Pão de Queijo | Brazilian Cheese Bread
Pão de Queijo or Brazilian Cheese Bread is a gluten free bread / roll made with Tapioca flour, egg, milk and cheese. This can be made in under 20 minutes and is perfect for Breakfast, Brunch or snack.
New Year and new beginnings. Here I am beginning yet another year of blogging and I cannot be any more excited about it. Blogging has become a part of me and my family.
Food blogging that began as a way to document my mother's recipes has now become an integral part of us. I am beginning the New Year with a very exciting theme, 'Explore the Southern Hemisphere'.
My first recipe under this theme is this delicious Pão de Queijo aka Brazilian Cheese Bread. This is a delicious and very simple bread from Brazil which can be a wonderful breakfast or a great snack.
What is Pao de Queijo?
When researching for the recipe to make the traditional Pão de Queijo, many different versions caught my eyes. This is the first time I am baking with an entirely gluten free flour and I was a little hesitant to try it at all.
But the recipe was just so interesting with just a handful of ingredients, that I absolutely wanted to give it a try.
We are having a very icy / snowy weather in Oklahoma. There is absolutely no way I could go out and shop for any special ingredients. It turns out that I am destined to bake this Brazilian Cheese Bread today.
I had an unopened pack of Tapioca flour in my pantry. I have no idea why I even have a bag of tapioca flour in my pantry and why I bought it. Well, now I know what I will be using it for.
What is special about Pão de Queijo
Pão de Queijo | Brazilian Cheese Bread is a gluten free bread / roll made with tapioca flour, cheese, milk and eggs. I will not call it entirely a bread as it is very hollow and almost like a popover.
The Brazilian cheese bread has a beautiful crusty exterior and a very hollow and chewy inside. I used cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese to make mine. Any cheese would work in the recipe. The flavor of the bread would slightly change based on the kind of the cheese used.
Kids are home and my little one who is the hardest to please out of all of us loved it. As I am writing the post, he is eating the last of the 18 rolls that I baked today.
In between the four of us, we ate all the 18 rolls. I served it with spicy salsa and it was just the best. My boys liked it as is and said that they loved the cheesy flavor.
Is there more than one way to make the Brazilian Cheese Bread
The answer is yes. There are recipes that call for boiling milk and oil mixture to be added to the tapioca flour. This gives a cooked and slightly wet dough.
The Pão de Queijo recipe that I made is much simpler and uses just room temperature milk and everything is just blended in a food processor or a blender. This has a batter like consistency and I have to say that until I saw my cheese bread rising in the oven, I was quite anxious.
This is one bread that I will be making often. It is really quick to make and there is no special ingredients and not to mention, I have a whole pack of tapioca flour to be used.
I bought my Tapioca flour from the local Asian Market and I also saw that Bob's Red Mill carry Tapioca flour.
Last but not the least, my little one loves it and has asked me to make this for his lunch box. Baking these Gluten free cheese bread really takes about 20 minutes from start to finish and this will be perfect to make in the mornings. He gets his pick for the lunch box and I get a delicious breakfast.
What kind of pan to use
I read quite a bit about this recipe as it was very new for me to bake with a gluten free flour. The dough that uses scalded milk can be baked on a baking tray as they can be rolled into small balls.
This method that I used though yields a very runny batter and has to be made in a muffin tin. I would suggest using the mini muffin tins as the large ones will yield a very large roll and also because it is large, it might take longer to cook and the exterior might burn before the inside cooks.
And before we go on to the recipe, do check out my other bread recipes. And especially this Jalapeno Cheese Bread if you are a lover of a Cheesy Bread.
Preparation time - 5 minutes
Baking time - 15 to 20 minutes
Difficulty level - Easy
Recipe adapted from - Our Best Bites
Ingredients to make Pão de Queijo - Makes 18 mini rolls
- Tapioca flour - 1 cup
- Milk - ½ cup (room temperature)
- Vegetable oil - ¼ cup
- Large egg - 1 (room temperature)
- Salt - ½ tsp
- Mozzarella cheese - ¼ cup
- Cheddar cheese - ¼ cup
Procedure to make Brazilian Cheese Bread -
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a blender jar or a food processor bowl, add the tapioca flour, milk, oil, salt and egg.
- Pulse it a few times to blend it into a smooth batter.
- Add the cheese and just do couple of small pulses to combine everything.
- Grease the mini muffin pan liberally.
- Fill each hole halfway with the batter. This allows plenty of space to let the bread puff up.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the bread is crusty on the outside and lightly browned. Mine took only 15 minutes to bake.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for couple of minutes in the pan. Carefully remove the Pão de Queijo in a bowl and serve warm.
