Gruyere Cheese Fondue
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This cheese fondue is creamy, smooth, and by far the best! It’s classic melted gruyère cheese flavored with caramelized shallots, apple brandy, and warm spices. It’s an easy recipe that’s perfect for seasonal gatherings, and it’s ready in just 35 minutes!
The word fondue instantly takes me somewhere cozy—wool sweaters, rosy cheeks, a crackling fire, and snow falling outside. I’ve made this fondue more times than I can count, especially when I owned an underground restaurant, where guests would come back again and again, asking me to make this for them. After years of making it for packed tables and intimate gatherings alike, I can say with confidence: this version is the one people remember.
It starts with slowly caramelized shallots cooked in butter with just a touch of sugar and salt, which gives the fondue a deep, savory backbone. Gruyère melts in smoothly with white wine for balance, while apple brandy adds subtle notes of apple, caramel, and warmth. A pinch of nutmeg and cloves brings cozy spice, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper keeps everything grounded and savory. The result is silky, rich, and layered, with flavors that unfold as you dip.
Fondue has a way of slowing everyone down and pulling people together, which is why I love serving it during the holidays and throughout winter. It feels festive without being fussy, indulgent without being heavy, and endlessly memorable. If it’s your first time making fondue, don’t be intimidated—this is a recipe I’ve relied on for years, and it’s surprisingly forgiving. Once you make it, don’t be surprised if it becomes a tradition of your own.
What’s the best cheese for fondue?
The best types of cheeses for fondue are creamy and melt smoothly. Classic fondue cheeses include Gruyere, Emmental, and Gouda. Or try a combination of a few. Other types of cheese that taste delicious and melt well include fontina, Swiss, and Jarlsberg.
Tips for making the best cheese fondue
Making cheese fondue is easy, but you need to make sure it doesn’t split and turn lumpy. Here are some simple tricks for fondue that turns out perfectly smooth every time!
- Make sure to finely grate your cheese (using the fine holes of your grater). It will take more time, but this simple trick helps the cheese to melt quickly and evenly into the wine.
- Go slow and add only one handful of cheese at a time. After each addition, make sure it returns to a simmer before adding more.
- Don’t let the fondue come to a boil! A gentle simmer is what you want.
- Don’t be tempted to substitute the wine for stock unless absolutely necessary. The acidity in the wine helps to create a wonderfully smooth (and lump-free!) fondue.
Can I make cheese fondue ahead of time?
Technically, yes—but it’s much easier (and far more reliable) to prep components ahead and melt the cheese just before serving. Fully cooked fondue doesn’t reheat well and can become lumpy or split, so making it fresh at the end is the safest way to ensure a smooth, creamy result.
Here’s how to prep for a stress-free fondue party:
- Prepare the dippers in advance. Cube the bread, cook any sausages, and steam vegetables ahead of time. Reheat them gently in the oven or microwave just before serving.
- Caramelize the shallots and blend them with the wine. This can be done 3–4 days ahead and stored in a sealed jar in the fridge.
- Grate the cheese and toss it with the flour. This step can also be done 3–4 days in advance and kept refrigerated.
When you’re ready to serve, simply warm the wine mixture in a pot and gradually melt in the cheese. You’ll have perfectly smooth fondue with minimal last-minute effort.
How do I make cheese fondue without alcohol?
Wine plays two important roles in cheese fondue. The acidity helps the cheese melt into a smooth, cohesive sauce, and the wine itself adds depth and flavor. Removing it is possible, but it will change the final result, so be intentional about your substitutions.
For a fully alcohol-free fondue, replace the wine with chicken or beef stock for flavor (vegetable stock tends to be too mild and can taste flat). To make up for the missing acidity, add a very small splash of lemon juice—start with about ⅛ teaspoon and adjust carefully, as lemon juice is quite strong. In this case, use cornstarch instead of flour to help keep the cheese smooth and stable.
