• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
In Fine Taste
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Appetizers & Side Dishes » Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)

    Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)

    Published: Jan 22, 2019 · Modified: Jul 18, 2021 by In Fine Taste · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    hand reaching out to grab a cheese bread

    Brazilian cheese bread or pão de queijo as they are known in Portuguese are a delightful little ball of chewy cheese bread heaven! If you’ve ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse, like Fogo de chao or Tucanos, you may be familiar with these little babies. If you have no idea what these are, let me introduce to Brazilian cheese bread.

    What is Brazilian cheese bread?

    Pão de queijo sometimes also called Brazilian Cheese Puffs, pan de quiejo, or simply Brazilian cheese bread, are a small baked cheese roll, usually eaten for a snack or sometimes breakfast (uh, yes please!). The origins of these little roll came from the African slaves in Brazil, who use the cassava root to make bread from. Eventually cheese and milk was added into the recipe leaving us with the tasty little cheese roll we know today!

    These little cheese puff rolls have become more mainstream the last few years, especially now that Costco carries Brazi Bites Brazilian Cheese bread in their freezer section. But these are so simple to make, why buy them?! I’ve been making these for years thanks to my husband’s obsession with them. He served a mission for our church in southern Brazil and swears these are just as he remembers them.

    cheese breads sitting in a white bowl on a wooden board

    Are these gluten-free? What gives these that chewy texture?

    Brazilian cheese bread is naturally gluten-free! I’m don’t have gluten restrictions on my diet, but I have several friends that are, and I know they’re always thrilled to have another gluten free bread or gluten free roll in their arsenal! The recipe calls for tapioca flour, sometimes called cassava flour or tapioca starch, which is naturally gluten-free and is also what is responsible for giving the cheese bread its unique and signature chewy texture!

    If you’re having a hard time finding tapioca flour, check the gluten free section or natural foods sections of the grocery store. I regularly see tapioca flour (sometimes called tapioca starch) at Asian markets too.

    What kind of cheese should I use?

    Pretty much any type of shredded cheese that melts well will work for this recipe, think—cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Colby jack, pepperjack. Just know the type of cheese you use will effect the flavor of the cheese, you’ll want to use a cheese that has a strong enough flavor to give these cheese breads a nice cheesy flavor. For that reason, my personal preference is to use cheddar or a combination of cheddar and mozzarella.

    cheese breads sitting in a mini muffin tin

    How to make the Brazilian cheese bread (pão de queijo)

    This cheese bread is SO EASY to make. Just throw all the ingredients in a blender or even a food processor and blend until you have a smooth batter. Pour into a mini muffin tin and bake!

    How to reheat this cheese bread

    This Brazilian cheese bread is best when it is fresh out of the oven and warm! They don’t reheat well in the microwave, but the good news is they are super easy to reheat in the oven.

    All you have to do is heat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and pop them in for 5 minutes!

    I promise you’ll be making these regularly after this!

    Enjoy!

    Alyssa

    Check out these other recipes too!

    • Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks
    • Herb Artisan Bread
    • Corn Fritters w/ Smoked Chili Peach Sauce

    Don't forget to pin this recipe for later! You can also follow us on Pinterest here!

    Tried this recipe and loved it? Comment and Rate it! Also send us a picture, WE WANT TO SEE!

    hand reaching out to grab a cheese bread

    Brazilian Cheese Bread—Pão de Queijo

    Brazilian cheese bread or pão de queijo as they are known in Portuguese
    are a delightful little ball of chewy cheese bread heaven!
    4.67 from 6 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Appetizers & Side Dishes
    Cuisine: Brazilian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 24
    Calories: 69kcal
    Author: Alyssa--In Fine Taste

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups tapioca flour or tapioca starch
    • ⅔ cup milk
    • 1 egg
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • ½ cup shredded cheese see notes
    • 1 ¼ salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high. Scrape down sides of blender and blend again until the batter is completely smooth.
    • Pour batter into a mini muffin tin almost to the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Serve warm.

    Notes

    You can use all sorts of cheese—Colby jack, mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, etc. My favorites are mozzarella and cheddar; sometimes I’ll do half cheddar and half mozzarella.
    If you need to reheat the cheese bread bake for 5 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 52mg
    Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
    Tried this recipe? Leave a review below, then take a picture and tag us @InFineTaste on Instagram so we can see!

    Share it on Instagram and tag us and tag #infinetasterecipes so we can see it!

    Are you part of our Facebook Page? Follow along with what's new on In Fine Taste, share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, post pictures of what your making, and more! Like our page HERE

    Looking for Other ways to use your Tapioca Flour? Check out these other gluten-free recipes: 

    • Paleo Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie
    • Paleo Battered Fish
    • Cassava Dumplings (Jamaican Boiled Dumplings)

     

    Originally published January 22, 2019

    « Shrimp & Avocado Dip
    Tonia's Tea »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Meet Dianna & Alyssa

    two women, Dianna and Alyssa, standing with their arms around each other.

    We are Dianna & Alyssa, a mother-daughter duo, and food lovers! We are the stomachs behind all the recipes we share here on In Fine Taste.

    Read more about us

    Subscribe to our Newsletter

    'Tis the Season for Cake!

    • slice of lemon cake on white plate with blackberries on side.
      Lemon Blackberry Cake
    • Ho Ho cake with layers of moist chocolate cake, cream filling and dense chocolate frosting
      Ho Ho Cake
    • 3 layer cake with white cake and lemon filling
      Lemon Cheesecake Cake
    • slice of cake on white plate
      Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

    More Cake Recipes

    Popular Posts

    • blue monster cookie with bite out of it stacked.
      Cookie Monster Cookies
    • soup in bowl with basil around and croutons on side.
      Roasted Red Pepper Gouda Soup
    • bowl of tzatziki with cucumbers on top
      Tzatziki (Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)
    • slices of pizza.
      The Best Pizza Dough
    logos displaying where In Fine Taste has been featured.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Have a question? Or want to work with us? Send us a message!
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.