I’m showing you how to make gougères — classic French cheese puffs — for a simple, impressive appetizer any time of year. Thanks to the Ohio Egg and Poultry Association for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
A classic French pastry dough called pâte à choux is the base for these gougères. The process reminded me of making homemade playdough: butter, milk and water are brought to a boil, flour is stirred in until a smooth dough forms, then the mixture is cooled briefly before adding eggs one at a time. The final dough is easy to pipe or scoop and puffs beautifully in the oven. I used this same dough in a sweet version for cream puffs years ago, so I wanted to share a savory variation as well.
This recipe uses a good number of eggs: four go into the choux dough, and in the photos I filled the puffs with an egg salad made from six hard‑boiled eggs. For that egg salad I added chopped red and green peppers, fresh dill, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. The red and green peppers make a festive holiday filling, but these gougères are delicious all year long with many different fillings.
What to fill Gougeres with:
Gougères are versatile — here are some delicious filling ideas in addition to egg salad:
- Chicken salad
- Ham salad
- Cream cheese with smoked salmon and fresh dill
- Paté
- Pimento cheese
Facts about Ohio eggs
- Eggs are an essential ingredient for holiday cooking and baking — and great year-round. They add moisture, color, flavor and nutrition to recipes.
- More eggs are consumed during the winter holiday season than at any other time of year.
- Start holiday mornings with eggs. One large egg provides about 6 grams of high-quality protein to help you feel fuller longer.
- One large egg contains 13 essential vitamins and minerals. Eggs offer high-quality protein, unsaturated fats and zero carbs or sugars for about 70 calories.
- Eggs are a natural source of vitamin D.
- Ohio is a major egg-producing state. Ohio ranks No. 2 in the nation for egg farming, producing roughly 9 billion eggs a year, so there’s a good chance your baking eggs came from an Ohio farm.
- Ohio egg farmers provide healthy, safe and affordable eggs year‑round while working to protect the environment for future generations.
Kitchen tips for making gougères
- Use a heavy-bottomed, nonstick saucepan to heat the butter, milk and water and to stir in the flour for even cooking and easy cleanup.
- A medium cookie scoop or piping bag makes portioning the dough onto baking sheets quick and uniform.
- Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper to prevent sticking and help the puffs release easily.
Thank you for reading and supporting Foodtastic Mom. Be sure to pin or print this recipe!
Gougeres – Classic French Cheese Puffs
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 6 oz Gruyère cheese grated
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
-
In a medium saucepan, combine butter, milk, water, salt and pepper. Heat over medium-high until the mixture comes to a boil.
-
Add the flour, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir with a heatproof spatula until a smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes.
-
Transfer the cooked dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until steam subsides, about 2 minutes.
-
With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
-
Fold in the grated cheese until evenly distributed.
-
Use a medium cookie scoop or piping bag to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. You should have about 12 gougères per sheet.
-
Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Rotate pans and continue baking another 10 minutes, until the puffs are risen and firm to the touch.
-
Allow to cool completely before removing the tops and filling with egg salad or your preferred filling.
Nutrition
|
Carbohydrates: 10g
|
Protein: 6g
|
Fat: 14g
