The Wisconsin State Fair cream puff is a baked choux pastry shell filled with sweetened whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar, sold by the dozen each.

The cream puff was introduced at the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis in 1924 by the Wisconsin Bakers Association, which still operates the booth. By 2026 the Cream Puff Pavilion sells more than 400,000 cream puffs during the 11-day fair each August, making it the fair's most-ordered single item. The recipe has not changed in over 100 years; choux pastry, sweetened whipped cream, powdered sugar dust.

Where to eat Wisconsin State Fair cream puff in Milwaukee

2 editor picks for Wisconsin State Fair cream puff in Milwaukee, ranked by editorial score. All Milwaukee signature dishes · Wisconsin State Fair cream puff across every city.

  • Milwaukee Public Market

    • ★ 4.7
    • Market
    • $

    Milwaukee Public Market on North Water Street in the Third Ward, opened in 2005, houses 20 vendors including Thief Wine, West Allis Cheese and St Paul Fish.

    DetailsDirections

  • Grebe's Bakery

    Order Babka

    Grebe's Bakery on West Lincoln Avenue is a Polish-American bakery, founded in 1937, with babka, donuts, paczki on Fat Tuesday and a long South Side following.

    DetailsDirections

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Make it at home

Serves 121 hr 30 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 120ml water
  • 120ml whole milk
  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 140g all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 500ml heavy cream
  • 50g powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
  2. In a saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
  3. Remove from heat and add flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until dough comes together into a ball.
  4. Return to low heat and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to dry out the dough.
  5. Transfer to a bowl and let cool 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy.
  6. Pipe or scoop large mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches across.
  7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until puffed and deep golden brown. Cool completely on a rack.
  8. Whip the heavy cream with 50g powdered sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks.
  9. Split each cream puff horizontally and fill with whipped cream. Dust generously with powdered sugar.

Editor tip. Don't open the oven during baking or the puffs will collapse. Fill the puffs as close to serving as possible; the shells go soggy if filled more than a few hours ahead.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs.