If there's one food item that stands out above the rest at the Wisconsin State Fair, it's the iconic cream puff, a sweet treat which has been sold at the Fair every year since 1924.
And this year, the cream puff is getting extra special attention, as it's been a feature at the Fair for 100 years! In honor of the milestone anniversary, Gov. Tony Evers has declared Aug. 10, 2024, as “Cream Puff Day” across the state of Wisconsin. Check out the official proclamation!
This towering dessert is comprised of a light, eggy dough (pâte à choux) that's baked until airy and golden, split in half and filled to the brim with a tower of whipped sweet cream.
It's a creation that dates back to 1500s when a pastry chef working for Catherine de Medici's created the dessert for King Henry II. It would have been the ultimate of luxuries at that time, since fresh milk and cream were incredibly perishable.
And the cream puff is truly the royal dessert of the Wisconsin State Fair where folks purchase 50 to 60 cream puffs per minute, consuming an average of over 400,000 in just 11 days each year. And, just in case you’re wondering, all of those puffs contain over 800 pounds of shortening and more than a ton of whipping cream. They also weigh in at a whopping 550 calories, with about 45 grams of fat per puff.
The dessert has become such an indelible part of culture in Milwaukee, it even has its very own Milwaukee emoji.
How to eat a cream puff
Cream puffs are serious business in Wisconsin. And, despite the fact that you can eat a cream puff in any number of ways (including straight-on stuffing them into your face, inevitably resulting in a mess of cream everywhere), here’s the easiest way we’ve found to tackle them.
- First, pick up your cream puff.
- Carefully give the top and bottom halves a bit of a twist, separating each half from the other (the twist not only divides the puff into manageable portions, but also helps to distribute the cream more evenly onto both halves).
- Prepare for your first bite by taking a nice big whiff of the sweet, eggy dessert.
- Now, eat the cream puff, one half at a time.
- Revel in the experience of this once-a-year treat.
Where to get your puffs
There are three locations on the Fair grounds at which to grab a cream puff (or six). The biggest (and arguably the best) is the Cream Puff Pavilion where you can see each puff being made, with the Cream Puff express window found at the pavilion's north end.
But there are also two Cream Puffs To-Go satellite locations on either end of the grounds on Grandstand Avenue.
Wisconsin State Fair cream puffs are $5 each, three for $14, or six for $25.
Tour the Cream Puff Pavilion with us!
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
