Gruyere Cheese Fondue

Mention the word “fondue” and immediately we conjure up images of wool sweaters, rosy cheeks, a flickering fireplace, and falling snowflakes.

Perhaps it's because we only make it a few times a year, or because of the cozy communal aspect it adds to gatherings, but fondue is one of those foods that makes memories.

This version with gruyère cheese, caramelized shallots, apple brandy, warm spices, and black pepper is by far the best we've tasted. It's smooth, creamy, and flavorful. Everyone we've made it for agrees that it's the best!

Making fondue is easy, and while serving it in a fondue pot definitely adds to the experience, it's not necessary.

We start by caramelizing some shallots with a bit of sugar and salt, which makes them deeply flavorful. The shallots get blended with some white wine before being poured into a pot. Once the wine is simmering, we slowly add the cheese one handful at a time. We season it with some apple brandy, nutmeg, ground cloves, and black pepper to bring it all together and that's it!

Fondue is such a fun and festive food for special occasions spent with friends and family. From Christmas to New Year's Eve, or even dinner parties through the cold winter months, it's an incredibly delicious, and surprisingly fuss-free recipe that will surely become a tradition (if it's not already).

If this is your first time making fondue, be sure to read through our tips for making the best fondue ever.

What is cheese fondue?

The word fondue comes from the French verb fondre, which means “to melt” and refers to a dish consisting of melted cheeses flavored with wine, brandy, or cognac.

Fondue originated in Switzerland, as a way to use up stale bread and hardened cheeses in the winter months. While it can be made with a variety of cheeses, traditional Swiss fondue cheeses are gruyère and emmental.

Classic cheese fondue is typically served from a communal pot that's warmed from the bottom and served with cubes of bread and other foods. Long slender fondue forks are used for dipping the bread into the melted cheese.

Gruyère fondue ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients for this cheese fondue recipe. Here's what you need to make it at home:

• Butter – for caramelizing the shallots.
• Shallots – shallots are a little like a cross between an onion and garlic. They have a delicate flavor that becomes rich and nuanced when caramelized.
• Sugar + salt – for a bit of sweetness and saltiness, and they help the shallots caramelize.
• Gruyère cheese – gruyère cheese is rich and creamy and is a classic fondue cheese. You can also use Swiss cheese or gouda in its place!
• Flour – we use a bit of all-purpose flour to help thicken up the cheese and make it smooth. For a gluten-free fondue, use cornstarch.
• White wine – white wine adds a bit of acidity and also helps to maintain a lower boiling point for the cheese mixture, preventing it from curdling. We recommend a dry white wine such as pinot gris or sauvignon blanc.
• Apple brandy – apple brandy adds bright, juicy notes of apple and caramel with hints of cinnamon and honey.
• Nutmeg, cloves, + black pepper – the warm spices work wonderfully with the other flavors in this fondue, while the black pepper adds an earthy kick.

How to make this gruyère cheese fondue

The best cheese fondue is rich, creamy, and smooth. Here's how to make it in a few simple steps:

1. Start by sautéing the shallots in butter for a few minutes, then add the sugar and salt. Cook at a low temperature until they're soft, very light brown, and caramelized.
2. While they're caramelizing, finely grate the cheese and toss it in a large bowl with the flour.
3. This next step is optional, but makes the fondue nice and smooth. Transfer the caramelized shallots to your blender, add the wine, and blend until smooth.
4. Pour the blended shallots (or just the caramelized shallots and wine) into a bot, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Slowly begin to add the cheese one handful at a time. Stir, and continue until all the cheese has been added.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the nutmeg, garlic, apple brandy, and black pepper. Check for seasonings and add more salt and pepper to taste!

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

What's the best cheese for fondue?

The best types of cheeses for fondue are creamy and melt smoothly. Classic fondue cheeses are gruyere cheese, emmental cheese, and goud. Or try a combination of a few. Other types of cheese that taste delicious and melt well are fontina, swiss cheese, and jarlsburg.

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. 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 faster to prepare some parts of it ahead of time and then melt the cheese right before serving. Also, because you risk making the fondue lumpy when it's reheated, it's safer to make it fresh.

Here's what you can do to make a stress-free fondue party:

• Prepare your dippers in advance. Cube the bread, cook the sausages, and steam the veggies. They can be reheated in a microwave or in the oven before serving them.
• Caramelize the shallots and blend them with the wine. You can do this 3-4 days ahead and store it in your fridge in a jar.
• Grate the cheese and mix it with the flour. You can also do this step 3-4 days ahead of time.

When you're nearly ready to serve dinner, warm the wine in a pot and melt the cheese into it. Easy!

How do I make cheese fondue without alcohol?

The wine in cheese fondue plays two important roles. First, the acidity in the wine helps to create a smooth and homogeneous cheese sauce. Second, it adds wonderful flavor.

If you need to make your cheese fondue without alcohol, it's possible, but you may want to lower your expectations a little. For flavor, use chicken or beef stock. Avoid vegetable stock and it's pretty flavorless. For the acidity, you'll need to add a small splash of lemon juice. Remember, lemon juice has a very strong flavor so be conservative with how much you add – ⅛ teaspoon is likely enough. Also, use cornstarch instead of flour.

Or, for a reduced-alcohol cheese fondue, you can simmer the wine to remove more of the alcohol. If you simmer wine for 25 minutes, about half of the alcohol will be removed. Bump that up to 2 ½ hours to remove 95 percent of the alcohol. If you do this route, simmer more than you need as some will evaporate.

FAQS

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 our 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
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Apple slices or pear slices
• Green or red grapes
• Pickles and other pickled vegetables
• Sausages and mini smoked sausages
• Ham, salami, and other cured meats
• Cooked shrimp or scallops
• Meatballs

Why we love cheese fondue

Cheese fondue is what we serve when we want something casual and fun that's also cheesy and comforting.

• It's creamy and oh-so-cheesy! Need we say more…
• It's easy to make with just a few ingredients
• We love the communal aspect of sharing a pot of fondue. It adds a social element to gatherings and naturally invites conversation.
• If you're hosting, it's a great dish to prepare ahead of time. Prep all the foods you plan to serve it with, grate the cheese, and you'll be ready to go! You can even prepare the parts f the fondue the day ahead and store them in the fridge if you'd like, so all you have to do is melt the cheese when the time comes.