Similar Recipes
If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter
Recipe
Pão de Queijo | Brazilian Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup Tapioca flour
- ½ cup Milk room temperature
- ¼ cup Vegetable oil
- 1 Large egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup Mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a blender jar or a food processor bowl, add the tapioca flour, milk, oil, salt and egg.
- Pulse it a few times to blend it into a smooth batter.
- Add the cheese and just do couple of small pulses to combine everything.
- Grease the mini muffin pan liberally.
- Fill each hole halfway with the batter. This allows plenty of space to let the bread puff up.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the bread is crusty on the outside and lightly browned. Mine took only 15 minutes to bake.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for couple of minutes in the pan. Carefully remove the Pão de Queijo in a bowl and serve warm.
1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 cup rice flour as tapioca substitute. Crunchy! My little boy only eats “crunchy”, so these were perfect. But they are definitely a different texture not using tapioca flour as directed. I made 24 little bites in my 24 mini muffin tin. Great snack or side dish.
Thank you for the recipe.
Wondering how to store?? This will be an experiment.
Love this recipe! It is so simple to make in my blender! I use a silicone mini muffin pan and the recipe makes 24 in that pan as it is very shallow. I have been trying to increase protein intake wherever I can, so today I made it with room temp Greek yogurt instead of milk. The batter was a little thicker but it still turned out great.
That's a wonderful idea to use Greek yogurt. I will give it a try as well.
Super easy! I subbed goat cheese and used A2 milk and it still turned out beautifully. My kids love it. My husband loves it super easy for breakfast. I’ve made it almost every day!
Thanks a lot. Glad you like them.
These are delicious. We are hosting a Brazilian steak house theme for Christmas Eve dinner. We are experimenting with several dishes and these will definitely be on the menu. So easy and delicious. Do you know how far in advance the mixture can be prepared? I’d like to have everything blended in advance, then pour into muffin pans shortly before serving.
I would not store the blended mixture. Keep all the ingredients measured and when ready to bake, just blend, pour and bake.
Delish and easy!!! Can't wait to make again! Where do we store the extra? Fridge or pantry?
It can remain outside for a day but after that I would keep them in the fridge. You can also freeze the extra for prolonged storage.
Can you use regular size muffin pans? I don’t have mini muffin pans. If so, what’s the baking time?
Don't over fill the bigger muffin tins and it should work.
Made these in a slightly larger muffin tin, only have 12 holes. And all the balls were unfortunately deflated. Still tasted amazing tho!
This recipe is very forgiving. I have made it with different cheeses, whatever I have on hand. The blender method is brilliant. I had previously used a wooden spoon and lots of elbow grease…. This is so much easier and comes out so smooth!
They are delicious and addictive! The fact that they’re gluten free makes them my go-to snack for something special, and everyone else loves them also!
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and writing back to me. These Brazilian cheese breads are so easy to make and I agree. Blender method works great.
My bread turned out gooey in the middle even after cooking it a bit longer. Could it be due to higher altitude? The flavors of the bread are great!
It could be. Maybe try baking in a slightly higher temperature.
Can the vegetable oil be substituted for butter or olive oil??? Thanks I can’t wait to try this recipe
You could use olive oil. I have not tried using butter.
Hi! I made your recipe and it was DELICIOUS! So good, that we ate them all in one sitting (my husband and I). I made them again this morning but I ran out of reg oil so I used butter and blended it in my Beast blender. The batter came out super thick because the butter whipped up as I didn’t melt it and just threw a chunk in there. They came out just a delicious! So butter is fine but maybe melt it before adding. Thank you for this recipe! I’m making it for Holiday dinners instead of popovers.
Thanks for trying and letting me know. Great to know that we can use melted butter as well. Butter does make things taste better.
I used olive oil. It was amazin.
Love the appearance and taste, however most of them were quite hollow. Any explanation why? I’ve had these at Brazilian steak houses and they’re light, but not hollow. Can’t stop eating these!
They are hollow! Reducing the liquid a bit gave a little more denser bread but I liked the texture of the puffier ones.
What if I don't have tapioca flour? Can I use self rising flour?
The texture is not the same if we don’t use tapioca flour.
These are essentially little Yorkshire puddings made with tapioca flour. The traditional ones are made more like choux dough where you heat the milk and add in the flour then the eggs. You will get the denser texture this way.
The absolute best Brazilian Cheese Bread recipe!! I’ve tried many different recipes but yours is perfect.
