Swiss cheese fondue featuring smoked Gruyère cheese and Norway’s Jarlsberg cheese with white wine and a hint of garlic. The creamy texture is perfectly paired with bread and vegetables for dipping.

Cheese fondue is one that doesn’t have to be as formal with using fondue forks. You can easily get away with dipping it like any other dip out there. Your guests will appreciate it!

If you are bringing cheese fondue as a dip served at say, a potluck, you can easily put it in a crockpot on low heat.

But keep a watchful eye on it because the cheese can begin to “break” and oil will sit at the surface.

Fondue Origin

I thought fondue was French, because the word itself is French for “to melt,” but it actually originated in Switzerland in the 18th century.

Pot of cheese with fork holding marble rye bread

Ingredients for Swiss Cheese Fondue

Smoked Gruyère
Jarlsberg
Dry White Wine, like Sauvignon Blanc
Garlic Powder
Cornstarch

Can’t find Gruyère or Jarlsberg? Smoked Gouda and Emmental are also tasty alternatives.

Fun fact: Despite calling this Swiss cheese fondue, Jarlsberg is not a type of Swiss cheese as most of us would think by the holey appearance. It actually originates in Norway.

You can also check out my Classic Beer Cheese Fondue and meat course with Coq au Vin fondue.

Dippers for Cheese Fondue

Marble Rye Bread
Pumpernickel Bread
Sourdough Bread
French Baguette
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Baby Carrots
Tortilla Chips
Green Apples

Fondue Pots and Forks

I prefer the electric pots over the ones with bunson burners simply because I can control the heat and warm it up faster.

I received a Cuisinart Electric Fondue Maker several years back that I lost during a move, but it worked great while I had it. Since then, I’ve adopted an older one my mother had.

The Cuisinart pot comes with 8 forks that are color-coded on the ends to keep track of which one is yours.

It also has a stainless steel fork ring to rest the forks on as they cook food. It’s pretty nice!

Table set up with pots and a tray of vegetables, apples, and bread to dip

Fondue Etiquette

Do not eat directly off your fondue fork. Not only will the metal be hot, but the fork is quite sharp.
No double-dipping food back into the fondue pot after eating off of it.
Keep track of which fondue fork is yours.
Most fondue forks come color coated with two forks in each color. Each guest or family member should receive two fondue forks to cook with.
If you are serving more than one course of fondue it’s important to give your guests new fondue forks that are clean.
Remember to have FUN! Fondue is meant to be an enjoyable experience with your family and friends with everyone participating.

Try these other tasty fondues!

Enjoy!