Pão de Queijo

Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)

Crisp on the outside and gorgeously chewy within, these naturally gluten-free cheese rolls are a staple of Minas Gerais. A blender (or food processor) makes the batter in minutes; the rest is just portioning and baking.

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Total

35 min

Serves

20 small rolls

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (2 cups) tapioca flour (polvilho azedo or doce), sour (azedo) tapioca gives the most authentic tangy, chewy bite; sweet (doce) still works but yields a softer result
• •100 ml (scant ½ cup) whole milk
• •60 ml (¼ cup) neutral oil, sunflower, canola, or light olive oil
• •2 large eggs, about 100 g total, lightly beaten
• •1 tsp fine salt, reduce to ½ tsp if using very salty cheese
• •150 g (5¼ oz) semi-hard cheese, grated, Minas padrão or queijo curado; a 50/50 mix of grated Parmesan and a mild cheddar or Monterey Jack is a good home-kitchen substitute

Steps

1. 1 Heat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Lightly grease 2 mini-muffin tins (or one large tin for fewer, larger pães).
2. 2 Combine the milk, oil and salt in a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat as soon as the first bubbles appear at the edges.
3. 3 Tip the tapioca flour into a blender or food processor. Pour the hot milk-oil mixture over it and blend briefly to combine.
4. 4 Add the eggs and blend until smooth, scraping down once. The batter will be thin and warm, not stiff.
5. 5 Scoop the grated cheese into the batter and pulse just until evenly distributed. (If you add the cheese to the blender before the eggs, the heat can cook the eggs.)
6. 6 Working quickly while the batter is warm, portion about 1 heaped tablespoon (≈20 g) into each muffin cup, filling about ¾ full.
7. 7 Bake for 20–25 minutes, until puffed, firm to the touch, and deeply golden on top. Internal doneness: the centers should read at least 96°C / 205°F on an instant-read thermometer; the surface will be crisp and a skewer comes out clean, not wet.
8. 8 Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then lift out and serve warm, when the chew is at its peak. They are best eaten the day they are baked; reheat in a 180°C / 350°F oven for 3–4 minutes to refresh.