Cheese Souffle Recipe

This cheese souffle recipe looks impressive, but it becomes much easier when you break it into simple steps. A souffle is light, airy, and delicious, making it a fun recipe for kids to try when learning more advanced cooking skills. You can bake it in one round casserole dish for the whole family or use small ramekins for individual servings. It works well for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even a simple dinner with fruit or salad on the side.

Souffles are also a great kitchen science recipe because kids can watch how whipped egg whites help food rise. When air is beaten into the egg whites, tiny bubbles form. In the oven, those bubbles expand from the heat and lift the souffle upward. The cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites, and careful folding keeps the air inside the batter so the finished dish turns out tall and fluffy.

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Cheese Souffle Recipe

By Kids Cooking Activities

Learn how to make a fluffy cheese souffle while exploring the science of whipped egg whites and meringue. This classic French-inspired recipe is a fun way for kids to practice careful mixing, folding, and baking skills.

• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 45-55 min
• Total Time: About 1 hr 15 min
• Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a round casserole dish or souffle dish.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in flour, salt, mustard, and cayenne pepper until blended.
3. Slowly whisk in milk and cook over medium-low heat until smooth and thickened. Stir in shredded cheese until melted. Set aside.
4. Separate the eggs, placing whites in one bowl and yolks in another.
5. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.
6. Beat the egg yolks and stir them into the cheese mixture.
7. Stir about one-fourth of the egg whites into the cheese mixture. Then gently fold the cheese mixture into the remaining egg whites.
8. Pour into the prepared dish and bake 45 to 55 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. A knife inserted near the center should come out clean.
9. Serve immediately.

Kid Tip: Fold gently instead of stirring hard so the air bubbles stay in the batter. That trapped air is what helps the souffle rise.

How to Make a Souffle

Step 1: Grease a round casserole dish or souffle dish.

Step 2: In a saucepan melt butter. Whisk in flour, salt, mustard, and cayenne pepper. Stir constantly on medium-low heat until well blended. Whisk in the milk until smooth and free of lumps. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring, then add the shredded cheese and cook until melted. Set aside.

Step 3: In two separate bowls, place the egg whites in one and the egg yolks in the other. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. This is called making a meringue.

Step 4: Beat the egg yolks for several minutes, then stir them into the cheese mixture.

Step 5: Add a small amount of the egg whites, about one-fourth, to the cheese mixture and stir together. Then gently pour the cheese mixture into the remaining egg whites and fold carefully.

Step 6: Pour into the greased dish. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes. Insert a knife near the center; it should come out clean. Serve immediately for the best rise and texture.

Souffle Science for Kids

A souffle rises because beaten egg whites trap lots of tiny air bubbles. When the souffle bakes, the heat causes those bubbles to expand, which pushes the batter upward. The proteins in the egg whites then set in place, helping the souffle keep its tall shape. Cream of tartar helps strengthen the foam, and folding the whites gently into the warm cheese mixture keeps more of the bubbles intact. If the batter is stirred too hard, many of those bubbles pop and the souffle will not rise as well.

This recipe is a great example of food science in action. Kids can compare a flat batter to a fluffy meringue, observe how heat changes texture, and learn why exact measuring and gentle mixing matter in baking. It is a simple way to connect cooking with chemistry right in the kitchen.

Kitchen Science Questions to Ask Kids

• What do the egg whites look like before and after beating?
• Why do you think the souffle rises in the oven?
• What might happen if you stirred too hard instead of folding?
• Why does the souffle begin to fall after it comes out of the oven?

More Recipes and Activities

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See more French cooking recipes.

Try this recipe for chocolate souffle.

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