Pão de Queijo, also known as Brazilian cheese bread, is a popular and delicious snack that originated in Brazil. These small, bite-sized bread rolls are crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside, and packed with cheesy flavor.
This gluten-free bread is made with yuca starch (cassava flour) and shredded Parmesan cheese. It's easy to make and perfect for serving as an appetizer, snack, or even a breakfast treat.
In this recipe, we'll guide you through the steps to make The Best Brazilian Cheese Bread with simple ingredients that you can easily find in your local grocery store. So get ready to enjoy a taste of Brazil in your kitchen!
Ingredients
Note: The full ingredients list is provided in the recipe card below.
- Eggs: The eggs structure the bread dough and help bind the ingredients.
- Whole milk: Adds moisture to the dough and helps create a tender texture.
- Water: The water thins out the dough and helps create a light and airy texture.
- Avocado oil: The oil adds richness and flavor to the bread and helps keep it moist.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese: The cheese provides the bread's distinct cheesy flavor and helps create a crispy exterior.
- Yuca starch: Also known as cassava flour, yuca starch is the main ingredient in the bread dough and provides a gluten-free and chewy texture.
- Kosher salt: The salt enhances the flavor of the bread and helps balance the sweetness of the yuca starch.
Tools you'll need
How to Make Pão de Queijo
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Combine the milk, oil, salt, and water in a medium saucepan and boil. Remove from the heat and slowly pour over the tapioca flour. Using a wooden spatula, quickly combine the mixture well.
Let it cool down. When the dough is cool enough to touch, Add the eggs (one at a time). Using your hand, mix until incorporated. Then mix in the cheese (a small handful at a time) until combined.
You can start kneading right in the bowl when the mixture has come together into a homogeneous mixture. Use the heel of your hand to smear the dough away from you to create a smooth and compact dough.
After the dough is smeared out, gather it back together with an angled spatula and keep doing so until the dough comes together nicely and detaches from the bowl.
Moisten the palm of your hand with oil, take a piece of dough (about a heaping tablespoon), and form it into approximately 1-½ inches balls.
Place the cheese bread onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between them. Bake the Brazilian Cheese Bread until it becomes puffed up and feel light and golden on top, rotating about halfway through baking, about 12 to 15 minutes.
FAQ
Is Pão de Queijo gluten-free?
Pão de Queijo is gluten-free since it is made with yuca starch, also known as cassava flour, instead of wheat flour.
Can I use pre-grated Parmesan cheese?
It's not recommended to use pre-grated Parmesan cheese since it contains additives that can affect the texture of the bread. Instead, shredded Parmesan cheese is recommended for the best results.
Can I make Pão de Queijo without a blender?
You can mix the ingredients by hand instead of using a blender. First, mix the wet ingredients in a bowl, add the cheese, and then gradually add the yuca starch and salt until a dough forms.
Can I make Pão de Queijo vegan?
You can make a vegan version of Pão de Queijo by replacing the eggs, milk, and cheese with vegan alternatives. For example, use a vegan egg replacer or flaxseed meal to replace the eggs, plant-based milk to replace the milk, and vegan cheese or nutritional yeast to replace the Parmesan cheese.
Can I use tapioca starch instead of yuca starch?
You can use tapioca starch instead of yuca starch since they have a similar texture.
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Recipe
Easy Pão de Queijo
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- 100 ml whole milk
- 100 ml of water
- ¾ cup avocado oil , sunflower oil, canola oil, or any neutral oil
- 400 g shredded Parmesan cheese * (Don't use the pre-grated Parmesan container)
- 500 g Yuca Starch
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500 ⁰ degrees F. Line (2) 13 by an 18-inch baking sheet with parchment; set aside. Put the tapioca flour in a 6-quart mixing bowl.
- Combine the milk, oil, salt, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly pour over the tapioca flour. Using a wooden spatula, quickly combine the mixture well. Let it cool down.
- When the dough is cool enough to touch, Add the eggs (one at a time).Using your hand, mix until incorporated. Then add the cheese (a small handful at a time), and mix until combined.
- You can start kneading right in the bowl when the mixture has become homogeneous mixture. Use the heel of your hand to smear the dough away from you to create a smooth and compact dough. After the dough is smeared out, gather it back together with a wooden angled spatula and keep doing until the Brazilian Pão de Queijo dough comes together nicely and detaches from the bowl.
- Moisten the palm of your hand with oil, take a piece of dough (about a heaping tablespoon) and form it into approximately 1-½ inches balls. (This process is very laborious, but with a bit of patience, you get there)
- Place the Brazilian Pão de Queijo dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch (2.54 cm) between them. Chill the finished cheese bread in the fridge or freezer for 10 to 15 minutes – while you're finishing the remaining cheese bread.
- Bake the Brazilian Cheese Bread until they become puffed up and feel light and golden on top, rotating about halfway through baking, about 12 to 15 minutes. Eat warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- I used a minimum amount of salt in this Brazilian Pão de Queijo recipe, but you can add more salt according to your taste.
- Brazilian Cheese Bread becomes light and airy when baked; that's when you know it's done.
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.