Description
Cheese Puffs are light, airy, and cheesy bite-sized treats made from choux pastry dough infused with Gruyère cheese. This classic French-inspired snack features a crisp golden exterior and a soft, flavorful interior, perfect for parties, appetizers, or a savory snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Puffs
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper (optional)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Gruyère, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking the cheese puffs.
- Make Dough: In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, kosher salt, granulated sugar, and white pepper if using. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Continue cooking and stirring until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball, and a thin film forms on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
- Cool and Add Eggs: Transfer the dough to a bowl and stir for about 1 minute to slightly cool it. Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Mix until the dough is thick but falls slowly when lifted with a spoon. Fold in the grated Gruyère cheese gently.
- Shape the Puffs: Transfer the dough to a piping bag or use a small cookie scoop (about 2 teaspoons) to form small, 1-inch wide mounds spaced about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Optionally, use a wet fingertip to smooth the tops of the dough mounds to eliminate pointed peaks. Sprinkle additional Gruyère cheese on top.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese puffs are puffed up and golden brown, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Gruyère for the best flavor and meltability.
- If you don’t have white pepper, black pepper can be substituted or omitted.
- To keep puffs crispy, serve immediately after baking as they might soften over time.
- These cheese puffs can be frozen after baking and reheated in the oven to restore crispness.
- Do not open the oven door during baking to prevent the puffs from collapsing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 puff (approx. 15g)
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 0.3g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0.1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
