Name: Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: ½ cup water; ¼ cup butter; ½ cup flour; 2 eggs; pinch salt; 4 oz cream cheese; 1 Tbsp lemon juice; 1 Tbsp chopped dill; 4 oz smoked salmon; black pepper

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If you’re searching for a showstopping appetizer to impress at your next gathering, look no further than these Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon. Each golden bite is a little parcel of joy: airy, crisp gougères are split and generously filled with lemony, herby cream cheese and silky smoked salmon. These irresistible minis always disappear first—everyone loves their classic French flair and how the smoked salmon and tangy filling dance together.

Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of these Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon lies in their simple, well-chosen ingredients. Every component builds flavor and texture: the choux shells contribute lightness, the filling brings tang, and the salmon provides a gorgeous pop of color and a luxurious touch.

Choux pastry: The essential base for gougères, made using ½ cup water, ¼ cup butter, ½ cup flour, 2 eggs, and a pinch of salt for a perfectly airy puff.
Cream cheese (4 oz): Soft, tangy, and creamy—this ingredient forms the luscious foundation of your filling.
Lemon juice (1 Tbsp): Adds a bright burst of acidity to lift the flavors and cut through the richness.
Fresh dill (1 Tbsp, chopped): For fresh, herby fragrance that compliments both the cream and the salmon.
Smoked salmon (4 oz): Silky, salty, and beautiful in color—this is your elegant centerpiece.
Black pepper: A little fresh-cracked black pepper brings subtle heat and depth to the filling.

How to Make Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon

Step 1: Prepare the Choux Pastry

Begin by preheating your oven to 400 °F so it’s good and hot. In a medium saucepan, bring the water and butter to a rapid boil, letting that glorious buttery fragrance fill your kitchen. Once boiling, add the flour and pinch of salt in one go, then quickly stir with a wooden spoon until it pulls away from the sides and forms a smooth, glossy dough—this is the secret to choux’s signature structure.

Step 2: Incorporate the Eggs

Let your dough cool for a couple of minutes (so the eggs don’t scramble), then beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is fully incorporated. You’ll notice the dough transforms—it becomes silky and pipeable, just the right consistency for those lofty puffs.

Step 3: Pipe and Bake the Buns

Spoon the choux mixture into a piping bag fitted with a plain tip. Pipe 1-inch mounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, spacing them so they have room to grow. Pop the tray in the oven and bake for 18–20 minutes until they’re gloriously puffed and evenly golden. Resist the urge to open the oven early—you want them hollow and crisp! Once done, let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 4: Blend the Filling

While your buns cool, whip together the cream cheese, lemon juice, chopped dill, and a pinch of black pepper until fluffy and well combined. Fold in the smoked salmon, cut into fine ribbons or small chunks, making sure every bite will catch a bit of that delicate fish. The filling should taste zesty, creamy, and delicately herbed.

Step 5: Assemble the Buns

With a small serrated knife, gently slice the tops off the cooled gougères. Pipe or spoon that dreamy filling inside the base of each bun, giving a generous dollop. Cap each with its top, ready to serve up your Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon as the star of your spread!

How to Serve Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon

Garnishes

To give your buns that picture-perfect finish, sprinkle a little extra chopped dill on top, or add a light dusting of cracked black pepper. For an extra pop of color, slip a sliver of lemon zest or a tiny caper over the cream cheese – totally optional, but it makes the presentation shine.

Side Dishes

Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon partner beautifully with crisp salads dressed in citrus vinaigrette, or a cheerful crudité platter for freshness and crunch. If you’re doing brunch, consider serving them alongside a simple green salad and a glass of bubbly for a classic, continental experience.

Creative Ways to Present

Arrange your buns in a tower on a cake stand for serious wow factor, or line up on a slate board for modern elegance. You can even fill a few with extra dill cream cheese alone for any vegetarians in your crew—same great flavor profile, just without the salmon. However you plate them, these bite-sized beauties always steal the show.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon are best the day they’re made, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. The buns may soften a bit, but the flavors become even more melded and delicious.

Freezing

Feel free to freeze the empty choux buns once they’re baked and cooled—just pop them into a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature, then refresh in a warm oven for a few minutes to restore their crispness before filling.

Reheating

If your filled buns are refrigerated, you can gently bring them back to life by placing them on a tray and warming briefly in a low oven (300 °F for about 5 minutes). Be mindful not to melt the filling; just aim to take the chill off and lightly re-crisp the outer shell.

FAQs

Can I make the choux buns in advance?

Absolutely! You can bake the choux buns a day or two ahead and store them in an airtight container. Fill them just before serving to keep them at their crispiest and freshest.

What’s the best way to pipe the filling?

I find that using a piping bag with a round or star tip gives the neatest results and fills every corner, but a zip-top bag with the corner cut off works just as well. No piping bag? A small spoon will do the trick in a pinch!

Can the filling be made ahead?

Yes! You can mix the cream cheese-dill-salmon filling up to a day in advance. Keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble your Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon.

What kind of smoked salmon works best?

Any good-quality cold-smoked salmon is ideal here. You can also use hot-smoked or even gravlax—just aim for something tender and not too salty, so it blends perfectly into the filling.

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes, you can experiment using a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in the choux pastry. The texture will be a little different, but you’ll still get delicious results with all that signature flavor.

Final Thoughts

If you’re craving a crowd-pleasing, elegant treat, Savoury Choux Buns with Smoked Salmon won’t let you down. They’re as fun to make as they are to eat, and every bite delivers a perfect mix of airy pastry and creamy, savory filling. Gather your ingredients, invite some friends over, and indulge in these little bites of French-inspired joy!