Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) finely grated low-moisture mozzarella
- 3/4 cup (75 g) finely grated Parmesan
- Herb butter: 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, herbs, garlic, lime
- Quick pepper jelly: apricot preserves + minced red pepper + jalapeño + vinegar
Do This
- 1) Heat oven to 400°F (205°C). Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan or line 2 sheet pans.
- 2) Stir together the herb butter; chill while you bake.
- 3) Simmer the quick spicy pepper jelly for 5 minutes; cool.
- 4) Bring milk, oil, and salt just to a simmer; pour over tapioca flour and mix until thick.
- 5) Cool 10 minutes, then beat in eggs; mix in cheeses.
- 6) Scoop and bake 18–22 minutes until puffed and lightly golden. Serve warm with herb butter and pepper jelly.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chewy, airy, and naturally gluten-free thanks to tapioca flour.
- Big cheese flavor with a crisp outside and stretchy, hollow center.
- Snack-ready spread trio: warm pão de queijo + herb butter + sweet-spicy pepper jelly.
- No special equipment required (a bowl and a saucepan do the heavy lifting).
Grocery List
- Produce: 1/4 red bell pepper, 1 jalapeño, fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, fresh chives, 1 lime, 1 garlic clove
- Dairy: whole milk, unsalted butter, low-moisture mozzarella, Parmesan
- Pantry: tapioca flour (tapioca starch), neutral oil (canola/avocado/vegetable), fine salt, apricot preserves, apple cider vinegar, black pepper
Full Ingredients
Pão de queijo (cheese bread bites)
- 2 cups (240 g) tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or avocado oil)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) finely grated low-moisture mozzarella
- 3/4 cup (75 g) finely grated Parmesan
Herb butter (for serving)
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated (about 1/2 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Quick spicy pepper jelly (easy, preserves-based)
- 1 cup (320 g) apricot preserves
- 1/4 cup (35 g) red bell pepper, very finely minced
- 1 tablespoon jalapeño, very finely minced (seeds removed for milder heat)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prep your pan
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F (205°C).
Mini muffin pan option: Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan well with butter or neutral oil.
Sheet pan option: Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
Step 2: Make the herb butter
In a small bowl, mash together the softened butter, parsley, cilantro, chives, grated garlic, lime juice, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
Scoop into a ramekin and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes while you make the dough (this helps it stay neatly scoopable for serving).
Step 3: Make the quick spicy pepper jelly
In a small saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, minced red bell pepper, minced jalapeño, apple cider vinegar, and salt.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often, then simmer for 5 minutes to soften the peppers and concentrate the flavor.
Scrape into a small serving bowl and let cool at room temperature while you bake. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
Step 4: Scald the milk and oil, then hydrate the tapioca
Add the milk, oil, and salt to a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture is just coming to a simmer (small bubbles around the edges), about 3–5 minutes. Do not boil vigorously.
Place the tapioca flour in a large heatproof bowl. Pour the hot milk mixture over the flour and immediately stir with a sturdy spoon until you get a thick, sticky paste and the flour is fully moistened.
Step 5: Cool briefly, then beat in the eggs
Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. (If it’s too hot, the eggs can start to cook and turn the dough lumpy.)
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing vigorously after each addition until the dough looks smooth and glossy. The dough will feel elastic and sticky.
Step 6: Mix in the cheeses
Add the mozzarella and Parmesan. Stir until the cheese is evenly distributed. The dough should be thick, sticky, and scoopable (similar to a very sticky choux paste).
If the dough seems too loose to hold a mound, let it stand for 5 minutes; tapioca flour continues to hydrate and firm up slightly.
Step 7: Portion and bake until puffed and chewy
Mini muffin pan: Divide the dough evenly among the cups, filling each about 3/4 full (about 1 tablespoon of dough per cup).
Sheet pan: Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons) to mound dough onto the pans, spacing mounds about 2 inches apart.
Bake at 400°F (205°C) until puffed and lightly golden, 18–22 minutes. Rotate the pan at the 12-minute mark for even browning.
Step 8: Serve as a snack basket
Let the pão de queijo cool for 5 minutes (they finish setting inside). Serve warm in a basket or bowl with the herb butter and the spicy pepper jelly on the side.
For the best “pull-apart” texture, encourage everyone to split one open, swipe with herb butter, then add a small spoon of pepper jelly.
Pro Tips
- Grate your cheese finely. Fine shreds melt more evenly and help the breads puff with a smoother interior.
- Don’t skip the 10-minute cool-down before adding eggs. Warm is good; hot can scramble them.
- Bake hot. The 400°F (205°C) heat creates steam fast, which is what gives pão de queijo their signature hollow, chewy center.
- Use a scoop for uniform bites. Even sizing means even baking (and a prettier basket for sharing).
- Want extra crisp edges? Bake in a mini muffin pan; the metal contact helps them brown around the sides.
Variations
- Cheddar-lime pão de queijo: Replace mozzarella with 1 1/2 cups (150 g) finely grated sharp cheddar and add 1/2 teaspoon lime zest to the dough.
- Garlic-herb cheese breads: Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon finely chopped herbs (parsley or chives) directly into the dough.
- Spicier pepper jelly: Keep jalapeño seeds in, or add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes while simmering.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Best day-of: Pão de queijo are at their peak warm from the oven.
Store: Cool completely, then store airtight at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm on a sheet pan at 350°F (175°C) for 6–8 minutes (or until hot and chewy again).
Freeze: Freeze baked breads in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes.
Make-ahead dough: Portion dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze until firm, about 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 400°F (205°C) for 22–26 minutes.
Herb butter and pepper jelly: Herb butter keeps refrigerated for 5 days. The quick pepper jelly keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks (store in a clean jar; bring to room temperature before serving for best texture).
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, per serving (4 pão de queijo + about 1 teaspoon herb butter + 1 tablespoon pepper jelly): 360 calories, 20 g fat, 33 g carbs, 12 g protein, 10 g sugar, 520 mg sodium.
