Classic Gruyère Gougères: A make-ahead party snack for holiday entertaining
I’ve spent the past two weeks preparing myself for the upcoming holidays by stocking a sizeable portion of my deep freeze with an assortment of homemade chewy caramel candies, sugar and gingerbread cookie doughs, pie crusts, soups for quick and nourishing weeknight dinners, and no less than five different varieties of gougères ready for last-minute entertaining and party-going in the coming month.
Lest you think I’m hyper-organized (okay, maybe I am a little), most of it is due to the large amount of recipe testing I’ve been doing for my forthcoming book, and the fact that December is my busiest working month of the year, and there is simply no time to let myself fall behind when it comes to holiday preparations.
While all of the items I’ve stockpiled are essential sanity-savers, none are more important to me than the gougères I mentioned above. They are my secret weapon when it comes to holiday gatherings, and I always, always have a bag ready to be baked between December and January, when surprise visitors pop by or I’m in need of a last-minute party nibble.
These golden, cheesy puffs just happen to be beloved by everyone (children included), can be made weeks in advance or an hour before you need them, transformed easily by using different cheeses, herbs and spices, and are made from everyday items you are certain to have on hand at all times.
Made from a simple French pastry known as pâte à choux, this lighter-than-air dough might sound complicated, but the method is far from difficult. With your ingredients measured and ready to go, the golden batter comes together effortlessly making this an ideal project for an afternoon when you have 20 minutes or so to spare.
I like to whip up a batch of dough whenever I have a little extra time, freezing the un-baked pastry pillows for future use. You can also bake, freeze and reheat just before serving, but I must confess I do prefer the former method when it comes to storing them.
While many recipes suggest using an electric mixer or food processor for incorporating the eggs, I prefer the method that uses the least amount of dishes so I make a one-pot version and stir vigorously with my hand and a large wooden spoon.
If you don’t mind the extra clean up feel free to gain some assistance from your favorite small appliance… the end result will be the same.
Classic Gruyère Gougères
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cup grated gruyere cheese
- Pinch fresh ground nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the water, milk, butter, salt, pepper and sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium heat and cook until the butter melts, 1-2 minutes.
- Immediately add in the flour and stir until a dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the pot. Continue stirring vigorously until the dough is no longer sticky and a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
- Stir enthusiastically for another minute or so, until the dough is smooth and glossy. This is an important step because if the batter is too loose when you begin incorporating the eggs, the dough will not puff properly come baking time.
- Transfer to a bowl and allow the dough to cool for 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs, one a time, fully incorporating each one before adding another. Scrape down the bowl each time and check the consistency of the paste. It should be stiff enough to stand, but soft enough to spread. Add the cheese and nutmeg (if using) and stir to combine.
- Using an ice cream scoop, two spoons, or piping bag fitted with a wide round tip, drop tablespoon-sized dollops of the paste onto prepared baking sheets. Using damp fingers, press down any irregularities in the shape and form a small ball.
- Bake for 15 minutes; rotate the pans from front-to-back and top-to-bottom, then reduce the heat to 375 and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the puffs are golden and crisp (ovens may vary, so begin checking them after 10 minutes).
- Turn off the heat and allow the pastry to stand in the closed oven for 15 minutes so the insides can thoroughly dry out.
Notes
Nutrition
Tell me, what is your favorite go-to party snack for the winter holidays?
I’m a huge fan of pâte à choux in general – both the sweet and savoury kind. It’s such a great (and much easier than people think!) recipe and these are a fab thing to keep on hand to wow your guests during the holidays!
I would love to try this recipe… when you add the grated cheese?
Oh my goodness – silly me! “Add the cheese and nutmeg (if using) and stir to combine” should come at the end of step 5 – it didn’t copy/paste when I transfered the recipe online and obviously I missed it when I was editing. Thanks so much for catching my mistake – we’ll fix it right away!
And obviously I can’t spell today! *transferred* – Sheesh!
Hi, Jan: could you let me know the oven temp and cook time for these if you freeze the dough? [email protected] thank you so much!
Iwondered what you did with the cheese
Hi jan! Im making right now! Super easy but the dough after integrated everything looks a luttle bit to liquid! New cooker! Any idea to fix it?? More flour?? HELPPPPPP SOMEONE 🙂
The recipe’s been updated. Sorry about that!
These sound yummy but a few questions:
Is the cheese added after the eggs?
Can other cheeses be substituted?
Yes, sorry! I missed a step in the recipe but we’ll get it fixed right away. Sure, feel free to use similar cheeses like Parmesan, Asiago, Romano or Pecorino. I’m also a fan of using sharp cheddar and adding some fresh rosemary, thyme, or red pepper flakes to it before baking.
Really Jan?
How many oops, I forgot this and thats are we to read through before you – and we get a recipe that is completely worked out.
This suggests that your book you are working so hard on may suffer from the detail.
I imagine you have skills to share, but spend your time more wisely. Premature publication will not be received well.
The recipe’s been updated. Sorry about that!
What a lovely holiday treat! I’ve never heard of these, but now my mind is reeling thinking of all the possible variations – adding chives or other herbs? Or minced mushrooms? Or so many other things? Have you (or other commenters) tried any variations, or is this one where you shouldn’t mess with a good thing? 😉
I would recommend enjoying them with out TOO many variations…but they can be stuffed with delights, also, like mushrooms or brie – or both.
Happy Baking!
I agree with Aimée. I like to use one type of cheese and one or two herbs/spices max. We also like them stuffed with ham – super popular with the kids.
These sound delicious. Could you provide instructions for cooking from frozen? Does the temperature & time remain the same and whether you defrost (and how long) first.
