1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. This high temperature helps the puffs to rise perfectly.
2. Lightly grease two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
3. Measure out ¾ cup of all-purpose flour and set it aside for later.
4. In a medium saucepan, combine 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¾ cup of water. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
5. Once it reaches a boil, remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the flour all at once. Return the pan to medium heat and stir the mixture continually with a wooden spoon for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the dough is smooth and forms a ball.
6. Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer and let it cool for about 5 minutes, allowing it to stabilize.
7. Next, add 3 large eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
8. Spoon the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip. Pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheets into roughly 1-1/2 inch rounds and about 1-1/2 inches high. Smooth out any peaks with a moistened finger.
9. Bake the puffs in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until they are puffy and golden brown.
10. After baking, turn off the oven and let the shells stand in the closed oven for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the baking sheets and let them cool completely on wire racks.
11. While the shells are cooling, prepare the pumpkin filling. In a large saucepan, whisk together ½ cup of brown sugar, 2 large eggs, ½ teaspoon of table salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Add 1 cup of canned pumpkin and ½ cup of evaporated milk, whisking until smooth.
12. Cook the filling over medium heat, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes, or until it thickens. Allow it to stand for 30 minutes before chilling it for 4 to 24 hours.
13. In a separate bowl, place 1.5 cups of heavy cream with a pinch of table salt. Beat it at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
14. Add 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. If desired, you can sweeten it further by adding a couple of tablespoons of powdered sugar. Beat until you achieve stiff peaks.
15. Once the puffs are cool, cut each cream puff shell in half horizontally. Spoon the pumpkin pie filling onto the bottom halves, followed by a generous layer of the maple whipped cream. Place the tops of the cream puff shells on top of the whipped cream.
16. Serve immediately or cover and chill until you’re ready to serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. For the best taste, enjoy these shortly after assembly, though you can prepare the components in advance and assemble them just before serving.
