Cheese Puffs (gougeres)

By Laurel Perry

Published May 6, 2024

These delightful cheese puffs are known as “Gougeres” in French– a savory, cheesy choux pastry with a pillowy texture inside, and a crisp bite on the outside. Delicate choux pastry is light in both texture and calories. The combination of cheddar, gruyere, and Parmesan adds a rich, savory flavor that I just love! I’ve been known to eat one (or five) straight from the oven.

A tray of French cheese puffs (gougeres) with a bite taken out of them. - 4

I love a fancy snack, and these cheese puffs are just that. I thought making choux would be super intimidating, but it was surprisingly simple. It just takes a little bit of patience! I actually found stirring in the eggs quite meditative, and now I enjoy making these gougeres any time we have company.

What’s in This Cheese Puffs Recipe?

Butter: Salted butter adds moisture to these puffs and creates a flaky texture.
Sugar: Just a touch of granulated sugar helps balance the savory flavor of these puffs.
Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base of these puffs, giving them their structure.
Eggs: Whole eggs add richness to the dough and help bind the puffs together.
Cheese: A combination of cheddar, gruyere, and Parmesan cheese makes these gougeres super cheesy!

Tips for Success

Use the spoon-and-level method to measure the flour to avoid dense, dry gougeres. Once the flour is added, be sure to stir vigorously to eliminate lumps.
Bring any cold ingredients to room temperature to help them more easily incorporate into the dough.
Let each egg incorporate completely before adding the next. This ensures the dough doesn’t end up too wet.
The cheese will not melt into the dough. Just stir until it is evenly distributed.
To save time, freeze portioned cheese puff dough before baking for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the final bake time.
Resist the urge to open the oven door while they bake; this could cause them to collapse.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover cheese puffs in an airtight container or Ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to warm.

You can freeze gougeres baked or unbaked in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until firm, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 2 months if unbaked or up to 1 week if baked. Bake or reheat directly from frozen.

gougeres on parchment paper with thyme. - 6

Serving Suggestions

These tasty cheese puff pastries make the perfect bite-sized snack for your next party. I like to them as part of a charcuterie board filled with nuts, cheeses, meats, and fruits that balance their cheesy flavor. They go great with a chilled glass of champagne or a blackberry champagne cocktail when I’m feeling fancy.

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ ¼ cup salted butter 57 grams, room temperature (½ stick)
▢ ½ cup water 114 grams
▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 13 grams
▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt
▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 grams
▢ 4 large eggs 200 grams, room temperature
▢ 1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese 113 grams, room temperature
▢ ½ cup finely grated gruyere cheese 57 grams, room temperature

For Topping

▢ 1 large egg 50 grams
▢ 1 tablespoon water 14 grams
▢ ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 57 grams

Video

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Add the butter, water, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the salt and sugar are melted. Bring the mixture to a boil. ¼ cup salted butter, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon sea salt
Add in the flour and stir until it forms a ball. Continue to stir until the ball becomes smooth and there is a film on the bottom of the pan. 1 cup all-purpose flour
Remove from the heat and spread the mixture out on the bottom of the pan. Let it cool for 1-2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Stir until the dough is smooth. Before the last egg is fully combined, add in both cheeses and stir. 4 large eggs, 1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese, ½ cup finely grated gruyere cheese
Using a 2-ounce cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking pans, leaving 2 inches between each puff.
Whisk together the egg and water. Gently brush each puff and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 1 large egg, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon water
Bake for 10 minutes.
Lower the oven to 350°F bake for 15-20 more minutes until golden brown.

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
2 Baking Sheet
Cookie Portion Scoop

Becky’s Tips

These French cheese puffs can be customized with various cheeses, herbs, and spices. Consider adding ingredients like grated emmental, Swiss, fresh herbs , or even a pinch of cayenne pepper in step 5 for a flavor twist.
Fully-baked gougeres should be golden brown on top and feel light for their size. The interiors will be hollow and slightly moist.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Cheese Puffs Step by Step

Make the Choux: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Add ¼ cup of salted butter, ½ cup of water, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon of sea salt to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the salt and sugar are melted. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add in 1 cup of all-purpose flour and stir until it forms a ball. Continue to stir until the ball becomes smooth and there is a film on the bottom of the pan.

A bowl of dough in a pan with a wooden spoon. - 7

Cool the Choux: Remove from the heat and spread the mixture out on the bottom of the pan. Let it cool for 1-2 minutes.

Add the Eggs and Cheese: Add 4 large eggs one at a time, stirring until fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Stir until the dough is smooth. Before the last egg is fully combined, add in 1 cup of finely grated cheddar cheese and ½ cup of finely grated gruyere cheese and stir to combine.

A pan full of yellow batter with a wooden spoon. - 9

Portion the Puffs: Using a 2-ounce cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking pans, leaving 2 inches between each puff. Whisk together 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Gently brush each puff and sprinkle with ¼ cup of parmesan cheese.

cheese puff dough lined up on a baking tray. - 10

Bake the Puffs: Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven to 350°F and bake for 15-20 more minutes until golden brown.

Gougères is the French term for a choux pastry (puff pastry) filled with cheese. In the US, we often call these cheese puffs.

These puffs are not considered a health food. Enjoy them in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

If your cheese puffs turned out flat, it’s likely that you added too many eggs. It’s important to add the eggs one at a time and allow them to fully incorporate. This will help you see if the dough is properly moistened before you add too much egg.

Yes, these cheese puffs should be kept refrigerated!

More Cheesy Appetizers To Try

Queso Dip
Tortilla Roll Ups
Cheeseburger Sliders
Mexican Street Corn Dip
Baked Tomatoes with Cheese
Velveeta Queso
Homemade Boursin

Cheese Puffs Recipe (Gougeres)

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
2 Baking Sheet
Cookie Portion Scoop