Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dough Base
- 250 g sweet tapioca flour
- 160 ml whole milk
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 5 g kosher salt
Binders and Flavor
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 100 g low-moisture mozzarella cheese, grated
- 50 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 142 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 20 mg
- Potassium
- 25 mg
- Calcium
- 66 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 3 mg
- Phosphorus
- 52 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 24 mcg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 13 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the whole milk, vegetable oil, and kosher salt in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then immediately remove from heat.
Place the sweet tapioca flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Carefully pour the boiling liquid over the flour and mix on low speed until entirely incorporated.
Continue to beat the dough on low speed for 5 minutes. This allows the gelatinized starch to cool down enough so it will not scramble the eggs in the next step.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. The dough will look chunky at first, but will eventually smooth out into a very sticky, elastic paste.
Fold the grated mozzarella and parmesan cheeses into the dough until evenly distributed throughout.
Lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking. Scoop 25-gram portions of the dough, roll them into smooth balls, and place them on the prepared baking sheet leaving 5cm of space between each.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the rolls are puffed, crisp on the outside, and deeply golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let the rolls rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving. The cheesy interior acts as an insulator and will be extremely hot right out of the oven.
Chef's Notes
- The technique of pouring boiling liquid over the tapioca flour is called escaldar in Portuguese. It pre-gelatinizes the starches, providing the critical structure that gives these rolls their signature chewy texture.
- While traditional Brazilian recipes use Meia Cura cheese, a combination of low-moisture mozzarella and parmesan provides an excellent, accessible substitute with the ideal balance of meltability and sharp flavor.
- Tapioca starch and tapioca flour are exactly the same ingredient. However, ensure you do not buy cassava flour, which includes the fibrous root and will completely alter the texture.
- The dough will feel alarmingly sticky compared to wheat-based doughs. Do not add more flour to make it easier to handle; simply keep your hands well-oiled during the shaping phase.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes to bake time.
Reheating: Bake at 180C for 5 minutes to restore the crispy exterior.
Troubleshooting
Rolls collapse entirely after being removed from the oven
Cause: The rolls were underbaked, or the oven door was opened too early causing a temperature drop.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Ensure rolls develop a deep golden crust before removing, and keep the oven door shut for at least the first 15 minutes of baking.
Dough is a liquid batter and impossible to roll into balls
Cause: The milk mixture did not come to a full boil, preventing the tapioca starch from gelatinizing properly, or the eggs were exceptionally large.
Fix: Refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes to firm up the fats. If it is still too loose, use a cookie scoop to drop the batter directly onto the baking sheet.
Prevention: Always ensure the liquid is at a rolling boil before pouring over the flour.
Cultural Context
Pão de queijo originated in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, during the 18th century. Because the local climate was poorly suited for growing wheat, indigenous cassava roots were processed into tapioca starch to create bread. As regional dairy farming expanded rapidly, local cheeses and milk were incorporated into the basic starch dough, evolving into the iconic cultural staple universally loved across South America today.
