A popular Brazilian snack, Brazilian Cheese Bread (pão de queijo) combines tapioca starch, Parmesan, and egg into small, hand-shaped rolls with golden crusts and chewy centers.
Traditional pão de queijo has lightly golden crusts, dense, chewy centers, and a savory Parmesan flavor. These gluten-free Brazilian cheese rolls use hand-kneaded dough. In Brazil, people commonly enjoy them for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. Serve warm with coffee, butter, or dulce de leche. You can also try my eggless Brazilian cheese bread or cheddar-filled Brazilian cheese rolls for different versions.
Quick Look: Brazilian Cheese Bread
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 18–20 minutes
- ⏲️ Resting Time: 15 minutes
- ⏲️ Total Time: Approximately 43–45 minutes, including resting
- 🍽️ Servings: 40 small cheese rolls
- 🧀 Key Ingredients: Tapioca flour, Parmesan cheese, milk, and egg
- ✨ Texture: Lightly golden exterior with a dense, chewy center
- 🥛 Flavor: Savory and cheesy
- 🥣 Cooking Method: Hand-kneaded and oven-baked
- 🌾 Gluten-Free: Made with tapioca flour instead of wheat flour
- ❄️ Make-Ahead Friendly: Freeze unbaked rolls for up to 30 days
- ☕ Best For: Breakfast, snacks, or serving with coffee
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy to moderate
- Why This Recipe Works: Tapioca flour gives Brazilian cheese rolls their chewy texture without wheat flour. The heated milk, water, and oil help the starch form a cohesive dough, and the egg provides structure. Parmesan adds savory cheese flavor, and the rolls bake with lightly golden crusts and chewy centers.
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Jump to:
- Quick Look: Brazilian Cheese Bread
- Chef's Notes from Valentina
- Ingredients
- Substitutions And Additions
- How to Make Brazilian Cheese Bread
- Expert Tips for Brazilian Cheese Bread
- FAQ About Brazilian Cheese Bread
- What to Serve with Brazilian Cheese Bread
- More Bread Recipes
- Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo Recipe)
- Storage and Reheating
Ingredients
- Tapioca flour – 2 cups. Also called tapioca starch or manioc starch, it gives Brazilian cheese bread its chewy, slightly elastic texture. Its mild flavor lets the cheese take center stage. Use tapioca flour rather than whole-root cassava flour.
- Parmesan cheese – 1 ¼ cups, grated. Adds a rich, savory, slightly salty flavor to the rolls. Parmesan also contributes to the lightly golden crust during baking.
- Egg – 1 large, at room temperature. Binds the dough and helps the rolls hold their shape, with a tender interior after baking.
- Whole milk – ½ cup. Provides a mild dairy flavor and moisture for a tender texture. Heating it with the other liquids helps hydrate the tapioca starch.
- Vegetable oil – ⅓ cup. Keeps the cheese rolls moist and tender and helps prevent a dry, tough texture after baking.
How to Make Brazilian Cheese Bread
Prepare the Dough
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat the liquids: Combine ⅓ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup water, ½ cup whole milk, and ½ teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then let it cool slightly.
- Mix the tapioca flour: Place 2 cups of tapioca flour in a large bowl. Pour the warm liquid mixture over the flour and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
- Add the egg: Allow the dough to cool before adding 1 large egg at room temperature. Knead well with your hands until the egg becomes fully incorporated.
- Incorporate the cheese: Add 1 ¼ cups of grated Parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly. Aim for a uniform dough, but keep in mind that the more homogeneous it becomes, the harder it may be to roll.
Shape and Bake the Cheese Rolls
- Rest the dough: Let the dough rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- Shape the rolls: Lightly grease your hands with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Use a tablespoon to measure portions of dough, then roll each portion into a ball.
- Bake or freeze: Arrange the rolls on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Serve immediately. Alternatively, freeze the unbaked rolls for up to 30 days.
