Gougères Recipe

This Gougères recipe transforms a simple choux pastry into light, airy cheese puffs topped with Comté, Gruyère, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The exterior becomes crisp and deeply golden in the oven, while the egg-rich centre remains tender and hollow.

The Inspiration

Gougères are traditional French savoury pastries made from pâte à choux, the same versatile dough used to prepare cream puffs and éclairs. Instead of becoming a sweet dessert, the dough is paired with finely grated cheese to create a rich and savoury pastry.

This Gougères recipe comes directly from Martha: The Cookbook and is featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3 with host Shahir Massoud. The recipe uses three distinctive cheeses to give the golden puffs greater depth and complexity.

Unlike doughs that rely on yeast, baking powder, or baking soda, choux pastry receives its dramatic lift from eggs and steam. Moisture inside the batter turns to steam in the hot oven, expanding the puffs and creating their signature hollow centres.

Ingredients

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
½ tsp kosher salt
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
8 large eggs, plus 1 white for egg wash
2 ½ ounces Comte cheese, finely grated (3/4 cup)
2 ½ ounces Gruyere cheese, finely grated (3/4 cup)
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (1/2 cup)

Method

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line three rimmed baking sheets with parchment.
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water, the butter, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan, 2 to 4 minutes. Let it cool for 2 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until the batter comes together. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe the batter onto the prepared sheets into desired mounds, about 1 inch apart.
Mix the three grated cheeses in a small bowl. Brush the tops of the puffs with the egg white and then sprinkle them with grated cheese. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F and bake until the puffs are golden brown inside, 20 to 30 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Gougères warm from the oven as an elegant appetizer or cocktail snack. Arrange them in a cloth-lined basket or pile them onto a large serving platter so guests can easily help themselves.

Their rich combination of Comté, Gruyère, and Parmigiano-Reggiano pairs naturally with sparkling water, wine, or celebratory drinks. The savoury puffs can also be served before dinner alongside olives, toasted nuts, fresh fruit, or a simple vegetable platter.

For a light lunch, pair the Gougères with a green salad or bowl of vegetable soup. Their crisp exterior, airy centre, and deeply savoury cheese topping make them a satisfying alternative to conventional bread or dinner rolls.

Bring the pastries to the table as soon as possible after baking. Gougères are at their best while the cheese is fragrant, the exterior is crisp, and the interior remains warm and tender.

Final Thoughts

This Gougères recipe creates an irresistible French-inspired appetizer using water, butter, flour, eggs, and three exceptional cheeses. The choux pastry rises beautifully in the oven, producing golden puffs with delicate, hollow centres.

Featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3, the recipe allows host Shahir Massoud to prepare an elegant savoury pastry directly from Martha: The Cookbook. Comté and Gruyère provide buttery, nutty flavours, while Parmigiano-Reggiano adds a sharper, salty finish.

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