Lady Locks Recipe (Mini Cream Horns)
My grandma was an avid baker. I always remember her bringing bakery boxes, often filled with these lady locks, to different family events.
They’re a flaky, sweet handheld treat, and I, no joke, used to run to her when I’d see her with her boxes, for a peek inside, hoping these were in them.
I love that they look so dainty but come together so easily. Plus, a single batch makes 22 cookies, so they’re perfect for a party!
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WHAT ARE LADY LOCKS?
Basically miniature cream horns, these lady locks are made up of puff pastry filled with a slightly fluffier buttercream. You can use store-bought or homemade puff pastry for this recipe!
To form, you wrap puff pastry strips around molds, so they bake into mini horns. Once they’re out and cooled, fill with your cream and dust with powdered sugar!
How to form mini cream horn shells: Cut your pastry into strips and wrap them around a cream horn mold (or make a foil cone!), slightly stretching the dough and overlapping as you go. Place the wrapped molds seam-side down to prevent them from unraveling during baking.
INGREDIENTS
- Puff Pastry: Homemade or store-bought to make the flaky pastry horn
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and helps to thicken the filling in your lady locks
- Unsalted Butter: For a fluffy, smooth cream
- Shortening: Helps to lighten the filling while also providing a solid hold once piped
- Vanilla: To flavor your mini cream horns, of course!
- Heavy Cream: Adds to the creamy, smooth texture of the filling
- Marshmallow Fluff: For added whipped texture and flavor
Why are they called “lady locks”? These puff pastry cookies get their name because once baked, they look like a perfect ringlet. You might also see them called cream horns or clothespin cookies, since they were originally baked around clothespins!
HOW TO MAKE LADY LOCKS
Roll your chilled pastry dough to about ⅛-inch thick, then cut it into strips roughly 1 x 5 inches. These strips will form the base for your flaky lady locks (or mini cream horns).
Lightly grease your molds, then wrap each strip around at a slight angle, gently stretching the dough and overlapping as you go. If the dough doesn’t seem to want to stretch, let it rest for a minute to prevent tearing and help create longer, more even shells.
Place the wrapped molds seam-side down on a baking sheet to keep them from unraveling as they bake. Bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, or until the pastry shells are lightly golden and crisp.
Carefully slide the baked shells off the narrow end of the molds and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Letting them cool fully ensures the filling won’t melt when piped inside.
To make the filling, beat the butter until smooth, then mix in the shortening until fully combined. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix on low before adding the vanilla, heavy cream, and marshmallow fluff, beating until light and fluffy.
Once the shells are completely cool, place the filling into a piping bag and fill each shell. Finish by dusting the filled lady locks with powdered sugar just before serving.
3 reasons you’ll love these cream-filled lady locks
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- You can use store-bought puff pastry or make your own homemade. When I want to make the dough from scratch I use this recipe!
- When forming your mini puff pastry horns, make sure to slightly overlap your dough as you wrap it, so it bakes together. Also, rememeber that they will puff as they bake, so place the dough seem side down on the tray so they don’t puff apart!
- If you don’t have cream horn molds, you can form your own mini cones with foil. Wrap your dough from the smallest tip up, you shouldn’t need to use the whole cone.
- The easiest way to fill these lady locks is using a piping bag. If you don’t have any, just grab a zip-top bag and snip the corner off!
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
The cream filling will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. If you want to make it in advance, store it in an airtight container and remove it from the fridge 10-15 minutes before filling your lady locks. This will give it time to soften and make it easier to pipe.
Once filled, any leftover lady locks should be stored in a sealed container in the fridge. They will keep for up to 2-3 days, but they’re best fresh, as the pastry won’t be as flaky once stored.
MORE PUFF PASTRY RECIPES
- Easy Pesto Pinwheels
- Mini Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls
- Peach-Basil Puff Pastry Tarts
- Apple “Pumpkin” Puffs
- Asparagus & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Twists
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
- Cream Horn Molds (or foil shaped into cones)
- Pastry Cutter or Pizza Cutter
- Piping Bag
- Baking Tray
- Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatulas
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Fine Mesh Strainer
Equipment
- 12 Cream Horn Molds or foil shaped into rods
- Pastry Cutter or Pizza Cutter
- Piping Bag
- Baking Tray
- Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatulas
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Fine Mesh Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry homemade or storebought
- ½ lb powdered sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp shortening
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1.75 oz marshmallow fluff
Instructions
- Roll your chilled pastry dough to approximately ⅛-inch thickness
- Cut the pastry into strips approximately 1”x 5” inches
- To make the puff pastry shells, lightly grease your baking molds and wrap the strips around the mold at a slight angle, overlapping as you wrap. The pastry dough should stretch a little as you pull it. If not, let it rest another minute or two to avoid tearing and to help achieve longer “locks”
- Place the dough-wrapped pastry forms on a baking sheet making sure to place them seam side down so that it doesn’t come apart during baking
- Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden in color
- Slip the shells off the smaller end of the tapered form and place them on a wire rack to cool completely
- For the filling: Beat your butter until smooth in the bowl of a mixer. Add in your shortening and beat to combine. Sift in your powdered sugar and turn your mixer on low to bring it together before adding in your vanilla, heavy cream, and marshmallow fluff
- Once your shells are completely cooled, fill a pastry bag with the cream filling and pipe it into the cooled pastry shells
- Dust your beautiful locks with powdered sugar and enjoy!
These look just like the ones my mom used to make😊