Gluten free choux pastry works brilliantly, and is the perfect base for profiteroles and eclairs. I have made both with my choux recipe, and guests are always amazed that the pastry is gluten free. It just works so well.
When baked, this gluten free choux turns beautifully puffed and golden. Plus you can actually pipe fillings into it, rather than slicing then in half, if you want to. Fill with sweetened whipped cream, or something a bit more adventurous. I love to fill mine with creme patisserie, it’s such a decadent and delicious filling.
The latest batch of eclairs I made were filled with a chocolate creme patisserie (simply add dark chocolate to my Creme Patisserie recipe). You should also check out my Gluten Free Profiteroles Recipe, for a gorgeous white chocolate and spekulatius creme pat filling.
Which Gluten Free Flour Works Best for Choux?
I generally use the Schär All Purpose Baking Mix flour for my choux, as I found this yields the most impressive results (see image below). However, this recipe also works beautifully with FREEE by Doves Farm and Shipton Mill gluten free plain flour. Plus I am sure other gluten free flour blends, however those are the ones I have tested personally.
If you are using FREEE flour, please see the notes section in my recipe for some small adaptations. These tiny tweaks in liquid content will help ensure you get excellent gluten free choux pastry.
Can I Make Them Lactose or Dairy Free?
Yes. I’ve tried and tested this recipe using the Stork Baking block (dairy free, vegan and lactose free), and it worked perfectly. I made some very tasty chocolate eclairs!
Gluten Free Choux Pastry Recipe
This recipe makes approximately 300g gluten free choux pastry, which makes roughly 16 profiteroles/8 eclairs.
You will find some handy pictures below, underneath the recipe. For any help along the way or if you have questions, please do message me on social media (@myglutenfreeguide) or email me at [email protected].
If you do enjoy this gluten free choux pastry recipe, please leave a review on the recipe card below. It makes a world of difference to me :). And you can also share photos of your home creations in my Cooking Club on Facebook.
Happy baking!
Laura xxx
Gluten Free Choux Pastry
A versatile gluten free choux recipe that tastes as good as the classic recipe. Whether you want golden, puffed profiteroles or elegant eclairs, this recipe is a winner!
Ingredients
- 75ml water
- 75ml milk (I used semi skimmed)
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 90g gluten free plain flour (I used Schar All Purpose Baking Mix) (*for FREEE flour, see notes)
- 0.25 tsp xanthan gum
- Pinch of salt
- 2-3 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200C (fan). Sift the flour, xanthan gum and salt into a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the water, milk, 1 tsp caster sugar and butter to a small saucepan. Heat for a few minutes until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbling gently.
- Tip the sifted flour into the saucepan and stir vigourously to combine (keep the pan over the heat). It will form a sticky ball of dough and you should heat and stir it for a couple more minutes, while squishing and stirring it with a wooden spoon.
- Take off the heat and transfer to a stand mixer (or mixing bowl if you prefer to use a hand whisk or arm power!). Mix for a couple of minutes until the mixture has cooled a little and is only warm to touch. This is to ensure the eggs do not scramble when you add them.
- Now add an egg and mix until it has been fully incorporated into the dough. Then a second egg and repeat the mixing process.
- Whisk the third egg in a small bowl and add a little at a time to the mixing bowl. You are aiming for a thick, slightly sticky cake batter consistency, and I find half the third egg is perfect for the Schar flour. If you are using a different flour blend, you may need a little more/less egg, so go steady (and see images below for what you are aiming for). For example, for FREEE flour, I find only two eggs are needed.
- Once you've made the dough, use a spatula to scrape it into a piping bag with a round or star nozzle (for a slightly stripy effect). Ensure you are using a nice strong piping bag, as thin plastic ones may not be robust enough.
- Place a non-stick piece of baking paper on a baking tray, then pipe small mounds of choux (for profiteroles)/lines of choux (for eclairs) onto the tray. Ensure you leave a little space between them, as they will at least double in size during baking. See my profiteroles or eclair recipes if you need more detail about piping each.
- Wet your finger and wipe down the pointy tip on the choux left over from piping, to give them a nice smooth finish.
- Place the choux into the preheated oven (at 200C fan), then immediately turn the temperature down to 170C fan, and bake for 30-35 minutes. Keep the oven door closed during the first 30 minutes of baking - this is very important else you may cause the choux to sink. When they are fully bake they will be golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Transfer to a wire rack and pierce the side of each with a cocktail stick, to allow any steam to escape. Leave to cool fully.
Once cooled, you can fill and top with ganache. See my profiteroles or eclairs recipes for full details and some delicious filling/topping recipes.
Notes
* If using FREEE by Doves Farm plain flour, reduce quantities to 70ml water, 70ml milk. You only need 2 eggs for this flour blend.
For more baking fun, why not try some of my other gluten free recipes:
Happy baking!
Laura xxx
