Mom's Cream Horn Recipe
Making cream horns at home seems difficult at first, but with a little practice, it can turn out beautifully. These scrumptious Mom's Cream Horns are super easy to put together and terrific fun to eat!
Servings 52 cream horns
Ingredients
- 4 puff pastry sheets l used pepperidge farm puff pastry sheets, but you can always make your own from scratch
Cream Horns Frosting (using Heavy Whipping Cream)
- 16 oz. cream cheese softened at room temperature; microwaving the cream cheese for softening ruins the cream and it won’t thicken while beating it
- 4 cups heavy cream cold
- 1 cup powdered sugar regular sugar works well too
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
Cream Horns Frosting (using Cool Whip)
- 16 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar
- 16 oz. Cool Whip thawed in the fridge for 24 hrs. before use
Instructions
How to Make Horns using Puff Pastry
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Unfold one thawed puff pastry sheet at a time onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into a square and use a pizza cutter to slice it into ¾-inch-wide strips.
- Wrap the pastry strips around cream horn molds and place them onto a greased baking sheet.
- Bake for about 18 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
- Remove the pastry horns from the oven and carefully slide each one off the mold while still hot to prevent sticking. Use a towel to hold the mold so you do not burn your hands. Allow the horns to cool completely before filling.
How to Make Frosting for the Cream Horns (using Heavy Whipping Cream)
- To make the heavy cream filling, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and gradually increase the mixer speed until fully combined and lump-free.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again until thickened. Scrape the bowl once more and beat for another 15 seconds.
- Add the heavy cream to the cream cheese mixture and begin mixing on low speed, gradually increasing the speed as it combines. Continue beating until the frosting thickens and holds its shape. Do not overmix.
How to Make Frosting for the Cream Horns (using Cool Whip)
- To make the Cool Whip filling, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and gradually increase the mixer speed until fully combined.
- Scrape down the bowl and beat until thickened. Scrape the bowl again and beat for another 15 seconds.
- Add the thawed Cool Whip and whip until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Do not overbeat. Stop mixing once the frosting holds its shape.
- Transfer the filling to a decorating bag fitted with a Wilton 32 tip. Pipe the filling into both ends of each cream horn.
- Place the filled cream horns into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- If you prefer the horns extra crunchy, skip refrigerating before serving.
Notes
- Thaw puff pastry in the fridge overnight so it stays cold but pliable when you roll it out. Warm dough can become sticky and hard to shape.
- Cut the pastry strips evenly so the horns bake uniformly and hold their shape. A pizza cutter makes this quick and precise.
- Wrap the dough around the molds with a slight overlap to prevent gaps once baked.
- Grease the molds lightly before wrapping to make removing the baked horns easier.
- Take the horns off the molds while they’re still hot. Once cooled, they can stick and break when removed.
- Let the pastry shells cool completely before filling to prevent the cream from melting or softening the layers.
- Use cold heavy cream straight from the fridge for the frosting. It whips up faster and holds its shape better.
- Stop beating the cream filling as soon as it thickens and forms peaks. Overmixing can cause it to separate.
- Fill the horns just before serving if you like them crisp, or refrigerate filled horns for a few hours for a softer texture.
- Freeze filled cream horns in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw them in the fridge a few hours before serving for a fresh, creamy dessert anytime.