Baking, Bread, Breakfasts, Eggs, Favourites, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Lunchbox, Lunches, Nut Free, Vegetarian
Extra Puffy Brazilian Cheese Puffs! (Pão De Queijo)
We love it when my sister Joye comes over and makes us Brazilian Cheese Puffs!! They never last long unless I hide some, so she usually makes a double batch, and we keep half the batter in the fridge for the following day. They are the BEST hot out of the oven, sliced open and slathered with butter… YUM! But they’re also great cold, and since they are nut free they make the perfect lunchbox filler.
There’s plenty of recipes for cheese puffs out there, but Joye’s always seem to rise better than the others I’ve tried (sometimes they rise CRAZY high, as you can see above!), and they don’t deflate as they cool due to her method of chilling the batter really well before baking, and cooking for longer than most other recipes I’ve seen.
These cheese puffs have a deliciously crunchy crust and are soft and stretchy inside… soooooo good! I asked her if I could share her recipe and she said I could, so here it is. ❤️ Thanks Joye!
This recipe is gluten free, grain free and nut free. I haven’t tried using a dairy free cheese substitute, but if you try it, let us know how you go! My recommendation for those who are dairy free is the dairy free version of the Fat Bomb Muffins in our Life-Changing Food Cookbook.
For those of you wanting to make this recipe without a Thermomix, watch this video where I demonstrated how to cook cheese puffs on the SBS Food show, Loving Gluten Free!
Extra Puffy Brazilian Cheese Puffs
Ingredients
- 200g cheddar cheese, or a mixture of cheddar and parmesan
- 200g milk of choice
- 100g olive oil or melted butter
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 300g tapioca starch, or arrowroot
- 3 large eggs
- extra olive oil or butter for greasing tins, or paper muffin cups
Instructions
Thermomix Method
- Cut cheese into 2cm cubes and grate in Thermomix 8 sec/speed 8. Remove from bowl and set aside.
- Place milk, oil and salt into Thermomix bowl and heat 5 mins/90C/speed 1.
- Add tapioca starch and mix to combine, 20 sec/speed 6.
- Allow to cool for 20 mins or so.
- Add eggs and cheese and mix 20sec/speed 6.
- Place mixture into a large bowl and set in the fridge or freezer to completely cool and become firm (at least 30 mins in freezer, or 1 hour in fridge – can be left a day or two in fridge in a sealed container).
- Meanwhile, prepare a 12 hole muffin tin by greasing with some olive oil or butter, or line muffin tin with paper liners.
- Preheat oven to 200C.
- Scoop out cold mixture into muffin cups with an ice cream scoop or large dessert spoon, so the cups are approx 3/4 filled with a rounded top. (Mixture will be very stiff and even have a dry, crusty layer – that’s fine, the crusty bits will melt and they will cook perfectly.)
- Bake for 25 mins, or until golden brown and crunchy on the outside. Make sure they are firm to touch before removing from oven, so they don’t fall. To make them even crunchier on the outside, you can turn off oven, leave door a little ajar, and leave them there for another 10-15 mins.
- Serve hot for super crunchy outside and chewy inside! (I love to split them open and slather with butter… mmmmm!!)
Conventional Method
- Grate cheese and set aside.
- Heat together milk, oil and salt in a saucepan on the stovetop over med-high heat, just until milk is hot but not boiling. (Stir now and then while it heats.)
- Remove from heat, add tapioca starch and mix to combine. Cool mixture for 20 mins or so.
- Add eggs and cheese and mix well in a food processor or blender, until quite smooth. Place into fridge or freezer so mixture is completely cold before continuing with recipe above.
Storage
- Keep batter in fridge for up to 3 days. Keep baked puffs in a sealed container/bag in the fridge for up to a week, or in freezer for a month or so. They’re yummy served cold but will be chewy, not crunchy on the outside. Leftover puffs can be halved, turned upside down, and heated in hot grill to bring back the crunch!
Notes
- If you’re looking for a grain free, nut free, dairy free savoury muffin that is similar, try the nut free, dairy free version of the Fat Bomb Muffins in our Life-Changing Food cookbook! They are delicious too!!
Sounds yummy. Does it have to be Tapioca starch or does potato or corn starch work as well? thx.
I think corn starch would work, but not sure of potato starch as it’s heavier.
Is corn starch the same as corn flour?
Yes 🙂
What are the normal American measurements?
Well I’m in Australia so these measurements are normal for us 😉 We use the metric measuring system, you guys use Imperial. 1 Tablespoon for us is 4 teaspoons, but for you is 3 teaspoons. My recommendation for you is to get a set of digital scales (just inexpensive ones are fine) and set to Metric (grams/kilograms/millilitres/litres) when making recipes from Australia or England, then set it to Imperial measurements for American recipes. 🙂
They say that if you use corn starch, just use half the quantity.
