French Gruyere cheese puffs (gougères) are a perfect cheese appetizer to start a party. This quick and easy recipe serves 28 puffs in just 45 minutes. And they do not last long: both kids and adults love them equally!
Follow my step-by-step photographed explanations, expert tips, and tricks to help you succeed with this incredibly yummy and delicious recipe.
If you have never tried these drool-worthy cheese choux puffs, you should definitely give it a try. They just melt into your mouth.
You make one-two bites and grab another puff. I even got to the point that I would not have enough cheese puffs to take pictures for this post. They are so tasty!
What are French cheese puffs?
French cheese puffs (Gougères in French) are pastry bites with a crisp shell made with a choux pastry (pâte à choux in French) and loaded with cheese.
They are made with the same type of dough as sweet cream puffs, but authentic cheese puffs are made with Gruyere cheese.
As for the origin of savory cheese puffs, it is considered that they come from Burgundy, where they are usually served cold in cellars while wine tasting.
Gruyère cheese
Gruyere cheese (the correct spelling is Gruyère in French) is a hard Swiss cheese named after the town of Gruyères.
It is a type of cheese combining flavors with a nutty note. It is sweet but slightly salty.
The best substitutes of Gruyere cheese are Emmental, Jarlsberg, Beaufort, Comte, or raclette, according to The Spruce Eats. Enjoy the video of how to make Gruyere cheese.
Why you should try this recipe
- The use of basic ingredients makes this French cheese puffs recipe budget-friendly.
- These classic gougères are the perfect one-bite dinner party appetizer or fun party snack: they perfectly pair with a glass of wine, beer, other drinks, or on their own.
- The make-ahead option saves time before your guests arrive.
Ingredients
Get a quick overview of the necessary ingredients. For precise measurements and instructions, refer to the recipe card below. Also, discover the essential baking tools I rely on for daily baking.
Milk: use whole milk to make this recipe.
Butter: the recipe calls for unsalted butter cut into small pieces.
Salt: it enhances the flavor of the choux pastry.
Flour: use all-purpose flour here.
Eggs: use large eggs at room temperature.
Gruyere cheese: use it fresh, finely grated. Replace Gruyere cheese with Comte, Emmentaler, sharp cheddar, or a mix of cheeses, but aged and drier cheeses are preferable.
Ground pepper (to taste), grated nutmeg (optional).
How to make Gruyere cheese puffs
Heat oven to 350 degrees F/175 C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
To make the choux pastry dough, cut the butter into small cubes. Then, in a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, place butter, and salt (photo 1).
Bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Once butter is melted, remove the pan from heat and stir in the sifted flour.
Stir the flour in with a wooden spatula or a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.
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 (photo 2).
Transfer the gougère dough to a bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and let it cool for 1 to 2 minutes.
Using the medium-low speed, add whole eggs, one at a time. Before adding the remaining eggs, wait until the first egg is well incorporated into the choux dough (photo 3).
Add grated Gruyère cheese, season with black pepper and nutmeg, and mix just to combine.
Place the pâte à choux in a piping bag with a wide plain tip - Ateco plain pastry tip 806.
Pipe about 28 mounds of the size of a small cherry tomato on lined baking sheets or a silicone mat.
Using a silicone brush, brush puffs with the beaten egg (egg wash).
Sprinkle with a generous amount of cheese on top of each puff (photo 5) and bake gougères for 25 to 30 minutes (photo 6).
Recipe variations
Gougères as savory choux pastry are served as appetizers. Their star ingredient is Gruyere cheese, but they can be made with different variations.
Dorie Greenspan adds chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans and Dijon mustard to the choux dough while making her Walnut-Mustard Gougeres.
Bee from Rasa Malaysia uses minced Italian parsley to make Gruyere gougères.
David Lebovitz recommends adding chopped chives or fresh thyme to his Gruyere puff recipe.
Oregon Live comes up with the combination of chopped mushrooms, shallots, and crumbled blue cheese in their recipe.
Jen from Baked by an Introvert adds minced bacon and garlic cloves to make her cheesy puffs.
How to serve gougères
Serve gougères cheese puffs warm, well cooled, or reheat at 350 degrees F/175 degrees C for 5 minutes.
You can garnish them with a cream cheese mousse or bechamel sauce. In this case, serve Gruyere gougères as soon as they have been filled to prevent the cheese choux pastry from softening.
According to Marmiton,
You can transform this dish as a starter, by garnishing the gougères with foie gras, or with a stuffing made of fresh goat cheese, mixed walnuts, and a little chives.
It is super good to enjoy gougères accompanied by avocado salad or a glass of sparkling wine or champagne.
Storage
French cheese puffs are best eaten on the same day they are made. To store them, place cooled 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 puffs in a zip-top bag and freeze for a few months.
To serve, take puffs from the freezer bag and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F/175 degrees C for 8 to 10 minutes.
Expert tips
- Prepare all the ingredients before you start making cheese puffs. Use freshly grated cheese.
- Stir in the eggs, using a stand mixer or a hand whisk, working without stopping.
- Replace Gruyere cheese with Comte, Emmentaler, sharp cheddar, or a mix of cheeses, but dry, aged cheese is the best option.
- Using a pastry bag, pipe tablespoon-size mounds, or smaller balls if you want to make bite-sized puffs.
- Use two spoons to portion the dough onto the parchment if you do not have a pastry bag.
- NEVER open the oven door while baking a choux pastry: gougères or choux buns deflate immediately if they are not golden brown yet.
Frequently asked question
Gougères are best served straight from the oven. You can 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.
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Recipe card
Gruyere Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
French Gruyere cheese puffs (Gougères) are a perfect cheese appetizer to start a party. This quick and easy recipe serves 28 puffs in just 45 minutes. And they do not last long: both kids and adults love them equally!
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 28 puffs 1x
- Category: Choux pastry
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
For the choux pastry dough:
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk
- 1 stick (115 g) unsalted butter
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 3.5 oz (100 g) Gruyere cheese, finely grated
- ground pepper to taste
- 1 pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
For topping:
- 1 egg (for brushing)
- 1.7 oz (50 g) Gruyere cheese, grated
* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/175 C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- To make the choux pastry dough, cut the butter into small cubes. In a medium saucepan, pour water, milk, place the butter and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat. Once the butter is melted, remove the pan from heat and stir in the sifted flour. Stir the flour in with a wooden spatula until the mixture is smooth. Bring the pan over medium heat and stir the preparation with the spatula to dry it out. Once the mixture easily comes away from the sides and the saucepan's bottom, it is ready to remove from heat. Transfer the pate a choux to a bowl of the stand mixer with a flat beater attachment and let it cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Using the low speed, add eggs, one at a time. Before adding the next one, wait until the first egg is well incorporated into the dough. Add cheese and season with pepper and nutmeg. Mix well.
- Place the pate a choux dough in a pastry bag with Ateco plain pastry tip 806 and pipe about 28 mounds. Using a silicone brush, brush puffs with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with the grated cheese on top of each puff and bake the gougeres for 25 to 30 minutes.
Notes
- Prepare all the ingredients before you start making cheese puffs.
- Stir in the eggs, using a stand mixer or a hand whisk, working without stopping.
- Replace Gruyere cheese with Comte, Emmentaler, sharp cheddar, or a mix of cheeses, but dry, aged cheese is the best option.
- Using a pastry bag, pipe tablespoon-size mounds, or smaller balls if you want to make bite-sized puffs.
- Use two spoons to portion the dough onto the parchment if you do not have a pastry bag.
- Never open the oven door while baking a choux pastry: gougères or choux buns fall out immediately if they are not golden brown yet.
- Serve cheese puffs warm or reheat at 350 F/175 C for 5 minutes.
- Freeze gougeres, spreading them on a baking sheet. Then place puffs in a plastic bag and store them in the freezer for a few months. Reheat puffs in the oven at 350 F/175 C before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheese puff
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 36 mg
- Fat: 5.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 42 mg
Keywords: cheese puffs, French cheese puffs, cheese puffs recipe, French Gruyere cheese puffs, Gougeres
Follow my step-by-step photographed explanations, expert tips, and tricks to help you succeed with this incredibly yummy and delicious recipe.
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 https://www.foodandwine.com/. It was originally published on October 17, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.
Darcey says
I can't wait to make these! My husband has been asking for me to find a recipe for these and I finally found one that looks perfect!
Irina says
Perfect! Please, enjoy the recipe, Darcey!
Diana Reis says
These are beautiful and delicious. I've been craving bread and cheese more than anything and I'm going to make these tonight.
★★★★★
Irina says
Please, let me know how it went, Diana! You will love these cheesy cuties.
Nart says
Love these and 28 puffs in 45 minutes...yes, please!
★★★★★
Irina says
Sure thing! Please, enjoy it, Nart.
Carrie Robinson says
Yes, please! I just love how cheesy these are. 🙂
★★★★★
Irina says
I know what you are talking about, Carrie. These cheese puffs' architecture is amazing. Thanks for your comment.
Cookilicious says
They look perfect! Baking them right now. Thanks for the recipe
★★★★★
Irina says
You are welcome. Happy baking and enjoy!
Kushigalu says
How delicious and cheesy they look. My little one would love them very much. Pinned!
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, these cheese puffs are kids' favorites. Well, it is the same about adults:) Please, enjoy the recipe, Kushigalu.
Pat says
Does the dough need to be baked immediately, or can it be refrigerated for any length of time?
Irina says
According to Cook's Illustrated, the choux dough can be refrigerated for two days. As for me, I always make the fresh dough - pate a choux. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to make it. Then I transfer it in a pastry bag and can leave it at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes. Then I pipe, but you can pipe right away though.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
I absolutely love the cheese puffs and can have this all day long. I am in love with the texture of the puffs, and your pictures are amazing.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you very much, Sandhya! Please, enjoy the recipe.
Dannii says
I can never have too much cheese in my life, so I am always looking for new ways to enjoy it. These puffs look delicious.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thanks, Dannii. Yes, these puffs are so cheesy; they are just for cheese-lovers 🙂
Cindy says
I have been having so much fun trying new recipes! Today I made your recipe, and it was delish!! My kids made this with me and loved the puffs too!
★★★★★
Irina says
Cindy, it sounds you had a great baking project with kids. Love it. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Mirlene says
I cannot wait until I make these. The cheese puffs look pleasantly delicious!
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Mirlene! And happy baking!
Kyle says
We had these while in Chablis, France, a couple of years ago. So grateful to find the recipe and give it a go! There they bake them in a 5-6" round little loaf; makes a delightful lunch on the run!
Irina says
WOW! Thank you, Kyle, for this idea to make a round loaf. I will try to Google it. 🙂 Please, enjoy the recipe.
Ginger says
Do you think you could use white cheddar in these? They sound like fun to bake. Thanks, Ginger
Irina says
Hi Ginger, thanks for your interest in the recipe. White cheddar is relatively hard, so I think you should be fine to use it. I have not tried to bake with this kind of cheese, though. Please, let me know how it worked. 🙂 Happy baking!
Steve says
The first attempt at making these, and they came out fantastic! Well-written directions and great photos.. glad I found this! Thank you!
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you very much for your comment, Steve! I am happy to know that the recipe worked for you. Please, stay tuned for more recipes and subscribe for recipes/news if desired. 🙂
Ursula Weiss says
It is one of my fav recipe cheese puffs looks delicious...really, it looks very yummy. Tonight I will try this at my home; my kids love this!!
Irina says
It sounds like a plan, Ursula! Happy baking, and enjoy it!
Arron says
Great recipe and instructions! I only made 1/4 of a batch. They came out perfect. My picky daughter and I eat them in about 3 minutes after leaving the oven. Nice air pockets and so delicate and delicious. I would request you add baking time for bite-sized, please. I baked 1/2 tablespoon size piped dough mounds uninterrupted for 19 minutes. It yielded 15 from a 1/4 batch. I did broil for a minute after the 19 for some color.
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Irina says
Hello Arron; thanks for making the recipe and baking time suggestions. I love to add an extra minute or two for color too!! And I agree that these savory treats disappear in no time! 🙂