Pao de Queijo
Brazilian cheese bread: crisp, golden little puffs with a chewy, stretchy, cheesy center, naturally gluten-free and made with tapioca flour.
By Marisol Vance, Founder & Head of Recipe Development
Published June 10, 2025
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Level
- Easy
Pao de queijo is the beloved cheese bread of Brazil, sold warm from bakeries and served at breakfast, snack time and every party in between. Made with tapioca flour instead of wheat, the little rolls bake up with a crisp shell and a wonderfully chewy, airy, cheese-filled middle.
The method is similar to choux pastry. Scalding the tapioca flour with hot milk and oil creates the stretch, then eggs and a generous amount of cheese are beaten in. Parmesan brings savory depth, and mozzarella gives that signature pull.
Serve them warm with coffee, or alongside grilled steak for a Brazilian-style dinner. They disappear fast, so consider making a double batch for the freezer.
- Crisp outside, chewy inside
- Naturally gluten-free cheese bread
- Freezes and bakes from frozen
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F with a rack in the center and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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