Party Chocolate Eclairs with Crushed Candy Canes
Elegant chocolate-glazed choux pastry eclairs filled with whipped cream and topped with crushed candy canes. The combination of rich chocolate, sweet peppermint, and airy pastry makes these a showstopping dessert for holiday gatherings or special celebrations. These eclairs are best served the day they're assembled.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Wait
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total
- 2 hr 30 min
- Makes
- 12 eclairs
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
- Have all choux pastry ingredients at room temperature before starting
- Crush candy canes into small pieces (roughly ¼-inch pieces) and set aside
- Read through the entire recipe and timing so you understand when the choux bakes and cools
Make the choux pastry base
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt, and sugar.
- Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is fully melted and the mixture comes to a boil (about 4–5 minutes).
- Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute.
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Ready when: Mixture boils and butter is fully melted
Tip: Do not skip this cooling period—it prevents the eggs from cooking when added.
Add flour and mix until smooth
- Stir in the flour all at once, mixing vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a smooth, thick paste that pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 2–3 minutes).
- The mixture should look like mashed potatoes.
- Remove from heat.
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Ready when: Paste is smooth and pulls away from pan sides
Tip: Vigorous stirring develops the choux properly; don't be timid. The dough should look thick and cohesive.
Add eggs one at a time
- Transfer the hot dough to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition (use an electric mixer on medium speed or beat by hand vigorously).
- After each egg, beat for about 30–45 seconds until the mixture looks smooth and glossy before adding the next.
- The final dough should be thick, smooth, and fall slightly from the spoon when lifted.
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Ready when: Dough is thick, glossy, and falls slowly from the spoon
Tip: Each egg must be fully incorporated before adding the next; if the dough looks broken or greasy, keep beating.
Pipe pastry onto baking sheets
- Transfer the choux dough to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch (12 mm) round tip.
- Pipe 12 strips about 4 inches (10 cm) long and 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Each éclair should look like a fat finger of dough on the sheet.
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Ready when: 12 neat strips piped with 2 inches spacing
Tip: If the bag is difficult to pipe, the dough may be too warm; chill it in the fridge for 5 minutes and try again.
Bake choux until puffed and goldenOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 35–40 minutes, until the pastries are puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch.
- Do not open the oven door during the first 30 minutes.
- The éclairs should have risen significantly and feel light and crispy on the outside.
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Ready when: Pastries are puffed, golden brown, and feel crispy and firm
Tip: Do not open the oven early or the éclairs may collapse. They should feel light and hollow when done.
Cool the baked éclairs
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and transfer the éclairs to a wire rack or clean surface.
- Let cool to room temperature for 30–40 minutes.
- Once completely cool, you can fill them right away or store them in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
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Ready when: Éclairs are completely cool to the touch
Tip: Cooling is crucial—warm éclairs will absorb filling moisture and become soggy. Be patient.
Make the chocolate glaze
- In a small saucepan, combine the chopped chocolate, butter, corn syrup, and salt.
- Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny (2–3 minutes).
- The glaze should be glossy and pourable but not too thin.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly (about 5 minutes) before using.
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Ready when: Chocolate and butter are fully melted and mixture is smooth
Tip: Do not let the glaze boil or the chocolate will become grainy. Low heat and frequent stirring are essential.
Whip the cream filling
- In another medium mixing bowl, combine the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract (if using).
- Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip until soft peaks form (about 2–3 minutes).
- Do not overbeat or the cream will turn to butter.
- The cream should be light, fluffy, and hold its shape.
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Ready when: Cream reaches soft peaks and holds shape
Tip: Watch carefully at the end—overbeating turns cream into butter. Soft peaks are when the peaks curl over slightly.
Fill the éclairs
- Using a serrated knife or small sharp knife, carefully slice each cooled éclair horizontally about one-third of the way down from the top, creating a lid and a bottom.
- Do not cut all the way through.
- Transfer the whipped cream to a clean piping bag fitted with a round tip (or use the same bag rinsed out).
- Pipe the cream filling into the bottom cavity of each éclair, filling generously but not overflowing.
- Replace the tops.
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Ready when: All 12 éclairs are filled and lids are replaced
Tip: A serrated knife makes a cleaner cut than a straight blade. Cut gently to avoid cracking the pastry.
Glaze and garnish
- Working quickly, dip the top of each filled éclair into the warm chocolate glaze, coating the top smoothly.
- Immediately sprinkle the crushed candy cane pieces onto the wet glaze.
- Place on a clean surface or serving platter.
- Allow the glaze to set for 10–15 minutes at room temperature before serving.
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Ready when: Glaze has set and is no longer sticky to the touch
Tip: Work quickly with the glaze while it's still warm so it flows smoothly. If it cools too much, rewarm gently over low heat.
Good to know
Tips
- The choux dough must be made and piped on the same day, but the baked shells can be frozen unfilled for up to 3 weeks, making these éclairs partially make-ahead friendly.
- The key to crispy éclairs is moisture control: cool them completely after baking, don't fill them more than a few hours before serving, and serve the same day for best texture.
- If your candy canes are too hard to crush easily, place them in a sealed freezer bag and break them with a rolling pin or mallet.
- For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the peppermint extract with a few drops of food-grade peppermint oil or simply omit it and make classic chocolate éclairs.
Storage & reheating
Store assembled éclairs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. They are best eaten the same day they are assembled. Unglazed, unfilled baked choux shells can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks; refresh them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes before filling and glazing. Do not freeze the finished eclairs as the cream and glaze do not freeze well.
Substitutions
- dark chocolate (70% cacao) → milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate. Milk chocolate will be sweeter and less intense; use the same quantity. The éclairs will be more approachable for those who prefer milder chocolate.
- peppermint extract → omit entirely for classic vanilla éclairs. Simply leave out the peppermint extract if you prefer plain whipped cream without the holiday twist.
- candy canes → crushed red and white peppermint candies, crushed pistachios, or crushed pretzels. Any crunchy, colorful garnish works; peppermint candies maintain the holiday theme, while nuts or pretzels add texture without the mint flavor.
- light corn syrup → honey or agave nectar. Use the same quantity; both add shine and smoothness to the glaze. Honey adds a subtle floral note, while agave is nearly neutral.
