1-First, preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper to keep things from sticking that’s a game-changer for easy cleanup! In a saucepan, combine water, whole milk, unsalted butter, salt, and granulated sugar; bring it to a boil for the choux pastry. Once boiling, add flour all at once and stir vigorously until the dough forms and pulls away from the sides, which helps create that perfect airy texture.

2-Next, remove the dough from heat and let it cool until it’s below 125°F (52°C) before beating in the large eggs one at a time this step is crucial to avoid a scrambled mess and get that shiny, smooth dough. Pipe or spoon the dough into 1-inch mounds on your prepared sheets, smooth the tops with a wet finger, and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes without opening the oven door to prevent collapse. Then, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

3-While the puffs bake, make the pumpkin cream by whisking together light brown sugar, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, salt, heavy cream, and egg yolks in a saucepan; bring to a boil while stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin puree, unsalted butter, bourbon if you’re using it, and vanilla extract until smooth, then chill for at least 1 hour. Once the puffs cool, split them horizontally to release steam, fill with the chilled cream, and dust with powdered sugar. For dietary adaptations, incorporate your swaps during these steps, like using gluten-free flour in the dough.