Brazilian cheese bread (pão de queijo recipe) is a small gluten-free baked cheese roll eaten for breakfast or as a snack in Brazil.
Making this pão de queijo recipe requires no special occasion in my household. Indeed, Brazilian cheese bread has been part of our table for years.
There are a lot of different recipes, in which the ingredients vary -- as well as the final results. However, what really sets pão de queijo apart from other breads is the manioc starch (tapioca flour) and cheese.
It is in fact the lightness of the manioc starch, which is finely milled, that gives the bread such a special texture. Because the manioc starch, tapioca flour or tapioca starch is gluten-free, this cheese bread is ideal for consumption by those on gluten-free diets.
In Brazil, the cheese of choice is most frequently either Minas cheese or Parmesan cheese, although one can use other types such as mozzarella.
Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes, for example, uses the Mexican queso fresco cheese in her Brazilian cheese bread recipe and makes a kitchen-blender version.
Mine is the traditional pão de queijo or Brazilian cheese bread because of the labor involved, and which yields a roll with a denser, chewier texture. Oh, can you smell it baking already?
How To Make Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a pan over medium heat, combine oil, water, milk, and salt. Simmer the mixture. Then, let cool down a little bit.
- Pour warm mixture over the tapioca flour in a large bowl, mixing well with a wooden spoon. Then, wait for the dough cool down. Add the egg and knead well with hands.
- Add the cheese and mix well. The more homogeneous the dough, the better -- but also the more difficult to roll. Let Brazilian cheese bread rest for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Grease your hands with oil before rolling into balls. Use a tablespoon as measurement.
- Either easily freeze them for up to 30 days or bake them for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Serve immediately!
NOTE: To cook pao de queijo from frozen, place them 1-inch apart in a lined baking sheet and bake at 375 F for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
Variations
- You can make this pao de queijo recipe in other flavors such as roasted bell pepper Brazilian cheese rolls.
- For this, add ½ to 1 cup of blended roasted red bell peppers to this recipe or ½ cup of chopped fresh herbs. Because bell peppers contain water, it will take longer to bake. Serve with savory spreads or butter.
- You can also make this cheddar filled Brazilian cheese bread , these hot pockets, and tapioca breadsticks.
Accompaniments
Serve the plain pão de queijo or Brazilian cheese bread with savory spreads, butter, soft cream cheese, jams, nutella, dulce de leche, or guava paste. This is actually very common in Brazil. I like to spread sweet potato jam in mine. It is a hit in Rio and all over Brazil!
How to Store Brazilian Cheese Bread
If not baking these right away, freeze Brazilian cheese bread in a sealable plastic bag for up to 30 days. Bake directly from frozen. It is one of those traditional Brazilian foods and also easy Brazilian recipes you must try!
PIN & ENJOY!
Gluten-Free Brazilian Cheese Bread
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 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a pan over medium heat, combine oil, water, milk, and salt. Simmer the mixture. Then, let cool down a little bit.
- Pour warm mixture over the tapioca flour in a large bowl, mixing well with a wooden spoon. Then, wait for the dough cool down. Add the egg and knead well with hands.
- Add the cheese and mix well. The more homogeneous the dough, the better -- but also the more difficult to roll. Let rest for about 15 minutes at room temperature.
- Grease your hands with oil before rolling into balls. Use a tablespoon as measurement. Either freeze them for up to 30 days or bake them for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Serve immediately!
- If baking from frozen, baking time will increase to 25-30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
- Variation: ½ to 1 cup of roasted red bell peppers can also be blended with the other ingredients in the blender, or ½ cup of fresh basil leaves. Because bell peppers contain water, it will take longer to bake. They can be served with savory spreads or butter.
- Suggested accompaniments: The plain pão de queijo or Brazilian cheese bread can be served with savory spreads, butter, soft cream cheese, jams, nutella, dulce de leche, or guava paste. This is very common in Brazil. I spread a sweet potato jam and also a berry jam on mine, as you can see.
- Do you love pao de queijo? Try also our Cheddar filled Brazilian cheese rolls!
- STORAGE: if not baking these right away, freeze them in a sealable plastic bag for up to 30 days. Bake directly from frozen.
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.
Last updated: [last-modified]
[…] well known for their delicious recipes including bobó de camarão (shrimp in creamy yuca sauce), pao de queijo and bolo de […]