Gougères (French Cheese Puffs)

Name: Gougères (French Cheese Puffs)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 30
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 tbsp butter, cut into cubes; ½ cup water; ¼ tsp salt; ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 2 large eggs; ¾ cup grated Gruyère cheese, divided; 1 tsp fresh basil, finely minced; 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely minced

Recipe GLPR21278f05c031e9

French

Appetizer

55 min

34 cal

Servings: 30

Oven

SNAP eligible

Light, airy cheese puffs made with a savory choux pastry base, infused with fresh basil and thyme, and topped with melted Gruyère. These elegant French appetizers puff dramatically in the oven and are best served warm, straight from the baking sheet. Perfect for entertaining or as a sophisticated starter.

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Ingredients

3 tbsp butter, cut into cubes

½ cup water

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

¾ cup grated Gruyère cheese, divided

1 tsp fresh basil, finely minced

1 tsp fresh thyme, finely minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, butter cubes, salt, and pepper. Heat until the butter is completely melted.
Add the flour all at once to the butter mixture and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together into a smooth, cohesive ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Remove the saucepan from heat and let the dough rest for 2 minutes to cool slightly.
Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. The mixture may look broken at first, but continue stirring steadily—it will come together into a smooth, glossy batter after about a minute.
Fold in ½ cup of the grated Gruyère cheese, the minced basil, and the minced thyme until evenly combined throughout the batter.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a wide plain tip, or use a 1-tablespoon scoop (or regular spoon) to drop small, cherry-tomato-sized mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Sprinkle a small pinch of the remaining ¼ cup cheese on top of each puff.
Bake in the preheated 425°F oven for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until the gougères are golden brown on all sides and have risen significantly.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately while warm and at their crispiest.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

Gougères are a strong weeknight appetizer play in Charlotte: butter, eggs, flour, and salt are pantry staples everywhere, and Gruyère is reliably stocked at Harris Teeter and Food Lion in the cheese counter. The real timer is the stated 55 minutes—add 10 for mise en place and the initial choux paste cooling, so expect closer to an hour if you're not practiced. Cost runs roughly $0.70 per puff (Gruyère drives the bill at $9–12 per pound), which is reasonable for company but asks you to commit upfront. Fresh basil and thyme mean a quick produce-section stop unless you have them on hand, and these do not reheat well—they're a same-evening bite, best served warm from the oven. Prepare ahead by mixing the dough and piping onto sheets hours in advance, then bake just before guests arrive.