Gougeres (French Cheese Puffs)

About This Recipe

Gougeres come from Burgundy, small savory choux pastry puffs traditionally served alongside a glass of the region's wine before dinner, their light, hollow interior a perfect match for a crisp white Burgundy. The same choux pastry technique used for eclairs and profiteroles forms the base here, cooked briefly on the stove before eggs are beaten in, then generously studded with grated gruyere before baking until deeply golden and puffed. Unlike the fried cheese fritters found elsewhere in French cooking, gougeres are baked, giving them a lighter, crisper shell around a soft, cheesy, slightly eggy interior — best served warm, straight from the oven.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 cupwater
• 6 tbspbutter
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 1 cupall-purpose flour
• 4eggs
• 1.5 cupsgrated gruyere cheese(divided)
• 1/4 tspblack pepper
• 1/8 tspnutmeg

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the choux base

   Bring water, butter and salt to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in flour all at once until a smooth dough forms.

2. 2

   Cook briefly

   Return to low heat and stir 1-2 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan.

3. 3

   Cool slightly

   Transfer to a bowl and let cool 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the eggs

   Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly, until the dough is smooth and glossy.

5. 5

   Add cheese

   Fold in 1 cup of the grated gruyere along with pepper and nutmeg.

6. 6

   Pipe or spoon

   Pipe or spoon rounded tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced well apart.

7. 7

   Top and bake

   Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the tops, then bake at 200C/400F for 22-25 minutes until deeply golden and puffed.

   Resist opening the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking — a sudden temperature drop can cause the puffs to deflate.

8. 8

   Serve

   Serve warm, ideally within an hour of baking.

Variations

• •

  Adding diced ham or bacon to the dough gives a heartier version.

• •

  Comte cheese can substitute for gruyere for a slightly nuttier flavor.

• •

  Mini gougeres can be piped smaller for a more elegant hors d'oeuvre presentation.

Storage

Best eaten warm the day they're baked; they can be frozen unbaked and baked directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes, or reheated briefly in a hot oven if already baked.

Frequently Asked Questions