Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pan de Queijo) is SO easy to make and is the perfect addition to any meal. You will love the chewy bread and cheesy center.
Brazilian Cheese Bread
This Brazilian Cheese Bread is the stuff dreams of made of! I originally discovered it at a restaurant called Tucanos Brazilian Grill. Every time I go to Tucanos I seriously have to try to limit myself to only a few of these little cheese rolls or I will completely go to town on them. Since then I have been determined to figure out the recipe. The closest I found to the restaurant variety is from a blog called The Kitchn. I switched up the cheese to sharp cheddar to enhance the flavor, and they are so good! If you haven’t had these rolls before, now it the time! Oh.. and did I mention they are GLUTEN FREE?! So this one is for all of my gluten-free friends out there!
What is Pao de Queijo?
Literally translated to “cheese bread” in Portuguese, these small, round, baked cheese rolls are a popular snack and breakfast food in Brazil. And even though it’s called “bread”, the dough doesn’t use yeast (hence, gluten-free!) and the consistency is sort of in between a cake batter and cookie dough and is extremely stretchy. These cheese rolls are actually really cool to make, and even more fun to eat! If you want to create a delicious Brazilian feast, serve these yummy rolls alongside a helping of our Brazilian Rice and Beans with Sausage. You won’t believe how quickly this meal comes together, yet it looks like you spent hours creating this masterpiece!
More Roll Recipes
In our family, a dinner is truly not complete without a side of bread or rolls. Here are a few of our tried and true recipes for you to add to your dinner table!
- Best From Scratch Dinner Rolls
- Cake Mix Cornbread
- Honey Wheat Homemade Bread
- Blue Cheese Bombs
- Pani Popo (Samoan Coconut Sweet Rolls)
- Homemade Crescent Rolls
How to Make Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pao de Queijo)
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups tapioca flour (I used Bob's Red Mill -- I found mine in the gluten-free section of the grocery store)
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese get a small block of Parmesan and shred it yourself... it makes a BIG difference
- 3/4 cup sharp or medium cheddar cheese shredded (shred yourself, just like the Parmesan)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the milk, oil, and salt in the saucepan, and whisking occasionally, bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from heat as soon as you see big bubbles coming through the milk.
- Add all of the tapioca flour to the saucepan and stir until you see no more dry tapioca flour. The dough will be grainy and gelatinous at this point.
- Transfer the dough to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. (Alternatively, you can do the next few steps by hand. Be prepared for a work-out.) Beat the dough for a few minutes at medium speed until it smooths out and has cooled enough that you can hold your finger against the dough for several seconds.
- Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl. With the mixer on medium, beat the eggs into the dough in two additions. Wait until the first addition has been fully incorporated into the dough before adding the second. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on medium, beat in the cheese until fully incorporated. The resulting dough will be very sticky, stretchy, and soft with a consistency between cake batter and cookie dough.
- Using an ice cream scoop, a tablespoon measure, or a dinner spoon, scoop rounded portions of the dough into mounds on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Space the mounds an inch or two apart. Dip your scoop in water or spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Transfer the sheet with the puffs to the oven and bake for 25-28 minutes, until the puffs have puffed, the outsides are dry, and they are JUST starting to color. Do not over bake! Cool briefly and eat.
Julianne says
October 7, 2013 at 11:38 amI am from Brazil and make this for my family all the time. You can put all your ingredients in the blender and skip the boiling. My recipe is as follows:
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup milk
2 cups tapioca starch
8oz, plus cheese, I like to use a combination like the Italian blend.
1 Tsp salt
Blend everything together and poor into tiny cupcake pan and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes till golden brown.
I found that using Parmesan, provolone, mozzarella, asiago, blend really does add to the flavor and more cheese never hurts. I also find that going to a local Chinese grocery store you can find the tapioca starch much cheaper, $.99 here. Each package makes one recipe. Hope this helps you on the days you don’t want to burn your hands. You can also prepare extra and freeze for 3 months. Also once they are cold we re-heat them for a few seconds and they always taste really good.
Erica says
October 7, 2013 at 12:34 pmYou can also get the tapioca flour for way cheap in the bulk bins at Winco!