I use a little leftover bacon grease to grease the muffin cups . Absolutely delicious. Thank you
Thanks a lot for your feedback. This really helps readers who are looking to try a new recipe.
Easy but delicious and can be reheated in the microwave and tastes just as fresh baked.
Not sure why my batter was so thick I could not blend it. Any ideas?
Definitely something is off. The batter should be really on the runny side. Maybe you measured something wrong.
Super easy to make and yummy! Like she said, many other recipes use scaled milk and this one is just so much easier. I love this recipe. Thank you for sharing this!
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and leaving a feedback.
Do you have a vegan version of this recipe?
Unfortunately, we need the eggs in this recipe.
I cannot wait to try this. This is going to be so much easier than my other recipe and I need it to be quick tonight. Thank you so much.
I use Apple sauce as alternative to eggs. It works great. Alternative eggs work too.
Hey! Great recipe! I'm glad the rest of the world is getting to know pão de queijo! A few tips from a Brazilian here: 1. you don't need to bother with a muffin tin! just place the dough balls 2 cm from each other in a baking tray and that's it. 2. you can make them smaller, for a bigger crowd or bigger as an afternoon snack, just adapt the oven time. 3. for a closer taste to the original, try a combination of parmesan and gruyere cheese 4. interesting take in serving them with salsa, but we usually eat them with cream cheese, ham and chesse (more cheese? always) or some jam (or even dulce de leche). Hope this helps! Um abraço!
Thanks a lot for your tips! Always love hearing from the source 🙂
Have you tried these substituting the oil with butter ?
I have not tried it.
YES! I made them yesterday with regular oil but we scarfed them up. Today I only had olive oil and butter so I used room temperature butter and they came out DELICIOUS! The batter came out very thick, I think due to the not melted butter and use of my Beast blender.
For this recipe you need the muffin tin because it makes a runny batter. It does not make the dough like a traditional recipe.
The recipe was great but the bread got stuck in the mini muffin tins. I'll try using silicone pans next time. I added some garlic powder and rosemary to the batter. Tasted yummy!
What is the sauce you are dipping these in? Didn’t see a recipe for that… thanks
I served it with salsa.
Hello. First of all, the bread is amazing. So little time and so good. A few of the rolls fell, collapsed in the mini cupcake tray. Any idea why? Thanks for this really delicious recipe.
Thanks a lot. A sudden change of temperature could caused that. Maybe leave it in the oven a little while (after turning it off) and then take it out.
I tried these with Alfredo sauce & it was amazing !
I get constant requests to make this! I sub in sharp cheddar and parm cheeses and always add an extra pinch for ‘luck’! OMG! I do not need to eat gluten free and was simply trying to find a recipe for a gluten free friend that didn’t taste like sawdust/cardboard. Now friends and family alike ask for these on the regular! Great recipe!
Thanks a lot for your feedback and so happy that you like the recipe. It is one of the best breads and we don't have to eat GF as well. But I make this so often.
I love it and it’s chewy! Gonna make it again. Also good to spread garlic butter with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese!
Thanks a lot for trying the recipe Elma and so happy that you liked it.
The nutrition information for rhis recipe says 67 calories. Is this per piece?
yes.
Hi!
I followed the exact instructions. I took out my bread from the oven after 15 min. They were puffy and looked wonderful in the oven, but as soon as I took them out they deflated. Do you know why this may have happened?
Jasmine, since this is more of a popover kind of bread, there is a possibility they could deflate. Maybe the change in temperature from too hot to cold could have caused it. Did you leave it in the muffin tin for a little bit before taking it out? Also next time try to leave it in the oven after turning the oven off with the door slightly open to allow it to gradually come to a different temperature.
Would these freeze for kid's lunch box ok? Thanks
I would think they would be alright. They should thaw pretty quickly before they eat lunch.
Hello Sandhya,
Made this today and my kids couldn't stop with one!! Thank you for this awesome recipe!!
Thanks a lot Madhu for trying the recipe and also letting me know. We fight over it every time I make it as well 🙂
OMG!!! I tried so many recipes (that didn't turn out) and last night 8/16/25) I made my (brasilian strogonoff and rice) for my family and attempted a different PÃO DE QUEIJO recipe and it went in the garbage. Today, 8/17/25 I told my fiancé I was not going to give up on trying to perfect the PÃO DE QUEIJO and I used YOUR recipe!
OMG!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I will NEVER be able to stop making it. All the 18 mini pão de queijo were gone in less than 5 minutes out of the oven. I wish I could post a picture of it here. Your recipe turned out PERFECT!!
Cannot find tapioca flour anywhere! Can rice our be used instead?
