Cheese gougeres (French Cheese Puffs)

These light cheese gougéres (French cheese puffs) are a delicious canapé, nibble, or accompaniment to soup or stews that take just 10 minutes to prepare.

What are gougeres?

Gougeres are French cheese puffs that are crunchy on the outside, and light and airy on the inside. Essentially these French pastries are savoury profiteroles, with the same base recipe (Pate a choux) as profiteroles and eclairs, however unlike profiteroles you don’t need to fill them or top them with anything, they are delicious on their own. They may sound fancy, but these French canapes are in fact easy to make, and use simple (and budget friendly) ingredients. Savoury choux pastry with cheese – what’s not to love?!

Jump to:

• What are gougeres?
• Why we love this recipe
• Ingredients notes and substitutions
• How to make these savoury choux buns
• FAQ
• My recipe tips
• Cheddar / Tasty Cheese
• Serving Ideas
• Variations
• More savoury finger food recipes
• French Cheese Puffs (Gougéres)

Why we love this recipe

• These cheese choux canapes are one of my favourite make ahead Christmas recipes. You can make them a couple of days ahead and reheat them in the oven to crisp up, or they can be frozen.
• Cheese profiteroles are loved by all the family, and make a tasty toddler snack – my son loves them with a bowl of carrot lentil soup!
• Cheese gougeres take just 10 minutes to prepare and can be enjoyed at room temperature or cold.

Ingredients notes and substitutions

• Plain flour – all purpose flour.
• Butter – unsalted butter. Depending on the cheese you use, they can be salty so best to use unsalted butter.
• Eggs – I use size large eggs.
• Cheese – Gruyere is the classic cheese used to make gougeres, however you can use Comté or another hard cheese like Emmental. I often make these cheese choux buns with cheddar cheese or tasty cheese and they turn out just as well. Use freshly grated cheese rather than pre-grated.
• Nutmeg – this is optional but adds lovely background flavour to the gougéres.

How to make these savoury choux buns

1. In a medium size saucepan, add the water, butter and salt, place on a medium-high heat and bring to the boil.
2. When the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat and add the flour. Mix well to form a paste.
   • TIP: This mixing activates the gluten in the flour which helps it to rise, creating airy choux buns.
   • TIP: You can beat the mixture with a wooden spoon or use a hand mixer.
3. Return the pan to the heat and cook for a minute, stirring until dough forms a film on the bottom of the pan and is smooth.
4. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes.
5. Add 1 egg to the dough and beat with a spoon.
   • TIP: It will look curdled – but don’t worry. Keep beating and it will come together.
6. Add the other egg and beat and keep beating the mixture and it will come together to form a smooth dough. Stir in the grated cheese.
7. Place tablespoons of the mixture onto a baking sheet with baking paper/baking parchment. Using two spoons to create a round ball, leaving space in between each gougére as they will expand slightly in the oven.
8. Smooth out any stray peaks with a wet finger.
   • TIP: These can can catch and burn in the oven.
9. Sprinkle the puffs with the remaining cheese and place into the preheated oven.
10. Cook for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature and cook until the cheese gougeres are golden brown and puffed up.
    • TIP: To tell if the cheese puffs are cooked: when you tap one on the bottom it should sound hollow.
11. Allow to cool in a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

FAQ

My recipe tips

• Let the flour mixture cool for a few minutes before adding the beaten egg, to avoid the risk of the egg scrambling.
• These cheese choux buns soften as they cool down so are best made just before serving, or reheat them in the oven before serving.
• You can top them with grated cheddar or parmesan. I have tried both and there really isn’t much difference.
• Oven temperature: the hot oven helps prevent the cheese puffs from collapsing, as the high temperatures get rid of some of the water. Turning the oven down after 10 minutes stops the outsides of the cheese gougeres from burning before the middle is cooked.

Serving Ideas

• If you are entertaining, they make a delicious canape to serve with drinks, together with this easy smoked salmon pate, blinis or samosa pinwheels.
• They are also a delicious side for soup or stew.

Variations

• Spices: add a pinch of paprika or mustard powder to the flour.
• Herbs –  a few fresh or dried herbs such as chives, rosemary, parsley or basil.
• Mustard – add ¼ teaspoon powdered mustard to the flour – don’t add prepared mustard as this can make the cheese puffs soggy.
• You can top them with grated cheddar or parmesan. I have tried both and there really isn’t much difference.

More savoury finger food recipes