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Strawberry Napoleons are elegant and super tasty that are sure to impress your friends and family. Layers of puff pastry, pastry cream, fresh cut strawberries, drizzled with chocolate or dusted with powdered sugar, what is not to like?
I am in love with Strawberry Napoleons. They have everything that I want in a dessert. Light and airy and oh so tasty. With layers and layers of flavor that leave a smile on my face each time I bite into one. These amazing desserts are not as well known in the United States, which is a shame, because they are incredible. And they are super easy to make at home, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get baking!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients and tools
This strawberry napoleon recipe only use seven ingredients. You will need the following:
- Frozen puff pastry sheet – You can certainly make homemade puff pastry as well if you like.
- Vanilla Pudding mix – This will be part of the pastry cream. Or make a homemade custard.
- Milk – The milk will be used to make the vanilla pudding.
- Sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping – This will be combined with the vanilla pudding to make the pastry cream. Or combine it with custard instead.
- Strawberries – Washed and sliced fairly thin.
- Powdered sugar – This is used to dust the tops of the strawberry napoleons
- Chocolate – Melted for drizzling over the top. This is optional.
Tools
- pizza roller or knife
- ruler (optional)
- bowls
- sheet pan
- parchment paper orsilicone mat
- spatula
- whisk
Step 2: How to make Strawberry Napoleons
Remove the puff pastry dough from the freezer and allow it to thaw for 15 to 20 minutes. Then unfold it and cut it into 12 equal squares. You can use a ruler as a guide and a knife or pizza roller to cut it. If you would rather use a homemade puff pastry dough you certainly can.
Step 3: Bake the puff pastry
Place the puff pastry squares on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Preheat the oven to 400 F/205 C.
Bake the puff pastry for 13 to 15 minutes until they puff up and are golden brown. Once they are done remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes on the pan and then set them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4: Make the pastry cream for the Strawberry Napoleons
This easy pastry cream is made up of vanilla pudding and sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping. It is super easy to make. I don’t always want to make a homemade custard for the pastry cream so the vanilla pudding works and tastes great. Also, there are so many different flavors of pudding that you can get. First, combine the pudding mix with the milk and allow it to set.
Then mix in the sweetened whipped cream with the pudding. This will be the yummy pastry cream. I use this for eclairs and cream puffs as well sometimes.
Step 5: Cut the puff pastries and assemble the Strawberry Napoleons
Now cut the puff pastries in half with a knife. You will be left with 24 pieces.
Add the pastry cream to a piping bag with a round tip. Then pipe on some cream onto one puff pastry layer. Then add a few slices of strawberries, and then another bit of pastry cream.
Add another puff pastry rectangle and then add more cream and strawberries and then another thin layer of cream followed by one more sheet of puff pastry. So it takes 3 rectangles to make up one strawberry napoleon. Pipe a little cream on top and place one last strawberry.
Step 6: Different Strawberry Napoleon toppings
To finish them off you can drizzle chocolate on top if you like and or dust them with powdered sugar. For the chocolate I usually just melt it in the microwave in a small plastic bag, I don’t usually use a piping bag. Then just snip off the corner. Enjoy!
How long to Strawberry Napoleons last?
While they are best fresh, you can store them covered in a refrigerator for a few days. After awhile the strawberries start to go bad. You could prep the puff pastries ahead of time and then just assemble everything the day of or right before you want to serve them.
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5 from 15 votes
Strawberry Napoleons
Strawberry Napoleons are one of my favorite desserts to make when I want to impress people. They are super easy to make too and look fancy. Not to mention they taste absolutely amazing.
Prep Time25 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Cooling time10 minutes mins
Total Time50 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: easy, elegant, fancy, fast, simple, strawberries, treats
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 305kcal
Author: Matt Taylor
Equipment
pizza roller or knife
ruler (optional)
Bowls
sheet pan
parchment paper or silicone mat
Spatula
Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 frozen puff pastry sheet or homemade (245g)
- 1 box of instant vanilla pudding 3-ounce size (95g)
- 1 cup of milk 250ml
- 1 1/2 cups of whipped topping or sweetened whipped cream 90g
- 1 1/2 cups of sliced strawberries 165g
- Powdered sugar confectioner’s sugar for dusting
- Melted chocolate for drizzle optional
Instructions
Begin by preparing the frozen puff pastry. Remove it from the freezer and thaw it out. Next, cut it into 12 equal rectangles. Use a pizza roller or knife. A ruler comes in handy here.
Add the puff pastry rectangles to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat and bake in a preheated oven at 400 F/205 C for 13 to 15 minutes until they puff up and are golden brown.
Remove the puff pastries from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes on the baking tray and then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice the puff pastries in half leaving you with 24 rectangles.
In a bowl make your vanilla pudding by combining the pudding mix with milk. You can use a number of different flavors of pudding if you like. Or make homemade custard. Allow the pudding to set for 5 minutes.
Make some sweetened whipped cream or use ready-made whipped topping and fold it in with the pudding creating the yummy pastry cream.
Wash and slice the strawberries. Fill a piping bag with pastry cream and use a round tip. Pipe on some cream onto one of the layers of puff pastry. Then add a few slices of strawberry. Next a bit more cream, and another layer of puff pastry. Next, add more cream, more strawberries, more cream, and another layer of puff pastry to complete the strawberry napoleon. Top it off with a dollop of cream and a slice of strawberry, melted chocolate, and or dust it with powdered sugar.
Cover and store in the fridge until you serve them. They are best fresh but can be stored for a few days in the fridge. Enjoy!
Video
How to Make Napoleon | Easy Strawberry Napoleon Puff Pastry
Notes
Tried this recipe?Mention @WPRecipeMaker or tag #wprecipemaker!