- Bake from frozen: Place the frozen, unbaked rolls about 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake directly from frozen at 375°F for 25–30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
FAQ About Brazilian Cheese Bread
Use sweet tapioca starch (polvilho doce), commonly sold as tapioca flour. Sour tapioca starch (polvilho azedo) produces more expansion, a lighter interior, and a slightly tangy flavor.
The liquid mixture may not have been hot enough to properly hydrate the tapioca starch. Bring it to a simmer before pouring it over the flour. Excess moisture can also cause the rolls to spread.
A chewy, slightly sticky center belongs to pão de queijo. However, a wet or pasty center may indicate underbaking. Bake a few minutes longer until the interior sets.
Yes. Blender versions use a thinner batter made with tapioca flour, milk, oil, eggs, and cheese. Pour the batter into greased muffin tins and bake until puffed and golden. These Brazilian cheese puffs typically have lighter, airier centers than hand-kneaded rolls.
What to Serve with Brazilian Cheese Bread
- Butter and Savory Spreads: Enjoy warm Brazilian cheese rolls with butter, cream cheese, or your favorite savory spread.
- Sweet Spreads: Try jam, Nutella, dulce de leche, or guava paste (goiabada). I also enjoy mine with sweet potato jam.
- Coffee: Pair pão de queijo with freshly brewed coffee, a traditional Brazilian breakfast and afternoon snack combination.
- Eggs: Scrambled eggs, fried eggs, or an omelette make breakfast more substantial.
- Fresh Fruit: Serve papaya, pineapple, or Brazilian fruit salad alongside the warm cheese rolls.
- Tapioca Crepes: Add Brazilian tapioca crepes to the breakfast table, with cheese or scrambled eggs as fillings.
Did You Love This Recipe? If you make this recipe and love it, stop back, give it a 5-star rating ★★★★★ and leave a comment.
Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo Recipe)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups tapioca flour
- 1 large egg – at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat the liquids: Combine ⅓ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup water, ½ cup whole milk, and ½ teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then let it cool slightly.
- Mix the tapioca flour: Place 2 cups of tapioca flour in a large bowl. Pour the warm liquid mixture over the flour and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
- Add the egg: Allow the dough to cool before adding 1 large egg at room temperature. Knead well with your hands until the egg becomes fully incorporated.
- Incorporate the cheese: Add 1 ¼ cups of grated Parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly. Aim for a uniform dough, but keep in mind that the more homogeneous it becomes, the harder it may be to roll.
Shape and Bake the Cheese Rolls
- Rest the dough: Let the dough rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- Shape the rolls: Lightly grease your hands with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Use a tablespoon to measure portions of dough, then roll each portion into a ball.
- Bake or freeze: Arrange the rolls on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Serve immediately. Alternatively, freeze the unbaked rolls for up to 30 days.
- Bake from frozen: Place the frozen, unbaked rolls about 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake directly from frozen at 375°F for 25–30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
Recipe Notes
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate: Store leftover baked Brazilian cheese bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Freeze: Place unbaked cheese rolls in a sealed freezer-safe bag for up to 30 days. Bake directly from frozen at 375°F for 25–30 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Reheat: Warm baked rolls in a preheated 350°F oven for 5–10 minutes, until heated through and lightly crisp outside.Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
I tried this recipe and it didn’t work out. I did something wrong since everyone else has had a good outcome. I let the liquids simmer, after cooled down I added it to the starch but it was too much liquid to dry ratio and it looks like milk.
Am I supposed let the liquids reduce some?
Hi Martina! I see. Yes, you should simmer the liquids and let them cool slightly (it should be lightly hot) before adding to the tapioca flour/starch. Mix the mixture very, very well and then let sit for a few minutes (I would say around 10-15 minutes before adding the eggs and then the cheese. Mix again very, very well. You will have a consistent dough, enough to form into small balls. The tapicoa will absorb most of the liquids while the mixture is resting. That mixture will be super gooey and thick and not hot anymore otehrwise the eggs will curdle. Once you add the eggs and cheese, it will get solid enough to roll into balls. Please grease your hands lightly with oil. The thing is the whether may cause some variations in the consistency. But if you don't get a dough at the end that can be rolled into balls, you sould add more cheese or more tapioca flour and knead the dough well. I hope this helps in your next attempt!
