Name: Pao de Queijo - Brazilian Cheese Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: PT-466473H53M8S
Total time: 13 min
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 113 grams / 3.98 ounces butter, melted; 80 milliliters / 1/3 cup water; 80 milliliters / 1/3 cup milk; 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt; 325 grams / 2 1/2 cups tapioca flour; 2 eggs, beaten; 112 grams / 1 1/4 cups parmesan cheese, grated

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Chewy and cheesy might be the best way to desribe Pao de Queijo - Brazilian Cheese Bread. These are moreish in the way you eat one and grab a second before you even think about it. Have you ever baked with tapioca flour before friends? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Why you'll love these

One word: Cheesy

Full of umami savory flavors thanks to the parmesan cheese strewn throughout; these are perfect.

Makes a bunch

You don’t need much batter to make a bunch of these little breads.

Chewy

These bites are chewy in the center thanks to the tapioca flour.

Ingredients for the best Pao de Queijo - Brazilian Cheese Bread

Tapioca flour: This light flour thanks to the Cassava root results in our bread having a nice chewy texture and doesn’t have a discernible taste which means it’s really the means main vehicle with which to make these very cheesy buns!
Eggs: Adding moisture and binding the dough together, the eggs help with rising because they act as a leavening agent whilst giving our rolls that nice light crumb thanks to the fat from the yolks.
Butter: We add melted butter which warms up the tapioca and do not recommend substituting with oil.
Milk: Whole milk was used here and helps add moisture to the bread and gives the light result without becoming stodgy. You could substitute with creamy non dairy milk.
Water: Helps give us that nice fluffy interior. Plain old tap or filtered water works here. No bubbles needed.
Parmesan: Dry and salty parmesan lends itself perfectly to Pao de Queijo giving a deep cheese flavor to these light buns.
Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt work best here to add depth of flavor without overpowering with their saltiness.

Equipment needed to make this

Blender: An immersion blender or regular blender helps to blend the bread batter.

Grater: Helps to grate your parmesan nice and fresh.

Mixing bowl: A medium mixing bowl is perfect for the batter.

Baking tray: A nice large flat baking tray works best.

FAQ's for the best Pao de Queijo - Brazilian Cheese Bread

Do I need to put water beads on my tray?

Most Brazilian Cheese Bread recipes won’t recommend doing anything to your baking tray before placing spoonfuls of your bread batter on it, however, the water beads add moisture which helps them rise during baking which can’t be obtained in the same way without water beads. In fact, you might notice one or two of the buns with a slight deflation in the center that came about due to the lack of moisture in the oven at time of baking.

More cheesy recipes you'll enjoy

Savory Cheese Biscuits

Leek and Goats Cheese Pasta

Savory Cheese Babka

How to make:

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F and flick a teaspoon of water over the surface of your baking tray.

Place the butter, water, milk and salt, tapioca flour and eggs into a blender.

Blend until smooth and well combined.

Set the dough aside to rest for 15 minutes.

Pour the batter into a bowl and toss in the parmesan, stirring to combine.

Scoop out even amounts of the dough onto your baking tray, leaving 1 inch between each.

Sprinkle over a ½ teaspoon amount of grated parmesan.

Place in the oven and bake until golden, approximately 25 minutes.

Remove and serve immediately!