Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (2024)

This easy cheese fondue recipe is a favorite retro recipe!

Swiss and Gruyere cheeses are melted together with a splash of kirsch for a deliciously dippable appetizer.

Perfect for New Year’s Eve, Christmas, or really, any type of gathering!

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (1)

Easy Cheesy Fondue!

  • Party Pleaser: Cheese fondue is a hit at gatherings, bringing everyone together around a pot of melty, gooey goodness.
  • Easy to Make: You don’t need to be a gourmet chef to master this delicious dish.
  • Prep-Ahead: Easily prepare it up to 2 days in advance and reheat for smooth, creamy perfection.
  • Equipment-Friendly: No fondue pot? Use a stovetop, ceramic bowl, or mini Crockpot.

Ingredients for Cheese Fondue

Cheese – The most popular cheese for fondue is gruyère cheese which is mild while the addition of Swiss cheese adds a bold flavor. You can vary the cheese mixture based on what you have, gouda or fontina are other favorites!

Kirsch – Kirsch is a cherry brandy and is a traditional ingredient in cheese fondue. It can be replaced with sherry or a dry white wine if you don’t have any. For non-alcoholic cheese fondue, use any clear fruit juice like apple cider, apple juice, or even lemon juice.

Cornstarch – A little corn starch helps to thicken the fondue and keeps the cheese from clumping.

PRO TIP: Shred blocks of cheese instead of using pre-shredded which contains additives and prevents the fondue from melting properly.

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (2)

How to Make Cheese Fondue

This recipe can’t get any easier!

  1. Gently toss the shredded cheese with with the cornstarch per the recipe below.
  2. Rub the inside of a saucepan with garlic. Add the wine and simmer.
  3. Slowly stir in the cheese, whisking until melted. Season and serve!
Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (3)

Delicious Dippers for Fondue

  • Bread Cubes: chunks of French or sourdough bread, soft breadsticks, garlic crostini rounds
  • Chips: tortilla chips, pretzels or pretzel sticks
  • Vegetables: roasted broccoli or cauliflower florets, strips of bell pepper, carrot, or whole (cooked) baby red potatoes or fingerlings.
  • Fruit:cubed apples, seedless grapes, dried fruit, pineapple slices
  • Meat: meatballs, grilled steak, chicken, shrimp

Leftovers

Reheat cheese fondue in the microwave and loosen it up by adding a little milk and a dash of salt for flavor. Freeze cheese fondue in zippered bags and reheat it with milk and extra cheese to emulsify it again.

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5 from 46 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe

A rich combination of Swiss and Gruyere cheeses melted into white wine, this is the perfect dish to bring guests together!

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ReviewPrint

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (9)

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (10)

Servings 12 servings

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (11)

Author Holly Nilsson

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 clove whole garlic
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 8 ounces Swiss cheese or Emmental, shredded
  • 4 ounces Gruyere cheese shredded
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon kirsch optional but delicious, or sherry
  • teaspoon nutmeg
  • pinch of pepper
  • 1 loaf french bread for dipping

Instructions

  • Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side inside the saucepan. Discard the clove (or save it for another use).

  • Add the wine to the saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat, let simmer for 1 minute.

  • In a bowl, gently toss all shredded cheeses with cornstarch. Set aside.

  • Reduce heat to low and add cheese, a few tablespoons at a time gently stirring until melted before adding more. This should be done very slowly.

  • Once melted, stir in kirsh, nutmeg, and pepper.

  • Serve warm with bread for dipping.

Notes

Swap out half of the cheeses for mild cheddar to create a milder flavor.

Brie is another great creamy addition to fondue.

5 from 46 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 140 | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (13) Course Appetizer, Dip, Party Food

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (14) Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (15)
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Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (17)
Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (18)

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About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
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Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What type of cheese is best for fondue? ›

The best all-around cheeses for fondue are fontina, Gruyère, and gouda. If you aren't sure what to pick, use even amounts of these three. Together are lush and complex. For classic Swiss cheese fondue (meaning one like what you would find in Switzerland), a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses is best.

