This Brazilian Cheese Bread is crispy on the outside and chewy and gooey on the inside with a delicious savoury cheese flavour
Extremely simple and tasty
Every time I pull a batch of this Brazilian-inspired Cheese Bread (Pão de queijo) out of my oven, I’m filled with excitement. Seeing them all golden and puffed up with their cheesy savoury aroma always gets me high!
The hot tray hasn’t landed on the kitchen bench yet, but I just want to tear one bread open and devour it. I had to control my urges because it’s never fun to burn my hands and mouth. Mind you, this hasn’t stopped me in the past! I have burnt myself often because I’m just so impatient with food that tastes this good!
I mean, who could resist savoury bread that promises a gooey, chewy and cheesy interior with a crispy light crust?
This Brazilian Cheese Bread is just too tempting to resist and before you realise it, you’re be nibbling on your 5th bread!
I have also to say, this is one of the easiest bread I’ve made. There’s no yeast, kneading or proofing involved. It’s also gluten-free because it’s made with tapioca flour (or starch). Tapioca gives the bread a unique chewy texture. The inside of the bread almost tastes like a cheesy savoury mochi. If this is your thing, then you’re going to love this bread!
Brazilian Cheese bread (pão de queijo)
What is tapioca flour?
Tapioca flour is made from the very starchy cassava plant and it’s naturally gluten-free.
Some tapioca producers label their packets tapioca flour, and others label theirs as tapioca starch. You could use either, as it’s the same thing, just like cornflour/cornstarch.
The unique chewy and gooey taste of Brazilian Cheese bread comes from the tapioca flour. So this means we can’t substitute plain or all-purpose flour for tapioca flour.
What cheese is in Brazilian cheese bread
I used the most popular combination of cheese, mozzarella for extra gooey goodness and parmesan cheese for that bold savoury flavour.
You could substitute these cheeses with any kind of melting cheeses you like. However, freshly shred the cheese yourself. This way the cheese will melt nicely into the bread! Shredded store-bought shredded cheese is convenient, but they’re likely to have anti-caking agents to stop the cheese from sticking together. These anti-caking agents may prevent the cheese from properly melting and may cause a grainy texture.
What do you serve with Brazilian cheese bread?
Brazilians usually have these cheese bread for breakfast with coffee. You could also have them for snacks or as a side dish with stews or soup.
Crazy about cheese? Have a look at these cheesy recipes:
Cheese bacon cornbread
Pepperoni Jalapeños Poppers
No-knead olive bread
Mini Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients for Brazilian Cheese Bread
Tapioca starch (or flour) is made from the very starchy cassava plant and is naturally gluten-free. Supermarkets usually stock tapioca starch/flour in their international section. Tapioca starch is also available at Asian grocers.
Light/mild olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil has a strong flavour, so I prefer using mild/light olive in this bread because it doesn’t dominate the cheese flavour. However, in saying this, you could still use extra virgin olive oil if you enjoy the taste.
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How to make Brazilian Cheese Bread
Step-by-step guide with photos
Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) or 200°C (390°F) for fan-forced ovens. Line a large tray with non-stick baking/parchment paper.
Place the tapioca starch/flour in a large heat-proof bowl along with the salt. Pour the milk and oil into a small saucepan and place it over medium heat. Bring the milk mixture to a boil, then remove it from the heat.
Pour the hot milk mixture over the tapioca starch and stir well to combine. Add in the eggs and continue to stir until combined, then mix in the parmesan and mozzarella cheese. The dough should be quite wet and sticky.
Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop for the dough ball and place them on the prepared tray approximately 4cm/2in apart. If you want a smoother and neater surface on your bread, lightly oil your hands and roll the dough into balls.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, then turn the tray and bake for another 5 minutes for an even golden colour. These Brazilian Cheese Breads are best when served warm.
Leftovers – Allow the Brazilian Cheese Bread to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer it into a sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. These also freeze well for up to 3 months.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Brazilian Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 2½ cup tapioca starch (or tapioca flour 345gm/12oz) (NOTE 1)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1⅓ cup full cream/whole milk (330ml/11 fl oz)
- ⅔ cup mild or light olive oil (160ml/5.4 fl oz) (NOTE 2)
- 2 large eggs
- 100 gm freshly shredded parmesan cheese
- 130 gm freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) or 200°C (390°F) for fan-forced ovens. Line a large tray with non-stick baking/parchment paper.Place the tapioca starch/flour in a large heat-proof bowl along with the salt. Pour the milk and oil into a small saucepan and place it over medium heat. Bring the milk mixture to a boil, then remove it from the heat.
- Pour the hot milk mixture over the tapioca starch and stir well to combine. Add in the eggs and continue to stir until combined, then mix in the parmesan and mozzarella cheese. The dough should be quite wet and sticky.
- Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop for the dough ball and place them on the prepared tray approximately 4cm/2in apart. If you want a smoother and neater surface on your bread, lightly oil your hands and roll the dough into balls.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, then turn the tray and bake for another 5 minutes for an even golden colour. These Brazilian Cheese Breads are best when served warm.
