Gluten-Free Brazilian Cheese Buns
Pão de queijo are pillowy, gluten-free cheese buns with a crispy exterior and airy, slightly stretchy crumb. These cheesy nuggets showcase melted cheese throughout, with a subtle saltiness and buttery richness. Brazilian comfort food perfect for breakfast, snacks, or alongside coffee. This version uses Monterey Jack for mild creaminess, though any good melting cheese works. The technique is forgiving: hot milk scalds tapioca starch into a paste, then cheese and egg transform it into an easy-to-shape dough that puffs dramatically during baking. No yeast, no kneading required.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Heat milk, butter, and salt in a small saucepan until boiling, watching closely to prevent overflow.
- 2
Sift tapioca starch into a large bowl.
- 3
Pour the hot milk mixture over tapioca and stir with a fork until lumpy.
- 4
Continue stirring as mixture cools to warm, breaking down lumps with the fork.
- 5
Preheat oven to 400°F/400F.
- 6
Add grated cheese to the tapioca mixture and mix well with your hands.
- 7
Beat egg lightly and add gradually, mixing by hand until dough comes together into a soft, pliable consistency that may be slightly sticky.
- 8
Shape dough into balls ranging from bite-sized to ping pong ball size on a parchment-lined or oiled baking sheet, oiling hands if needed.
- 9
Bake until just starting to brown on bottom, about 25 minutes, watching to avoid overbaking.
Tips
Oil your hands lightly when shaping dough to prevent sticking without adding excess flour, which would make buns dense.
Size matters: smaller balls bake more evenly and stay tender; larger ones may have dense centers.
Serve warm straight from the oven when cheese is still soft and stretchy, though they reheat well.
Good to Know
Keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days. They dry out quickly.
Shape and freeze unbaked balls on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding 3-5 minutes to baking time.
Serve warm with butter, jam, or alongside soup and coffee. Also excellent at room temperature.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the cooling step to avoid boiling water cooking the egg prematurely.
Do not overbake; remove as soon as bottoms brown lightly to prevent hard, bitter texture.
Do not use cold milk; heat must scald the tapioca starch to create the proper texture.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I make these without eggs?
Unlikely to work well. The egg is essential for binding and creating the signature airy crumb. Substitutes like flax or aquafaba would change texture significantly.
What if I overmix the dough?
Unlike yeast dough, overmixing is not a concern here. Mix until ingredients combine; the dough doesn't develop gluten.
How long can I keep unbaked frozen dough?
Up to one month in a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen without thawing, adding a few minutes to baking time.