Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Puffs)

Our culinary tour of Brazil is going strong! Last week we indulged in a few caipirinhas, yesterday was some Pesto Broccoli inspired by one of my fav restaurants in Rio and this week we're loading up with Pão de Queijo! Just you wait to see what I have in store for next week 🙂

Pão de Queijo, one of the many amazing foods I was able to try in Brazil, is going to rock your world. Literally. It's the Brazilian version of Pate a Choux which I haven't made since culinary school. Also, please don't judge my photos if you click on that link. Yikes. Thank goodness I've progressed since then.

Anyways, Pão de Queijo is essentially a cheese bun! It's extra delicious served right outta the oven while it's still hot and the cheese is warm. It's a popular item in Brazil as it's served for breakfast, snacks, lunch, etc. You could basically eat these all day long and never tire of them. They are light, fluffy and savory little buns of joy that I can promise you'll love. After making these a handful of times in my own kitchen, I can also say that they make for excellent little sandwiches. Just slice a few of them in half, stuff them with more cheese (obviously) and prosciutto and enjoy.

Make them, eat all of them, majorly obsess over them and then hop on a plane and go to Brazil so you can eat them there too. It's totally the right thing to do. No but really, go to Brazil! TAM airlines is giving away a free trip right now and I highly suggest you enter and then you can eat copious amounts of Pão de Queijo too! You can find them basically anywhere in Brazil, but one of my favorites was at Confeitaria Colombo in Rio. (they also make a mean Brigadeiro which is basically chocolate, condensed milk and butter! I mean who could possibly argue with that?!)

I'll be whipping these up for Valentine's Day and enjoying them with a few glasses of champagne. It's pretty much the most well rounded meal I've ever created 🙂

Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Puffs)

Author: Gaby Dalkin

5 from 1 vote

Recipe adapted from The Kitchn

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Brazilian

Servings 24 puffs

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup milk
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• ▢ 2 cups tapioca flour
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 cups Parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a mini muffin tin (you'll need 2 mini muffin tins, 12 muffins per tray) with baking spray and set aside
• Combine the milk, oil, salt and pepper in the saucepan, and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from heat as soon as it starts to simmer.
• Mix in the tapioca flour and stir until combined.
• Transfer the dough to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for a 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth.
• Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl. With the mixer on medium, add the eggs into the mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Continue to beat until fully combined.
• Add in the Parmesan cheese and mix until incorporated. (the dough will be very sticky)
• Using a small ice cream scoop scoop rounded portions of the dough into the mini muffin tin, filling each space almost to the top.
• Transfer the mini muffin tins to the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 350°F.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the puffs have puffed above the muffin tin, the outsides are dry and look crackly, and they are just starting to turn golden brown, especially around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before removing them from the muffin tin and serving.

Notes

After making these a handful of times in my own kitchen, I can also say that they make for excellent little sandwiches. Just slice a few of them in half, stuff them with more cheese (obviously) and prosciutto and enjoy.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 69IU | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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