Hi Denise! I finally made these and they came out great! Really easy to make and mixing the azedo with the doce was perfection. I do have a question though - I put the unbaked rolls in the freezer and was wondering when I take them out to bake, should I let them thaw a little? Or would it be alright to pop into the oven immediately? Thank you!
Hi Erica! I am so glad you made these and enjoyed. If not baking these right away, freeze Brazilian cheese bread in a sealable plastic bag for up to 30 days. Bake directly from frozen.
Hello Denise! I am just dying to try this recipe! I have some questions though! I've been doing some research on the pão de queijo and many places say to use polvilho doce. But, I read somewhere that the polvilho azedo is how these cheese balls are traditionally made. Which one do you recommend using with your recipe? And, is it possible, if you use sweet, to substitute it with the sour? Would it change the other ingredients' quantities?
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
Hi Erica! Thanks for stopping by. The traditional pao de queijo takes a mixture of both polvilho doce and azedo. Of course, if the recipe takes only one of them, it will be just fine. The polvilho azedo is quite hard to find in the USA, this is why most of my recipes are made with the polvilho doce only, which here is known as tapioca flour and is available at any local supermarket. The difference is most in flavor. The pao de queijo made with polvilho azedo has a slightly sour taste. That's all! Recently, I published a recipe for pao de queijo with only 3 ingredients that takes polvilho doce, sour cream, and cheese only. It was quite successful as the sour cream also gives a sour flavor to that recipe. If you would like to try, here is the link: https://www.easyanddelish.com/eggless-brazilian-cheese-bread/
Thanks for the quick response, Denise! That makes total sense! I do want to try it with both the polvilho doce and azedo. I think Amazon will provide both very easily! I remember when I had the pao de queijo, it had a slightly sour tang to it and it complimented well with the cheese. Is it possible to use your recipe with both the doce and azedo? So 1 Cup each for doce and azedo? Thank you so much for answering my questions!
No problem Erica! Yes, you can use 1 cup each. But make sure to sift the polvilho azedo first and then measure 1 cup. If you don't sift it, your pao de queijo will have hard lumps or a granulated texture that you don't want to. The reason why is because differently from the polvilho doce that has a fine texture, polvilho azedo has a cooarse, granulated texture.
Fantastic! Thank you so much, Denise! I will try it out and let you know my results! And, the 3 ingredients one you linked is fascinating! I'll try that one after I get over this hurdle! Again, thank you for this amazing recipe and your guidance!
Fantastic! Thank you so much for your help and this awesome recipe, Denise! I'll definitely give the polvilho azedo a good sifting before measuring the 1 Cup. I'll let you know of my results! The 3 ingredient cheese bread you linked previously seems almost too good to be true! I'll try that out after this one! Thank you again!
My pleasure. When you make them, please stop by to give me your feedback and rate the recipes. Thank you and enjoy! Have a great weekend.
Denise, thanks for the info on using polvilho doce and azedo. I have been making pão de queijo for years with a recipe I developed, but only using tapioca flour (doce). One of our international markets just started carrying Amafil brand povilho azedo, so I picked up a kilo for next time I make pão de queijo. My Brazilian wife says something the one I make is missing 'something', and I told her it might be the 'sour'. I'll try half tapioca flour and half polvilho azedo and see how it turns out.
I'm thinking that maybe some citric acid might work, too, I would just have to figure out the amount.
Anyhow, great blog!
Hi Mark!Yes, traditional pao de queijo has a mild sour flavor due to the 'polvilho azedo' or sour starch. This starch also gives Brazilian cheese bread a denser and chewier texture, while the polvilho doce makes it lighter and airy.
If you can't find polvilho azedo, you can add about 1-2 tbsp of sour cream to the recipe when adding the eggs. However, if you do find the sour starch, be sure to sift it first and then measure it. If you want to use both polvilho doce and azedo, I would recommend using 1 cup of each for this recipe (equal amounts). I hope this helps!
