How to Create a Holiday Fondue Party

Fondue parties are not only a fun and delicious way to feed guests for the holidays, but there’s minimal cooking required! Plus, there aren’t many party foods better than a warm pot of melted cheese. Served with a variety of delicious foods for dipping—think bread, veggies, fruit—for a meal that’s sure to please everyone.

Take the stress out of your holiday entertaining by creating a festive fondue spread with our ready-to-serve Original Fondü.

The Fondü

Our ready-made Fondü means you’ve got to do just one thing: pour it straight into a pan. Bring the cheese sauce to a boil, stirring until smooth. Once it’s warmed through, place your pot on the fondue stand above a lit candle. If you don’t have a fondue set, no worries—place your pot over a pan of hot water. It’s important to keep the cheese warm while it’s being served so it maintains a smooth, creamy consistency for dipping.

The Pairings

Veggies

Fresh vegetables make some of the best dippers and help add a variety of flavors & textures to your fondue spread. We opted for broccolini (raw or blanched in hot water until slightly tender), roasted or steamed potatoes, and raw carrots.

Fruits

Fruit and cheese is a wonderful pairing. It adds a welcome sweetness to the savory cheese. Grapes, pears, and apples all taste deliciously good with the flavors of our Swiss cheese fondue. Fruit is also a lighter option amongst the heavier pairings of meats and breads, adding levity to the meal.

Carbs

Arguably the star of the show, nothing beats bread and melted cheese! Make sure your bread has a nice crust to it so it’s easy to dip in the fondue—brioche, sourdough and multigrain loaves all work great. Cubing the bread ahead of time will make it easier for guests to skewer, dip, and devour.

Meats

Adding protein to the spread is important if you plan on making this the main meal of your gathering. We included sliced sausage here, but cubed ham, meatballs, and steak tips also make tasty dippers.

Extras

Feel free to add any other items to your spread. Nuts and breadsticks are a great option as they give guests something to snack on. Mini holiday decorations, like ornaments and trees, add a festive touch. And of course, no holiday fondue party is complete without some wine! A red Cabernet or Merlot, and white Riesling pair perfectly with the cheesy fondue. For a non-alcoholic option, serve with spiced apple cider or a non-alcoholic hard cider.

Original Fondue

Pair With

Crusty Bread Cubed Ham, Boiled Shrimp, Meatballs Red And Green Bell Peppers

Learn More WHERE TO BUY

Select Fondue

Pair With

Crusty bread Cubed ham, boiled shrimp, grilled steak Apples, pears, grapes

Learn More WHERE TO BUY
Find Emmi Cheese Near You

Fondue Party Tips

By: Jennifer Farley, Savory Simple

Melted cheese is one of life’s great joys, and there’s no better way to appreciate it than with a classic cheese fondue. Hosting the perfect party, regardless of the theme, is all about being prepared. A fondue party is no different! Getting organized, buying groceries, and cleaning in advance will help keep you focused and ready for a good time.

A fondue party at home more fun than a traditional restaurant, and that’s exactly why hosting a fondue party is such a good idea. It’s fun, sometimes humorous, and always a tasty crowd pleaser!

Making your own fondue for your party can be easy and you should consider this easy cheese fondue recipe as a baseline you can potentially build from. Emmentaler AOP® and Le Gruyére cheeses are so harmonious together; you get a balance of sweetness, acidity, nuttiness, and earthiness all in one. They blend beautifully together and aren’t overpowered by the additions of white wine, lemon juice, pepper, and nutmeg.

Here are some tips for hosting a great fondue party:

  • If your fondue pot uses gel cans, have extras on hand! You don’t want to run out of fuel mid-party.
  • If you’re serving more than four people, plan on having at least two fondue pots. You don’t want to keep guests hungry, and it will be more fun if everyone can have access to the fondue pot at once.
  • Along those lines, if you’re thinking about serving meat dippers, be mindful about whether any of your guests are vegetarian. If so, you’ll definitely want to keep one of the fondue pots meat-free.
  • Beer and wine go very well with cheese fondue! I recommend asking for recommendations at your neighborhood liquor store, as the best options can vary by location.
  • If you’d prefer not to make cheese fondue from scratch, that’s ok! We offer a fantastic ready-to-serve Fondue.
  • Make sure that all of your dippers are small enough to fit on the skewing forks without being pulled off by the weight of the gooey fondue. When it doubt, go smaller.
  • Apples and pears can oxidize once you slice them, which means the fruit will slowly turn brown once exposed to air. You can slow this process by tossing the slices in a bit of fresh lemon juice.
  • Frequently stir the fondue while enjoying it. This will help keep the cheese from separating or sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Most importantly- have fun!

Get Jennifer’s recipe for Easy Cheese Fondue.

Find Emmi Cheese Near You