Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) an excellent person or object.

1941		(con. 1910s) A. Lomax Mister Jelly Roll (1952) 145: I finally asked him who was he? He said he was Sweet Papa Cream Puff, right out of the bakery shop. That seemed to produce a great big laugh.
1949		Cornell (University) Daily Sun 25 Oct. 8: [advert] This car was owned by a prominent local lady and if there ever was a ‘creampuff’ this is it [W&F].

2. (orig. US) a weakling; an unaggressive person.

1920		Ade Hand-made Fables 53: He was a Cream Puff that should have been served Day before Yesterday.
1935		Lil Johnson ‘If You Can Dish It, (I Can Take It)’ 🎵 If I give it away, you think it’s tough, / If you can’t take it, you’re just a cream-puff.
1941		B. Schulberg What Makes Sammy Run? (1992) 122: The Sammy Glick I met when I first came to Hollywood was a cream-puff compared to the one with whom I now found myself caged.
1955		Picture Post 23 July 35: hamblett: Pity he was such a cream puff, though. welles: He was soft all through. Soft, and queer, and mushy.
1972		E. Grogan Ringolevio 83: She was feisty and not a creampuff like the others.
1985		R.G. Barrett You Wouldn’t Be Dead for Quids (1989) 9: They wouldn’t employ a lot of cream puffs and would-be’s.
1987		Sen. C. Pell N.Y. Times n.p.: I remember my first campaign. My opponent called me a cream puff. That’s what he said. Well, I rushed out and got the baker’s union to endorse me [R].
1990		D. Heilbroner Rough Justice 225: The cop, a quiet, slender man with a slightly effeminate manner, allayed my worries about abusive or crude questioning of the victim. Compared to the usual members of the force, he was a creampuff.
2002		‘Touré’ Portable Promised Land (ms.) 137: The coach often singled Paul out during his lectures as a pansy, a creampuff.
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 104: What about the cream, puffs in Nassau? Can’t the cops there look into the shit on their own doorstop?

3. a male homosexual; occas. a lesbian [pun on puff n. (3a)].

1928		M. West Pleasure Man (1997) Act I: paradise: A female impersonator. steve: I guessed as much. stanley: Have you had your cream puffs this morning? paradise: Oh, I always eat early – (To steve) You know it’s the early bird that catches the worm, dearie. steve: Dearie, hell. (Advances threateningly).
1935		L.A. Times 24 Mar. II 1/7: CREAM PUFF: A chorus boy.
1937		L.A. Times 7 Jan. 6/1: A male cream-puff with a baby-pink muffler [...] squeals ‘Bravo, bravo’.
1944		Catholic Digest VIII 33/1: If the singer is a cream puff or a pantie waist (effeminate man) and cannot beef (argue), he will very likely be canned (discharged).
1968		J. Colebrook Cross of Lassitude 72: He thinks I’m a ruff-tuff cream puff.

4. (US black) a man who sponges off women.

1937

R. Johnson ‘I’m a Steady-Rollin’ Man’ 🎵 I’m a hard-workin’ man / Have been for many long years I know / And some creampuff’s using my money / Ooh well baby, that’ll never be no more.

5. (US) a young woman.

1940

S. McBarron ‘Coffin Custodian’ Ten Detective Aces Apr. 🌐 The girl on the bed was looking up from her magazine at me [...] said: ‘Look, cream puff. How’s about being a sport and cutting me down?’.