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Pão de queijo/Brazilian cheese bread is a crispy, somewhat hollow with chewy center, very delicious treat! These cute, addictive cheese puffs are made of cassava flour/tapioca flour, and as a result, gluten-free. They are a popular snack and breakfast food in Brazil. It continues to be widely sold at snack bars and bakeries. Also, they are a wonderful addition to your appetizer table. Here, the recipe calls for Parmesan cheese, however, you could substitute any other cheese, but one with more prominent cheese flavor. Edamame or non-dairy cheese will also please vegans!
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Pão de Queijo • Brazilian Cheese Bread/Buns
Recipe by: Fae’s Twist & Tango (fae-magazine.com)
INGREDIENTS
• 2½ Tbsp vegetable oil
• 5 Tbsp milk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 128 g/ 1 cup tapioca flour
• ½ of 1 beaten large egg (do not be tempted to use more)
• 56 g/ ½ cup Parmesan cheese, more finely ground the better
DIRECTIONS
◊ Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 175°C / 350°F.
◊ Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
◊ In a small saucepan, add oil, milk, salt, and put on medium-high heat. Swirl the saucepan on the heat. At any indication of boiling, turn off heat, remove from the heat and add all of the tapioca.
◊ Using a silicone spatula, patiently incorporate the liquid into tapioca until a dough is formed and there is no dry tapioca in the saucepan (lots of elbow grease). Let it cool a little.
Note: When liquid is added to tapioca, it becomes very elastic and sticky. Don’t be tempted to mix by hand.
◊ When the dough has cooled a little, add beaten ½ egg and quickly continue to incorporate well.
◊ Add Parmesan cheese and continue to incorporate well.
◊ Using 2 regular flatware tablespoons technique (scoop dough and repeatedly scraping the dough from one spoon to the other, forming a ball), form 12 balls about 1 Tbsp of the dough each and place them on the lined baking pan. (I made 18 smaller sized balls, but larger ones with more crispy shell area are much better.)
◊ Note: Don’t worry about dough balls being irregular. They do puff up round. However, if you want them as round as possible (not spread dome shape), put a little vegetable oil on a plate, grease back of 2 regular flatware teaspoons. A spoon in each hand, using the backs, tuck in sides of balls and squeeze them into an upward oblong shape.
◊ Bake for 18 ~ 22 minutes, until barely golden on the top.
◊ Best served warm. Serve as is, or with a platter of cheese and sausages!
~ Bom Proveito! ~
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So, what’s cooking in your kitchen?
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Always looking for good gluten-free recipes. These look delicious. I will add tapioca to the list next time I visit the grocery and try them out. Thanks so much for sharing .
I’m so glad that you like the recipe. It really is a fun snack and cute one at that. 🙂
Looks healthy and tasty! I learned something new today!
Pao de queijo are one of those fun foods that you crave for snack. 🙂
How lovely these look Fae – such a yummy appetiser! They’re almost like a Brazilian version of the French ‘Gougeres’.
Hi Margot! Yes, that is what some people call them, apparently. However, not only are their textures different, but also, this one with tapioca flour has that tapioca elasticity and smell. Although these pao de queijo are satisfying, IMHO, if it is a pick between the two, gougeres win.
I made these tasty beauties & loved them a lot. I don’t use Gf tapioca flour a lot but I have made tapioca cheese pistolets before & loved them!
These were just right in flavor & texture! very yum yum too! 🙂
Thanks for liking many of my posts! xxx
Good to see you, dear Sophie. I agree, pao de queijo are delicious, satisfying and fun. 😀
Yum! What a neat recipe, and naturally gluten free! 😀
Hi Nell, I thought it will please the people on gluten free diets too! 🙂
Those look so light, fluffy and good too, Fae! 🙂
Hi Linda, they really are very pleasing, especially at snack time. 🙂
I have never seen or heard of them before. That’s the wonderful thing about looking at different blogs, you learn so much. Thank you Fae!
Hi Gerlinde, I feel the same. I learn so much about food and its history since I have started blogging, and mostly from the other bloggers and foodies on social media.
Oh my–I love cheese and bread so this recipe is perfect for me! 🙂
For me too! They’re so good. 😀 )))
Gorgeous little balls!!!
Thank you, Elaine! They meet all your requirements. 😉
Gorgeous crispy, cheesy, light and fluffy paos from Brazil. Those would be pretty dangerous if I were at a party, as I’d probably want to devour that entire plate and not share :).
😀 ))) I felt the same when I made them. ‘Should I should I not’ share them with my husband. 😀 )))
Love that these are gluten-free Fae. That’s a nice little bonus. Lovely photographs!
Thank you, Lindy! I agree. It must be a hit with many. 🙂
Fae, I am going to save this recipe and I have a perfect upcoming dinner gathering to serve them. They looks so fluffy and yet crispy on the outside. Sounds like the perfect combination for bread. Love the idea of parmesan, I’ll definitely use that! Lovely photographs too. 🙂
Hi Seana, Just one point, they taste better when they are fresh and warm. Let me know your guests’ opinions. 🙂
These look so fluffy and perfect! And love that they’re gluten free by nature!
Hi Mary, They are crispy crunch outside and so much fun for a snack. Thank you for visiting! 🙂
I love pao de queijo. I ate lots of them when I went on a study abroad trip to Brazil seven years ago, so I like this recipe. I’ll try to make them myself sometime.
Aren’t they wonderful, Julia! They’re easy to make. Enjoy! 🙂