Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe You’ll Make on Repeat (Crispy Outside, Chewy Inside) Recipe
This Brazilian Cheese Bread recipe, known as Pão de Queijo, features a crispy exterior with a chewy, cheesy interior. Made with tapioca flour and your choice of cheese, these bite-sized breads are perfect as a snack or appetizer. They bake quickly and can be made ahead of time and frozen for convenience.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 mini cheese breads
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour (170 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup oil (vegetable, canola, or olive oil)
- 2/3 cup milk
Cheese
- 1/2 to 1 cup pepper jack cheese or cheese of choice, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly spray mini cupcake wells with a non-stick baking release to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Blend Base Ingredients. In a food processor or blender, combine the tapioca flour, egg, oil, milk, and salt. Blend or process until the batter is smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add and Incorporate Cheese. Add shredded cheese to the batter. Pulse a few times to break up the cheese slightly if you prefer a crispier roll with cheese bits. Alternatively, blend fully but avoid thickening the batter excessively for a chewier texture.
- Fill the Molds. Pour or scoop the batter into the prepared mini cupcake wells, filling each to within 1/8 inch from the top to allow room for puffing during baking.
- Bake the Cheese Breads. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the breads have puffed up and turned lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Serve and Store. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftover breads in a closed tin to keep fresh for several days or freeze unbaked in pans (adding a few extra minutes to baking time) or baked breads cooled and frozen, then reheat at 350°F for a few minutes.
Notes
- For a crispier crust with cheese bits, pulse the cheese only a few times into the batter.
- To achieve a chewier, less crispy texture, process the cheese fully but keep batter thin.
- Can be frozen either before or after baking.
- Reheat frozen baked breads at 350°F until warm.
- Use tapioca flour for the distinctive chewy texture; other flours will not yield the same result.
- Mini cupcake pans work well to shape individual cheese breads.
