Cheese Fondue Recipe
Posted Dec 29, 2024
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This easy cheese fondue recipe can be made with or without wine and it’s more delicious than a certain famous fondue restaurant! In this post you will learn how to make cheese fondue, what to dip in cheese fondue and more!
My husband and I love going on dates to fancy fondue restaurants – and decided to create the same experience with our family at home by making this homemade cheese fondue recipe!
This recipe can be made with either milk & broth or wine, so there are both kid and adult-friendly options!
We’ll walk through how to make cheese fondue, as well as what to dip in cheese fondue so you can create a delicious and fun meal in the comfort of your own home for a fraction of the cost of well-known fondue restaurants.
And of course, don’t forget to end the meal with chocolate fondue for dessert!
Cheese Fondue Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Dry white wine. I suggest a dry, acidic white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris. I use a Sauvignon blanc.
- Or, you can use ½ cup whole milk and ¼ cup chicken broth in place of the wine to make it kid-friendly.
- Lemon juice. adds acidity, a bright flavor and keeps the mixture smooth. I don’t suggest making substitutions.
- Baby Swiss/Gruyere cheese. I chose this combination of cheeses to create the most authentic flavor. You can substitute your favorites – and my top recommendations are gouda, sharp white cheddar, and Emmentaler cheese (a bolder Swiss cheese).
- Note about cheese. it’s important to get blocks of cheese and shred them yourself so there are no preservatives or anti-caking agents that could effect the final outcome of the fondue.
- Cornstarch. Tapioca starch or arrowroot powder work in place of cornstarch.
How to Make Cheese Fondue
Let’s walk through how to make cheese fondue step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by grating the cheeses into a large bowl. Remember, this is important (do not buy pre-shredded cheese so you can avoid any unwanted ingredients that could effect the final outcome).
Then, add the cornstarch & garlic powder to the cheese and stir to combine.
Next, bring the wine and lemon juice to a simmer in a 3 quart saucepan. Do not boil.
Once simmering, add the cheese mixture, salt and pepper and whisk until the cheese is melted.
Once the fondue is ready, taste and adjust the amount of salt and pepper if necessary.
Serve
Then, transfer the cheese fondue to a fondue pot and serve. The fondue thickens as it cools, which is why it’s important to serve it in a pot that will keep it warm.
Or, you can place a ceramic or glass dish above a lit candle to keep it warm. Or put the dish on a hot plate – just be careful!
What to Dip in Cheese Fondue
There are so many foods you can use as cheese fondue dippers. Here are some of our favorites:
- Bread. Sourdough, french bread, no knead bread, etc.
- Pretzels. soft pretzels, pretzel bread or the snack variety of pretzels are all good choices.
- Vegetables. carrots, celery, bell peppers, blanched broccoli (or raw), cauliflower, etc.
- Potatoes. try making roasted potatoes, homemade french fries, or sweet potato fries.
- Fruits. I like dipping apples, pears and grapes in cheese fondue.
- Cooked sausage, bratwurst, hot dogs, etc (try dipping these pretzel dogs in there, yum)!
- Crackers
- Meat. leftover ham or roast turkey.
Store/Freeze
Store leftover fondue in a glass jar with a lid or in a glass container with a lid for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, or 2 months in the freezer.
You can reheat it in a fondue pot, on the stovetop, or in the microwave.
Cheese Fondue Recipe FAQS
I suggest a dry, acidic white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris. I use a Sauvignon blanc.
These are my top recommendations:
Baby Swiss
Gruyere
Gouda
White Cheddar
Emmentaler cheese (a bolder Swiss cheese)
Here are our favorite cheese fondue dippers.
Bread. Sourdough, french bread, no knead bread, etc.
Pretzels. soft pretzels, pretzel bread or the snack variety of pretzels are all good choices.
Vegetables. carrots, celery, bell peppers, blanched broccoli (or raw), cauliflower, etc.
Roasted Potatoes
Fruits. I like dipping apples, pears and grapes in cheese fondue.
Cooked sausage, bratwurst, hot dogs, etc (try dipping these pretzel dogs in there, yum)!
Crackers
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Cheese Fondue Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dry white wine (or ½ cup whole milk and ¼ cup chicken broth)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 8 ounces baby swiss cheese
- 6 ounces gruyere cheese
- 1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Cheese Fondue Dippers*
- bread, vegetables, pretzels, fruit, potatoes, etc.
Instructions
- Grate the cheese into a large bowl, then add the cornstarch and garlic powder and stir to combine.
- Bring the wine and lemon juice to a simmer over medium heat in a 3-quart saucepan.
- Then add the cheese mixture, salt and pepper and whisk until melted
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper if desired.
- Transfer the mixture to a fondue pot** and serve.
Video
Notes
- Bread. Sourdough, french bread, no knead bread, etc.
- Pretzels. soft pretzels, pretzel bread or the snack variety of pretzels are all good choices.
- Vegetables. carrots, celery, bell peppers, blanched broccoli (or raw), cauliflower, etc.
- Roasted Potatoes
- Fruits. I like dipping apples, pears and grapes in cheese fondue.
- Cooked sausage, bratwurst, hot dogs, etc (try dipping these pretzel dogs in there, yum)!
- Crackers
- Dry white wine. I suggest a dry, acidic white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris. I use a Sauvignon blanc.
- Or, you can use ½ cup whole milk and ¼ cup chicken broth in place of the wine to make it kid-friendly.
- Lemon juice. adds acidity, a bright flavor and keeps the mixture smooth. I don’t suggest making substitutions.
- Baby Swiss/Gruyere cheese. I chose this combination of cheeses to create the most authentic flavor. You can substitute your favorites – and my top recommendations are gouda, sharp white cheddar, and Emmentaler cheese (a bolder Swiss cheese).
- Note about cheese. it’s important to get blocks of cheese and shred them yourself so there are no preservatives or anti-caking agents that could effect the final outcome of the fondue.
- Cornstarch. Tapioca starch or arrowroot powder work in place of cornstarch.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
