Light & crisp, loaded with aged havarti, this cheese puffs recipe is a must-try! It takes less than an hour and a few pantry staples to make this gourgeres recipe.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this gougere recipe:
- Key Ingredient Notes:
- How to make this gougeres recipe:
- 1. Make the cooked dough
- 2. Add the eggs
- 3. Add the cheese
- 4. Shape the cheese puffs
- 5. Brush on Egg wash
- 4. Bake the Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
- Fix deflated cheese puffs
- Tips for Success:
- Make-Ahead Tips:
- Storing Tips:
- Cheese Puffs Recipe FAQs:
- More Cheesy Appetizer Recipes:
- Havarti Cheese Puffs (Gougères) Recipe
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItWhy you’ll love this gougere recipe:
The savory sister to eclairs and cream puffs, this flaky, delicate appetizer is impossible to resist!
Mix pâte à choux dough with sharp aged hard cheese and dried herbs to make these savory cheese puffs!
- Easy – Don’t let the fancy French name scare you. It’s super simple to make these baked cheese puffs! They only require a handful of ingredients and are done in 40 minutes.
- Texture – Light, airy, and crisp on the outside while being soft and tender on the inside.
- Elegant – This sophisticated appetizer will easily elevate a basic cheese platter or charcuterie board.
Perfect for large parties and holidays, this outrageously addicting cheese puffs recipe is a keeper! I’m positive you won’t stop at just one!
Key Ingredient Notes:
- Unsalted butter – Used for a rich, buttery flavor and adds to the crisp, flaky texture.
- Spices – Dried dill weed, paprika, and salt enhance the savory flavor.
- Flour – Gives the gougères structure as they puff up.
- Eggs – Three large eggs are needed to moisten the dough, help the cheese puffs rise, and act as a binding agent. One additional egg yolk is brushed on top of the puffs just before baking for a golden exterior after it bakes.
- Harvarti cheese – Only use dry, aged Harvarti cheese or other hard cheeses such as parmesan and aged cheddar. Creamy harvarti won’t work in this recipe.
How to make this gougeres recipe:
Preheat your oven to 425°F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
1. Make the cooked dough
- Combine water, butter and salt along with spices in a medium (2.5qt) saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter is melted and the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to medium, and add the flour all at once.
- Stir the mixture continuously, using a wooden spoon until the dough starts to form into a ball.
- Keep mixing for another 3 minutes, until a light crust forms on the bottom of the pan.
2. Add the eggs
- Transfer the cooked dough to a medium bowl. (You can also use an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.)
- Mix the dough for a few minutes on low speed, until the mixture cools down to room temperature.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Adding the eggs one at a time helps the egg absorb into the dough more quickly. So, don’t rush this step!
3. Add the cheese
- Grate aged Havarti on a grater with small holes.
- Stir in the cheese and fold the batter with a wooden spoon.
4. Shape the cheese puffs
- Using a medium cookie scoop, drop about 1-inch dough two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
5. Brush on Egg wash
- In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash.
- Using a pastry brush, brush a thin layer of egg wash on each cheese puff dough.
4. Bake the Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
- Bake the cheese puffs for 20 to 25 minutes, one baking sheet at a time.
- When the pastry shells are golden brown, crispy, and puffed up, transfer them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Serve warm and enjoy! Gougères are best eaten warm and fresh out of the oven.
Fix deflated cheese puffs
Continue baking if the puffs fall flat. If they deflate when you remove them from the oven, put them back in and bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until they puff up again.
Tips for Success:
- Measure the flour accurately using a kitchen scale or the spoon and level method. An accurate measurement ensures you will have the correct consistency in the dough.
- Use a wooden spoon to mix the dough if you don’t have an electric mixer. It’ll take a bit longer and require more effort, but a mixer is not absolutely required.
- Use room-temperature eggs. They’ll mix into the dough more easily, making the dough smoother.
- Don’t stop stirring the dough when it’s on the stove. This allows more moisture to evaporate, which will help the dough absorb the eggs and become light and fluffy when baked.
- Use water, not milk, in the dough. Through multiple rounds of testing, I’ve concluded that water is best when making pâte à choux dough. Milk adds too much fat, which can weigh down the light and airy shells, preventing them from puffing up.
- Use freshly grated cheese. Store-bought shredded or grated cheese will not incorporate well into the dough. It’s best to finely grate the cheese yourself using a box grater.
Make-Ahead Tips:
While French cheese puffs are best eaten warm, they can be made ahead of time, too. Your guests will be so impressed when you pull hot and fresh gougères from the oven!
- Make the cheese puffs recipe as directed, and store them for later.
- When you’re ready to eat, lay the puffs out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Warm the cheese puffs in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350°F.
Storing Tips:
- Let the puffs fully cool. Transfer them to a glass, airtight container, and keep them stored for up to 3 days.
- They should be stored on the counter at room temperature.
