Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1-2 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, to the flour mixture, stirring well after each addition. The dough will become smooth and glossy.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 12 small mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each puff.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the cream puffs are golden brown and puffed up.
Remove from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Cut the cream puffs in half horizontally and fill each with a dollop of whipped cream.
Replace the top half of each cream puff and dust with powdered sugar, if desired, before serving.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 cream puffs .
