Classic Cheese Soufflé is a show stopping side dish that is incredibly simple to make. Eating this soufflé is like eating a delightful, cheese-flavored cloud.
I made my very first classic cheese soufflé today thanks to this recipe and I just had to share it. It’s not feeling very Spring-like here in Ohio yet this year. We got about 3 inches of snow on the second day of Spring and the weathermen are calling for lots more this weekend. So I decided to bake something celebratory and Springy anyway. Screw you, Winter!
The beginnings of this classic cheese soufflé (cooking butter and flour together, whisking in egg off the heat) remind me of making cream puff dough. Soufflés and cream puffs sound super fussy because they are classically French but I promise they aren’t. I like baking but I’m not an expert by any means. I’ve had more than my fair share of fails. So if I can make cream puffs and this pretty cheese soufflé you can too.
Tips for making a Classic Cheese Soufflé:
- Generously butter a 2-quart soufflé dish like this one
- Only fill the dish 3/4 of the way full – if you have extra soufflé batter pour it into ramekins like these and make several smaller soufflés (they’ll bake just about 10 minutes more quickly than a large soufflé)
- You can flavor the soufflé with your favorite cheese – Cheddar, Gruyeré or Gouda – it’s your choice
- Before baking the soufflé run a table knife around the edge of the soufflé batter – about 1-inch from the edge of the dish – this will create a pretty “crown” that puffs up in the middle of the soufflé
- Serve the soufflé as a first course so it doesn’t deflate before being served
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Classic Cheese Soufflé
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 oz sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- 6 large eggs separated
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 370 degrees F.
- Generously butter a 2-quart soufflé dish with one tablespoon of the butter.
- In a 2- to 3-quart pan over medium heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and stir until the mixture is smooth and bubbling. Stir in the milk, cayenne pepper, and salt, and continue stirring until the sauce boils and thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add the shredded cheese to the pot with the milk and flour mixture and stir until the cheese is melted. Add the egg yolks (one at a time) and whisk after each addition until the mixture is blended and smooth.
- In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites together with the cream of tartar until short, stiff, moist peaks form. With a flexible spatula, fold a third of the cheese mixture into the whites just until well blended. Add the remaining cheese mixture and gently fold together until blended.
- Scrape the prepared soufflé batter into the buttered dish until it is 3/4 of the way full. Pour any extra batter into buttered ramekins.
- Before baking the soufflé run a table knife around the edge of the soufflé batter, about 1-inch from the edge of the dish. This will create a pretty "crown" that puffs up in the middle of the soufflé as it bakes.
- Bake the soufflé in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown in color, and the cracks in the top look fairly dry, 25 to 30 minutes for a large soufflé, 15 to 20 minutes for small ones. Serve immediately.
April says
I have not tried cheese souffle but yours look AMAZING! It looks perfectly fluffy and soft. So beautiful.
foodtasticmom says
Thanks so much April 🙂
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
This looks dreamy! So fluffy and perfect!
foodtasticmom says
Thank you very much Shadi!
Diane says
I have yet to make one of these myself but, your post is inspiring me to try !! YUM!
foodtasticmom says
You really should try it Diane. It’s so good!
Susie says
Your souffle turned out so beautifully! It gives me hope that I might be as successful. This recipe looks so easy, I will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!
PS- great pics!
foodtasticmom says
Thank you for the compliments Susie. I promise I’m really not that great with “fussy” recipes (no patience) – this one really is easy!
Natalie says
This souffle looks so airy and fluffy! I love cheese souffle – it’s such a great dessert ♥
foodtasticmom says
Thanks Natalie 🙂
Soniya says
This looks so sinful!! It’s been ages I have baked cheese souffle!can’t wait to try it!
foodtasticmom says
It is a decadent treat for sure!