball that stays together.
- Cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, using a wooden spoon, until each egg is evenly mixed in. At first, the dough will separate into chunks, but then will become smooth.
- Divide the dough evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle each puff with sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until puffy and golden brown.
- Serve with a drizzle of honey.
Notes
The original recipe doesn't contain any sugar in the dough. Sprinkling sugar on top of the pastry adds plenty of sweetness. If you serve the Nun's Puffs with honey, sweetened condensed milk, dulce de leche, caramel or whipped cream, all of those things will add a lot of sweetness.
You can also add a bit of sugar to the dough itself, about ½-1 Tablespoon.
Our most favorite breakfast!
Thank you for the recipe. It’s perfect.
I’m so happy to hear that Nun’s Puffs have become your favorite breakfast! 😊 Thank you for the kind words—it makes my day to know the recipe is a hit. Enjoy every bite, and I hope it continues to be a breakfast favorite for you!
Dying to make these! You could cut off the tops and fill with some chicken salad for a luncheon dish, replacing the tops, of course. Maybe skip the sugar.
My printer would not print it out, too many pop up ads. It did not save to pdf.
If you use the button that says PRINT RECIPE in the recipe card, there will be no ads at all. If you use your own Print screen option, etc, then the ads will be there. The Print Recipe button makes it really easy and removes all ads.
How many does this recipe make? What size muffin pan did you use? They look do good!!!
12 conventional muffins.
I agree with Laurel - these are really good! I did add the sugar on top (mixed with a bit of cinnamon). These were light and airy, as they should be. Then drizzed with a bit of Lavender Honey - wow! It was easy to halve the recipe, and I'm ashamed to say that I ate three of them almost right away. Thanks for sharing this keeper!
It never occurred to me to use choux pastry this way! I use it for Danish-style desserts and things like that, but trust me, leave off the sugar and it makes a lovely little dinner roll! Tender, flaky and buttery. We had them with a very flavorful stew. I admit we were also compelled (even after we were full), to smear some homemade strawberry jam on them and have them as an after-dinner sweet!
This is one of the first things I ever pinned on Pinterest a long time ago. I don't know why I took so long to try them, they are wonderful! Thank you for a keeper recipe, Olga!
Hi Olga, I was so excited to try these today so I made these earlier today, but they turned out not as airy as I was expecting (a little raw on the inside). Does the flour you use matter?
Hi Estera,
They are not meant to be airy like cream puffs, it's a different consistency. If they were raw, then you just need to cook them a little bit longer.
If you fill the puffs will they deflate like a balloon?
I haven't tried filling them, but I imagine it will be fine. You are welcome to try. Fill them after they are baked though.
They look yummy. Now I know what we are having for desert tonight. Thank you.