Introduction

Homemade cream horns are a delightful pastry treat featuring flaky puff pastry filled with sweet, fluffy whipped cream. They make an elegant dessert or a special snack that’s surprisingly simple to prepare at home.

The image shows a baking sheet lined with light brown parchment paper holding seven golden brown cream-filled pastry cones. Each cone is made of flaky layers of puff pastry twisted in a spiral to form a hollow cone shape. The open ends of the cones are filled generously with white creamy filling that looks smooth and fluffy, slightly overflowing. The pastries have a shiny surface, indicating they are freshly baked and lightly glazed. The edges of the parchment paper are slightly crinkled, and the baking sheet is placed on a white marbled texture surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (thawed)
1 egg (room temperature)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), divided
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Step 1: Thaw the puff pastry until you can unfold it without breaking. Cut the pastry sheet crosswise into nine equal strips and set aside.
Step 2: Spray nine metal pastry cones with non-stick spray. If you don’t have pastry cones, make your own by folding 8-12″ sheets of aluminum foil in half and rolling each into a cone shape.
Step 3: Wrap each pastry strip around a cone, starting at the pointed end, overlapping slightly to prevent gaps. Press the end gently to secure it to the top layer. Freeze the wrapped cones for 20-30 minutes to help them keep their shape while baking.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
Step 5: Place the pastries seam side down on the baking sheets, spaced 2-3 inches apart to allow for expansion. Arrange four on one sheet and five on the other, placing them diagonally.
Step 6: Prepare an egg wash by whisking the egg with one teaspoon of water. Brush the tops of the pastries evenly with the egg wash for a golden finish.
Step 7: Dust each pastry lightly with 1/4 cup powdered sugar using a flour sifter or fine mesh sieve.
Step 8: Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the pastries are golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheets with the cones still inside. The cones may push out slightly as the pastry expands.
Step 9: While the pastries cool, whip the heavy cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla extract and the remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar, then continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Adjust sweetness to taste if needed.
Step 10: Once cooled, fill a piping bag with the cream mixture and pipe it firmly into each pastry horn. Optionally, dust with additional powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Tips & Variations

For extra flavor, add a teaspoon of almond extract to the whipped cream instead of vanilla.
If you don’t have metal cones or foil, try shaping the pastry strips around thick, oven-safe dowels wrapped in parchment paper.
For a fruit twist, mix in some finely chopped fresh berries or zest into the cream filling.
Use chilled heavy cream for easier whipping and better volume.

Storage

Store filled cream horns in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days to maintain freshness. For best texture, fill the shells just before serving; unfilled baked shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat unfilled shells briefly in a warm oven to restore flakiness if desired.

How to Serve

The image shows six golden-brown pastry cream horns on a baking sheet lined with brown parchment paper. Each horn is a spiral-shaped, flaky pastry with a shiny crust and is filled at both ends with thick, white whipped cream that has a soft, fluffy texture. The horns are arranged in two rows, resting on a white marbled counter with a white subway tile wall in the background. A striped cloth napkin is partially visible under the baking sheet near the bottom right. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use homemade puff pastry for this recipe?

Yes, homemade puff pastry works wonderfully if you have the time to prepare it. Just make sure it’s well chilled before cutting and shaping to get the best puff and flakiness.

What can I use if I don’t have piping bags?

If you don’t have a piping bag, you can fill a plastic sandwich bag with the cream, snip off a small corner, and pipe the filling into the horns that way.