MSG Free Classic Cheese Gougères
These airy French cheese puffs are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the platter before you even sit down. Built on a classic choux base of butter, milk, water, and flour, they get their irresistible savory depth from freshly grated Gruyère and a whisper of nutmeg — no flavor enhancers, no shortcuts, just real ingredients doing all the heavy lifting. That's actually great news if you're navigating a sensitivity to added glutamates, because so many store-bought crackers, cheese snacks, and party bites are loaded with hidden additives that make label-reading a chore. Every component here is straightforward and easy to verify. The technique is a little hands-on — you're cooking the dough on the stovetop, then beating in eggs one at a time — but the process is genuinely satisfying and the results are spectacular. They bake up hollow, golden, and impossibly light, with a crisp shell that gives way to a chewy, cheesy interior. Serve them warm 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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