A hard yellow cheese, named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland. It is sweet but slightly salty, with a flavour that varies widely with age. It is often described as creamy and nutty when young, becoming more assertive, earthy and complex with age. When fully aged (5 months to a year) it tends to have small cracks which impart a slightly grainy texture.

Unpasteurised milk is heated to 34°C in a copper vat, and then curdled by the addition of liquid rennet. The curd is cut up into pea-sized pieces and stirred, releasing whey. The curd is cooked at 43°C and raised quickly to 54°C. The pieces become shrivelled, at which point the whey is strained and the curds placed into moulds to be pressed. After salting in brine and smearing with bacteria, the cheese is ripened for 2 months at room temperature, generally on wooden boards, turning every couple of days to ensure even moisture distribution. Gruyère can be cured for 3 to 10 months, with long curing producing a cheese of intense flavour.

Gruyère gained an AOC in 2001. Le Gruyère Premier Cru is a special variety, produced and matured exclusively in the canton of Fribourg and matured for 14 months in humid caves with a humidity of 95% and a temperature of 13.5°C.