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Authentic French Gougères (Cheese Puffs)

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Authentic Gougères are classic French cheese puffs that are light, airy, crispy, and packed with cheesy flavor. Perfect as an appetizer or snack, these gougères pair wonderfully with wine and are made using a simple choux pastry dough enriched with Comté or Gruyère cheese.

Ingredients

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  • 450 ml (2 scant cups) water
  • 10 g (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
  • 125 g (½ cup) unsalted butter (preferably cultured or European-style)
  • 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 300 g (11 ounces) Comté cheese (or Gruyère, or mature Cheddar)
  • 6 free-range eggs (at room temperature)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine water, salt, and butter. Bring to a simmer.
  2. Remove the saucepan from heat and add the flour all at once, stirring until it forms a dough.
  3. Return the saucepan to the heat and stir vigorously for 5 minutes to dry out the dough.
  4. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl to cool.
  5. Remove the rind from the cheese. Grate 50g and cube the remaining 250g into small ¼-inch cubes.
  6. Stir in one egg at a time into the cooled dough, mixing until smooth before adding the next.
  7. Fold in the cubed cheese until evenly distributed.
  8. Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Use a spoon to help release sticky dough.
  9. Sprinkle each gougère with grated cheese.
  10. Bake for 20 minutes until puffed and golden. Repeat in batches if needed.
  11. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Weigh your ingredients for accuracy; baking is precise.
  • Use room temperature eggs for better incorporation.
  • Use cubed cheese in the dough for pockets of melted cheese; reserve grated cheese for topping.
  • Keep a 1:1 ratio of cheese to flour for perfect texture.
  • Do not skip drying out the dough—it ensures proper puffing.
  • Let the dough cool before adding eggs to avoid scrambling them.
  • Don’t open the oven while baking to prevent collapse.

Nutrition

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