If you’re aiming for a reduced-alcohol option rather than fully alcohol-free, you can simmer the wine before using it. Simmering wine for about 25 minutes reduces alcohol by roughly half, while simmering for 2½ hours reduces it to about 95 percent. If you choose this route, start with slightly more wine than you need, as some will evaporate during simmering.
What to dip in cheese fondue
You can eat gruyère fondue with pretty much anything that tastes good with cheese. Crusty bread is classic and a number one choice for soaking up all the cheesy goodness, but here are some of my other favorite fondue dippers to serve it with:
- Chunks of crusty bread like baguette
- Crackers and pretzels
- Roasted potatoes or mini potatoes
- Roasted cauliflower, broccoli, or brussels sprouts
- Grilled garlic mushrooms
- Apple slices, pear slices, or grapes
- Sausages, ham, salami, or meatballs
- Cooked shrimp or scallops
Can I make fondue without a fondue pot?
Yes, you can! While a fondue pot can enhance the experience and help keep the cheese warm, a regular pot works well. If the cheese begins to cool, briefly return the pot to the stove.
Storage and reheating
- Storage: Store any leftover fondue in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat fondue, warm it in a ceramic or nonstick pot over medium heat on the stove until hot and bubbling, stirring often to prevent sticking. You can thin it with a splash of white wine or stock if needed. Note that it may separate when reheated; the flavor won’t change, but you likely won’t want to serve it that way to guests. But it can still make a delicious treat!
- Freezing: You can freeze fondue! When it’s completely cool, store it in a covered container for up to two months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat it on the stove.
Gruyere Cheese Fondue Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 ½ cups finely minced shallots
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups finely grated gruyere cheese
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (see notes)
- 1 ½ cups dry white wine (such as a Pinot Gris or a Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 small garlic clove (finely minced)
- 2 tablespoons apple brandy (like calvados)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-sized frying pan. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the sugar and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the shallots start to brown.1 tablespoon butter, 1 ½ cups finely minced shallots, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- While the shallots are caramelizing, grate the cheese using the fine edge of the grater. Add to a large bowl and toss with the flour, or for a gluten-free fondue, toss with cornstarch.3 ½ cups finely grated gruyere cheese, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- OPTIONAL STEP: Transfer the caramelized shallots to your blender. Add the wine and blend until smooth.1 ½ cups dry white wine
- Pour the blended wine and shallots (or add the minced shallots and wine – see notes) into a medium-sized pot and it to a boil for 1 minute. Lower the heat so it's very gently simmering. Using one small handful at a time, slowly begin to add the cheese. Whisk until the cheese has melted and the pot returns to a simmer before adding more. Continue until all the cheese has been added to the fondue.
- Remove the pot from the heat then whisk in the nutmeg, garlic, apple brandy, and black pepper. Be generous with the amount of pepper you grind in. Check for seasonings and add more salt and pepper as necessary.1 pinch ground nutmeg, 1 small garlic clove, 2 tablespoons apple brandy, 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- Serve the fondue hot, preferably in a fondue pot, with all your favorite dippers. See the below for a few ideas.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
I’m sooo confused on the recipe. I wanted to triple the recipe and when I did so, it still said 14 oz of cheese is 3 1/2 cups pressed (not true – try 1 and 3/4 C). 28 oz is 3.5 C. so are all the other ingredient measurements off too?
Hi TJ – Unfortunately the notes in light gray beside the ingredients don’t change when you adjust the servings – we’re working on changing that. If you’re tripling the recipe, you’ll want 52 ounces of cheese (about 10 ½ cups). If you have a scale, use that to measure the cheese. I measured it as a courtesy to readers who don’t have a scale and 14 ounces was 3 ½ cups.
I’d like to put my hat in the ring with a suggestion for how to make this without alcohol, since the writer seems reluctant to make suggestions. To carry over the apples in brandy flavor, and provide acidity, consider supplementing whatever stock you use with 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar. If I were making this for people who have *entirely valid reasons* to be alcohol conscious (the newly sober, Muslims, toddler age children) that’s how I’d approach it.
