Brazilian Cheese Bread

Brazilian Cheese Bread, or Pão de Queijo, is an authentic Brazilian food originating in the state of Minas Gerais. It’s a different take on the dinner roll, cheesy and soft on the inside and crusty on the outside, and has become crazy popular worldwide. These are naturally gluten free, and can be customized with any cheese you have a craving for. I adore these!

Upon reading the words “Brazilian Cheese Bread“, I automatically thought of a generous slab of French bread covered in gooey, hot, melted, stringy cheese that takes two hands to wrangle up to take a bite.

I, however, was so wrong.

What is Brazilian Cheese Bread?

Brazilian Cheese Bread is actually little rolls made of tapioca flour and cheese (traditionally Parmesan), and baked until perfectly crispy on the outside.

The inside is different from most every bread or roll you’ve probably ever had – it’s stretchy (from the tapioca) and soft. You could almost say it’s like a cross between a pate á choux or choux pastry and a dinner roll, but not exactly.

I ran across these while grocery shopping in the freezer section and was very curious. I fell in love with them and thought I must have stumbled upon something not so well known.

Yeah, right. 

When I started looking for recipes, I found that these things are all over the place. They are quite popular.

Wildly popular.

How Do You Make Brazilian Cheese Bread?

The Brazilian Cheese Bread recipe is easy, straightforward, and actually pretty versatile. It’s a combination of tapioca flour, milk, egg, olive oil, cheese and a little salt. These ingredients are combined by hand, using a stand or hand mixer, or even using a food processor or blender.

If you use a food processor or a blender you probably won’t get the larger bites or clusters of cheese because the batter will be more evenly dispersed, but either outcome will be good. After you make it a few times you’ll learn the method that produces the results you prefer.

Pay attention to the amount of salt you add the first time you make these, because you may find you need less or more. You’re not looking for salty, you’re looking for the salt to enhance the flavor of the cheese. 

Brazilian Cheese Bread Variations

I’ve made these with feta cheese, blue cheese, sharp cheddar and Swiss. Sometimes I use multiple types of cheeses, and I typically like to throw chopped parsley in if I have it on hand.

More good add-ins I’ve tried are onions, chives, bacon, sausage, diced ham, corn, and hot sauce.

Pão de Queijo, by the way, means “bread of cheese”. This recipe originated in Minas Gerais, Brazil, a state that borders Rio de Janeiro. Minas Gerais has a robust dairy industry that contributed to the development of the popular bread. 

Apparently in Brazil, they’re more of a breakfast staple as opposed to enjoying a basketful with dinner. 

There’s another type of cheese bread that originates from South America called Pandebono, but it’s from Columbia. I believe the only difference is the addition of precooked corn flour, which gives it more of a bread like consistency.

I haven’t made that yet, but it’s on the list.

Here’s your printable –

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Brazilian Cheese Bread

Yield: 24 rolls

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

An authentic Brazilian recipe for soft, cheesy rolls that are good for snacking or to serve with dinner!

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup milk*
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded*
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° and spray a mini muffin pan.

Combine all ingredients, stirring well to make sure everything is incorporated thoroughly.

Pour the batter into the muffin pan, leaving about 1/8" from the top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until puffy and slightly brown.

Notes

* You can use any milk you have on hand, I use almond milk.

* Most any cheese will work.

Did you make this recipe?

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