Profiteroles – Light and airy pastry puffs filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with peppermint hot fudge. An elegant and beautiful dessert for the holidays.

This profiterole recipe was created as part of a shop that has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are my own.

Hello, friends! I’m so very excited to share this recipe with you today. Aren’t these profiteroles the cutest darn things you have ever seen? Before we talk about these beauties (and HÄAGEN-DAZS® Ice Cream … YUM), let’s chat about the holidays.

One week until Christmas Eve and two weeks until New Year’s Eve! Ready or not, here they come! Have you finished shopping? Wrapped your gifts? Planned your holiday meals? I’m in pretty good shape although, I can’t believe we’re already here. 2015, where did you go? Let’s end this year with a bang! Profiteroles for everyone!

I’m assuming that at some point in the next couple of weeks you are bound to need a top notch dessert. Whether you’re hosting Christmas dinner, a holiday lunch, or a low key New Year’s Eve get-together, these profiteroles will make you look like a star. And guess what – no one has to know how simple they are. I even have a few make ahead tips below.

These round pastry puffs are stuffed with HÄAGEN-DAZS® Vanilla Ice Cream and topped with peppermint hot fudge sauce and crushed peppermint candies. The HÄAGEN-DAZS® Vanilla Ice Cream elevates this recipe with its smooth, classic vanilla flavor. This dessert feels sophisticated and elegant, yet it is appropriate for all ages. Kids and adults will devour these profiteroles. My husband refers to them as fancy ice cream sandwiches (he also looks for any excuse to repeatedly say the word “profiterole” with a heavy French accent). True story. 😉

Pouring chocolate sauce over cream puffs on a white plate.

The pastry dough used for profiteroles is a french pastry dough called pâte à choux. It’s the same dough that is used for éclairs, cream puffs, and cheesy gougères. It’s super light and airy, and it creates the perfect vessel for filling with delicious things – like ice cream! I know the thought of making pastry might sound intimidating to some of you, but this is doable. I promise! The dough starts off in a saucepan on the stove, then off the heat you beat in several eggs. The dough is then transferred into a pastry bag and piped into little balls on a baking sheet. The pastry balls bake until puffed up and golden brown, then they cool and get filled.

Profiteroles and vanilla ice cream on a plate.

When it comes to entertaining (especially during the holiday season), it’s important to do what you can in advance. Here are some make ahead tips to make preparing this dessert even easier:

Bake and cool the pastry puffs a few hours in advance and store them tightly covered at room temperature until you are ready to serve dessert.
Pre-scoop the ice cream (make sure the scoops will fit inside your pastry). Tightly cover the scooped ice cream in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet in the freezer. No scooping ice cream while your guests wait!
Combine the hot fudge sauce and peppermint extract in advance and transfer it to a microwave safe container. Heat it right before serving.

If you don’t feel like doing any prep work ahead, no problem! Get your family and friends involved and they can build their own profiteroles.

With a little help from HÄAGEN-DAZS®, you’ll be serving one of the best desserts of the holiday season. Head to Walmart and make HÄAGEN-DAZS® your choice this holiday season. An easy and elegant dessert is possible! Check out more delicious recipes on the Flavorful Moments Pinterest Board. What desserts are you serving this busy holiday season?

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Recipe

Profiteroles with Vanilla Ice Cream and Peppermint Hot Fudge

Light and airy pastry puffs filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with peppermint hot fudge. An elegant and beautiful dessert for the holidays.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 40

Servings: profiteroles (see note)

Calories: 127kcal

Author: Allison Mattina

Ingredients

Peppermint Fudge:

▢ 1 cup hot fudge sauce
▢ ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
▢ ¼ cup crushed peppermint candies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper or silicone liners. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine milk, butter, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and add the flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, continue to cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. The mixture should pull away from the sides of the pan and appear glossy and thick.
Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time. Make sure the first egg is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth before adding the second egg.
Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large straight tip. Pipe 1 ½ inch mounds onto prepared sheet trays, leaving at least 2 inches in between (they will grow). Bake until puffed up and golden brown, 12-15 minutes. I rotate the pans halfway through cooking time. Transfer pan to a rack to cool completely.

Assembly and serving:

Combine the hot fudge sauce and peppermint extract. Heat the hot fudge to your desired temperature.
Slice each profiterole in half horizontally. Fill each profiterole with a scoop of ice cream (I used a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop and it was the perfect size). Place the top back on the profiterole, drizzle with peppermint hot fudge, and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. Serve immediately.

Notes

Plan on serving 2-3 profiteroles per person.
Make ahead tips:
-Bake and cool the pastry puffs a few hours in advance and store them tightly covered at room temperature until you are ready to serve dessert.
-Pre-scoop the ice cream (make sure the scoops will fit inside your pastry). Tightly cover the scooped ice cream in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet in the freezer. No scooping ice cream while your guests wait!
-Combine the hot fudge sauce and peppermint extract in advance and transfer it to a microwave safe container. Heat it and pour it onto the profiteroles right before serving.