A person selecting a gougere from a platter.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Pâte à choux is a cornerstone of French pastry and one of the French “mother doughs” used to make a wide range of pastries, including gougères, éclairs, and profiteroles. It can be boiled, baked, and fried, so if you like it, be sure to explore the many variations and applications of this versatile dough. Gougères are delightfully airy cheese puffs that are often served warm as an appetizer. I like to find the most shockingly orange and deliciously sharp cheddar to use here. The best part about gougères is that the dough freezes incredibly well, so you can have these at the ready to bake off for a tasty happy hour snack whenever you want. They pair especially well with a sparkling rosé or pét-nat.

Resist the urge to open the oven door (seriously) while these bake. These puffs have a delicate bake that revolves around the steam you trap while making the stovetop paste that then is released during baking, giving these their signature rise and airy center. Open the oven door or rotate your baking sheets too early and you’ll risk having sunken choux.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Yield
Makes about 60

Ingredients

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

¾ cup whole milk

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour

5 large eggs

1 large egg, separated

3 scallions, thinly sliced

8 oz. sharp yellow cheddar, grated, divided

2 Tbsp. finely chopped dill

1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Step 1
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°. Heat ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, ¾ cup whole milk, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¾ cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-high, whisking occasionally to prevent scorching, until butter is melted and mixture is boiling (it should bubble vigorously, but watch it closely so it doesn’t boil over). Immediately remove pan from heat and add 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour all at once. Whisk until incorporated and a paste forms. Return to medium-high heat and cook, mixing vigorously with a wooden spoon, until dough is the consistency of smooth mashed potatoes, about 30 seconds. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until dough starts to dry out, creates a film on bottom of pot, and releases a lot of steam, about 3 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low and add 5 large eggs one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in 1 large egg white. Increase speed to medium and beat until dough holds medium-soft peaks when you lift paddle out of dough, 8–10 minutes. (The dough should be at or just above room temperature and texture should be visibly voluptuous, glossy, and very smooth. When you pinch a bit between your thumb and index finger, you should be able to bring your fingers apart and have the dough stay connected by a thread.)
Step 3
Using a rubber spatula, fold 3 scallions, thinly sliced, 4 oz. sharp yellow cheddar, grated, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped dill, 1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard, and ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper into dough.
Step 4
Beat 1 large egg yolk and 1 tsp. water in a small bowl to blend; set egg wash aside.
Step 5
Scrape dough into a pastry bag fitted with a round ½" tip or a plastic bag with 1 corner cut on a diagonal to make a ½" opening. Pipe 1"-diameter rounds (about the size of a heaping tablespoon) between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1" apart. (Piping rows of 5 down short sides and 6 across the long sides works well.) Brush tops with reserved egg wash and sprinkle remaining 4 oz. sharp yellow cheddar, grated, over.
Step 6
Bake gougères 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not open oven) and bake 15 minutes. Rotate baking sheets top to bottom and front to back, then continue to bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 5–7 minutes more. Serve warm or let cool.
Do ahead: Gougères can be piped 1 week ahead. Freeze on baking sheets until solid, then transfer to resealable plastic bags and freeze. Brush with egg wash and top with cheese just before baking. Bake from frozen, adding about 3 minutes to final bake time. Gougères can be baked 2 days ahead. Let cool, then store airtight at room temperature, or freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in a 250° oven until warm to the touch, about 5 minutes, or 8 minutes if frozen.