Make about 24 Cheddar Cheese Puffs
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup grated sharp cheese (cheddar, gruyere, etc.)
- 2 tsp freshly picked thyme leaves
- 2 tsp freshly coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste
Preparation:
Combine the water, butter, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add in the flour, stirring briskly with a spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth, thick dough ball and pulls away from the edge of the saucepan.Transfer the dough into an electric mixer (or into a bowl if using an electric hand mixer) and mix in the eggs with the whisk attachment, one at a time. As soon as one egg is fully incorporated, add the next and continue mixing until you have a smooth, firm dough.
Fold in the cheese (but, save a couple tablespoons for the tops), thyme, and black pepper; blend thoroughly. Drop large, rounded tablespoons of the dough on to a silicon mat-lined baking sheet (or use a non-stick vegetable oil spray). Don't crowd the cheese puffs – I usually place 12 on a pan and use two pans for a batch.
Sprinkle the tops with the reserved cheese. Bake in a preheated 425 degree F. oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on the exact size, or until fully puffed and nicely browned. Serve the cheese puffs hot, warm, or room temperature.
