Gougères Recipe

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

Step 2

Place the butter, milk, water, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add all of the flour at once, reduce heat to medium-low and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and appears to dry out (a film or “crust” will develop on the sides and bottom of the pan), another 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 3

Immediately place the dough into a mixing bowl and beat on low until it stops steaming and is just warm to the touch, approximately 1 minute.

Step 4

Increase mixer speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each until fully incorporated and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the cheese and mix until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. The final dough will appear smooth, creamy, and shiny.

Step 5

Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large round piping tip (I recommend Ateco #809), and pipe 1-2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared sheets. Alternately, use a medium cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. You can wet your hands and gently smooth out the scoops, if you’d like.

Step 6

Bake for 10 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue to bake until puffed and golden brown, an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature.