Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe (Pao de Queijo)-Easy & Delicious! (2024)

This Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe, aka Pao de Queijo, is a hit every time I make it! Whether you’re following a gluten-free diet or not-I promise you will love these little cheese puffs of deliciousness! Get the recipe and my favorite soup, salad, and chili recipes to serve with your cheese puffs. The recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, and with a low FODMAP option.

I’m not kidding when I say these are the BEST gluten-free rolls ever.

If you’ve eaten in a Brazilian steak house, you’ve probably had these Brazilian cheese balls before. Or maybe you’ve bought them frozen from the grocery store and popped them in the oven when the cheese bread craving hits. Been there, done that 🙂

But, if you haven’t tried making this typical Brazilian snack before, check out my recipe and make your own Brazilian cheese bread today-it’s seriously so easy with my blender method. And it’s the perfect side dish to serve with soup, salad, or chili (see recipe ideas at the end of this post).

Note: While some Brazilian Cheese Bread recipes are made similarly to Cream Puffs, you can rest assured my recipe is authentic because it comes from my Brazilian friend, Fernanda.

Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe Ingredients

You need a few simple ingredients to make Brazilian cheese rolls. Of course, these ingredients are probably on hand, especially if you follow a gluten-free diet. But, if you’re new to gluten-free baking, you’ll want to buy a bag of tapioca starch, and make this Brazilian Cheese Bread recipe ASAP! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Tapioca Starch. I keep a bag of Bob’s Red Mill tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour) on hand for all my gluten-free baking and use it in my easy 3-Ingredient gluten-free flour blend. It’s readily available at Whole Foods and Jimbo’s Naturally (if you live in San Diego). You can also buy tapioca starch online at Amazon or Thrive Market. Alternatively, you can use sour cassava flour or cassava starch in this Brazilian cheese bread recipe.
• Cheese. Parmesan cheese is one of the cheeses used to make Brazilian cheese puffs. I combine it with various kinds of cheese, usually using whatever I have on hand, including sharp cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, Gruyere, queso fresco, or Monterrey jack cheese. So have fun experimenting with your cheese of choice for the most delicious flavor.
• Milk. I typically use 2% milk. If you’re following a low FODMAP diet for IBS, use lactose-free milk.
• Eggs. 2 large eggs.
• Vegetable Oil. I usually use expeller-pressed high-oleic sunflower oil in this recipe, as it has a mild taste and is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Avocado oil is another good choice. I haven’t tried making this Brazilian cheese bread recipe with olive oil, as it has a stronger taste. If you try it, let me know!
• Baking Powder & Salt

*See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full pão de queijo recipe.

How to Make Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread

As I mentioned earlier, this is an incredibly easy recipe. In addition to the ingredients above, you’ll need the following kitchen equipment and supplies: Muffin tin or mini muffin tins, silicon muffin cups, baking sheet, measuring cups and spoons, and a blender or a medium bowl and whisk.

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until well combined. Or, place all ingredients in a medium or large bowl and mix them with a whisk or electric hand beater.
2. Pour batter into 10-12 regular-sized silicon muffin cups on a baking tray. Alternatively, you can pour the batter into well-greased muffin tins or a mini muffin pan, yielding more Brazilian cheese bread puffs.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until your cheese balls are puffed up and light golden brown.
4. Enjoy right away, hot out of the oven. If you have leftover Brazilian cheese puffs, store them at room temperature in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for a few days. Fair warning though-it’s hard to keep them that long at my house!

What to serve with Brazilian Cheese Bread

Now that you know how easy this Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe is to make, I hope I’ve tempted you to make a batch of these crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, cheesy puffs ASAP! As delicious as these little breads are all by themself (no judgment from me!), the sensible thing would be to serve it alongside your favorite soup, chili, or salad. So here are some yummy gluten-free soup & salad recipes to enjoy alongside your cheese bread.

Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe

This Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe is SO delicious & easy to make! Serve with your favorite soup or salad for a nourishing meal everyone will love!

4.54 from 30 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
• ▢ 3/4 cup grated cheese of choice, such as cheddar, mozarella, gouda, cotija
• ▢ 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1/4 cup high oleic sunflower oil, such as high oleic sunflower oil
• ▢ 1/2 cup milk
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 1-12 unit muffin pan. Or, line a baking sheet or muffin pan with silicon baking cups.

• OPTION 1: Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Or, OPTION 2: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined.

• Pour the batter into the greased muffin tin or silicon baking liners. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until puffed up and light golden-brown.

Notes

Ingredient Swaps & Substitutions:

• Use any variety of cheeses you have on hand including sharp cheddar, Gruyere, Monterrey jack, mozzarella, gouda, or queso fresco.
• Sour cassava flour or cassava starch can be used in place of the tapioca starch/flour.
• Avocado oil can be used instead of high-oleic sunflower oil.

Low FODMAP Option: Swap regular milk for lactose-free milk.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 0.003g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 0.3mg

EA Stewart, RD | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Brazilian, Gluten Free, Low FODMAP Option, Vegetarian

Keyword pao de quejo

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See Also

Caramel Slice Recipe

Let’s Chat! Will you make this Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe? What would you serve with this Brazilian Cheese Bread?