Easy Pao de Queijo
Make easy Brazilian cheese puffs with tapioca starch, milk, and two cheeses. This blender version bakes in a mini muffin pan for a warm, chewy snack.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 22 min
- Total time
- 37 min
- Servings
- 8
These small cheese breads bring a crisp edge and a pleasantly stretchy center to the table. This simplified blender version uses a mini muffin pan instead of a shaped dough, making it approachable for a home cook. Tapioca starch is essential to the texture; wheat flour will not behave the same way. Serve the puffs warm, when the cheese is fragrant and the centers are soft. The recipe makes 24 puffs, or three per serving.
Easy Pao de Queijo
Serves 8 · Prep 10 min · Cook 22 min · Rest 5 min · Total 37 min
Ingredients
Step-by-step instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Use 1 teaspoon of the measured oil to grease all 24 wells of a mini muffin pan, including their upper edges.
- Put the milk, remaining oil, egg, tapioca starch, and salt in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides, and blend again until no dry starch remains.
- Add the mozzarella and Parmesan. Pulse just until evenly distributed; the batter should be thick but pourable, with small visible pieces of cheese.
- Divide the batter among the wells, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until puffed, lightly golden around the edges, and set on top. Keep the oven closed for the first 18 minutes.
- Let the puffs stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a small spoon and transfer to a rack or serving plate. Serve warm; a little settling as they cool is normal.
A few kitchen notes
- Use tapioca starch labeled tapioca flour, not cassava flour, which is made from the whole root.
- Shred the mozzarella finely so the cheese spreads evenly through the small puffs.
Ingredient substitutions
- Replace the mozzarella with the same weight of shredded Monterey Jack.
- Replace whole milk with the same volume of 2% milk.
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate cooled puffs in an airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat refrigerated puffs at 350°F (175°C) for about 8 minutes, until hot throughout; allow longer from frozen.
What to serve with it
Serve with coffee for a snack, or alongside a bowl of vegetable soup.
Comments & kitchen questions
Have a question, a useful substitution, or a result to share? Your feedback helps us make this recipe clearer and more useful.
Questions from the kitchen
Can I make Easy Pao de Queijo ahead?
Refrigerate cooled puffs in an airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat refrigerated puffs at 350°F (175°C) for about 8 minutes, until hot throughout; allow longer from frozen.
What if I can’t find an ingredient?
Replace the mozzarella with the same weight of shredded Monterey Jack. Replace whole milk with the same volume of 2% milk.
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