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5 from 2 votes

French Gougeres

These French Gougeres are so light and delicious. They're made with beer, which gives it a delicious flavor, and cheddar cheese. Inspired by French chef, Alain Ducasse, you won't be able to eat just one!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snacks
Cuisine: American, French
Diet: Low Calorie
Servings: 24
Cost: $3

Equipment

  • 2 Baking Sheets

Ingredients

Gourgeres:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup +3 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 cup beer I used a saison and pilsner
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher
  • 5 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 cup finely shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
  • Freshly ground pepper

Egg wash:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • Pinch kosher salt

Instructions

To Make the Gougeres:

  • Preheat the oven for 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, beer and salt and bring to a slight boil. Once the mixture reaches the boil, immediately turn the heat off and pour in the flour; vigorously stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Continue mixing until the dough dries out and pulls away from the pan, about 2 minutes.
  • Transfer the dough into a bowl, allowing it to cool, slightly, for 2 minutes. In a small bowl, crack in one egg, being sure to remove any shells that might have fallen in.
  • Pour the egg into the dough and mix---at first, the dough may seem too wet for the egg to incorporate, just keep going---it'll eventually come together. Repeat with the remaining 4 eggs. The dough should appear shiny, smooth and should fall back on itself, creating ribbons when you lift the wooden spoon. Lastly, stir in the finely grated cheese.
  • You have two options here: In the past, I've always transferred the dough to a piping bag fitted with 1/2-inch tip and piped out tablespoon-size mounds onto the baking sheet, spacing them about 1-inch apart.
  • On this particular day I wanted to go an easier route and used a 2-inch ice cream scooper, spacing the mounds of dough about 1-inch apart. (Some of the mounds were less than perfect so I used my finger to make the tops to look a bit more perfect.)
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the egg wash ingredients: large egg, milk and salt. Lightly brush the tops of each gougeres with the egg wash and then sprinkle each one with a dash of freshly ground pepper.

To Bake the Gougeres:

  • Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Decrease the oven's heat to 350 degrees F and open the oven so it sits ajar; bake for an additional 10 minutes. (This step will help dry out the gougeres a bit.) Another note: if your gougeres are bigger in size than mine, you may need to bake them for more time. Serve warm.

Notes

Tips and Tricks:
  • Beer Tip. I love these with beer and cheese. It feels very aprés season or something lol. I used a Saison is a Belgium farmhouse ales that are usually made with coriander and orange peel.
  • Leave out the beer. Replace the amount of beer below with water, if you'd like!

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.5mg