Chewy, cheesy little bread rolls made with tapioca starch instead of wheat flour, a beloved gluten-free Brazilian breakfast staple.
Pao de queijo comes from Minas Gerais, made from tapioca starch (polvilho) rather than wheat flour, which gives the rolls their distinctive chewy, slightly stretchy interior and naturally gluten-free composition. Hot milk and oil are poured over the tapioca starch to partially cook it before eggs and a generous amount of grated cheese, traditionally minas cheese, are worked into a soft, sticky dough that's shaped into small balls. Baked until the outside turns golden and slightly crisp while the inside stays soft, chewy and cheesy, pao de queijo is eaten constantly across Brazil, at breakfast, as a snack, and alongside coffee at any time of day.
Serves 6
Heat milk, oil and salt together until just simmering.
Pour the hot milk mixture over the tapioca starch in a large bowl, stirring until combined; let cool for 10 minutes.
The starch will look lumpy and strange at this stage — that's normal and it smooths out once the eggs are added.
Beat in the eggs one at a time until the mixture becomes a sticky, elastic dough.
Mix in the grated cheese until fully incorporated.
With oiled hands, roll the dough into small balls, about 1.5 inches wide, and place on a lined baking sheet.
Bake at 200C/400F for 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden on the outside.
Serve warm, ideally within 20 minutes of coming out of the oven.
Use polvilho (tapioca starch), not cornstarch or regular flour — this specific starch is what gives pao de queijo its unique chewy texture.
Let the scalded starch mixture cool slightly before adding eggs, or the eggs may partially cook from the residual heat.
Use a mix of a sharp cheese like parmesan and a milder one like mozzarella if minas cheese isn't available, for a closer flavor match.
Some versions add a bit of requeijao (a creamy Brazilian cheese spread) into the dough for extra richness.
Mini pao de queijo can be shaped smaller for a party appetizer.
The raw shaped dough freezes exceptionally well and can be baked directly from frozen, a common practice in Brazilian households.
Best eaten fresh and warm; raw shaped dough freezes well for months and can be baked straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes. Baked rolls can be reheated briefly in a hot oven, though they're best fresh.
Pao de queijo originated in Minas Gerais, likely developed by enslaved Africans and their descendants using tapioca starch, a cassava derivative already common in Brazilian cooking, combined with cheese from the region's dairy farms.
No, tapioca starch (polvilho) has a unique property when scalded that creates the chewy texture — cornstarch won't produce the same result.
A mix of parmesan for sharpness and mozzarella for stretch gets reasonably close to the traditional flavor and texture.
The dough may have been too wet, or the oven wasn't hot enough — make sure it's fully preheated and the dough holds a ball shape before baking.
Per serving (60g / 2.1 oz) · 6 servings total
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