Emulsifier Free Classic Cheese Gougères
These airy French cheese puffs are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the tray before you even set it down. Built on a classic choux base of water, whole milk, butter, and flour, they get their incredible lift purely from steam and eggs — no leavening agents, no additives, no emulsifiers hiding in the mix. That matters more than you might think, because many store-bought puff pastries and baked snacks quietly rely on emulsifiers to achieve their texture, making it genuinely hard to find something this indulgent without checking every label. Here, the glossy, egg-enriched dough does all the work on its own, and the result is a shell that's crisp on the outside and almost hollow within. Gruyère folded into the batter and sprinkled on top gives every bite a deep, nutty, savory richness that feels far more impressive than the ingredient list suggests. A whisper of nutmeg and optional Dijon round out the flavor without complicating the process. Serve them warm straight from the oven and watch them vanish.
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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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