Bill says
November 3, 2013 at 1:24 pmKroger carries the tapioca flour in the health food section.
cris says
November 20, 2013 at 6:53 am..tapioca starch ?? where to find it ? wich ones is the brand ??
Erica says
November 20, 2013 at 10:09 pmI found some at Winco in the bins or you can find the Bobs Red Mill brand
Mellie Sweatt says
January 6, 2014 at 1:37 pmHi,
We just came back from Brazil. I had a couscous bread which tasted alot like corn bread. It had platains on the top, and was cooked on stove top in a steamer. Do you know how to make this dish. I have googled my heart out trying to find it.
Erica says
January 6, 2014 at 8:41 pmNever heard of it but I know some people from Brazil that I could ask!
katie says
August 2, 2014 at 7:28 pmI’m from Brazil too and have made different kinds of cheese breads, I like all of them 😉 I buy my tapioca at asian store market, its true, way cheaper then anywhere else! I pay .69 cents!!!
Odelle Smith (U.K.) says
December 14, 2014 at 1:26 amWould love to make these beauties…
Can I use ‘Regular Flour’ rather than ‘Tapioca’ please…
Any advice would be welcome,
Many thanks,
Odelle Smith. (U.K.)
Sachi says
January 23, 2019 at 12:27 pmI am sure u could, but it would completely change the texture and consistency of the cheesy bread. I’ll tell u this, they use tapioca flour originally, it’s not something folks did to get a gluten free product. This is traditional with tapioca flour… And In all honesty the somewhat chewy consistency of tapioca flour ADDS to the cheesyness. They are crisp and golden on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside…. I encourage u to try them in their original recipe prior to changing ingredients.
If uv never been to a Brazilian steakhouse house, or tried these awesome little breads (I can eat maybe a total of 10 oz at a time due to health problems… And I could NOT stop shoving these into my mouth lol) then I deffinTely encourage u to search for a Brazilian steakhouse house locally that makes them (plus u’ll never have better meats of ALL kinds) my area just opened it’s first in my state of Washington, usa (west coast) but there are like 60 franchises so u mY have one nearby. Texas de Brazil is the name of the franchise and they search the breads plus insane delicious food. Go, try, enjoy, make at home 🙂
Sachi
Odelle Smith (U.K.) says
December 14, 2014 at 1:33 amHelp required please!
Can I use ‘Regular Flour’ in place of ‘Tapioca Flour’?
Would I use the same amounts & method?
These look delicious, would love to make these ASAP…
Loving your recipes, many thanks,
Kindest Regards,
Odelle Smith. (U.K.)
Erica says
December 15, 2014 at 11:17 amIt will not come out the same if you don’t use tapioca flour.. the consistency of the tapioca flour is what makes them so chewy and good. You can try it but I can’t promise they will taste the same!
Julie says
February 7, 2019 at 12:14 pmIf you use wheat flour, you’re essentially making pate a choux, or profiterole paste. Cheesy profiteroles are tasty, just not the same as this recipe.
Ginny says
July 25, 2017 at 9:01 pmSuuuuper long ago but THESE ARE AMAZING!! Came across the OP recipe but yours sounded way easier lol. Made it twice in three days!!
Jessi says
October 30, 2017 at 8:23 amThanks for this suggestion. Do use shredded italian cheese or the finely grated parmesan-style cheese?
Connie says
June 22, 2018 at 9:20 amThank you! Your recipe comments sound wonderful.
Kathy says
October 8, 2013 at 7:33 amOh wow! These sound fabulous and dangerous at the same time!
Carol says
October 10, 2013 at 3:56 amI am brazilian and I loooove cheese bread.
Yours seems to be pretty good. =D
Debbie says
October 10, 2013 at 9:37 amThis recipe looks awesome! Can’t wait to try it. 🙂
teca says
October 28, 2013 at 7:50 pmcool iam definately trying this wen i get home after work today
Christie Quirl says
November 27, 2013 at 2:47 pmAbout how many does this recipe make? Making these for Thanksgiving tomorrow so I need to know if I should double it or not. Thanks!