I love an impressive recipe that can be made ahead- thanks
Sure! Don’t defrost them. I pop them on a prepared baking sheet and cook them at the same temperature for the same amount of time and they work just fine. At my someone else’s house I’ve needed to add 2-3 minutes to the second bake at the lower temperature just to get a bit more colour on them. You’ll know they’re done when they are puffed, golden brown and dry to the touch. Hope this helps!
Excellent. Even better, a make ahead that doesn’t even need to be defrosted first. Thanks for the additional info!
I’m having people over on Friday. And oh, I feel so inadequate and just down right dumb in the kitchen. I’ve been the main cook in this house for almost 10 years now – and I still find myself floundering. So anytime I have guests….I’m especially nervous about the food.
I just might try these for our evening, though. They seem simple enough – and they look amazing.
Thanks for the post 🙂
Blessings
Kate 🙂
You can do it, Kate!
Gorgeous!
WhenI worked pastry at a french restaurant I used to make these by the hundred, but it has been YEARS! These are so wonderful and I am inspired to make them this year!!
ALL THE GOUGERES. 😉
This recipe will definitely be an appetizer for my holiday guests. Looks delicious!
Do you stay on the stove during adding flour and eggs? The recipe is unclear. Or do you only heat to melt butter then the rest of the ingredients are incorporated off the stove.
It’s been edited with full instructions (see Step 5). Please accept our apologies.
We obviously need more coffee around here.
This question has NOT been answered by the change to Step 5.
The heat question turns out to be pretty important.
My first batch is runny, not puffy, and not very pretty. Also, this is not “20 minutes or so” for the first-time pastry chef. Allow an hour if you aren’t a cream puff pro.
I think I took it off the heat too early. I beat it in the mixer and then reheated it to try to compensate. That made it less runny. I got 2 of the eggs in there and then decided to try it with colby jack instead of wasting the precious gruyere on a likely fail. The result is very snackable. They only puffed up a little bit, like pillows.
Maybe the butter mixture should come to a boil before adding the flour?
I always eat too many of these:)
Me too! 🙂
Love easy, make-ahead appetizers! These look fabulous! 🙂
Jan, what do you mean by piped? I am thinking you meant to use pastry bag to fill each with piece with cheese etc.
Thank you for this yummy looking appetizer.
Hi Cathy – Yep! When you place the dough on the baking sheet you can either do so by using an ice cream scoop, two teaspoons or a pastry bag filled with the dough. Most people use the latter, but to be honest, I’m too lazy to wash the bag so I use a small ice cream scoop or the spoons. Hope this helps!
I’ve made a sweet version of these but never a savoury and these look lovely! Perfect addition to our Christmas party in a few weeks. Thanks, Jan!
Thanks, Breanne! I love sweet versions of choux paste, too. I should give them a go this Christmas – thanks for the reminder of how good they are that way.
Oh, would love to hear more details of your party. 😉
You will! In some form or another. 😉 (And I’ll be stalking your party board for a few more ideas!)
These look great, any chance you might be able to do a tutorial? Showing it step by step would be less scary and more doable!
Thanks
We don’t post step-by-step instructions, but Google it! Someone’s probably done this already.
Happy Baking!
So pretty and elegant! I love gruyere!
These are definitely the perfect party snack! YUM!
Jan, these look so yummy!
Stunning! These could honestly not be more perfect for the holidays! I love the idea of always having the ready to go for pop in guest!
Thank you Amy for this recipe, I will definitely be making this for the Thanksgiving festivities next week. 🙂 I absolutely love Gruyere cheese – your recipes make me happy! Have a wonderful day! -Iva
I don’t think you can ever go wrong with anything described as golden, cheesy puffs. I like to have ingredients for creamy pesto dip on hand during the holidays. Great with bread or with vegetables.
Oooh, that pesto dip sounds fab!
I can’t imagine how busy you are! But you are a rock star for thinking ahead and planning so well! These look totally droolworthy!
OK OK OK… It’s been firmly established how much I love gougeres – but to pair them with rosé Champagne in swanky coupes? Be still my heart!
I know, I love Jan’s coupes. Total swank.
I love things like this that can be made ahead of time! They sound just perfect too 🙂
I tried these and they are too runny is there any fix?
I’ve got a few in the oven, to test how they come out.
Followed exactly ended up with runny dough but they puffed alright. the taste is ho-hum so I will try with herbs and sharper cheese. I see several comments above with trouble with dough being to runny. Any suggestions on next try to correct this? Thanks
Followed this recipe very closely (except for using Parm in place of Gruyere). Everything looked great until I started adding the eggs. Then it turned into a soupy mixture, like pancake batter. What’s going on?
Never mind. Round two is turning out fab. (I think I needed to cook to flour mixture for another couple minutes…)
Ok I made my first batch without too many hitches except I now see why making them into a round ball is necessary – mine are a little flat except for a few that turned out perfectly. It also took me a lot less time in my gas oven – about 20 minutes total. But the taste with old cheddar is divine.
Question – I realized after completion that you recommend freezing the dough, not the cooked puffs. Can I freeze the completed product then warm up before the party? If so instructions would be welcome.
Could you use lard, if you don’t have any butter on hand?
While your ingredients and proportions are correct, unless I am reading this incorrectly I think that you do not make clear that the water/milk/butter should be brought to a boil when the flour is added, not just to the temperature that the butter melts. At that point the dough needs to be stirred vigorously and cooked to dry it out a bit until it becomes glossy and dense. At that point your directions are correct. If you agree, you might want to edit the first few steps to make that clear.
I agree with Ken. This stop should be modified to prevent runny dough. The results are not ideal if the flour mixture is not cooked correctly.
The dough never formed. It was a runny liquid mess. I kept adding flour to make it possible to put on the cookie sheet, but they still turned out pretty flat. Not sure what I did wrong. Obviously others had success, so I must have missed something.