Could you use Coconut flour instead of tapioca or arrowroot? Trying to limit carb intake
No sorry, it won’t work with coconut flour, or almond flour!!
Or Almond flour?
Hi is tapioca flour the same as tapioca starch?
So looking forward to give these a go have tried so many different recipes and they just don’t compare to the real deal.
Yep, those are the same. 🙂
Greetings from Australia. Love this recipe. Would there be much difference if I was to use a baking tray instead of a muffin tray?
Yes it wouldn’t work well in a baking tray I think, sorry!
(PS I’m in Australia too 😀 )
Hi, how many muffin-sized puffs does this make? They look delicious 🙂
10-12 🙂
Made these tonight, using coconut milk. I decided to make them at the last minute so i didn’t chill them, but they still turned out extra puffy and nice and crusty on the outside. Absolutely delicious!
This recipe is such a hit in our house now. Don’t always master the puffiness, perhaps because i don’t have a thermo but i keep trialing/ testing to see if i can get them perfect. Every second or third batch is!
Just wondering how the batter would go freezing. I was thinking of bulk making the batter and freeze in batches.
Great they are a hit! Yes you can definitely freeze the dough.
Hi can you make tapioca starch out of blitzed tapioca? Thanks
I think so, but it’s difficult to get it fine enough!
I am hoping to make this recipe x 4 for a party. Can several trays go into an oven without impacting the batter? Can I double the mixture? Any other tips?… 🙂
Yes to several trays in oven, just make a few batches of the batter and chill well then bake all at once! Will need to make each batch separately if using Thermomix, or it won’t fit. 🙂
I tried this recipe with almond milk and cashew cheese. They didn’t puff up as much but they were still delicious!
Thank you!
Hi
Should I reduce oven temp for fan forced?
Thanks
No, my recipes are all done with a fan-forced oven 🙂
After having these in Brazil, i hadn’t found anything that came close until now!
I love this recipe!
It’s become a regular in our house (with extras shared with friends) We’ve also been experimenting with different cheese types….delicious! Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
Could you use guar gum instead of the tapioca?
Unfortunately not, guar gum will completely change the texture as it is more of a binder than a starch.
I made these today and they tasted amazing, my daughter was q big fan too!! But my batter was very clumpy. Should it have more of a smooth texture?
Did you use a Thermomix to blend it or a food processor? I found that in a food processor you end up with a more lumpy batter as it doesn’t blend as smooth and it doesn’t rise quite as high. But it should still be just as good.
Thank you so much Jo and your sister for this amazing recipe! Only trouble is I can’t stop eating them.
We’re so happy you love them! Jo x
These are delicious, a bit hit in our household and so versatile with different meals. Great option to have in the freezer.
Thanks ladies once again on a winner xx
You’re so welcome, happy you liked it!
This looks amazing! I love the saltiness of the parmesan so definitely going to include that when I try this recipe on the weekend!
Yay!
Just waiting for it to cool presently but just curious if it’s supposed to be stretchy and a little dry or is it supposed to be more cake batter like? Mine is all clumped together in the middle of the bowl.
It should be a thick, creamy batter that is kind of like cream cheese spread in consistency. Add a dash of milk if too thick. If you’re making it with the conventional method, only simmer on stove until warm then remove from heat – if you simmer too long it will reduce and batter will be too thick.
Loved these, they turned out so good. The family said they are like a savory profiterole, so they would love to see them filled with something. Any suggestions as what might work would be lovely?
Yay!! So happy you liked them! xx
You can check in the Quirky Cooking Chat Group, as a few people in there were trying some different fillings. Bacon and Chives works well!
After having these in Brazil, i hadn’t found anything that came close until now!
I love this recipe!
It’s become a regular in our house (with extras shared with friends) We’ve also been experimenting with different cheese types….delicious! Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
I made those last Saturday for a big parents school party at home and I couldn’t believe how beautiful and delicious they became! Definitely a crowd pleaser, will make them again!
I love this recipe and have made it a few times. Today I chose to use the 2x function built into this interface, and the only change to the recipe was the amount of cheese. The batter is chilling now but I’m worried it’ll be a bust. I’ll just halve the amount of batter I normally put on the muffin tins and cross my fingers!
Oh dear, I didn’t realise that feature wasn’t working! Thanks for letting me know, I’ll have a look. Sorry about that!
I have tried many Brazilian Cheese Puff recipes and yours is the only one that has come out Extra Puffy like you say. These are great.
Thank you and your sister for sharing this great recipe.
Another tip for you and your readers:- I freeze the uncooked batter in a silicone muffin tray, then pop the balls of frozen batter in a zip-lock bag in the freezer. To cook, just place on a tray straight from the freezer for the same time and temp as recommended in your recipe.
Oh great idea, thanks so much for sharing, and I’m so happy you loved it. 🙂
These were delicious thank you. I only cooked half the batch and stored the dough in the fridge. I’m just wondering if i can store dough in freezer? Thanks
Yes it’s fine to freeze!
