Valentines Strawberry Éclairs (Printable)

Airy éclairs filled with strawberry cream and topped with a delicate pink glaze.

# What You’ll Use:

→ Choux Pastry

01 - 1/2 cup water
02 - 1/2 cup whole milk
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
04 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 4 large eggs

→ Strawberry Cream Filling

08 - 1 cup heavy cream, cold
09 - 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, cold
10 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and finely diced

→ Strawberry Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons strawberry purée
15 - 1 to 2 drops pink or red food coloring, optional

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
03 - Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the saucepan sides, about 2 minutes.
04 - Remove from heat and cool for 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, until the dough is glossy and pipeable.
05 - Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 10 strips, each approximately 4 inches long, onto the prepared baking sheet.
06 - Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes until golden and puffed. Cool completely on the baking sheet.
07 - In a large bowl, whip cold heavy cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to stiff peaks. Gently fold in diced strawberries.
08 - Slice each éclair in half lengthwise. Pipe or spoon strawberry cream onto the bottom halves and replace the tops.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar with strawberry purée and food coloring until smooth and spreadable.
10 - Spread glaze on top of each éclair. Allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They look restaurant-worthy but taste even better, and nobody needs to know how simple they actually are.
  • The combination of airy pastry, creamy filling, and fresh strawberries feels indulgent without being heavy.
  • You can make them ahead and impress someone last-minute—they're forgiving that way.
02 -
  • Don't open the oven door during baking—those éclairs are fragile while they're puffing, and a cold draft will deflate them.
  • If your choux dough looks grainy or won't come together smoothly, you either added the flour too slowly or stirred too gently; vigor is your friend here.
03 -
  • Make the choux dough and pipe it the morning of serving, then bake just a few hours before you plan to fill and glaze—fresh éclairs are always better.
  • If you want a stronger strawberry flavor, add a tiny drop of strawberry extract to the cream filling, but go easy—a little goes a long way.
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