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Vanilla pastry cream is a classic custard filling you’ll find in French and European baking. Thick, silky, and rich with real vanilla, it’s the backbone of desserts like éclairs, cream puffs, fruit tarts, and layer cakes.

This recipe makes a spoonable yet stable custard that chills perfectly for piping, spreading, or layering. Whether you know it as pastry cream, custard cream, or simply the vanilla custard that holds a bakery case together, this recipe nails both flavor and texture.

Vanilla pastry cream in a bowl with cream puffs in the background.

If you’re not familiar with authentic creme patissiere, it’s sort of like a combination of vanilla pudding and creamy custard.

Here’s Why This Vanilla Pastry Cream Recipe Works

Custard with structure: Egg yolks and starch work together to create a firm yet creamy base that holds its shape without splitting.

Vanilla done right: Vanilla bean paste gives deeper flavor than extract, plus those signature specks everyone loves.

Temper for success: Slowly whisking hot milk into the yolks prevents scrambling and keeps the mixture smooth.

Strain to finish: A quick pass through a sieve removes any lumps for silky, bakery-level pastry cream.

Ingredients used to make vanilla pastry cream.

If you love silky custards, my Cream Cheese Flan is another classic worth trying. It’s rich, caramel-topped, and just as irresistible.

Recipe Tips

Use whole milk: Full-fat milk gives the pastry cream (crème pâtissière or crema pastelera) its classic body and rich custard flavor. Skim or low-fat milk makes it thin and less creamy.

Whisk thoroughly: Beat the egg yolks until smooth and airy so they temper without seizing, giving you a stable custard base.

Stir constantly: Keep whisking over the heat until the custard bubbles, then cook for another minute to fully thicken the starch and achieve a glossy, spoonable texture.

Always strain: Even if it looks lump-free, straining ensures a silky, lump-free pastry cream worthy of any bakery case.

Cover directly: Press plastic wrap onto the surface before chilling. This prevents a skin and helps the vanilla cream set smooth and glossy.

Pipe the custard into chocolate eclairs, profiteroles, cream puffs or homemade danishes made from choux pastry dough.

A stack of profiteroles filled with pastry cream.

Creme Patissiere

Vanilla pastry cream is the cornerstone of classic desserts. It’s silky, rich, and filled with real vanilla flavor. It layers beautifully into cakes, fills tarts and cream puffs, and pipes into éclairs with ease, instantly elevating anything it touches.

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

5 from 1 vote

Vanilla Pastry Cream

By Dahn Boquist

This vanilla pastry cream is rich, silky, and perfectly spoonable. An essential filling for cakes, tarts, and pastries. Made with a blend of cornstarch and flour for perfect consistency, it’s smooth, glossy, and versatile.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: cups

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Ingredients

▢ 2 cups whole milk, 500 grams
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar, 100 grams
▢ 6 egg yolks
▢ 3 tablespoons cornstarch, or 4 tablespoons for a pipe-able cream
▢ 2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour, 20 grams
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste , or vanilla extract
▢ 3 tablespoons butter, 42 grams

Instructions

Place a strainer over a bowl and set aside. You will use this later when the pastry cream is finished cooking and needs to be immediately strained.
Add the milk and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and egg yolks. Whisk really well until light in color. The goal is to get a bit of air incorporated. The air and sugar will help protect the egg yolks when you add the hot milk. Whisk in the cornstarch and flour until smooth.
Temper the eggs by pouring about ½ cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
Now, slowly pour the warmed egg mixture into the saucepan, whisking continuously. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly until it thickens.
If you have an instant-read thermometer, it should read 200°F. If you don't have a thermometer, let it cook until you see several large bubbles burst on the surface, then stir constantly for one more minute.
Remove from the heat and pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl.
Stir in the butter and vanilla.
Press some plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours.

Notes

Temper slowly: Add the hot milk to the eggs gradually while whisking to prevent scrambling.

Whisk constantly: Steady stirring keeps the custard lump-free and evenly cooked.

Gluten-free option: Omit the flour and use an extra tablespoon of cornstarch instead.

Prevent a skin: Press plastic wrap directly on the surface before chilling.

Strain for smoothness: Passing the custard through a sieve ensures a silky finish if any egg bits formed.

Storage: Keep refrigerated for 4–5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablesoons, Calories: 70kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 63mg, Sodium: 53mg, Sugar: 6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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