Absolutely love these and so does my son! I cut them in half and warm up in my air fryer than slather in butter – so yummy! Just wondering if anyone had frozen the cooked ones instead of the batter? Would that work?
I just Used this recipe for the first time I usually use the thermi one in cookiedo- honestly this one is so much better! Thank you!
Yay! So glad it worked well for you, we love it too 🙂
Hi Jo can you use potato starch? I have some leftover from your GF dough but not sure how to use it up!
Hi. Unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend potato starch in this recipe. Sorry. I think it would make the mixture to stodgy and doughy. Good luck.
So bloody good. Another Quirky family recipe saved for them rainy days & comfort food is required ???? thank you again for sharing!
You are welcome:-). Thank you
Is the milk and oil both ment to be measured in grams and not mls?
Yes Sally. All in grams:-).
Hi Jo, what is a alternative to tapioca I can use that is low carb please, everything else is fine. Could I try almond flour and some baking powder to help with the rise?
Hi Liz. Unfortunately with this recipe tapioca or arrowroot would be the only flours we recommend. Almond flour won’t give you that puffy texture. It might turn out stodgy if using any other flour i’m afraid:-/.
Hi Jo
Is it 200ml of milk? And the same mls or grams for oil/butter?
Peg
Hi Peg, All measurements are in grams:-).
These muffins are so delicious. I added a few basil leaves and some chives. They are great for a quick breakfast snack and freeze really well.
Thank you:-)
I made these vegan for a work friend, used coconut milk and vegan cheese… they need more salt, texture is fine, nicer cold than hot which is surprising!
Great idea:-). Glad it worked and turned out delicious!!!
What did you use instead of the eggs?
Thanks so much – this has become a winner for taking to picnics / gatherings with friends. And I love that you can make the batter in advance and then put them in the oven on the day.
Thank you for your lovely comment:-). We love these too!!!
These are sooooooo delicious and amazing! I never need to feel like I have to miss out on a crusty bread like snack again. My whole family loved them also. An absolute winner of a recipe. Thank you xx
I am so glad you all loved it:-)!!!
Thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to try these, as my daughter is going GF and she will love these. If I make smaller versions in a mini muffin tin, how long should I bake them for?
Hey Karen! You should still need about 20 minutes to bake them!
Thanks for asking the question Karen, as I’d like to make a mini version this weekend for a street Christmas party. Did it work well as mini muffins?
Hi Jo,
About to make these delights for the first time.
I read the oven temp is fan forced.
I only have conventional so do I increase temp to
220c as per usual add 20c rule?
Thanks so much
Yep! That should work! 🙂
Family Fav. Always.
🙂
Excellent recipe but can the grey background be removed for when printing please? Very difficult for my MIL to read.
Perhaps copy and pasting to a word document for printing might help!
Yum!! I got this recipe from my close friend; she has a Thermomix but I use the conventional method. Absolutely tasty, but mine turned out to taste a bit eggy. Should I be using 700g or 600g eggs? And know how I could salvage the left over batter I put in the fridge? Would adding more tapioca flour work?
You should be using 3 60g gram eggs, so thats 180g of eggs for one batch… I hope everything goes ok!
So crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside! Absolutely delish! Probably one of the best GF “pastry” like things I have had. Delicious for breakfast with cooked sausage inside. Yum. Thanks for sharing such a ripper recipe!
Hi Jo,
I’m going to make this recipe but wondering what non cows milk cheese you would recommend trying? I’m allergic to cows milk but can have goats milk, buffalo and sheep’s milk.
Coconut or cashew cheese, goats or sheep cheese, any cheese will work!
I love these so much! I accidentally misread the instructions thinking you could freeze the batter for a month (but have now realised it’s the cooked puffs for a month). Froze the batter, pulled it out the day before baking and they turned out even more crispy and we’re still soo soft on the inside
Yum! I’m glad they turned out great!
Can I freeze the uncooked mixture?
Yes you can! Just freeze in an airtight container and thaw completely before baking! Should turn out great!
Always a favourite with our family. I have to make them when the kids aren’t home or I miss out!
Hi Jo, these are an amazing hit in our home and for get togethers. I would like to bake these fresh tomorrow morning for a work lunch but need to be efficient in the morning. Do you think it would work well if I chilled straight into the muffin trays or paper muffin cups so they can go straight in the oven in the morning? Thanks so much 🙂
Hi Amy! Yes it should be fine! You can just chill the dough straight in the muffin papers and they’ll be fine!
Thanks so much Jo! Much appreciated 🙂
Hi. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I have 2 questions: can I add a little baking soda as ‘insurance’ to ensure they puff up? Also, can I use tapioca flour with glutinous rice flour to make it extra chewy?
There’s really no need for baking powder and it’s not in the original recipes, but feel free to try it if you want to! 😀
If you use glutinous rice flour it definitely won’t puff up 🙂