Thanks
Jo
Unfortunately rice flour will not give the same result as this. The recipe needs to be made with tapioca flour.
Yucca flour .. i’ve used both
WOW WOW !! Brazilian Cheese Bread using tapioca flours sounds quite interesting 🙂 The gluten free version is just perfect for me to try soon. will also try the veg version 😉
This is such a cute and delicious bread recipe, I bet these will vanish in no time if I serve them at my dinner table.
Sandhya, you've got to send some over to me right away! Seriously, so well baked and all that cheese ooozing out. I once baked pao de queijo, but had to throw the whole batch out as the flour had grit. I sifted it before using but nothing came out. Waiting to travel to Canada so that I can order the flour online and try the recipe again. This time will follow your method.
Love these cheesy little bread balls. My kids will LOVE these and your recipe is easy enough to make. Will have to get some tapioca flour first 🙂
Looking like a soft and airy snow balls, Pao de queijo is quite an interesting bread recipe ready in no time. And that melted cheese is just yum.
BRAZILIAN CHEESE BREAD, I have never heard of this before Sandhya. Loved how it's vegan and made under 20 minutes plus ingredients to make this are so unusual.
Wow recipe.
Absolutely awesome recipe Sandhya! I have tapioca flour at home too and cannot wait to make this pao!
Thank you so much for this recipe. My family just loves it!
Aparna, thanks a lot for trying it and letting me know!
I love Brazilian cheese bread, but have not made it at home before. This looks so tasty and sooooo cheesy!
I was so excited to try these because of how fun and puffed up they look. They came out perfect, and love that they're even gluten free. So cheesy, so delicious, and VERY addictive. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh thank you for this recipe! And for reminding me these little gems exist! I went back and forth to Brazil for work for a while and this was the first thing we had at th airport when we arrived - every single time! Nothing like it!
I lived in Sao Paulo. These babies are PERFECT!! Delicious!!!
I like pao de qeijo, I made it too that is perfect cheesy delight, I need to make again.
These look so yummy! I LOVE all things cheese! Can’t wait to try them! Pinned it!
Oh, my. Cheesy, crispy outside, chewy inside; what’s not to love?!!! Very very good!!!
These are so light and fluffy! I love the melted cheese and the yummy dipping sauce!
I LOOOOOVE brazilian cheese bread! it is one of my favorite things, though I have never tried to make it myself. I'm so excited to try it!
This is such a lovely bread. The pictures are so good. Beautifully framed
Such a nice bread Sandhya! Loved the texture and I am tempted to grab a few off the screen!
I've made the Bolivian version called cunape but this version has been on my to do list also - all that gooey cheese I need to try it soon!
Cute looking and interesting bread. Those look like some airy and light popovers. I guess you found the right recipe which fit the BM theme and as well as a well liked snack.
Beautiful bake Sandhya!! so tempting, I will like some soup too along with spicy salsa with it
That's a fantastic bread Sandhya, you have got it done so well!..those final ones look so sinful and inviting!..
Looks so flaky and melt it mouth variety. What a great recipe to begin the year with. Love it Sandhya. Happy new year.
When I decided on Southern Hemisphere recipes, I wanted to bake these but we don't get tapioca flour easily here. Looking at the beautiful breads, I am so tempted and now I will search for it online.
I get tapioca starch or flour (same thing) in my local oriental market
Wow ! those cute bites look very tempting. I haven't worked with tapioca flour but this one sounds doable with an egg substitute.
Am yet to try this pao de queijo, i have bookmarked this bread since a long, coz of the tapioca flour am keeping myself away from it. ANd those breads came out extremely stunning.
What an interesting bread this is Sandhya...looks so light and fluffy and that cheese is to die for
Sandhya, My sister recently bought the frozen Brazilian cheese bread from Costco few days ago and I tasted them for the first time. I didn't even think that they can be made at home. I am definitely going to try your recipe some time. Those look so cheesy and yummy!!
Any substitute for Egg...??
Seema, I have not tried it egg free as this was the first time I was baking with a gluten free flour. Also, since this is more of a popover kind of bread, the egg provides the airy texture. I might use the commercial egg substitute but not anything else.
Love your recipes Sandhya. My son is allergic to wheat and dairy both. Can you share some of your kids friendly recipes which are gfcf.
Thanks
Geenu Garg, thanks a lot! Why don't you give this recipe a try with non dairy milk. If egg is alright you can use that. I am sure it should work well with non dairy milk. Let me know if you try it. I will look for more and let you know.
Interesting bread , and it looks so light and airy . I am sure the cheesy bread tasted awesome , just the way it looks . Perfect for anytime munch !