Gruyere Cheese Puffs Recipe (Gougères) (2024)

Gruyere cheese puffs, or gougères, are popular French appetizers made with classic choux pastry dough and Gruyere cheese. This quick and easy recipe serves 28 cheese puffs in just 45 minutes. And they do not last long: both kids and adults love them equally!

Gruyere cheese puffs (Gougères)

Gruyere cheese puffs, or Gougères, are savory French cheese puffs made with a choux pastry (pâte àchoux) and loaded with grated Gruyere cheese. Originating from Burgundy, they are typically enjoyed cold in cellars during wine tastings.

These savory cheese puffs are the perfect hors d'oeuvreappetizer and a great choice for French starters before a dinner party. Interestingly, they are made with the same dough as French cream puffs.

These savory morsels are our family favorites. No matter how many I bake, they disappear in minutes. And they are a top choice for our movie nights: extra-crispy outside and hollow inside.

If you have never tried French cheese puffs, you should definitely give it a try. Just spend 45 minutes and make a batch of these drool-worthy cheesy bites!

Ingredients

Get a quick overview of the necessary ingredients. For precise measurements and instructions, refer to the recipe card.

• Whole milk or low-fat milk
• Butter - unsalted butter cut into small pieces.
• Flour - all-purpose flour (aka plain flour in the UK). I've never tried to use a gluten-free flour blend to make gluten-free gougeres.
• Large eggs at room temperature.
• Gruyere cheese - fresh andfinely grated. Replace Gruyere cheese with Comte, Emmentaler, sharp cheddar cheese, or a mix of cheeses. I would say use your favorite cheese but opt for the aged, drier, and flavorful cheeses.
• Salt, ground pepper, grated nutmeg (optional).

How to make Gruyere cheese puffs step-by-step

Step 1. First thing, heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper.

Step 2. To make choux pastry dough, cut the butter into small cubes. In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, place butter, and salt.

Step 3. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, remove the pan from heat and stir in the sifted flour. Stir the flour in with awooden spatulaor a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.

Step 4. Bring the pan over medium heat and stir the preparation with the spatula to dry it out. Once the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot and the bottom of the pan, it is ready to remove from heat.

Step 5. Transfer the dough to a bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Run it at low speed to let it cool for 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 6. Continue at low-medium speed and add whole eggs, one at a time. Before adding the remaining eggs, wait until the first egg is well incorporated into the choux dough.

Step 7. Add grated Gruyère cheese, season with black pepper and nutmeg, and mix just to combine.

Step 8. Place the pâte à choux in a piping bag with a wide plain tip of 12 mm -Ateco plain pastry tip 806. Pipe about 28 mounds the size of a small cherry tomato on the prepared baking sheet or a silicone mat.

Step 9. Brush puffs with the beaten egg (egg wash) using a silicone brush. Sprinkle with a generous amount of grated cheese on top of each dough ball.

Step 10. Bake gougères for 25 to 30 minutes. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time to achieve the desired color.

Serve immediately or let cool completely on a wire rack.

Expert Tips

1. Stir in the eggs using a stand, hand mixer, or a hand whisk.
2. Pipe tablespoon-size mounds or smaller balls to make little cheese puffs.
3. Use two spoons or a small cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the parchment if you do not have a pastry bag.
4. Don't open the oven door while baking choux pastry: gougères will deflate immediately if they are not golden brown yet.
5. Make-ahead option: Pipe or scoop the choux dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze and store it in an airtight container in the freezer. Then, bake cheese puffs straight from the freezer on the day of serving, increasing the baking time for a few minutes.

Recipe variations

Classic gougères, as savory choux pastry, are best served as appetizers. Their star ingredient is nutty Gruyere cheese, but you can make them with another type of cheese. Also, try the following mix-ins:

• Add minced Italian parsley, chopped chives,or fresh thyme to the Gruyere puff recipe.
• Experiment with adding bacon bits and garlic cloves to make cheese puffs.
• Add a combination of chopped mushrooms, shallots, and crumbled blue cheese to the recipe.
• Or try to spice it up with cayenne pepper or make the recipe fun by adding some poppy seeds.

How to serve gougères

Gougères are best eaten on the same day they are made. Serve baked cheese puffs hot right from the oven, cold, or warmed up in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes.

It is super good to enjoy them accompanied by avocado or chicken salad, French onion soup, or a glass of wine (white or sparkling wine) or champagne.

You can garnish them with a cream cheese mousse, bechamel sauce, or foie gras and serve them as a French starter. But serve the filled cheese puffs (savory profiteroles) immediately to prevent the choux pastry from softening.

Storing and freezing

To store, place cooled cheese puffs in an airtight metal box and keep them for a few days.

To freeze, spread puffs on a baking sheet and freeze them. Then, place them in a zip-top bag and freeze them for up to a month.

To serve, take frozen gougères from the freezer bag and reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8 to 10 minutes.

Love savory recipes? Try these next!

• Cake Salé (French Savory Cake)
• Buckwheat Crepes

HUNGRY FOR MORE?Subscribe to mynewsletterand follow me onFacebook,Pinterest,andInstagram for my latest updates.

Print

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from Alain Ducasse's gougères recipe. It was originally published on October 17, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.