- Gougères can be reheated in the oven or eaten cold.
Cheese Puffs Recipe FAQs:
What to serve with Havarti Cheese Puffs?
Baked cheese puffs can be served as an appetizer alongside cheese and cracker platters, charcuterie boards, or in place of dinner rolls. They’re also a creative and delicious topping for soups and salads and complement a glass of champagne.
What is the difference between a gougère and a profiterole?
A profiterole is a cream puff, typically made with a sweet, custard-like filling. Gougères are savory cheese pastries that do not have a filling.
Can you freeze cheese puffs?
Fully cooked cheese puffs can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let them thaw before reheating in the oven.
More Cheesy Appetizer Recipes:
Havarti Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
Light & crisp, loaded with aged havarti, this cheese puffs recipe is a must-try! It takes one hour and pantry staples to make this gourgeres recipes.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup (150 ml) water
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika Note 1
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 oz (85 g) aged Havarti cheese finely grated, Note 2
- 1 egg yolk for egg wash
Equipment
- 1 medium (2.5qt) saucepan
- 1 stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or silicone mat.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, dill, paprika and salt and bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon dried dill weed, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Once the butter is melted and mixture is boiling, take the saucepan off heat and add the flour all at once and mix it with a wooden spoon.
- Put the saucepan back on the burner and reduce the heat to medium.
- Cook the mixture, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes. The dough will start to form into a ball and light crust will form on the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer the dough into a mixing bowl with paddle attachment and mix it for a few minutes on low speed until the mixture is at room temperature. (Alternatively, you can use a wooden spoon, it’ll just take a bit longer. Mixer is not required here!)2 large eggs, 3 oz aged Havarti cheese
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This will help to get the egg absorbed into the dough quicker.
- Stir in the grated cheese.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, drop about 1-inch dough two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash.
- Using a pastry brush, brush a thin layer of egg wash on each cheese puff dough.
- Bake the cheese puffs for about 20 minutes, one baking sheet at a time. The pastry shells should be golden brown, crispy, and puffed up.
- Transfer the shells onto a cooling rack to cool completely. (If the puffs fall flat when you remove from oven, it means they are under-baked. Simply put it back into the oven and bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until they puff up again.
- It’s best to serves these cheese puffs warm, but you can make them ahead and simply warm them up in the oven for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Tips & Notes
Note 1: I love using smoked paprika. But regular paprika will also work.
Note 2: Use freshly grated, hard cheese like aged harvarti, parmesan, or aged cheddar. Creamy harvarti won’t work in this recipe.
Storing Tips:
– Store leftover cheese puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
– Fully cooked cheese puffs can be frozen for up to 3 months.
– Thaw frozen cheese puffs, and warm them in the oven, or enjoy cold.
– Store leftover cheese puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
– Fully cooked cheese puffs can be frozen for up to 3 months.
– Thaw frozen cheese puffs, and warm them in the oven, or enjoy cold.
Nutrition
Servings: 1 cheese puff
Calories: 70kcal
Carbohydrates: 5g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 4g
Sugar: 0.04g
Sodium: 72mg
Did you make this?Share a comment or a review below!
Do you think Stilton would work in this recipe
Hi, Sue! If it was me, I probably wouldn’t like it. Even though I like blue cheese, I think sharp cheddar, aged havarti, or asiago would be best.
These look so tasty! Thanks so much for sharing your yummy recipe on the Monday Funday Party!
Thanks, Pauline!
Those look absolutely delicious, I’m going to have to try them.
Just dropping in from Creative Ways Link Party.
Have a great day, Kelly.
Thanks, Kelly!
I am popping in from the link-up and just wanted to say that your blog is beautiful. Not sure why, but I have always been scared of pâte à choux. This seems like a great tutorial!
Aww, thanks so much, Suzanne! No need to be scared of pâte à choux, it’s very easy and super versatile dough. You’ll love it.
Savory baked goods are ALWAYS a good idea! Pinning!
Yay, thanks for pinning, Jessy! 🙂
These look like the perfect appetizer! I love how light and airy they look, gorgeous
Thanks, Carmella!
Oh I’ve been waiting for this recipe because I love havarti! You said you were going to post this, yay and thank you!!! Gorgeous cheese puffs, Shinee. This is real party food!!!
Thanks so much, Allie! Hope you try them soon.
I might have to throw a party just so I can make these 😉
No party is required, Liz! It’s just you’ll end up eating them by yourself! 🙂
I lvoe that you compared this to eclairs–it made me so want this savory version. Although anything with Havarti was already a winner in my book 🙂
Hope you’ll give this a try, Kristen! They’re so very good!
I bet these would be awesome with Gruyere! I have never made a pâte à choux before, but I think Im going to have to try.
Gruyere would great too, Julie! I’m going to try that next. Definitely try making pâte à choux. It’s so easy and versatile dough! Thanks for stopping by!