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Cream Horns

Cream horns are a very easy and popular pastry. As long as you have the the molds which are available at all good kitchen stores the options are endless.

Mini cream horns filled with cream and topped with raspberry on a wire rack viewed from above.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Cream horns are a delicious little pastry created in the shape of a cone. Usually made using puff pastry, these pastries can be filled with anything you like.

Often you will find these pastries filled with a little jam, cream (fresh or this delicious Italian meringue buttercream) and topped with a little bit of fruit like raspberries or strawberries. But these pastries are so versatile because fillings are only limited to your imagination!

In Italy, these crispy pastries are known as “cannoncini” and can be filled with whipped cream, Italian pastry cream or mascarpone cream. You find them in all the pastry shops and are a traditional treat after Sunday lunch.

These are a wonderful bite size treat that is perfectly delicate. They are only about 2 inches or 5cm in length.

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients

Lots of baked but empty pastry horn cases viewed from above.

All you need is:-

  • puff pastry
  • powdered (icing) sugar
  • butter for greasing molds
  • milk for glazing
  • raspberry jam
  • filling – whipped cream, buttercream or Italian pastry cream
  • raspberries for decorating

I have provided a recipe for an old fashion buttercream if you would prefer.  This is a pastry that will freeze very well when made with buttercream.

Instructions

Sheet of raw puff pastry cut into strips with one strip being wound around a mould viewed from above.

Using store bought puff pastry sheets make this a very simple dessert. I use pre-rolled puff pastry that comes in 9 inch (23cm) square sheets. Cut into strips and wind around buttered molds.

Molds for this pastry are available at good kitchenware stores or online.

Tips for success and FAQ’s

When baking, be sure to put the pastry end side down so that it doesn’t pop up during cooking.

How long do unfilled cream horns keep?

Unfilled pastries can be kept for 3 days in an airtight container. To keep for longer, freeze, for up to a month in an air tight container.

Can these be filled ahead of time?

If using my buttercream recipe, these pastries can be filled several hours ahead. Keep refrigerated. However, if you use whipped cream or pastry cream, filled not more than 30 minutes before serving.

Can I freeze filled cream horns?

Cream horn filled with my buttercream or Italian meringue buttercream can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. However when filled with whipped cream or pastry cream, these pastries can’t be frozen.

Can I make this recipe without the molds?

If you don’t have the correct molds, you could make pastry tubes instead. Just wrap the pastry strips around foil-wrapped, thick wooden dowels. Or you could even use old fashioned, round wooden pegs. Be sure to grease the foil. Ice cream cones wrapped in foil could also work.

Puff pastry cones filled with cream and topped with raspberry on an oblong white plate viewed from an angle.

If you like this kind of dessert, I know you would also love my krumkake. Pastry, cream and fruit are the perfect dessert! These Cream Horns fit the bill perfectly!

Made this recipe?
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cream horns filled with cream and topped with raspberry arranged in a circular pattern on a round white plate viewed from above

Cream Horns Recipe

Cream horns are a very easy, popular pastry using store bought puff pastry. Cream horn molds are available at good kitchenware stores or online.
5 from 50 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings:20 cream horns
Author: Marcellina

Ingredients

To make the pastry horns

  • 2 puff pastry sheets
  • 2 tablespoons powdered (icing) sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Old Fashion Buttercream (optional):

  • 1 cup (2 sticks/250 grams) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup superfine (castor) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar optional
  • 1/4 cup cold water extra

To assemble cream horns

  • ¼ cup raspberry jam
  • buttercream, whipped cream or pastry cream
  • powdered (icing) sugar for dusting

Instructions

To make the pastry horns.

  • Heat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Butter the molds well.
  • Dust a sheet of thawed puff pastry with 1 tablespoon sifted powdered (icing) sugar then cut into strips – between ⅓ to ½ inch or 1cm thick.
  • Fold the pastry over the end of the mold wind the pastry around the mould overlapping slightly. One strip will not reach the top of the mold and these will make a bite size pastry. But you can add more strips to make large cream horns.
  • Place on a baking paper lined baking tray with the end of the pastry down so that it doesn’t pop up during baking. Brush lightly with milk.
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes until crisp and lightly browned.
  • Remove and cool until ready to fill.

To fill cream horns

  • Using a teaspoon place a small amount of jam in the bottom of the pastry horn. Then fill with buttercream, whipped cream or Italian pastry cream using a piping bag.
  • Finish off with a half a raspberry and dust the cream horns with extra sifted powdered (icing) sugar.

Old fashion buttercream (optional)

  • This will make lots of buttercream but any left over can be used to ice cakes or cupcakes or frozen for later use.
  • Mix powdered gelatine with 1/4 cup water, stand 5 minutes then heat gently to dissolve.
  • Allow it to cool to room temperature.
  • Beat unsalted butter and superfine sugar until light and creamy.
  • Very gradually add the dissolved gelatine mixture.
  • Once this is incorporated gradually add the cold water and cream of tartar, if using. By this stage the cream should be white and fluffy.
  • Make ahead and refrigerate until required. The cream will need to be removed from the refrigerator for a few hours to allow it to soften to a creamy consistency. The time this will take will depend on your climate.
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating and leave a comment below!

Nutritional Estimate Per Serving

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.

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19 Comments

  1. Hi! Love your Blog!! Just wondering, is the sugar amount correct in the buttercream recipe ? I would love to try this recipe but just not sure how this recipe for the filling would work.
    Thank you
    Gina

    1. Hello Gina, yes this is correct. Be sure to beat the sugar and butter until very light and creamy before adding the gelatin mixture. Add the gelatin mixture one teaspoon at a time and the same goes for the cold water. The butter will be able to take in the water using this method. The gelatin holds it all together. If you prefer you can use my Italian Meringue Buttercream or fresh whipped cream.

  2. Hi!! These sound delicious and I am excited to try them. Just curious… what size cone will work best with this recipe? I am on Amazon and they range from 3.3 inches to 5. Thanks

    1. Hi Elizabeth, the mold I use measures 5 inches. I just wind the pastry around to half way to make mini cream horns and if I want large ones, I’ll join the pastry and keep winding. This size means you can make smaller cream horns as well as large cream horns. I think it’s more useful. Hope that helps.

  3. 5 stars
    Marcellina.
    Gidday from Australia. Thank you for such an easy but beautiful recipe. I made these today and I’m wrapped. Love your buttercream recipe too.

  4. I havent made these for about 4 years but only made them a couple of weeks ago….I normally use instant vanilla pudding mix with 600ml cream…..Huuuuuuge hit and everyone loves them..they do not last

  5. Marcellina, these are to die for! I opened your page fully expecting to see pate and instead was blown away by beautiful cream horns! Those put any bakery cream horn to shame – so flaky and golden and love the mock cream!

  6. Mmmm, delicious MArcellina. I usually make them with pastry cream, I shall try your filling too, yummy!

  7. They look kind of like a cannoli with one end closed. When I saw the pictures I wondered how you achieved the horn shape, of course it would be something as easy as a mould! ha ha. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for them.

  8. Gorgeous! I haven't seen these since I was a kid, and now I want one (or two, or three…)! The mock cream sounds really interesting–almost like a buttercream icing. yum!

  9. They sure look delicious Marcellina! I remember seeing these cream horns in some patisseries in France – they were so beautiful but I never got around to eating one. Now I can make them myself anytime! 🙂

  10. These look so sinfully good Marcellina. My mum-in-law makes them sometimes and they disappear so quickly. I've never made mock-cream before, thanks for the recipe, I'm interested to try it because it sounds like it will keep better at room temperature than whipped cream.