A recipe for Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)! These chewy, yet light cheese puffs come together easily with a blender and mini muffin tin.
I first made Pão de Queijo in 2013 (updated in 2022) and it continues to be a favorite in our family. This puffed, naturally gluten-free treat comes from Brazil with many variations found throughout South America.
Polvilho Azedo is blended with milk, vegetable oil, an egg, Minas cheese and Parmesan until smooth, then baked in mini muffin tins to create a chewy, stretchy texture with an airy interior.
Since the batter comes together quickly in the blender with just a handful of ingredients, these pães de queijo are also a fun option to make with kids.
A Few Pão de Queijo Tips
Blend the mixture just until smooth. The resulting batter should be thin enough to pour into the muffin tins. If too thick to easily pour, add a little more milk.
Fill the mini muffin tins 3/4th full with the batter. They will puff up in the oven and possibly double in size.
Bake the Pão de Queijo until puffed and golden. Allow to rest in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing and serving. Use a non-stick pan or grease well with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. If they stick too much to remove, allow to cool for a couple more minutes before trying again.
The texture of the cheese puffs is best shortly after baking. The batter can be covered and refrigerated for up to three days.
If you are looking for a more traditional way of forming the Pão de Queijo into individual rolls, check out Easy and Delish’s recipe.
Notable Ingredients
I used Polvilho Azedo (Brazilian sour manioc starch) as the base for the Pão de Queijo. This starch is created by grinding and fermenting cassava root into a fine powder. It can be found in the baking/flour section of markets with Brazilian/Portuguese ingredients.
If unavailable, you can swap for tapioca starch (Polvilho Doce) in the gluten-free section of larger grocery stores. It will just have a slightly more dense texture.
Queijo Minas (Minas cheese) is a type of semi-soft white cheese from the Minas Gerais state in southeastern Brazil. It is made from cow’s milk and can be frescal (fresh), meia-cura (half-aged), or curado (aged) depending on length of ripening.
If unavailable, you can swap for queso fresco or low-moisture mozzarella.
For those in the DC area, I have been able to locate both the starch and cheese at European Foods Import Export in Arlington, Virginia.
Looking for more Brazilian recipes?
Try my:
- Cachorro Quente (Brazilian Hot Dog)
- Pastel de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Pastry)
- Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls)
Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread) Recipe
Adapted from Simply Recipes
Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (160 milliliters) milk
- 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) Polvilho Azedo sour manioc starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces (85 grams) Queijo Minas Minas cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons (10 grams) Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C) and grease 24 mini muffin tins.
- In a blender, combine the milk, vegetable oil, and egg.
- Add the Polvilho Azedo, salt, Queijo Minas, and Parmesan, then blend to create a smooth, thin batter.
- Fill the prepared mini muffin tins 3/4th full with the batter and bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden, 15-20 minutes.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack.
- Serve warm.
Charlotte Nuzum
Recipe turned out perfect. I only had 170g of tapioca flour but it still puffed up nicely. I added some Parmesan cheese to the mix and blended it in my food processor. I also added some Parmesan on top before baking. I used avocado oil instead of olive oil. I also made some in my mini donut pan. Turned out pretty cute. I’d love to add a picture if there was an option to do so.
Tara
Thank you so much Charlotte! So happy to hear. Sounds so fun with the mini donut pan.