Of all the foods I fell in love with while living in Brazil, Pao de Queijo (literally translated to ‘bread of cheese’) is right up there at the top of my favorites list. If you’ve never had this type of Brazilian cheese roll, it’s not the same type of bread or roll we’re used to here in the US. It’s made with tapioca flour, as opposed to all purpose flour, so it’s almost more like the texture of a cream puff shell or popover, but with more substance. The outside is slightly crisp and browned and the inside is soft and chewy. In the US, you can find them regularly served in Brazilian restaurants, and in Brazil, they’re in every corner store and bakery.
Below, I’ll show you 2 different methods of preparing the exact same recipe:
1. The traditional method (shown above, R) where the wet ingredients are first heated and then beat together with the dry ingredients and scooped into little dough balls before baking. This results in: A traditional roll with a slightly crisp outside and a soft chewy center.
2. The shortcut version (shown above, L) where you put all ingredients in a blender and pour the ultra thin liquid batter into a muffin tin. This results in: A flavorful roll with the same chewy texture, but not as much density. These often puff up with hollow centers, and shrink after baking. The outside is a little thinner, but still delicious.
Here in this photo you can see the blender method roll on the right and the traditional method on the left. Both super delicious!
Ingredients and Equipment List
- Tapioca Flour– look for tapioca flour in the specialty flour section of the grocery store, or online. I have also found it sometimes in the bulk foods area of stores like WINCO. It’s a naturally gluten free flour. If you happen to be serving these to a person who needs to avoid gluten for medical reasons, avoid purchasing from bulk bins where there can be risk of cross contamination.
- Egg – Egg acts as a binder and helps produce the chewy texture. I’ve never tried these with any egg substitute.
- Milk – You can use any milk in this recipe, though I prefer one with a higher fat content, like 2% of whole. If you don’t have those, use whatever is in your fridge, including a plant based option if you need to do that for dietary reasons.
- Salt – without salt, these will turn out quite bland! I use kosher salt. If subbing table salt, decrease the amount slightly.
- Cheese – feel free to vary the cheese and discover new combinations. I prefer to use medium or sharp cheddar and parmesan, but most cheeses work well. Stronger flavored cheeses will produce a more flavorful roll.
Instructions
BLENDER METHOD
- Put all ingredients except cheese in the blender and blitz it up!
- Add cheese and pulse just a couple times
- Quickly pour into prepared muffin tin (I say quickly, so cheese stays distributed.
- Optionally, you can sprinkle a little more cheese on top
- Bake until puffed and just barely golden.
- They’ll be a little crispy on the outside and soft, airy, and tender on the inside. Almost a little chewy. Some of them are even kind of hollow. This version is definitely less dense than the kneaded dough variety. The yield is anywhere from 16-24 rolls, depending on how full you fill your muffin pan. I fill mine pretty full (a good 3/4 full) and I generally get about 16-18.
TRADITIONAL METHOD
Pay attention to the photos and my explanation here, because while I have made these a ridiculous number of times over the years, the finished dough, with the exact same ingredients and measurements (even weighed to be sure) often turns out with completely different consistencies. And it’s okay!
- First you’ll heat your milk and oil on the stove until just simmering.
- Then you’ll add this to your tapioca flour. You’ll notice in the photos below, I’m adding the flour directly to the pot, but often I put the flour in my mixer, and pour the hot liquid over it and that’s fine too.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Sometimes this mixture comes out smooth and silky like playdough. Other times it’s crumbly like wet sand. You’ll notice the smooth version in the pan below left, and the crumbly batch (with the egg on top) on the right. The lack of consistency has driven me crazy for years, but after trying other people’s recipes and encountering the same thing, I think it’s just part of the fun haha. I know that different brands of tapioca flour have different levels of absorbency, but even with the same bag of flour, I find this still happens, so now I just go with it. Bottom line- either of these outcomes is okay!
3. The next step is beating in the egg, and then the cheese. Ideally, your mixture should look like a wet cookie dough:
4. You can then use a cookie scoop to drop it on a baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden.
SOS!
But let’s say your batter is super runny! There’s no way it will hold its shape. Guess what? Happens to me too! Sometimes it just does that. No problem! If it’s just slightly too wet, you can simply add a bit more tapioca flour and even a bit more cheese. If it’s really loose, simply spoon your batter into a muffin tin (mini OR full size) as opposed to the baking sheet, and they will bake right up and be absolutely delicious. They’ll be a little crispy on the outside and soft, tender, and chewy on the inside.
