This easy little dessert is the kind of treat I love pulling together when I need something fun, fast, and a little special without making a big mess in the kitchen. Using frozen mini cream puffs as the base gives you a bakery-style dessert with hardly any work, and a quick bake with just two simple add-ins turns them warm, crisp, and extra decadent for a National Ice Cream Day celebration or any family movie night.
Serve these warm cream puffs with scoops of vanilla or chocolate ice cream, a mug of coffee, or a glass of cold milk. If you want to make dessert feel extra festive, add fresh strawberries or raspberries on the side, or set out a little dish of extra chocolate sauce for drizzling at the table.
3-Ingredient Oven Baked National Ice Cream Day Treat
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 package (about 13 ounces) solid unthawed frozen mini cream puffs
1/2 cup chocolate sauce or semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and spread the solid unthawed frozen mini cream puffs in a single layer on an ungreased metal sheet pan.
2. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the pastry is lightly crisp on the outside and the filling is soft and creamy inside.
3. Transfer the warm cream puffs to a serving plate, drizzle with melted chocolate sauce, and dust with powdered sugar.
4. Serve right away while the cream puffs are still warm and the contrast with cold ice cream is at its best.
Variations & Tips
Berry version: Add sliced strawberries or raspberries over the top right before serving for a fresh, bright contrast to the rich chocolate and creamy filling.
Picky eater tip: If your family likes simple desserts, leave off the powdered sugar and serve the warm cream puffs with chocolate sauce on the side for dipping instead of drizzling.
Make it extra special: A scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside these warm cream puffs makes this feel like a restaurant dessert, and the hot-and-cold combination is especially good for summer celebrations.
Watch the bake time: Since mini cream puffs are small, they can go from perfectly warmed to overly crisp quickly, so start checking at the 8-minute mark.