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Pão de Queijo

Golden, puffy cheese rolls with a crackly crust and a soft, chewy center — Brazil’s most loved snack, impossible to eat just one of.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 25 minCook time
🍽 12Servings
🏷 Brazilian KitchenCategory
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Pão de Queijo

Pão de queijo comes from the state of Minas Gerais, where tapioca flour and local cheese were combined into a gluten-free miracle. Served at breakfast, with coffee, or at any party, these little rolls are pure Brazilian comfort.

Gluten-free little clouds of cheese

Made with tapioca flour instead of wheat, the rolls turn out crisp on the outside and wonderfully stretchy-chewy inside, with a salty, milky cheese pull in every bite. They are best warm, straight from the oven.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a saucepan, combine the milk, water, oil, and salt, and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
  3. Pour the hot liquid over the tapioca flour in a large bowl and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a sticky paste forms; let it cool for 10 minutes.
  4. Beat in the egg until fully absorbed, then knead in the grated cheese until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
  5. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls (about 24) and arrange them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
  6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rolls are puffed, golden, and crisp on the outside; serve warm.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The unbaked dough balls freeze beautifully — freeze them on a tray, then bake straight from frozen, adding 3 to 4 minutes. Store baked rolls in an airtight container for 2 days and re-crisp in the oven.

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Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook25 min
Servings12
CategoryBrazilian Kitchen
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →