Caffeine Free Classic Cheese Gougères
These airy French cheese puffs are the kind of thing that disappear from a serving platter before you even set it down. Built on a classic choux base, they get their incredible hollow, golden structure from steam alone — no leavening agents, no shortcuts, just butter, eggs, and technique working together beautifully. The Gruyère melts right into the dough and gets sprinkled on top for a double hit of nutty, savory flavor that makes every bite genuinely hard to stop at one. A touch of nutmeg and optional Dijon add subtle warmth and depth without overwhelming the cheese. For anyone keeping an eye on caffeine, there's nothing to second-guess here — every ingredient on the list is naturally free of it, from the whole milk and butter down to the flour and eggs. The process is more approachable than it looks: a quick stovetop dough, eggs beaten in one at a time, and about 25 minutes in a hot oven does all the heavy lifting. Serve them warm straight from the rack and watch the room light up.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup gruyère cheese, finely grated, divided
- 1 tsp dijon mustard (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 2
Combine the water, milk, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is fully melted and the mixture comes to a full boil.
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