Highly crystalline and thermally stable gadolinium doped ceria (GDC) particles have been synthesized by hard template route for the first time. This oxide is being recognized as an intermediate temperature (500–700 °C) electrolyte material for applications in solid-oxide fuel cells. The GDC particles show high crystallinity and nanometric size (2.83 ± 0.05 nm in diameter) and Raman analyses confirm the formation of the solid solution instead of a CeO₂ and Gd₂O₃ mixture. EDX and EELS studies indicate a stoichiometry coherent with the Gd_0.2Ce_0.8O_1.9 phase. The synthesized nanometric powder is expected to be used in solid oxide fuel cells as well as in the catalytic treatment of automobile exhaust fumes.