Transform your dining room into a romantic Swiss Alpine experience with this authentic traditional fondue recipe that rivals the famous Melting Pot restaurant. This isn’t just melted cheese – it’s a culinary tradition dating back to Swiss peasant culture, now elevated to fine dining status. The combination of nutty Emmenthaler and complex Gruyere cheese slowly melted in dry white wine with aromatic garlic, creates a velvety smooth texture with sophisticated flavor depth.
Whether you’re planning a romantic dinner for two, hosting an intimate gathering, or simply wanting to try something special, this fondue brings people together around the table for an interactive dining experience that’s both elegant and fun. The best part? You don’t need expensive equipment – this recipe works with basic kitchen tools.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The magic lies in the slow, gentle melting process that prevents the proteins in cheese from seizing and becoming stringy. The cornstarch stabilizes, helping create that signature honey-like consistency while avoiding separation. The acid from wine and lemon juice enhances flavor complexity, while the garlic provides aromatic depth. The two-cheese combination is crucial: Emmenthaler provides nutty sweetness while Gruyere adds sophisticated complexity that develops with age. This traditional ratio has been perfected over centuries in Swiss Alpine regions.
I love my Cuisinart CFO-3SS Electric Fondue Maker
, I have made a lot of fondue in this pot.
Ingredients
Base Components:
- Dry white wine – Provides an acidic base and enhances cheese flavors without sweetness
- Garlic – Adds aromatic foundation and traditional Alpine flavor
- Fresh lemon juice – Brightens flavors and aids in smooth texture
Cheese Blend:
- Emmenthaler Swiss cheese – Contributes nutty, mild flavor with excellent melting properties
- Gruyere cheese – Delivers complex, slightly salty taste that deepens with age
Texture and Seasoning:
- Cornstarch – Stabilizes the mixture and prevents separation
- Fresh ground black pepper – Adds gentle spice and aromatic warmth
- Cherry liqueur – Optional finishing touch that adds subtle fruity complexity
Ingredient Notes
You could experiment with any cheese that you desire. You can typically find these two types of cheeses in the deli section of your grocery store.
Emmenthaler has a piquant flavor, but it isn’t very sharp. Gruyere has a sweet and slightly salty flavor that becomes more complex with age.
We will use white wine for this fondue.
What Wine is Best for Cheese Fondue
When choosing the type of wine, I suggest a dry white wine. You do not want to use something sweet because it is going to change the flavor of this fondue. If you have never had fondue before, it has a soft texture that is a little nutty and savory.
I suggest using a drinkable wine. It doesn’t have to be the best bottle of white wine you will ever consume, but it needs to be okay.
Please don’t buy the stuff labeled “Cooking Wine.” I am not sure what it is for, but it isn’t drinkable as wine and shouldn’t be used for cooking.
If you need help, most grocery stores and wine shops can help you with suggestions. I wouldn’t pay over 10 dollars a bottle for this recipe. The Trader Joe’s “Two Buck Chuck” would be perfect.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the cheese mixture: Grate both Emmenthaler and Gruyere cheese into a large bowl. Add cornstarch and toss thoroughly to coat all cheese pieces evenly. This coating prevents clumping and ensures smooth melting.
- Heat the wine base: In fondue pot or heavy-bottomed saucepan, gently heat white wine and garlic over medium-low heat. Don’t allow it to boil – just warm until aromatic steam rises.
- Add acid component: Stir fresh lemon juice into the warm wine mixture. The acid helps create proper texture and enhances overall flavor balance.
- Begin cheese incorporation: Add one-third of the cheese mixture to the pot when the garlic becomes fragrant (about 3-4 minutes). Stir constantly in circular motions until completely melted and smooth.
- Continue gradual addition: Add another third of the cheese, stirring continuously in the same circular pattern until entirely melted and incorporated.
- Complete the base: Add the remaining cheese and continue stirring until the mixture reaches a honey-like consistency that coats the spoon smoothly.
- Final seasoning: Add fresh ground black pepper and cherry liqueur before serving. Stir gently to combine without breaking the smooth texture.
- Serve immediately:Â Transfer to a fondue pot with a heat source, or keep warm in a serving vessel. Serve with assorted dippers while hot.
Troubleshooting Guide
- If the fondue is lumpy or separated, Lower the heat immediately and add 2 tablespoons of warm wine while stirring vigorously. Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with a small amount of wine if it is still separated.
- Too thick: Gradually stir in warm wine until desired consistency returns.
- Too thin: Mix small amount of cornstarch with cool wine, then stir into fondue while heating gently.
Love Fondue? Try these favorite fondue recipes!
Favorite Cheesy Appetizers and Dips
- Beer Cheese Dip
- Clam Dip with Cream Cheese
- Cream Cheese Wontons
- Fried Cheese Sticks
- Homemade Poppers
- Jarlsberg Cheese Dip
- Rotel Dip with Beef
- White Queso Dip Recipe
Check out more of my easy appetizer recipes and the best copycat recipes for casual dining restaurants here on CopyKat!
The Melting Pot Traditional Swiss Fondue – Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
- ½ pound Emmenthaler Swiss cheese grated
- ½ pound Gruyere cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 ounce cherry liqueur like Kirshwasser (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- In your fondue pot, heat together dry white wine and garlic.
- In a large bowl, combine cheeses and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cornstarch over the cheese and mix together.
- Add lemon juice to the white wine mixture in the fondue pot.
- When the garlic becomes fragrant, add â…“ of the cheese to the fondue pot and stir in cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese has melted.
- Add an additional â…“ of the cheese and stir until the cheese has melted.
- Add the remaining cheese. Stir and blend until the cheese has the texture of honey.
- Before serving, add freshly ground black pepper and cherry liqueur.
- Serve with crusty bread, raw broccoli florets, raw baby carrots, apple slices, or anything else you might like to dip in cheese fondue.
I’ve made this twice in the last month. Delicious
Awesome!! I’m making 3 courses of fondue for my birthday and this kicked it off. It’s fantastic! I accidentally used 2T of cornstarch but it still blended well and I just added some extra wine to thin it out. It didn’t clump at all. I didn’t use the cherry liqueur and didn’t notice a difference.
Question, your recipe calls for cherry liqueur or kirshwasser. Cherry Liqueur is sweet and kirschwasser cherry brandy is not sweet, which should you use in the recipe, sweet or unsweet?
Thank you
My preference would be for kirshwasser, in a pinch a small amount of the cherry liqueur would be ok.
Hi,
Can you confirm the quantity for both Emmental and Gruyere cheese is 1/2 lb,
8 oz? This sounds like a lot for 4 oz of wine. Perhaps you mean 8 oz as in a cup, grated? I’m a little confused.
Thanks.
It is 8 ounces of each cheese, non-grated. You should then grate the cheese. So that is 1 pound of cheese to 4 ounces of wine.
How many people does this recipe serve? I need to make fondue for at least 20.
I would think this would serve 4 to 6 people as an appetizer. I would plan on making 4x or 5x this recipe for 20 people.
I did not do my fondue correctly. My cheese”clumped” even though I added it slowly and stirred constantly. One thing I did was to let the wine boil; the second was that i doubled the recipe. Also, I added Gruyere cheese with the Swiss. I would appreciate any advice you can give me. Thanks, Sydney
My boyfriend and I plan to try this recipe on Christmas Eve. His son used to work at the melting pot so we will see what he thinks too 🙂
One of my favorite date-night-at-home recipes! Lovely, Stephanie! 🙂
Thank you! I appreciate you dropping by! This would definitely make a romantic meal.