The yield is anywhere from 16-24 rolls, depending on how full you fill your muffin pan. I fill mine pretty full (a good 3/4 full) and I generally get about 16-18.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can these be made ahead? These are best eaten fresh, but you can absolutely make the dough/batter ahead of time. With the traditional method, refrigerate dough in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Chilling also helps it set up if it’s a little runny.
- Can you freeze Pao de Queijo? The baked breads aren’t as good after freezing, but if you use the traditional method of preparation, you can scoop the dough onto parchment and then freeze. Place frozen dough balls in an airtight container or zip top back for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes onto baking time.
Brazilian Cheese Rolls | Pao de Queijo
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 cup tapioca flour sometimes labeled tapioca starch no substitutions
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese preferably medium or sharp
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional: extra cheese to sprinkle on top and any herbs/flavorings you'd like to add. Try rosemary and or garlic powder my favorites!
Instructions
Quick Blender Version:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray or rub with butter.
- Place egg, milk, oil, tapioca flour, and salt in blender and blend until smooth. Add cheeses and pulse just a couple times.
- Immediately pour batter into a mini muffin tin , filling each well about 3/4 full. If desired, sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before removing rolls from pan. Serve warm.
Traditional Method
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or* spray a muffin tin with non stick spray or rub wells with butter (*see note).
- Place milk and oil in a small pot and heat until just simmering and remove from heat.
- Place tapioca flour and salt in a mixing bowl and pour hot milk and oil over top. Beat to combine.
- NOTE: At this point, your mixture might look crumbly and grainy, this is okay.
- Beat in egg.
- Add cheese and beat to combine.
- Scoop dough into balls (I use a cookie scoop, you can do any size you like, I aim for golf ball size) onto parchment-lined baking sheet* and bake until puffed and set on the outside, just slightly golden. Time will vary depending on size, but usually around 15 minutes.
- *NOTE: I've made this recipe a million times and have found at this point, sometimes the finished dough is scoop-able like cookie dough, and other times it's kind of runny like thick pancake batter. Tapioca flour differs in absorption levels and this isn't unusual. If your dough is not scoopable, you can always add a little bit more flour. But what I usually do is just bake the mixture in a muffin tin as opposed to a baking sheet. They still turn out great!
Notes
- *Tip: You can play around with the cheese. I've used Monterey Jack, low-moisture mozarella, swiss, and even gruyere in place of the cheddar. All great- sharper, stronger cheeses will make for a more flavorful roll.
- Keep in mind, these actually don't re-heat well, so I recommend making and eating fresh.
Questions & Reviews
Thank you thank you thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! My husband served in Brazil and has been dying for me to learn how to make the beloved pao de queijo. I think this recipe will make an already great marriage even better!
I have been searching for a good recipe for these – I loved them at the Brazilian BBQ restaurant my hubby and I went to in Houston. These tasted great – but mine stuck to the pan. We had to pry them out. They weren't burnt -just stuck. Any idea what the problem might be? I sprayed my pan with Pam…. Maybe my Tapioca Starch was a bit old?? I have been trying different recipes for a while…so the flour was a couple years old. I'll definitely make them again though!
OMG! I've been looking for a recipe like this for forever! The Brazilian Steakhouse that we love (and can't afford to go to enough) serves something like this and OMG….YAY! Can't wait to make them. 🙂
We are so excited to try to try this recipe! My hubs served in Belo Horizonte. He's stoked about eating these. He's loves them, and I can't wait to try them. Just wondering, did you ever eat Reiqeijao with the Pao de Queijo? Do you know of a recipe for it? Love your blog!
Toni, that's why I warned you they weren't actually "bread". I'm assuming you've never had these before! If you haven't, then it's quite surprising- and for some, an acquired taste.
am i the only person who made these and hated them? Maybe i'm just being picky but they tasted gross to me. And i mean that in no offense whatsoever because i loved every other recipe you guys share! I know it's not supposed to taste like bread that i'm used to, but these were just plain old yuck and too gooey yet spongey at the same time. What could i have done wrong?
