Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)

Illustrative stock photos, not this exact recipe. Photo credits are at the bottom of the page.

Pão de queijo are small, puffy cheese breads from the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. They are made with tapioca flour instead of wheat, giving a chewy, stretchy center and a thin crust.

The dough is mixed with a hot milk and oil mixture, then rolled into balls. They are best eaten warm.

Recipe label: Based on traditional technique. Photo: illustrative stock photo, not the finished dish from this exact recipe.

Photo credits: Photo 1: Giovanna Kamimura on Pexels; Photo 2: Anhelina Vasylyk on Pexels; Photo 3: thiago japyassu on Pexels. Free stock photos, used under the Unsplash or Pexels license and shown here as illustrations only.

Print Recipe

Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)

Author: KP Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: Brazilian, Minas Gerais Courses: Breakfast, Snacks Recipe Keys: Gluten Free Vegetarian Meals

Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 40 mins

Servings: 6

Description

Brazilian pão de queijo made with tapioca flour, cheese, eggs and milk. Chewy, crisp outside and gluten-free.

Ingredients

Servings

For the rolls

• 2 cups tapioca flour (starch) (sour or sweet, about 250 g)
• ¹⁄₂ cup whole milk
• ¹⁄₃ cup neutral oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup grated cheese (Parmesan, or a mix of Parmesan and mozzarella)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 200 C / 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Warm the milk, oil and salt in a saucepan until just simmering.
3. Put the tapioca flour in a bowl and pour the hot liquid over it, stirring until combined. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time until the dough is smooth and sticky, then stir in the cheese.
5. With oiled or wet hands, roll into balls about the size of a walnut and place 3 cm apart.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until puffed and pale golden. Serve warm.

Note

Contains milk, eggs and cheese. Naturally free of wheat gluten, but check the cheese and flour labels for cross-contamination. Best the day they are made; reheat in a hot oven.