Name: Pão de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread, Chewy and Gluten-Free
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 37 min
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 250 ml whole milk; 80 ml vegetable oil; 1 tsp salt; 300 g tapioca starch; 2 eggs; 150 g Parmesan, finely grated; 100 g mozzarella, grated

Latin American Gluten-free Vegetarian 37 min 6 servings485 Calories

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Pão de queijo are small cheese breads from Brazil, crisp on the outside, soft and gently chewy inside, with a golden cheesy flavor. They are made with tapioca (cassava) starch instead of wheat flour, so they are naturally gluten-free, and the dough comes together in one bowl.

Brazilians eat them for breakfast with coffee and as an afternoon snack. They are best warm from the oven, when the cheese is at its most fragrant.

Why they are chewy

Tapioca starch is what gives the signature stretchy, chewy texture; do not swap it for regular flour.
Scald the starch with hot milk and oil to make a sticky dough that puffs well.
Use a good cheese: Parmesan with a little mozzarella or Minas cheese gives flavor and stretch.

Tips

The dough should be soft and sticky; wet your hands to roll it.
Do not overfill the tray: the balls double in size.
Bake until deep golden; pale ones can collapse as they cool.
They are best within an hour, but reheat well in a hot oven for 5 minutes.

Make ahead

Roll the dough into balls and freeze them on a tray, then bake from frozen, adding 5 to 8 minutes. This makes fresh warm cheese bread easy for guests.

The history

Pão de queijo comes from the state of Minas Gerais, where enslaved cooks in colonial times used cassava starch left over from making flour, adding cheese and eggs. Today it is sold everywhere in Brazil, from airport kiosks to bakeries, and has become a symbol of Brazilian hospitality.

How to serve

Serve them warm in a basket with a cup of strong coffee for breakfast, or stuff them with cream cheese or ham for a snack. They also make a lovely gluten-free addition to a brunch table or party platter next to our appetizers.

Flavor variations

Herbed: add chopped chives or a pinch of dried oregano to the dough.
Spicy: a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika gives a gentle kick.
Extra cheesy: press a small cube of cheese into the center of each ball before baking.

Frequently asked questions

Are they really gluten-free?

The ingredients are, but if you need to avoid gluten strictly, check that your cheese and tapioca starch are labeled gluten-free.

Why did mine collapse?

They were underbaked or the dough was too wet. Bake until deep golden and add a spoon of starch if the dough is too loose.

Recipe