On paper, these light and airy cheese puffs look pretty similar to gougères (French cheese puffs often filled with gruyère). In reality, they're so much more. Inspired by chef and <em>Chopped</em> champion Palak Patel’s childhood in Atlanta (where biscuits reign supreme), these puffs also take a cue from the expansion of her "cheese palate" in Northern California and the bagels of New York City (where she lives now). The everything bagel-inspired seasoning—poppy seeds, white and black sesame seeds, dried minced onion, and the not-so-typical nigella seed—gets baked right on top of a light dough that’s mixed with gouda and cheddar. The result: a soft, toasty bite of cheesy goodness and warm spices that makes an easy appetizer or snack.

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