The gluten-free me makes me SO HAPPY that you guys posted this 🙂 THANK YOU!
my BIL and SIL just moved to brazil, i am sure they will enjoy all sorts of brazilian food. i want to try these,i do eat gluten free and love anything new to try! thanks and can't wait to get your cookbook!
cutekittypunk- the rule is you can't 🙂 I mentioned in the post a few times that the tapioca flour is key- sorry but no subs!
gosh, 81 comments so far… i didn't read through all the comments, so I don't know if it's been asked, but if I don't use tapioca flour – if i wan to use regular all-purpose flour – can I use the same amount? what is the rule there?
thanks for the recipe – they look so yummy!
These look delicious and they are gluten free without adapting it! That made my morning!! Now to find time to make them…
Sarah! Guess where I found povillho doce? Winco! Don't know if you have one in Idaho, but they just got one by my house and they have it in the bulk section for cheap! I have the recipe that doesn't require the muffin tin, if you are ever looking 🙂 [email protected]
My husband also lived in Brazil and loves these! I can't wait to make them for him! Thank you for the recipe.
I picked up my copy of your cookbook at Costco yesterday and once I put the kids to bed, I snuggled on my bed and flipped page by page. It was truly, the best part of my day! I sure hope you're working on the second edition.
I have made these before..and they are awesome! I love how you baked them in a muffin tin! I do not know why i never thought of it :/. mine always look like blobs and are not very pretty! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Wow! I've had the ones at the Brazilian restaurants here and love those. If you're saying these are even better, I can't wait to make them! Thank you!
These look so easy and yummy–I'm excited to try them. They sound like they are good enough that you might be tempted to just snarf them down and call it good for the meal, but I was wondering if you could recommend what you like to serve them with. Thanks!
Fallen tops may be from over-blending or the oven being a bit too hot. 🙂
Yah, gluten free. I can hardly wait to try these.
YEAH!! Thank you for a gluten free recipe. I have missed cheese breads so much. Can't wait to whip up a batch of these this weekend.
Toni-Sometimes the tops do fall in and I have no idea why. For me they taste the same either way so I don't worry about it! If they are under-cooked they're just a little gooey inside. I hope you enjoyed them anyway!
One of the reasons that the top falls is:
1- if you open the oven before the time that is ready, making the oven loss the right temperature. so do not open before 15 minutes:
2- we usually use oven on 180ºC, But if you set higher than 200ºC the bread is going to quickly looks like ready on the outside but is not ready inside, so when you take it out the top is going to fall.
– to avoid that you can turn off the oven but leave them inside for a little longer to be able to cook inside.
OHHHHH, I can't wait to try these! Definitely one of my favorite Brazilian food and I never knew they could be so easy to make. Yea! 🙂 Also, thank you for unintentionally explaining to me why Kathryn always has to have Parmesan cheese on top of her cottage cheese. I never knew that about your dad, but it must be in her blood 🙂
I made these tonight (my family is 1/2 gluten free and I'm always looking for recipes). My problem? The tops fell in. Does this mean I didn't cook them enough? Or too much???
One of the reasons that the top falls is:
1- if you open the oven before the time that is ready, making the oven loss the right temperature. so do not open before 15 minutes:
2- we usually use oven on 180ºC, But if you set higher than 200ºC the bread is going to quickly looks like ready on the outside but is not ready inside, so when you take it out the top is going to fall.
– to avoid that you can turn off the oven but leave them inside for a little longer to be able to cook inside.
Those look amazing and I think I'll have to look for the Tapioca Flour next time I'm at Freddy's 🙂
Bles you! Bless you! Bless you!!! I cannot wait to make these for our family!!!!
I've been wanting this recipe! Thank you
I love Brazilian food, love! And its a recipe in a muffin pan. I SWOON!
Yay! I always eat way too many of these at Tucanos. I'm excited to try this at home!
I am new to this website and think it is awesome!!! I was introduced to it by a friend who always has awesome ideas and snacks for the gatherings we have. I would LOVE to have a cookbook by you gals! I suffer from lack of creativity all the time atleast this way i would have a resouce to jumpstart my creativity! Thanks for your sight its awesome! I am a google follower
Okay, it is official, you are the best! I LOVE Pao de queijo! I served in Minais where it was born in Brazil and miss it terribly. Thanks so much for posting this recipe. It has been a while since I have tried to make it and I am delighted to have your recipe since they are ALWAYS bom de mais! Obrigada!