What are the rules of fondue? ›

Never lick the fondue pot, no matter how tempting. Never eat directly off the fondue fork. Never forget your food in the pot. Never pour the contents of the pot onto your plate.

What kind of bread is good for fondue? ›

A mild-flavored sourdough or baguette will work well. You can also use a loaf of dense rye bread, but you may want to cube it instead of tearing it into chunks. Baguettes are the traditional choice for dipping in fondue because they have a mild flavor and crisp crust that's perfect for dipping in creamy, melted cheese.

Why do you put lemon juice in fondue? ›

Lemon juice helps stabilize the emulsion of melted cheese and wine, while providing a bright flavor to balance the dairy-fat richness. Keeping the heat low while melting the cheese prevents the fondue from breaking.

What are the 4 types of fondue? ›

There are four commonly prepared types of fondue: cheese fondue, chocolate fondue, oil fondue (also known as meat fondue), and broth fondue. Fondue savoyarde traditionally includes the cheeses comté, beaufort, reblochon, and abondance.

What should you not do with fondue? ›

Fondue rules

You must not double dip, and never put your fork directly into your mouth. You can grab it off with just your teeth, but the best way is to slide it onto your plate and use a regular fork to eat it.

Do you use raw vegetables in fondue? ›

Vegetables. The rule of thumb for vegetables: If you like it raw, you'll like it dipped in cheese. Fondue makes getting your daily serving of veggies as easy as can be! Fresh veggies like broccoli, snap peas, and carrots add a satisfying crunch, and blanching these ahead of time is perfect.

What should you not drink with fondue? ›

Don't drink anything but these 3 beverages: Sip only white wine, kirsch, or a tisane of herbal tea with your fondue meal. According to Swiss lore, any other drink—be it water, juice, or beer—will cause the melted cheese to coagulate and form a giant ball in your stomach, leaving you with debilitating indigestion.

What do Swiss eat with cheese fondue? ›

Steamed red-skinned potato chunks, grilled or toasted Tuscan bread cubes, and pear slices are all great for dipping in fondue cheese.

How do you cut bread for fondue? ›

The bread is either served in prepared cubes of 2 to 3 cm on the side (1") or in slices 2 to 3 cm (1") thick. In this last case, each guest rips his own small bread pieces. Although it is not always possible, it is preferable that each bread piece has a bit of crust, to better hold on the fork.

Is broth or oil better for fondue? ›

When making fondue, the first thing to consider is what type of ingredients you want to use; if you are a vegetarian, you may prefer the oil. The oil is also a healthier option because it contains no fat or calories. However, if you like meat and cheese, the broth is better because it has more flavors.

Can you overcook cheese fondue? ›

3. Add a generous pinch each of pepper and nutmeg, and cook, stirring gently, until creamy and smooth, about 10 minutes; don't overcook the fondue or it will get stringy. Serve at once.

Why is my cheese not melting in my fondue? ›

Stringy or seized cheese in a fondue can often be caused by overheating or too little acid. Using a dry wine may reduce the need for any additional acid. prepare the pot. mix the wine and starch then bring to temperature over medium heat.

What is the best substitute for Gruyere cheese in fondue? ›

Emmental. For another smooth, semi-hard Swiss cheese, Emmental is a great choice. In fact, it's often used with Gruyère when making fondue, so you know it will have a similar melting power.

What is fondue cheese called? ›

Neuchâteloise: Gruyère and Emmental (sometimes referred to as the original or traditional fondue). Innerschweiz: Gruyère, Emmental, and Sbrinz. Genevoise: Gruyère (preferably of several stages of maturity) with a little Emmentaler and Valais cheese. Sometimes chopped sautéed morels are added.

Why is my cheese fondue rubbery? ›

If the fondue has been over-cooked and the cheese is turning into hard lumps then adding a teaspoon or two of lemon juice should help to restore the texture. If the cheese has split and looks greasy but not lumpy then adding extra cornflour (cornstarch) will help to re-emulsify the mixture.

References

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