Obrigado, Denise, your advise is very helpful. I was wondering about the azedo because it is quite a bit coarser, so sifting seems about right. I'll probably make some tonight and see how it turns out.
Hello Denise,
I picked up some polvilho azedo a few months ago when one of our markets started carrying it. I finally got around to using it last night and followed your advice of half azedo and half regular tapioca starch/flour, using the recipe I developed. My wife says it is just like the pao de queijo she grew up with. I used some sharp cheddar this time with the parmesan and it worked very well. It definitely had a funky smell when mixing it, but the end result was perfect. I did a double batch (10 cups of flour!) because she wanted it for an office potluck.
Hi Mark! I am so glad it turned out just teh way your wife remembers having pao de queijo in Brazil. I bet it brought her some nostalgia. Thank you for your feedbacka dn happy holidays!
These are to die for. Once you eat one, it is hard to stop.
I'm in love with this recipe, I try to do at home
Thank you! I hope you try both and enjoy. One is quick and made in the blender, and the other is more the traditional way to make pao de queijo. 😉
I will advise to not use Milk, oil or even less hot ingredients. Make it simple and easier...:
400gr Tapioca starch
150gr grated cheese
teaspoon salt
2 eggs
some yeast to help blow.
300ml cold water
It's more healthy and easier...same taste and same looking as all recipes above.
Enjoy it
hi, I can find sour tapioca Starch here but i cannot find the sweet tapioca starch, you mentioned about the manioc starch above, did you mean sweet tapioca starch = manioc starch one? Thank you
Yes, Quinny! The manioc starch is the same as sweet tapioca starch which is available at both Latin and Asian stores.
Thank you, I got it today. Very hard to find sweet one but there are so many manioc here. Will try your recipe and let you know
Success and enjoy!
I love this,will try to buy two kind of tapioca starch but not sure if I can find some,I'm living in Boston,do u have any idea where can I buy them?thanks
Hi, Quinny! Welcome to FBTY! Both the manioc starch and sour starch are available in Latin markets and online. If you do intend to make the quick recipe, you'll need the manioc starch only which can be bought here: https://www.amazon.com/Manioc-Starch-Polvilho-17-6oz-GLUTEN-FREE/dp/B005DSL04O/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1379468987&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=yoki+tapioca+flour
But if you intend to make the traditional version, you'll need to buy both the manioc starch and the sour starch (https://www.amazon.com/Sour-Starch-Polvilho-Azedo-GLUTEN/dp/B005CBRPIW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379469252&sr=8-1&keywords=yoki+tapioca+flour ). Please, do not forget to sift the sour starch before adding to the recipe. I hope this help. Have a great week!
Amei suas duas receitas!!! Fico louca quando peço receitas de pao de queijo às minhas amigas e elas me dao as instrucoes como "um copo raso", "meio copo"... Moro nos EUA e estou acostumada com a precisao das receitas americanas, e tudo em cups e nao em copos. Quando vejo receitas em "copos" me pergunto: "mas copo de que tamanho?????" rsrsrs
Obrigada pelas receitas, vou testar as duas! Estou animada sobre a de liquidificador, pois cresci minha infancia toda comendo este, da versao mais facil! Adorei!
Bjs!
Cynthia: Bem-vinda a FBTY!!! Eu entendo. Como também estou acostumada a medidas precisas, não consigo fazer as receitas brasileiras sem que algo saia errado. 🙂 FBTY é o meu projeto de pôr por escrito receitas brasileiras corretas. Quando vejo receitas de livros ou sites brasileiros, sei que o copo é de 250 ml enquanto que o nosso que moramos aqui nos EUA é de 240 ml ou 8 oz. Mesmo assim, falta precisão na maioria das receitas brasileiras. Espero que usando as minhas receitas você consiga fazê-las sem problema. Se houver alguma dúvida, é só falar que terei prazer de te ajudar. Um abraço!
This bread knocked my socks off
Thanks for the recipe! Love it.
We're welcome. Glad that you liked my article. Good luck on your presentation!