Of all the foods I fell in love with in Brazil, Pao de Queijo (literally
translated to ‘bread of cheese’, how can that not be delicious?) is right up there at the top. And it’s been tormenting my soul for the past 10 years as I’ve tried recipe after recipe trying to duplicate the taste and texture I love. You can buy pre-packaged mixes, but they’re not quite the same as homemade. The problem is that there are several different methods to making these little balls of heaven. A lot of them involve lots of hard to find ingredients, and methods like heating a mixture on the stove, kneading a big messy dough, etc. When I was in Brazil, I learned how to make the most quick and easy version- an ultra fast liquid batter that you just poured into a muffin tin. It’s been driving me crazy that I couldn’t find my recipe or one that was like it. And then a few weeks ago something magical happened. My husband walked in after organizing some junk in the garage and asked me if I wanted a little pink notebook. I knew immediately what it was. It was bursting with little scraps of papers. Scraps of papers with recipe notes on them. I heard the hallelujah chorus. We ate Pao de Queijo about 25 minutes later. And it was heavenly.
If you’ve never had this type of Brazilian cheese bread, it’s tricky to explain. It’s actually not “bread” at all- at least not like we’re used to here in the US. It’s almost more like the texture of a cream puff shell or popover, but with more substance on the inside. The outside is slightly crisp and browned and the inside is airy and chewy. If you’re not familiar with them at all then I want you to be fully informed so you don’t expect an actual yeast bread “roll”. If you do, then you’ll probably think these are super weird and gooey. They’re served at popular Brazilian restaurants, but honestly, while I adore those restaurants, I’ve yet to have a really good Pao de Queijo at any of them. So trust me when I tell you that if you like those (or any of the pre-packaged mixes), you will probably love these homemade ones. And if you know anyone who has ties to Brazil like I do, you are sure to melt their heart with these. Once you see how quick and easy they are you’ll be making them all the time!
The best part is that I have 99% of the ingredients in my house pretty much at all times.
The only semi-strange ingredient in there is Tapioca Flour, and it’s actually easier to find than you might think. It’s a really smooth, soft flour that feels much like cornstarch. It’s made from the ground roots of the cassava plant and it’s gluten free for those of you that care about that 🙂
You can grab it off Amazon and have it delivered to you, but a lot of normal grocery stores carry a good selection of Bobs Red Mill products which is the brand I use. Here in Idaho I can always find them at Fred Meyer, near the health food/specialty foods isle. You can also find tapioca flour at Asian markets as it’s used in a lot of Asian cooking, and also at health food stores and places like Whole Foods where you can find a good selection of wheat flour alternatives. Definitely check the gluten free isle of well stocked store. If you live in an area with WINCO grocery stores, people are telling me you can find it in the bulk section (how did not know this?? Thank you readers!) You can’t substitute any other type of flour– the tapioca flour is key, so when you find a good place to buy it, stock up!
Okay, ready for easy? You can prep these in about 60 seconds. Seriously. Put everything but the cheese in the blender (I adore my Blendtec) and blend until smooth.
Then add in your cheese and pulse the blender one or two times. I like to break it up a bit and mix it in, but not pulverize it. And you can be creative here. I like a mixture of Parmesan and sharp cheddar. It’s important to use cheese that has a stronger flavor because it’s really the only flavor you’re putting in there and if it’s too mild I’ve found the rolls turn out pretty bland. But play around with it and find your perfect mix. You can also add more or less cheese, it’s pretty flexible.
Now just take your blender and pour the batter into little mini-muffin tins. It’s a very thin batter so pour slowly!
I like to sprinkle a little more parmesan on top. Because I like to sprinkle a little parmesan on top of just about everything. I inherited that from my father, who puts parmesan on just about everything he makes. A little sprinkle of kosher salt is also yummy.
Recently I was browsing food blogs and was excited to see a nearly identical recipe on Bewitching Kitchen. She mentioned putting rosemary in there, which at first I thought sounded a little strange. Not because I don’t think it would taste good, but because I’d never had pao de queijo with any type of herb before. I tried it just for kicks and man was it good! You can either sprinkle a little dried or fresh rosemary on top, or blend it right in the batter. Loved that addition.
Then you pop these babies in a hot oven and watch them do their magic. They puff up into perfectly little bubbly golden balls of cheesy goodness. How’s that for a descriptive sentence?
You want to cook them just until they’re set on top and barely golden. If you over cook them, the tops actually look pretty similar, but you can tell by the bottoms. Case in point:
And don’t be concerned if the rolls sink in the middle. These photos are actually a bit misleading because I photographed them literally seconds after coming out of the oven. It’s perfectly normal for them to sink down in the centers and they taste exactly the same!
Eating Pao De Queijo warm is a definite must. I’ll just say that right now. As soon as they’re cool enough to handle, bust one open and eat it.
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.
I dare you to just eat one. This recipe is a little dangerous.
Quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls {Pao de Queijo}
- Yield: 16
Description
Literally translates to “bread of cheese”…how can that not be delicious? Quick, easy, and fantastic every time.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 cup tapioca flour (sometimes labeled tapioca starch) no substitutions
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 C grated cheddar cheese* (preferably medium or sharp)
- 1/4 C 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
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place egg, milk, oil, tapioca flour, and salt in blender and blend until smooth. Add cheeses and pulse 2 times. Immediately pour batter into a mini muffin tin (if your muffin tin isn’t non-stick, spray lightly with non-stick spray first), filling each well about 3/4 full, or just slightly less. If desired (and I recommend), sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top and/or a tiny sprinkle of kosher salt.
- 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. {Que Gostoso!}
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!
- Keep in mind, these actually don’t re-heat well, so I recommend making and eating fresh.
I can’t wait to try this. I just bought the tapioca flour. The pães de queijo I had in Brazil were ok, but didn’t live up to their reputation, and I never had homemade.
Você tem uma receita de feijoada também? 🙂
I made these tonight! I wasn’t sure what to expect (other than that I’d like them, how could they not be delicious?!), but they turned out great! Never had anything like them. My mini muffin pan is nonstick and has only been used a couple of times, but my pao de queijo stuck and I had to pry them out. No harm done to the taste though. They tasted very good and most surprising of all was the texture. The bottom part was airy but the top part basically had the exact texture of melted mozzarella cheese. My husband actually thought they were little fried cheese things. After reading the reviews, I’m not sure if they were actually supposed to have that texture, but we sure liked them and I plan to make them again soon (and grease the pan next time)! Thanks so much for the fascinating and yummy recipe 🙂
These look so yummy! Does this recipe work well without the use of a blender?
Sure, you can whisk everything together. If you’re not using a blender, whisk the milk in a small amount at a time so you can avoid lumps.
My wife just made these and I must say they are just as good as they were when I was a missionary in Brazil. Thanks!
I have never heard of these before, but will definitely be making them as soon as possible!
Thought I’d give it a shot and make these for a 3-year-old on a gluten free diet. I tried one and thought, “Wow, these are awesome!” and reluctantly sent the batch with his mom to take home. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the rolls all day and ended up making a second batch later which was devoured by our family. The 3-year-old LOVES them and so do we. Thanks for sharing and BTW you are 100% right – they are dangerous!
OMG THANK YOU! Just made these and pretty much ate the entire batch myself. Such an easy and delicious recipe!
I’m brazilian and I loved this recipe of yours… Not a week goes by without these pao de queijo!!! Thank you for sharing!
That means so much to me coming from a Brasileira! So glad you liked it!
THANK YOU!!!
I went to Brasil 8 years ago and have been wanting these ever since! I have even ordered the pre-made packages on-line and like you said, NOT the same! I will be trying these ASAP!!
This is a great recipe! I have only had this from Fogo De Chao in Austin and I absolutely loved the bread, so I attempted to make it earlier this year and it wasn’t right, the consistency was off. This recipe is perfect! I did half with parmesan on top and half with kosher salt on top. The salt was really good! Thank you sooooo much for posting this! Also, I am glad to know the name now, it is so much fun to say!
My husband is from Brazil and very much misses the little things that remind him of home. I have tried so many different recepies for this wonderful Brazilian bread:) These were SO easy to make and turned out awesome!! One bite and my husband had a huge smile on his face…these will now be a staple in our house. Thank you so much!
We just made these not too long ago and they were a big hit. I served them with a spicy black bean soup. Yum! My husband and his buddy, both returned missionaries from Brazil, were thrilled with how “right on” they were.
Thank you for posting this! My hubby and I love these and I was so excited to try your recipe. i made them last night for New Years and they were perfect! My family devoured the whole batch in minutes, and I had to make another batch when my in laws arrived. (Those vanished too.) Thanks so much! I see many Brazilian dinners in our future. 🙂
From a Brasileira living in the US, if it tastes as good as the real ones, you will have a thanks from the bottom of my heart 🙂
I just cried a little when I saw this recipe! Every now and then I dream about these little breads and never could find my own recipe from when I was in Brazil. Thank you thank you thank you!! You have taken me back 10 years to another time and place. Obrigada!
De Nada 😉
Yumm! I can’t wait to try these! 🙂
THANK YOU – THANK YOU. My family was all diagnosed with Celiac (yes, right during the Christmas Holidays – I went into Gluten Free melt down). It is great to have these GLUTEN FREE recipes and since my sister married a Brazilian, we have loved Pao De Queijo – had no idea they were gluten free. It is so fun to find “doughy” food that we can eat!!
These look like a tasty addition to a soup or salad. Easy to prepare too. I’m looking forward to trying these.
Any chance you can grind pearl tapioca and have it work?
