Equipment
Ingredients
Liquid Scald
- 120 ml whole milk
- 60 ml water
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 5 g fine sea salt
Dough Base and Cheeses
- 250 g tapioca starch
- 1 egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
- 80 g parmesan cheese, finely grated from block
- 100 g low-moisture mozzarella cheese, finely grated from block
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 108 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Water
- 15 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) with a rack set in the center, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the whole milk, water, vegetable oil, and fine sea salt into a medium saucepan.
Place the medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the liquid mixture to a full rolling boil.
Pour the boiling liquid immediately over the tapioca starch in a heatproof mixing bowl, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until gelatinized into a white paste.
Spread the warm starch paste gently around the sides of the heatproof mixing bowl and allow it to cool until it drops to 40°C (104°F) or lukewarm.
Pour the beaten egg into the cooled starch paste and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until fully absorbed into a smooth, glossy dough.
Fold the finely grated parmesan cheese and grated mozzarella cheese into the bowl using a wooden spoon until completely incorporated into a pliable dough.
Lightly oil hands and divide the dough into 20 equal portions of 33 grams each using a kitchen scale, rolling each into a smooth sphere and placing them 5 cm (2 inches) apart on the lined baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for 20 to 25 minutes until the buns puff, turn lightly golden on the bottoms, and feel dry on top.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cheese buns to rest undisturbed on the warm sheet for 3 minutes before serving warm.
Chef's Notes
- Tapioca starch gelatinizes at a lower temperature than wheat flour, swelling rapidly during the scalding step to lock in moisture and produce the signature stretchy crumb.
- Always grate block cheese using the fine holes of a box grater; pre-shredded packaged cheeses contain potato starch or cellulose that hinder smooth dough cohesion.
- For make-ahead convenience, freeze the raw shaped dough balls on a tray until solid, then transfer them to an airtight freezer bag and bake straight from frozen at 190°C (375°F) for 25 to 28 minutes.
- To introduce deeper savory complexity, replace half of the mozzarella with sharp white cheddar, aged Gruyere, or a pinch of garlic powder.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store fully cooled baked buns in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze unbaked dough portions on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a sealed freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes to the total bake time.
Reheating: Reheat refrigerated buns in an oven or toaster oven preheated to 175°C (350°F) for 5 to 7 minutes until the internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F) to restore their crisp crust and chewy center.
Troubleshooting
Dough is too wet, slack, or sticky to roll into distinct balls
Cause: Tapioca starch was measured by volume rather than weight, or the scalding liquid cooled down before making contact with the starch
Fix: Refrigerate the unshaped dough for 20 minutes to firm the fats, then portion using an oiled mechanical cookie scoop directly onto the sheet
Prevention: Weigh all dry and wet ingredients on a digital kitchen scale, and pour liquid the instant it reaches a vigorous boil
Buns bake into flat discs instead of puffed spheres
Cause: The liquid was not hot enough to gelatinize the starch, or the oven temperature ran too low to generate rapid internal steam
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked; serve the flattened rounds as crispy cheese crackers
Prevention: Ensure the milk and oil mixture reaches a full rolling boil before pouring, and verify oven temperature with an oven thermometer
Burnt cheese spots and excessive oil leakage on the baking sheet
Cause: Pre-shredded cheese containing anti-caking agents was used, or cheeses were shredded on too coarse of a grate
Fix: Cannot be fixed for the current batch; trim browned perimeter edges with a serrated knife before serving
Prevention: Grate fresh block cheeses finely on a box grater so they distribute evenly and suspend properly within the tapioca starch matrix
Cultural Context
Pao de queijo originated in the 18th century in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where indigenous cassava starch was combined with leftover milk and cheese by enslaved domestic workers. Traditionally prepared with cured Minas cheese and fermented sour tapioca starch (polvilho azedo), it has evolved into Brazil's most celebrated everyday snack and breakfast bread, typically enjoyed piping hot with strong cafezinho.
