The Ultimate Cheese Fondue Guide: Recipe, Tips & the Best Cheeses to Melt

There's nothing quite like a bubbling pot of cheese fondue to bring people together. Born in the Swiss and French Alps as a way to make the most of aged, hardened cheese and stale bread through the winter, fondue has become the ultimate share-plate for cold nights, celebrations and long, lazy dinners with friends.

At Le Fromage Yard, we're often asked "what cheese should I use for fondue?" — so we've put together our house recipe, plus all our tips for getting that silky, stretchy, never-grainy result every time.

What Makes a Great Fondue Cheese?

Classic fondue relies on a blend of cheeses rather than just one. You want a mix of:

• A firm, nutty alpine cheese for structure and that signature toasty flavour — think Gruyère or Comté.
• A younger, more elastic melting cheese for stretch and smoothness — Emmental or a young Gruyère work beautifully.
• Something with a bit of edge if you like more character — a washed rind or a well-aged Comté adds depth.

Straight from our Cheese Room, here's what we'd reach for:

• Comté AOP 18 Months – The backbone of a great French fondue. Nutty, balanced and reliably smooth when melted.
• Comté AOP 36 Months – For a more intense, crystalline, savoury edge if you want your fondue to have real depth.
• Gruyère AOP Alpage Grand Affinage 22 Mois – A traditional Swiss fondue base, full-bodied with a slightly woody, savoury character.
• Tomyère Montagne – A Jura, gruyère-style raw milk cheese that our cheesemongers specifically recommend for fondue (and it's a beautiful, more affordable stand-in for Swiss Gruyère).
• L'Etivaz AOP – For the fondue purists. Often called "the Rolls Royce of Gruyère," this raw milk alpine cheese melts into something extraordinary.

Our go-to house blend: equal parts Comté 18 Months and Tomyère Montagne (or Gruyère Alpage). If you want to impress, swap in some L'Etivaz for one of the cheeses.

Classic Cheese Fondue Recipe

Serves 4 as a main, 6–8 as a starter

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 300g Comté AOP 18 Months, grated
• 300g Tomyère Montagne or Gruyère AOP Alpage, grated
• 1½ tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 cup (250ml) dry white wine (something crisp and acidic, e.g. a Sauvignon Blanc or Chablis-style)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp kirsch (optional, but traditional)
• A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Serve

• 1 French baguette, torn or cubed and lightly toasted/day-old
• Steamed baby potatoes
• Cornichons
• Blanched broccoli, cauliflower or green beans
• Slices of saucisson or other charcuterie

Method

1. Prep the cheese. Grate both cheeses and toss them with the cornflour in a bowl until well coated. This is the key to a smooth, non-clumping fondue — don't skip it.
2. Rub the pot. Cut the garlic clove and rub it around the inside of your fondue pot or a heavy-based saucepan, then discard (or finely chop and add it in, if you like a stronger garlic hit).
3. Warm the wine. Add the white wine and lemon juice to the pot and warm over medium heat until it's steaming but not boiling.
4. Melt the cheese, gradually. Reduce heat to low. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring constantly in a figure-eight motion with a wooden spoon. Wait until each addition is fully melted before adding the next — rushing this is the most common cause of a grainy or split fondue.
5. Finish. Once smooth and gently bubbling, stir through the kirsch (if using), nutmeg and a good grind of black pepper.
6. Serve immediately. Transfer to a fondue pot over a low burner to keep it warm and gently bubbling at the table. Serve with your dippers alongside.

Our Top Tips for Perfect Fondue

• Grate, don't chop. Grated cheese melts far more evenly than cubed cheese, and reduces the risk of overheating and splitting.
• Always toss cheese in cornflour first. This stabilises the fondue and gives it that classic silky texture rather than a stringy, separated mess.
• Choose a wine with good acidity. The acid in the wine helps break down the proteins in the cheese for a smoother melt — this is science, not just tradition. Avoid oaky, buttery whites.
• Low and slow. High heat is the enemy of good fondue. Keep it low throughout and never let it come to a rolling boil.
• Stir in a figure eight. This traditional motion keeps the cheese moving constantly and prevents it from catching or clumping on the bottom of the pot.
• Day-old bread works best. Slightly stale bread holds its shape on the fork far better than fresh, soft bread, which tends to fall apart in the pot.
• If it splits, don't panic. Whisk in a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with a splash of cold wine or lemon juice, off the heat, then return to gentle heat while stirring — this usually brings it back together.
• Keep it moving at the table. A fondue left to sit still over heat will form a crust and can scorch on the bottom — encourage guests to keep stirring as they dip.
• Save the "religieuse." The crispy, golden layer of cheese that forms on the bottom of the pot once everything else is eaten is a fondue tradition in itself — scrape it up and share it!

Pairing Suggestions

Stick with what's in the pot — a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis or a Swiss/Savoie white is the classic match. For something different, a light, crisp cider also cuts beautifully through the richness. And if you're going all in, add a plate of charcuterie and some cornichons or pickles on the side to round out the spread.

Shop Our Fondue Cheeses

Ready to get bubbling? Head to our Cheese Room or browse our Swiss cheese collection for everything you need for the perfect fondue night. Not sure what to pick? Our cheesemongers are always happy to help — just ask an expert.