Integrated circuits including MOSFETs with selectively recessed gate electrodes. Transistors having recessed gate electrodes with reduced capacitive coupling area to adjacent source and drain contact metallization are provided alongside transistors with gate electrodes that are non-recessed and have greater z-height. In embodiments, analog circuits employ transistors with gate electrodes of a given z-height while logic gates employ transistors with recessed gate electrodes of lesser z-height. In embodiments, subsets of substantially planar gate electrodes are selectively etched back to differentiate a height of the gate electrode based on a given transistor's application within a circuit.