Erica says
November 29, 2013 at 10:13 pmYikes! Sorry this is a late reply.. it makes about 2 dozen… give or take a few.
darlene says
January 14, 2014 at 3:13 pmThis was delicious! My husband ate the whole batch and he’s brazilian!
Aaron Grandy says
January 24, 2014 at 2:03 amErica – My wife just made these for me. Totally reminded me of miniature versions of the ones I ate down in Rio. These were delicious!
Katie says
March 2, 2014 at 4:38 pmCan these be frozen and thawed later? My daughter has a school project but we baked them and now they have a snow day!!
Erica says
March 2, 2014 at 4:48 pmehhhhhh, I wouldn’t. I don’t think they would freeze well. You can sure try it though!
aline says
June 21, 2014 at 5:56 amYou can freeze them uncooked,just make the little balls and put them on the baking pan in the freezer and later transfer to a ziploc bag.when you want to bake them there’s no need to thaw just pop them in the oven!
Calli says
March 13, 2016 at 10:24 amI tried it and it works perfectly. Can’t even tell they aren’t fresh! Thanks.
Lily says
March 7, 2014 at 3:23 pmBefore I bake these I want to refrigerate the dough, so I can bake them at a friend’s house. Should I roll out the dough first then chill or just chill the dough and roll and bake when I’m ready?
Erica says
March 7, 2014 at 6:57 pmI would probably chill first, then roll and bake…
Lily says
March 7, 2014 at 8:57 pmThanks, Erica. I’ll be baking these tomorrow. Can’t wait for our friends to have some!
Gianna says
March 26, 2014 at 11:50 amI make these and instead of regular salt I add garlic salt & OOOOH MAN it really adds to the flavor.
Becky says
April 24, 2014 at 7:37 amIt doesn’t say, but does the cheese go in at the same time as the flour?
Erica says
April 27, 2014 at 10:49 amYes, it goes in at the same time 🙂
Emma says
June 18, 2014 at 6:23 pmHiya, no where close to me sells tapioca flour, can I use arrowroot instead?
Erica says
June 20, 2014 at 11:57 amWe have never used arrowroot in this recipe before, I don’t know how it would turn out. Let us know if you try it and how it works for you!
Sheika says
June 19, 2014 at 12:10 pmSo do you use tapioca flour or tapioca starch???
Erica says
June 20, 2014 at 11:55 amWe use tapioca flour
Hanni says
November 8, 2014 at 2:32 pmJust found and tried your recipe, it’s great! I love the pao de queijo at our local Brazilian restaurant, and this is the closest match I’ve found so far. Thanks!
Erica says
November 10, 2014 at 9:31 amThanks for the comment! So glad you liked it!! 😀
Terry says
December 31, 2014 at 9:35 amI made these last night and they where so delicious. I used Tapioca Starch because I didn’t realize there was a difference, I’m gonna look for Flour next time to compare the difference.
I had a few issues though, the mix was too loose so when I scooped it on a cookie sheet it just melted flat. This was ok because my first batch was more like a thick cracker! Delish!…I added more Tapioca then decided to scoop into muffin pan. 28 minutes was too long but 10 mins was not long enough, I definitely want to make this again till I get it right!
Ivan says
March 19, 2015 at 10:18 pmHey Erika – i have tried your recipe about 3 or 4 times and only got it right once. The dough always end up runny (too creamy). Why could that be? Any suggestions?
Erica says
March 21, 2015 at 5:49 pmI don’t know why it would be that way– what is your elevation? You may need to add a little more tapioca flour if you are higher in elevation. Hope this helps! – Erica
Alli says
August 29, 2015 at 8:46 amI was in the same boat as you. I love those cheese balls from Tuchanos! We made these last night and they were delicious!!
Pam jenkins says
September 10, 2015 at 9:47 amMade Brazilian cheese bread follow my friends instructions, came out horrible, doughy inside cooked on the outside, should I have kneaded it more.
Robin says
October 28, 2017 at 10:26 amThere’s a big difference between 2 cups and 10 ounces tapioca flour/starch.