This Cherry Cream Puff Ring is a beautiful and elegant dessert that’s perfect for holidays, special occasions, or a memorable Mother’s Day treat.
Inspired by a cherished family recipe, this cream puff ring is made with a light, airy pastry and filled with a creamy pudding mixture, then topped with sweet cherry pie filling. It’s a stunning dessert that looks impressive on any table but is surprisingly simple to make.
My mother was well known around town for the beautiful, light, airy, cream puffs that she made. She filled them with her homemade puddings or savory fillings.
My grandmother was a lady that enjoyed just about everything, but when mom started making this, grandma requested it for every occasion we were together. This recipe holds a special place in my heart for the two ladies I loved the most.
HOW TO MAKE CHERRY CREAM PUFF RING:
INGREDIENTS
(Full list of ingredients and instructions in printable recipe card.)
- water
- butter
- flour
- eggs
- whole milk
- sour cream
- instant vanilla pudding
- almond extract
- can of cherry pie filling
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat water and butter until melted, then stir in flour until a dough forms.
- Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Drop dough by Tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, to form a ring. Smooth gently with a flat spatula.
- Bake until puffed and deep golden brown.
- Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Cut small slits in the sides to releasesteam.
- Slice off the top and carefully remove any soft dough from inside.
- In a medium size bowl, combine milk, sour cream, pudding mix, and almond extract.
- Fill the ring with the pudding mixture and about a half cup of the cherry pie filling.
- Replace the top and spoon remaining cherry pie filling over the top.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve, then slice into pieces.
Heat the water and butter, stir in flour.
Remove from heat, add eggs, 1 at a time.
Drop dough by tablespoons to form a ring.
Smooth with spatula.
Bake until puffed and dark golden brown. Place on cooling rack. Cut slits into sides to release steam.
Cut off top and remove any moist dough.
Combine milk, sour cream, pudding mix, and extract.
Fill cream puff ring with pudding and some of the pie filling.
Replace top and spoon remaining pie filling on top.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into pieces.
Why You’ll Love Cherry Cream Puff Ring
- It is an elegant dessert that will impress your family or guests.
- Light, airy cream puff pastry with a rich, creamy filling.
- A nostalgic, old-fashioned dessert that never goes out of style.
- Easy to customize with different fillings and toppings.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Do not make the cream puffs on a humid or rainy day. They will be more likely to deflate.
- Make sure the oven is preheated and then do not open the door until the ring is golden brown and dry.
- Bake until pastry is fully set and golden brown to ensure airy texture.
- After baking, make sure to release the steam by cutting the slits to help it hold its shape.
- VARIATIONS:
- This recipe can be made with any flavor of pudding, such as chocolate, and then drizzle melted chocolate or Nutella over the top.
- Another variation is to use a can of strawberry or blueberry pie filling.
- Try this delicious homemade filling Homemade Pastry Cream for an extra rich filling.
How to Store
- Cover and refrigerate this ring after made for 2 days.
- For best results if making ahead of time, bake the ring a day prior and then fill it on the day you are serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would the cream puff ring deflate?
Cream puff pastry relies on steam to create its structure to help it hold its shape.
- One reason is that the oven was not at correct temperature. It requires a high heat to rise and bake properly.
- The oven door was opened during the baking process.
- Bake until fully golden and dry. Do not remove from oven too soon.
Other old-fashioned desserts you may want to try are
Almond Berry Tiara Cake, Strawberry Vanilla Cream Dessert, and Peaches and Mascarpone Cream Tiara Cake.
This recipe was shared on Weekend Potluck @ Sweet Little Bluebird.
Recipe was reviewed with no changes on 5/5/26.
CHERRY CREAM PUFF RING
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 package 3.4oz vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 can 21oz cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium size saucepan, bring the water and butter to a boil; stir in the flour. Stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time; beat until smooth.
- Drop dough by tablespoons onto parchment lined baking sheet, to form a 8-inch ring. Smooth with offset spatula. Bake until puffed and dark golden brown. Bake 10 minutes at 425 degrees then reduce heat to 350 and bake 25-35 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack, cut slits in sides, and allow to cool completely.
- Cut off top with sharp knife; pull out any soft dough. In a medium size mixing bowl, beat together the milk, sour cream, pudding mix, and extract, on a low speed until blended, about 1 minute.
- Fill ring with the pudding mixture; spoon 1/2 cup of the cherry pie filling onto pudding mixture. Carefully, replace top of ring and spoon remaining pie filling on top.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 10-12.
Notes
Do not make the cream puffs on a humid or rainy day. They will be more likely to deflate.
Make sure the oven is preheated and then do not open the door until the ring is golden brown and dry. Cover and refrigerate this ring after made for 2 days.
It can be made a day ahead of time. I have baked the ring a day prior and then filled it on the day of serving.
awwww……Interesting that when I saw this in FB I was immediately reminded of my own mother’s “cherry cheesecake.” It was essentially a “dumping” of canned cherries on a layer or two I don’t recall. She wasn’t a cook, so I imagine this is why she was so proud of the reaction it always received.
Your effort looks great to me, but you could look at this recipe as something only intended for mom and grandma to make to perfection.
What a sweet story of the bond between all three of you!
Thank you. I love recipes with stories behind them. I started not to even post this, but it means a lot to me, even if I can’t make it like she did.
How wonderful that you have her recipe and cherries are my favorite! I remember making something like this the first year I was married only in my memory it took 10 eggs so I never made it again! We were newly weds and on a strict budget. So you brought back a fun memory for me, too! I definitely have to try your recipe. Let you know how it turns out!
This is sweet. Wow 10 eggs! I bet it was delicious though.
It’s making my mouth water. Yum!
Thank you. It does taste good, but I am still under baking it, but maybe I will try again sometime!
It looks great and I know it tasted great too, although you say it was your 5th attempt and it didn’t turn out as it should be. Happy for you that you found the recipe 🙂 Thanks Pamela from Grammy Dee, #WednesdayAIM #LinkUp #BlogParty, social media shared.
I love how recipes bring us back in time to the memories of our loved ones.
I have never made a cream puff ring..but I mightve eaten a few cream puffs in my life time.
Your recipe looks delicious.
Oh, I remember this dessert so well. It was one of mom’s best and one of my favorites. Made me kind of sad to see it brought back a lot of memories.