Hi Miranda. We actually have a whole section in the post that talks about how to replace the wine. We suggest using chicken or beef stock with ⅛ teaspoon of lemon juice. It makes a tasty fondue, but in my honest opinion, the version with wine tastes better. But if you can’t have alcohol, it makes a good substitute. I personally wouldn’t use ¼ cup of vinegar as it would be very overpowering. But a small splash instead of the lemon juice would work just fine.
Is it just me, or is anyone else having problems with the PRINT RECIPE option ? Everytime I attempt to print out the recipe, it only opens the whole featured recipe in a new window. This happens with both my Chromebook and my Laptop. Any suggestions ? Is there something I need to do ? I have all the latest updates on both. Thanks for any ideas or help.
Hi John. The recipe does open up in a new, printer-friendly page. There’s a print button at the very top of the new page and that is the button that will launch your computer’s print settings. Sorry for that confusion!
Hi, I’m a bit confused by this part of the recipe, “ The fondue can be made up to a day in advance. Store the cooled fondue in your fridge until about 15 minutes before you would like to serve it.”
Is it supposed to say, The fondue can be made up to a day in advance. Store the cooled fondue in your fridge. REMOVE it 15 minutes before you would like to TO REHEAT IT?
We’re working on bringing this page up to speed right now. It will be a lot more thorough and these confusing parts fixed in the next couple of days. You’re right, you’ll definitely need to reheat it. But it actually works better to have everything ready (shallots caramelized and blended with the wine and the cheese grated and mixed with the flour) ahead of time and then make it fresh.
Delicious, oh so delicious! I used leeks, no brandy or garlic. FANTASTIC!
To Whom it may concern: the photography in the recipe photos at The Endless Meal seems consistently over-exposed. Everything is so light and washed out, it is difficult to make out detail. Whenever I copy one of your recipes, I also copy the photo to put on the same sheet with the recipe, just as reminder of what the dish should look like. I can manipulate things a little through Photo Shop, but sometimes the photo is just so light it can’t be helped any. Even white bread, as in this fondue photo, isn’t _that_ white. Offered for your consideration and food for thought. Never deliver a negative without also giving a positive: I used to collect recipes from almost a dozen different sources but found too much duplication, and some of the sources began to lose their luster. You will be pleased, I hope, to know that The Endless Meal continues to make the cut and is one of just 4 to which I continue to subscribe. Thank you for some truly delicious dishes over the years.
These old photos need a lot of help – lighting for one! I’m really happy that you are loving the recipes you find here. We’re always adding new ones and updating older posts with new photos as frequently as we can. 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly as directed and I got a brown gravy, which looked nothing like the photo on the recipe. What did I do wrong?
It sounds like maybe the cheese split, which can happen if the fondue gets too hot. You want to make sure that it’s never boiling or it can become very thin.
Great recipe !!! It is delicious
I’m so happy you enjoyed it. It’s one of my favs. 🙂
If I don’t ever buy wine, even for cooking is there anything you’d recommend to substitute? I’d love to try this for Valentine’s Day! Thanks!
Hi Ashley,
As far as I understand it is important to have wine in a fondue to help the cheese stay creamy (something about the acidity). It is also important for the subtle flavour. I’ve seen half sized bottles in the liquor store that would be perfect for this. Also, a cheap dry wine will do, no need to spend a fortune on a good bottle for this recipe 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day!
you can substitute a beer/ale….. or even non-alka wine/beer if alka is a problem. the better the beer/ale the better the taste…
Hi Maude,
You could definitely sub beer or ale, just make sure that it is not hoppy as that would throw the taste off. A dry cider would probably be best.
Although you could sub something non-alcoholic you might end up with a fondue that breaks. The acidity in the wine helps to bind the cheese so it doesn’t end up lumpy. Remember that the alcohol in the wine does burn off when you boil it at the beginning so it is perfectly safe to serve to kids or someone who doesn’t drink alcohol.
Hope that helps!