Cream Horns - Easier than you may think! Use Puff Pastry!

I was going for QUICK and easy - not 'pretty' this time. But had I used a pretty star tip these could be guest-worthy!

I've posted about cream horns (also can be called by some 'lady locks' or 'clothespin cookies') in the past but I thought I'd update and let everyone know how unbelievably easy and FAST they are to make using a puff pastry.

I was craving these yesterday and I kid you not;  30 minutes from start to eating.  True story.  By the time 30 minutes had passed I was eating my 4th one and had cleaned up the mess to make them!

Note;  You WILL need a 'form' to make these.  Our Great Grandmothers used round clothespins, but I prefer a cream horn mold as it makes them tapered from  larger to smaller which not only makes them pretty but makes them simple to fill.

Here is the set I ordered 2 of on Amazon a few years ago and they are still available: Cream Horn Set

I was frustrated yesterday however to find that my 2 big cream horn sets are MIA.  Yet another victim of our recent relocation with the worst movers we've had in 11 relocation's.  I have a 20 piece set of smaller, straighter forms from Grandma Joans, but they are not the larger, tapered version I prefer.  Still, they are nice and work like a charm. So the cream horns in these photos are the smaller, thin style - not the larger size you find in bakeries and at, for example, Walmart or the grocery store.  Buy the larger sized forms for that size. 

Quick and Easy Cream Horns

1 package Puff Pastry (2 to a package, makes about 32 total if you use both sheets)

1 recipe cream filling*

Sugar (or Xylitol sugar substitute) for sprinkling

Thaw the puff pastry according to directions.  I used just 1 of the two sheets and it makes about 15-16 cream horns so the whole package would make about 32.  

Preheat your oven to about 400 degrees.  Lay the puff pastry out on parchment paper (or lightly flour your counter).  Slice the pastry about every half-inch to make about 15 strips or if you want to make them larger, about 8 1-inch slices.  

Wrap one long strip of pastry around your mold.  Leave the large round end open without it overlapping to make removal easier later. I spray the tops with butter flavored Pam and then sprinkle with large crystals of sugar or Xylitol (available through my low carb product link at the top of the page).  

Bake on a lightly greased or non-stick baking sheet for about 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crisp.  While they are baking, mix up your favorite butter cream or other filling.  Removal from oven, remove from pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely.  Use a pastry bag with a large tip to squeeze filling into each horn.  These are wonderful if you can let them set up or even refrigerate them to chill the filling but they are delicious eaten immediately too!  

Filling (half this recipe for the recipe above)

1 c Crisco
1 c butter
4 c powdered sugar
4 t vanilla
3/4 c marshmallow creme

Cream the Crisco and butter. Add the sugar gradually and then the creme and vanilla. Beat well until it's smooth like whipped cream. Fill cooled or chilled cream horn forms. Does not need to be refrigerated for storage.

Makes homemade cream puffs effortless

Wrapping around a form

Sprinkled with Xylitol or Sugar and ready to bake

Mix up your filling

Baked golden brown

Leave the end open so you can slide it right off the form

Mmmmmm.