Nutrition
Calories: 305kcal
Do you like this recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it.If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
Here are a few more recipes you may like:
Rice Krispies Treats
Chocoflan Recipe
Easy Egg Custard
Chocolate Pancakes
Tags
custard easy pastry puff pastry
Matt Taylor
YouTuber and food blogger with a passion for cooking, eating, being outdoors and watching movies. Did you know I wrote an ebook cookbook called "All Things Chocolate: 30 of my favorite chocolate recipes."? Help support the food blog and YouTube channel by buying a copy in my shop. :)
38 Comments
Elizabeth O
I am looking for a new strawberry recipe too try. and this looks perfect and delicious. For sure, my daughters would love this.Matt Taylor
April 27, 2020 at 10:40 pm·Reply
You will love this! It is so yummy. 🙂
March 11, 2020 at 11:49 pm·Reply
I need this in my life. I would love this with a scoop of ice cream.
Matt Taylor
March 12, 2020 at 7:53 am·Reply
Ice cream would go great with them! 🙂
March 11, 2020 at 8:43 am·Reply
Those napoleons look absolutely delicious! My son loves strawberries so I’m sure he’ll love this dish.Matt Taylor
March 11, 2020 at 1:27 pm·Reply
Thank you! Yeah I bet he would! 🙂
March 10, 2020 at 11:33 pm·Reply
I’m a sucker for Strawberry Napoleons! You make it so easy! I hope I can make my own version too!Matt Taylor
March 11, 2020 at 7:44 am·Reply
that is awesome, Emman! 🙂 I hope you can make them sometime too!
March 10, 2020 at 5:18 pm·Reply
Puff pastry can be so challenging but worth it, much better than thick crustMatt Taylor
March 10, 2020 at 8:58 pm·Reply
Agreed!
March 10, 2020 at 2:36 am·Reply
Aaaahhhh….I would so much have loved to have one of these if it wasn’t for the milk, you know!Matt Taylor
March 10, 2020 at 7:56 am·Reply
You don’t have to put milk in them! 🙂 You can use whatever you want in the middle. 🙂
Pamela Bourque
March 21, 2022 at 10:49 am·Reply
Even though I thoroughly messed up-i put the pudding powder into the dream with a spoonful of Bacardi strawberries into the heavy cream. Still tasted Devine LMAO!So don’t be scared you really can’t mess this up!
Matt Taylor
March 21, 2022 at 10:55 am·Reply
hahaha so glad it still turned out super yummy. 🙂 🙂
March 9, 2020 at 11:09 pm·Reply
These look like such a cute and simple dessert to make!! I bet they taste as impressive as they look too!Matt Taylor
March 10, 2020 at 7:57 am·Reply
Thank you so much, Emily! 🙂
March 9, 2020 at 9:29 pm·Reply
oh man. this looks sensational. there’s something about puff pastry cooked properly that gets to you, right? and strawberries!! oh man this is something i have to try this summer. i just pinned your recipe.t hank you.
Matt Taylor
March 9, 2020 at 9:35 pm·Reply
I know right? Puff pastry is so awesome!
March 9, 2020 at 7:59 pm·Reply
i have tried this food before. it’s called Napoleones here. Now, i realize that the name Napoleon is really distinct to this food. I just thought that it’s named after a place where it originates. hehe. i really love Napoleones. <3Matt Taylor
March 9, 2020 at 9:36 pm·Reply
Yeah, they are super yummy!
March 9, 2020 at 7:47 pm·Reply
Ummm…yes please!! Those look amazing; and they look fun to make!Matt Taylor
March 9, 2020 at 9:36 pm·Reply
For sure! 🙂
March 9, 2020 at 6:13 pm·Reply
I just happen to have everything I need to make these, in my refrigerator/freezer right now! I can’t wait to make them.
Matt Taylor
March 9, 2020 at 9:36 pm·Reply
So cool! Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
March 9, 2020 at 3:49 pm·Reply
OMG…these look so delicious. My Italian family loves Napoleon cake. I bet they’d love these. Your photos are amazing too! YUM!
Matt Taylor
March 9, 2020 at 5:45 pm·Reply
Thank you so much, Christine! 🙂
Manahil
March 9, 2020 at 10:02 am·Reply
I love strawberries and was on a lookout for their recipes. Your blog never disappoints a foodie like meMatt Taylor
March 9, 2020 at 12:06 pm·Reply
Well, thank you so much! 🙂 🙂 I LOVE strawberries too!
March 9, 2020 at 9:32 am·Reply
This look so delicious and pretty I will try to do this recipe.Matt Taylor
March 9, 2020 at 12:05 pm·Reply
Thank you, Jessica! Definitely try them sometime. 🙂 🙂
March 9, 2020 at 8:59 am·Reply
Those look all kinds of delicious! I could seriously eat my weight in those. Om nom nom.Matt Taylor
March 9, 2020 at 12:05 pm·Reply
Thank you, Colleen!! 🙂 🙂
Laura Reese
February 13, 2020 at 8:03 am·Reply
This recipe did not disappoint. It was my first trying puff pastry and was easier than expected and totally delicious!!Matt Taylor
February 13, 2020 at 1:35 pm·Reply
Glad you liked it Laura! 🙂
February 12, 2020 at 10:19 am·Reply
This is really amazing! My kids devoured a whole batch!Matt Taylor
February 12, 2020 at 10:33 am·Reply
Thank you, Toni!
April
February 12, 2020 at 9:31 am·Reply
These are so pretty! They’d be the perfect impressive Valentine’s Day dessert 😉Matt Taylor
February 12, 2020 at 9:36 am·Reply
Thank you so much, April! 🙂 🙂
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