Hi thanks for sharing this looks great! My coworker brought some in from a local bakery and I never though it would be this easy to make… I featured the recipe on my “guilty pleasures” post and of course gave you full credit 🙂 teezaknows.wordpress.com
We have a Paraguayan recipe for chipa that’s similar, but the batter isn’t a liquid and it has anise. My husband grew up in Paraguay where his parents were missionaries.
2 lbs. Tapioca starch
3 ½ sticks of unsalted butter softened to room temp.
1 ½ oz. anise
1 Tbsp. salt
7-8 eggs
4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Mix softened butter and tapioca starch until all of the starch is combined with the butter. Add anise and salt and mix. Combine cheese with mixture. Add eggs last. Start with 7 and add the eighth if the mixture is too dry. Make small, flattened loaves and cook at 350 for about 20-25 min. depending on the oven. The loaves should be brown on the bottom and firm on the top. They should be soft/slightly doughy in the middle.
This recipe could be halved.
Thanks for this easier recipe. I have friends from Brazil who made these for me (and got me addicted), but they used a flour mix from a Brazillian market. I haven’t been able to find one near me. But I eat gluten-free, so these became my gluten-free grilled cheese sandwiches! I make up a huge batch, then roll them into doughballs (I think their recipe might be thicker, more cheese I think?). Then I arrange the balls on a cookie sheet or cutting board, and freeze them. Once they are frozen, I put them in a huge Ziplock bag to keep in the freezer. Then for lunches, I pull out 2 or 3 (or 4 or 5…) and pop them in a toaster oven for about 20 minutes or so at 350ish. They are so cheesy and crunchy!
You have just made my day! Do you even read 101 comments when you posted this back in Feb. Doubt it, but just want to say THANK YOU! I’m so excited to try it. I served in Brazil and had a profound love for Pao de Queijo. In fact, I’m pretty sure we were in the CTM together. (Nov. 2000 -ish). My name was Sister McConkie back then.
Anyway, thanks. I’ve tried a few things over the past couple years but it’s never been the same.
Oh my goodness. Will you please be my best friend? I have been looking for this recipe for YEARS. I can’t wait to try your version, they look heavenly. Thank you for sharing!!!!
Just made these, they are absolutely delicious BUT! They all stuck to the pan, and it took me 15 minutes and a lot of cursing to get them out. Any tips? Do I need to spray PAM on the tins before pouring in the batter? But thanks for the tasty and SUPER easy recipe! It was still worth the struggle…
Oh no! You must not have a very non-stick, non-stick pan, lol. Yes, I would definitely spray or butter the muffin wells next time. If you have a good non-stick pan they should pop right out without a problem.
Also, after making this recipe many times successfully, and then getting a new oven and them consistently flopping, I’ve learned that they stick when they aren’t cooked long enough. Try cooking them a little longer, and they come out much easier.
Hey! I made these tonight for a brazilian dinner, and they were awesome! It is a fantastic recipe. I love how easy it is, and it produced excellent results. It is way better than using the Yoki mix, and just as easy, if not easier. I just wanted to thank you for sharing.
YAY! I served in Brazil and I have been craving these since I came home. I am beyond excited to try them. Thanks! 🙂
Just a question… can you use the pre-grated Parmesan cheese? I have a big container of it but I just wonder if that melts as good?
You know, you probably could Amy. Normally I don’t recommend the pre-shredded because as you mentioned it doesn’t melt very well, but I think here, especially since you’ll pulse it in your blender, it would be just fine.
My husband’s favorite thing about going to restaurants is the bread they bring you before the meal-he LOVES this stuff! Well unfortunately, about a year and a half ago he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and that pretty much put an end to that obsession. Most of the rolls we’ve tried that are gluten free are dry, mealy, and just not good. Well, my sister-in-law cooked these babies up for us last weekend and my hubby was in HEAVEN!!! I swear he ate about 20 of them during dinner-the rest of the meal was good too but I don’t think he noticed much else other than these rolls. They were amazing and the texture was great! Thank you so much for sharing this one, it’s going to become a regular at our home!
Where did you find the mini muffin tin? I have looked at several stores, including Target and Bed Bath & Beyond…no one has these! I tried in a regular muffin tin and I don’t think they are turning out quite right…
Target and Bed Bath and Beyond definitely carry them, I’m positive! They shouldn’t be hard to find, so maybe ask a store employee?
I think my stores are just stupid (my husband and I spent at least 15 in Bed Bath & Beyond looking, you would think it would be easy to find there)…but I will try again, thanks!
I have been looking for a good recipe for tapioca Flour to put on our website and came across this one. I have tried it several times and my family loves them too.
Would you be willing for us to add this recipe to our web site. I am willing for you to word it to your specifications and add your name – how ever you want to. I really need a good recipe to put with our Shiloh Farms tapioca flour. Even cooking with Issac’s is recommending for our flour to be used in their cookbook.
I am looking forward to your comments and pray you will find us acceptable. Thank you so much for considering us.