Honey Free Classic Cheese Gougères
These airy French cheese puffs are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the platter before you even set it down. Built on a classic choux base of butter, milk, water, and flour, they get their irresistible savory depth from a generous amount of finely grated Gruyère folded right into the dough — plus a little more sprinkled on top for a golden, slightly crispy crown. The technique is straightforward once you understand it: cook the dough, beat in the eggs one at a time until glossy, and let the oven's steam do the heavy lifting. Many baked goods and savory snacks sneak in sweeteners you'd never expect, but every ingredient here is purely savory — butter, eggs, cheese, a whisper of nutmeg, and an optional hit of Dijon mustard for a little tang. The result is a puff that's deeply golden on the outside, hollow and tender within, and absolutely packed with cheesy flavor. They're best served warm from the oven, which makes them perfect for entertaining since the whole process is genuinely satisfying to pull off from scratch.
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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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