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    Home » Recipes » Starters

    Cheese Puffs - Gougères Bourguignonne

    Published: May 22, 2018 · Modified: Aug 19, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Recipe Jump to Video
    Cheese Gougère Bourguignonne pin
    Cheese Gougère Bourguignonne pin
    Cheese Gougère Bourguignonne pin

    These cheese puffs, Gougères Bourguignonne, are made with a savory choux pastry where sugar is replaced by gruyere cheese. They are crispy on the top and soft and hollow inside. They can be served plain or stuffed with a creamy filling. These savory choux buns are perfect for a buffet table because they can be baked ahead of time and served at room temperature.

    cheese puff Gougères Bourguignonne on a tray and one hand holding one
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Top tips
    • Variation
    • 📋 Cheese Puff Gougères Bourguignonne
    • Origin of this recipe

    Choux pastry is the same dough used to make the eclairs, where sugar is substituted by cheese to make this savory version.

    Making choux pastry can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. You will find a step-by-step video on how to make it in the recipe card. Read the notes for best practice.

    Once the choux pastry is done, it is mixed with gruyere cheese shredded and piped into small buns sprinkled with some more cheese on top and baked.

    These cheese puffs are nice and soft, and you can fill them with a mix of cream cheese and herbs, but I prefer to keep them simple and serve them as they are.

    For more french appetizers, you can read Rissole à la Dauphine, Bouchée à la Rein or Parisian gnocchi, which are gnocchi made with choux pastry.

    cheese puffs served on a tray

    Ingredients

    These are the ingredients you need to make the choux pastry for the dough.

    Ingredients to make cheese choux pastry
    • Freshwater: you can use only fresh water or half water and half milk. Water will make them crispier
    • Butter
    • Flour
    • Eggs: the number of eggs to add to the choux dough is not based on an exact number of eggs. The eggs are beaten and then added gradually until the dough reaches the right consistency. You may have some egg mixture left over.
    • Grated gruyere cheese
    • Nutmeg
    • Salt

    Instructions

    Making the choux pastry

    A common problem when making choux pastry is that the dough is too runny and will not rise when cooking. Make sure you follow those points, and your choux will come out perfect:

    melt butter with water

    Bring to boil butter and water seasoned with salt and nutmeg

    add flour

    As soon as it boils, add the flour

    Mix with a whisk

    Keep stirring with a whisk until the dough becomes smooth

    Mix with a wooden spoon on the heat

    Once the dough is smooth, return to heat and stir with a wooden spoon until it dries.

    The dough forming a ball

    Stir until the dough forms a ball and separates from the pan

    the choux dough on a glass bowl to cool down

    Remove from the fire, transfer the dough into a bowl, and let it cool down so the eggs will not cook when added

    Mixing the eggs

    Beat the three eggs in a separate bowl

    Adding the eggs gradually

    Add the eggs gradually, stirring each time until combined

    Stirring each time to amalgamate the eggs

    Make sure they are combined before adding more beaten eggs

    Adding more eggs

    Always add a small amount each time

    Hint: the choux dough has to reach the right consistency based on the weight of the eggs, not the number of eggs. It may not need all the beaten eggs. If you add too much egg mixture, the consistency will be too runny, and the dough will not keep its shape when cooked.

    How to check that the choux dough is the right consistency

    making a line to check if the dough is ready

    Create a line with your finger, and the dough will slowly close back on itself

    adding cheese to the choux dough

    Add the grated gruyere cheese to the dough and mix well

    Preparing the piping bag

    It is essential to properly prepare the piping bag and hold it with one hand, as you will need the other hand to cut the gnocchi.

    Place the dough into a piping bag with a large nozzle to make the gnocchi. If you do not have a large nozzle, use the piping bag without a nozzle.

    open the piping bag next to the dough bowl

    Place the piping bag inside a bowl to keep it straight, rolling the bag to keep it open

    Filling ht e dough inside the piping bag with a spatula

    Fill the dough into the pastry bag

    Lifting the edges of the piping bag

    Once all the dough is inside, lift the edges of the bag

    pushing the dough with a wooden spoon

    Lay the bag flat on the table, and with a spatula, push the dough toward the nozzle

    Twisting the end of the piping bag

    Twist the end of the bag

    Folding the end of the twisted piping bag

    Fold it on itself

    You can hold the piping bag with one hand while the other is free

    Holding the piping bag with one hand

    Piping and baking

    Cover a baking tin with parchment paper

    Cover a large baking tin with parchment paper

    Piping the choux buns

    Pipe the choux buns leaving 2 in - 5 cm on each side

    Hint: leave enough space between the choux as they will rise while cooking

    Wetting a fork in water

    Wet a fork in warm water

    Smoothing down the peaks with the fork

    With the wet fork, smooth down the peaks of the piped choux

    Topping the choux with cheese

    Sprinkle the choux buns with some grated Gruyere cheese

    The buns are ready to be baked

    Bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes at 355 F - 180 C

    Hint: do not open the oven while they are cooking

    Baked cheese Gougère Bourguignonne

    Once they are ready, let them cool down in the oven with the door open

    cheese Gougère Bourguignonne served on a tray

    Serve at room temperature

    Equipment

    As this recipe is quite complex, ensure you have all the right equipment before you start.

    • A saucepan to make the choux pastry and to boil the gnocchi
    • A whisk and wooden spoon to stir the pastry
    • Piping bag with a large nozzle (you can also use the piping bag without a nozzle)
    Piping bag you need to buy

    Top tips

    • Once you add the flour to the butter, keep stirring over the heat until the dough detaches from the pan. It has to be dry and form a ball
    • The choux pastry has to have the exact right consistency and since eggs can be of different sizes, it is impossible to measure eggs by the number of eggs.
    • Mix the eggs but add them gradually and once the consistency is right, stop adding them
    • To make sure the consistency is right when you pipe them, they should remain high and not collapse
    • Do not open the oven while they are cooking
    a cheese Gougère Bourguignonne hold with two fingers

    Variation

    You can serve these Gougères Bourguignonne plain, although as they are hollow inside you can add a filling.

    You can either fill them with cream cheese mixed with herbs or with this Ham Spread Terrine With Cognac for a fancy dinner.

    Opened cheese puff Gougère Bourguignonne to see the hollow center

    If you are making these Cheese Puff Gougères Bourguignonne leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.

    📋 Cheese Puff Gougères Bourguignonne

    4.50 from 4 votes
    Laura Tobin
    Servings 40 buns
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe
    Cheese puff Gougères Bourguignonne are puff pastries where sugar is replaced by cheese and milk by water. They are perfect for a buffet table because they can be served at room temperature and can be done the day before.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Wooden Turner Set
    • Measuring mugs
    • Egg separator
    • Cotton pastry piping bag
    • Silicone Basting Brush
    • All-clad small pot
    • Parchment paper

    Ingredients
     

    • ½ cup butter
    • 1 cup fresh water
    • 1 cup flour
    • ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese
    • 3 to 4 fresh eggs
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    Making the choux pastry

    • Bring to boil butter and water
      ½ cup butter, 1 cup fresh water
    • Remove from the fire
    • Gradually add sifted flour and the salt
      1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt
    • Once the dough is smooth return to heat until it dries
    • Keep stirring until the dough forms a ball and separates from the pan
    • Remove from the fire  and let it cool down so the eggs will not cook when added
    • Beat 3 eggs
      3 to 4 fresh eggs
    • Add the eggs gradually stirring each time until combined

    How to check that the choux dough is the right consistency

    • Add the eggs until the dough drops off the spoon when shaken. Keep the remaining egg mixture for later.
    • Add the grated cheese
      ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese

    Preparing the piping bag

    • Fill the dough into a piping bag

    Piping

    • Cover a large baking tin with parchment paper
    • Pipe the choux buns leaving 2 in -5 cm on each side
    • Wet a fork in warm water and smooth down the peaks of the piped choux
    • Sprinkle the choux buns with some grated Gruyere cheese

    Baking

    • Bake for 20 minutes at 390 F - 200 C. Do not open the oven
    • Once they are ready, let them cool down in the oven with the door open

    Serve

    • They can be served plain or stuffed with a creamy filling

    Video

    Notes

    A very common problem when making choux pastry is that the dough is too runny and will not rise when cooking. Make sure you follow those points and you choux will come out perfect:
    • once you add the flour to the butter keep stirring over the heat until the dough detaches from the pan. It has to be dry and form a ball
    • The choux pastry has to have the exact right consistency and since eggs can be of different sizes that it is not possible to measure egg by the number of eggs. Mix 3 eggs but add them gradually and once the consistency is right, stop adding them
    • To make sure the consistency is right when you pipe them, they should remain high and not collapse
    • Do not open the oven while they are cooking
    • Since the dough requires a lot of stirring I recommend those wooden spoons with easy handles

    Nutrition

    Calories: 38kcalCarbohydrates: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 84mgPotassium: 4mgVitamin A: 85IUCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!
    important notes on ingredients

    Origin of this recipe

    I took this recipe from Auguste Escoffier's famous book Le Guide Culinaire. Auguste Escoffier is defined as the chef of the royal and the royal of the chefs.

    Born in 1845 here in Villeneuve Loubet, he revolutionized French cuisine during his 60 years of career. From the Savoy, Riz, and Carlton in London, Paris, and Monaco, he modernized and simplified French Haut cuisine. His book Le Guide Culinaire is still a reference for chefs worldwide.

    Originally the Gougere Bourgignonne is a choux pastry mixed with cheese and shaped like a crown, but to make it easier to serve, I made separate buns.

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    Comments

    1. Patty @pattysaveurs.com

      May 28, 2018 at 4:57 pm

      5 stars
      Mmmm I so love these gougères, savory cheese puffs, they're great to serve as appetizers when you entertain or just for the family. Even with all the stirring, they're quite quick to make!

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 28, 2018 at 5:42 pm

        Very true, and they are worth all the effort. Delicious!

        Reply
    2. Aleka Shunk

      May 28, 2018 at 10:16 pm

      5 stars
      I LOVE making choux dough! It looks more intimidating than it is! I have never tried a cheese dough but it is def on my 'to-cook' list!! I'll have to try this recipe!

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 29, 2018 at 8:17 am

        Yes, me too. I found it relaxing. Even more eating them after LOL

        Reply
    3. Brian Jones

      May 29, 2018 at 9:40 am

      5 stars
      Give me savoury over sweet and single day of the week, these sound amazing... Choux pastry is always a real treat, even from a pastry-phobe like me.

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 29, 2018 at 12:30 pm

        Ah, ah, ah Brian. Same here, I am a savory especially if there is cheese involved

        Reply
    4.50 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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