Cheddar Cheese Puffs Recipe (2024)

For a quicker version that is less work, skip the steps 2 of adding one egg at a time and just
1. put the hot dough in a food processor;
2. add all four eggs at one time along with the seasonings and
3. pulse several times a few seconds per pulse and the dough is done. No arm and shoulder workout with wooden spoon. I even saw Julia Child do this in her later years.

Can this be made with milk instead of water for a richer dough or would it be too much?

I made (24 of) these in a mini muffin tin -- they were lofty, light and delicious. Served them with co*cktails at a dinner party.

I did not make the dough ahead of time, but I did find that the baked puffs re-heated beautifully. I gave them 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

the uncooked puffs freeze beautifully. Freeze first on cookie sheet or toaster oven sheet, and then put in plastic freezer bag when frozen.

Ahh, my auntie's cheese pennies from the seventies too - similar recipe, even less work.
Omit the water(milk)and eggs. Mix remainder in food processor, don't overdo it) make a 1" - 1/4"roll, wrap in waxed paper, refrigerate. To serve slice 1/4" thick and bake on ungreased sheet for 12-15 mins at 425.
Still popular at co*cktail parties. ; >)

Traditionally they would be made with milk. I would personally use whole milk and bring it to a low simmer, rather than a boil.

Used IPA instead of water per someone's recommendation. The beer taste disappeared and what was left was just delicious - light, fine flavor, a bit moist in the middle and some nice crispiness where it hit the pan. The perfect way to stave off hunger while the chef fiddles. Froze half the batch, haven't tried them but am not in the least concerned. You will be surprised at how much bigger these get when they bake.

This the same recipe I use for cheese straws - famous in the South forever! Just use a pastry tube to squeeze out 3 or 4 inch "straws" and only bake about 15 minutes. So good!

To make this ahead, is it best to make the dough, pipe on to a pan and freeze uncooked, or cook them and reheat them? Thanks!

Notes from Readers:I also added bacon to the puffs.....OMG good!Quicker version less work, skip adding one egg at a time, justput the hot dough in food processor; add eggs along wSeasonings; pulse several times and dough is done. Less workout.-made 24 in mini muffin tin: lofty, light, delicious. uncooked puffs freeze beautifully. Freeze individ then into freezer bagBefore baking, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese; truly adds depth of flavor. These can be frozen and reheated when needed.

Can you prepare them earlier in the day and keep in the fridge until it's time to bake them?

Super easy, huge crowd-pleaser. Still equally as tasty when cooled and deflated!

Much too greasy for my taste. With leftover batter the next day, I tried adding flour and a little baking soda to make them rise, but to no avail. I had added sauteed shallots and chicken sausage, crumbled, which made them tastier.

We make these every year. This time we took the advice of other to use food processor to incorporate dough with eggs, cheese and cayenne. Easy peasy. They came out MUCH fluffier and airy then usual. More like little souffles. Maybe that is how they were always supposed to be. But, they weren't as cheesy. Not sure why. These puffs are an annual favorite!

These are awesome! I make them all the time. I highly recommend the advice of Michael to use mini-muffin trays (be sure to use cooking spray first).

I’m confused about adding the eggs to a warm mixture. Won’t they cook? I would usually take a small amount of the hot stuff allowing it to cool a bit and add a beaten egg one at a time, or is having the eggs at room temperature the trick?

Made these twice and each time they came out flat. What could I be doing to cause this?

This is a fabulous recipe, one that I've made countless times. I don't change anything except for the use of 24 cup mini-muffin pan, that has been mentioned by others, which produces perfect results. I did notice the bacon suggestion, however, and that's definitely on the list for next time!

We ate the whole batch in two days- it was wonderful with drinks and football games

My family has made a version of these my whole life. Only thing left out is the eggs so they are probably a little less 'puffy'. We stuff them with a co*cktail onion (or sometimes olive) and actually roll them by hand into a ball - hence our name for them - "Cheese Balls". You They are delicious!

I made these with an IPA instead of water and doubled the cayenne. Could have gone with less butter than the recipe called for, and a little less salt, too (and I like salt). I used mini muffin tins, greased with (gasp!) Crisco and a mini greased ice cream scoop. They came out of the pan with just a bit of urging from a knife’s edge. Check your puffs at 22 minutes - they may be ready to come out. I would love to come up with some kind of filling to pipe inside.

For a quicker version that is less work, skip the steps 2 of adding one egg at a time and just1. put the hot dough in a food processor;2. add all four eggs at one time along with the seasonings and3. pulse several times a few seconds per pulse and the dough is done. No arm and shoulder workout with wooden spoon. I even saw Julia Child do this in her later years.

This was the perfect side to bring to a dinner party-so easy to snack on! I subbed whole milk for water, added in dill and chives from the garden when I mixed in the cheese, and toped with some sprinkled hard cheeses that I had lying around before baking. They turned out amazingly. Would definitely recommend adding the herbs.

Can these be made a day ahead and reheated??? Thank you.

Mine are not very crisp, also have a more domed shape. Sort of like cream puffs before you scoop out the middle.

Turned out great! Was super easy for kids to make too!Added a good amount of chopped garlic, which added to the flavor.Easy recipe to build on. Going to try jalapeños or black pepper next time.

Others have suggested putting the initial mix in a food processor to beat in the eggs, as less work.Go back, it's a trap!It makes a sticky mess which involves at least as much time and effort in scraping out the nooks and crannies as beating it by hand. More time and effort, I'd say. But then the experiment brought out the Luddite in me. (I had made it once, by hand, but thought I'd try Modern Life. Nope, not for me.)