Gluten Free Baked Cheese Puffs

These gluten free baked cheese puffs are one of my favorite snacks to make. They come out golden and crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy on the inside, and they disappear fast.

The recipe is based on a classic French technique called choux pastry, but made with gluten free flour. If you’ve never made choux dough before, don’t worry. It’s simpler than it sounds.

You basically cook the dough on the stove first, then mix in eggs and cheese before baking. The result is these light, airy puffs that are honestly hard to stop eating.

They’re perfect as a snack, a side dish, or even an appetizer if you have people coming over. And since they’re gluten free, everyone at the table can enjoy them.

Best of all, you don’t need any fancy or hard to find ingredients. Just basic pantry staples, eggs, butter, and good sharp cheddar cheese.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Crispy Outside and Soft Inside – These puffs bake up with a perfectly golden crust and a soft cheesy center that melts in your mouth.

You Would Never Guess They Are Gluten Free – The texture is so light and airy that nobody will believe these are made with gluten free flour.

Packed With Real Cheese Flavor – Sharp cheddar and parmesan together create a rich savory taste that makes these puffs seriously addictive.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Water
• 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Finely Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt, and garlic powder. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so the butter melts evenly.

Step 3

Remove the pan from the heat and add the gluten free flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball of dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan. Return the pan to medium-low heat and stir for 1 minute to cook the dough slightly and dry it out.

Step 4

Transfer the dough to a large bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes, stirring it a few times to release steam. Add the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy before adding the next.

Step 5

The final dough should be thick but pipeable, falling off the spoon in a thick ribbon.

Step 6

Fold in the shredded cheddar, grated parmesan, and smoked paprika until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 7

Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. You can also use a piping bag fitted with a large round tip to pipe neat mounds. Wet your fingertip and gently smooth any peaks on top.

Step 8

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the puffs are deeply golden brown and feel light when you pick one up. Do not open the oven during the first 20 minutes or they may collapse.

Step 9

Serve warm while the cheese is still melty and the outside is perfectly crispy.

My Tips

Cool the Dough Before Adding Eggs

That 5-minute cooling step after you transfer the dough to the bowl is really important. If the dough is too hot when you add the eggs, they’ll start to cook on contact and you’ll get little scrambled bits mixed into your dough.

Stir it a few times during those 5 minutes to let the steam escape. The bowl should feel warm but not hot to the touch before you crack in the first egg.

Add the Eggs One at a Time and Be Patient

After each egg goes in, the dough will look like a slimy, broken mess. That’s completely normal. Just keep stirring hard with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula and it will come back together into a smooth, glossy dough.

Don’t add the next egg until the previous one is fully worked in. Rushing this step means the eggs won’t absorb properly and the dough won’t hold enough air to puff up in the oven.

The finished dough should be thick and shiny. When you lift your spoon, it should fall off in a slow, heavy ribbon rather than plopping off in a clump or running off like a liquid.

Shred Your Own Cheese

Pre-shredded cheese from a bag is coated in anti-caking starch that prevents it from melting smoothly. For these puffs, you want the cheese to blend right into the dough so every bite is cheesy.

Buy a block of sharp cheddar and shred it yourself on the fine side of a box grater. It only takes a minute and the difference in how it melts and distributes through the dough is huge.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Brazilian Cheese Bread
• Gluten Free Cheddar Cheese Crackers
• Gluten Free Cream Puffs
• Gluten Free Crunchy Cheese Crisps
• Gluten Free Popovers

FAQ

Can I use a different gluten free flour instead of 1-to-1 baking flour?

A gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour is really important here because it already contains xanthan gum, which helps the dough hold together and puff up properly. If you use a plain gluten free flour blend without xanthan gum, the puffs may not hold their shape and could end up flat or crumbly.

If your blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, try adding about half a teaspoon to the recipe. That said, a 1-to-1 blend gives the most reliable results, so it’s worth picking one up if you can.