If you’re looking to try your hand at different kinds of pastry, gougeres are a great place to start. They’re made with pate a choux — which is also used to make cream puffs, eclairs and chouquettes — but instead of adding sweet ingredients, you use savory cheese. Don’t let the name pate a choux intimidate you, it’s an easy dough to work with. So long as you know how to beat eggs, you can make pate a choux.

This gougere recipe uses sharp cheddar cheese. But feel free to substitute for your favorite. Make gougeres anytime you’re in need of a fun appetizer or if you just feel like eating your cheese in pastry dough — which for us is almost always.

Get the Cheddar Gougères recipe

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Get more cheddar recipes.

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  • Grilled Cheese

    “Grilled cheese.” — <a href=”http://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/137l68/i_just_bought_cheddar_for_the_first_time_i_have/c7207s3″>Novakaine</a>

    Gospel. We couldn’t agree more. <strong><a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/grilled-cheese-recipes_n_1785201.html”>Check out our favorite grilled cheese recipes.</a></strong>

  • Broccoli + Cheddar = Delicious

    “Steam broccoli and have it as a butter based chedder sauce.” — <a href=”http://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/137l68/i_just_bought_cheddar_for_the_first_time_i_have/c71oaqc”>Zenu01</a>

    <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/heymikiheymiki/6291335309/sizes/z/in/photostream/”>miki’s kitchen</a></em>

  • Cheddar Biscuits

    “Cheddar biscuits?” — <a href=”http://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/137l68/i_just_bought_cheddar_for_the_first_time_i_have/c71njr3″>Aevum1</a>

    <strong>Get Gail Simmons’ <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/bacon-chive–cheddar-bi_n_1059649.html”>Cheddar Biscuits recipe</a> here.</strong>

  • Nachos

    “Nachos!!!!!!!!!” — 88leo

    Yep. Totally. Get 88leo’s awesome <a href=”http://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/137l68/i_just_bought_cheddar_for_the_first_time_i_have/c71lpej”>nacho instructions</a> here.

    <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/kittykaht/7343579968/sizes/z/in/photostream/”>KittyKaht</a></em>

  • Macaroni And Cheese

    “If its not really expensive aged cheddar, my favorite way to eat it is in a classic macaroni and cheese.” — BZWingZero

    You can get <a href=”http://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/137l68/i_just_bought_cheddar_for_the_first_time_i_have/c71li0f”>BZWingZero’s mac and cheese recipe</a> on Reddit.

    <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/gail_thepinkpeppercorn/4651298707/”>thepinkpeppercorn</a></em>

  • Creamy Coarse Grits With Fresh Corn And Farmhouse Cheddar

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/creamy-coarse-grits-with-_n_2141633.html”>Creamy Coarse Grits with Fresh Corn and Farmhouse Cheddar</a> recipe</strong>

  • Potato Skins

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/potato_skins/”>Potato Skins recipe from Simply Recipes</a></strong>

  • Cheddar And Roasted Red Pepper Spread

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/cheddar-and-roasted-red-p_n_1057141.html”>Cheddar and Roasted Red Pepper Spread</a> recipe</strong>

  • Cheddar BLT Burgers With Tarragon Russian Dressing

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/cheddar-blt-burgers-with-_n_1058280.html”>Cheddar BLT Burgers with Tarragon Russian Dressing</a> recipe</strong>

  • Macheesmo Mud

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.macheesmo.com/2009/09/macheesmo-mud/”>Macheesmo Mud recipe from Macheesmo</a></strong>

    We like to call this queso, but we’re not going to argue with someone who makes it as well as Macheesmo does.

  • Cheddar Gougères

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/cheddar-goug232res_n_1060862.html”>Cheddar Gougères</a> recipe</strong>

  • Eggs En Cocotte (Baked Eggs In Ramekins)

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/eggs-en-cocotte-baked-eg_n_1057500.html”>Eggs en Cocotte</a> recipe</strong>

  • Whiskey-Cheese Fondue

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/whiskey-cheese-fondue_n_1058790.html”>Whiskey-Cheese Fondue</a> recipe</strong>

  • Pimento Cheese & Bacon Crostini

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/pimento-cheese–bacon-cr_n_1058614.html”>Pimento Cheese & Bacon Crostini</a> recipe</strong>

  • Spicy Cheddar Shortbread

    <strong>Get the <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/23/spicy-cheddar-shortbread_n_1540998.html”>Spicy Cheddar Shortbread</a> recipe</strong>

  • Or, Our Favorite…

    … just shove it directly into your face.

    <em>via <a href=”http://mousefounded.tumblr.com/post/4158569950″>It Was All Started By A Mouse</a></em>

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