Winter Cheese Fondue

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Winter Fondue made with 3 cheeses, white wine, and garlic. An easy, cozy fondue recipe perfect for winter entertaining and parties.

Prep Time10

Cook Time21

Total Time31

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon all purpose flour or cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic finely grated
2 cups Tillamook Swiss cheese shredded
2 cups Tillamook Sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
1 cup Tillamook Monterey Jack cheese shredded
½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
french bread, boiled potatoes, mini hot dogs or anything else for dipping

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, bring the white wine and lemon juice to a gentle simmer over medium low heat.
Whisk in the flour or cornstarch, nutmeg, and a few cracks of black pepper until smooth.
Add the shredded cheeses and garlic a handful at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition fully melt before adding more. Keep the heat low so the fondue stays silky.
Season with kosher salt and finish with more freshly cracked black pepper. If needed, adjust the thickness with a splash of warm wine.
Serve immediately with French bread cubes and your favorite winter dippers.

Notes

Serve immediately or keep warm gently. Fondue is best enjoyed right away, but if it needs to hang out, keep it over very low heat and give it an occasional stir.

Use low heat once the cheese goes in. Fondue loves patience. High heat can cause the cheese to seize or separate, and no one wants a broken fondue moment.

Add the cheese slowly. Sprinkle it in a handful at a time, stirring constantly, and let each addition melt before adding more. This is the secret to that silky, dreamy texture.

Keep stirring gently but consistently. You don’t need to whisk aggressively, just a steady stir to keep everything smooth and evenly melted.

Use lemon juice for balance. That little hit of acid keeps the fondue rich but not heavy and helps the cheese stay emulsified.

Nutmeg goes a long way. A small pinch adds warmth and depth without overpowering the cheese. Think cozy, not spice-forward.

Loosen as needed. If the fondue thickens too much, stir in a splash of warm wine to bring it back to the perfect dipping consistency.

Choose sturdy dippers. Cubes of French bread are classic, but anything firm enough to hold up in the cheese works best. No flimsy dippers here.

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