Recipe File: Easy Cheesy Bread

Savor the light and chewy texture of Brazilian pão de queijo with this quick, kid-friendly recipe.

Originally hailing from New York, I sorely miss all the multicultural food I used to have at my disposal — especially my beloved pão de queijo, or as we in our household affectionately call it, “cheesy bread.” The idea of making this gluten-free snack was at first intimidating, but after getting inspired by an easy recipe I found on the back of the Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour bag, it proved fun and essentially foolproof.

My daughter Edie enthusiastically helped me prepare the cheesy bread, as she too is an avid fan. The best part: This recipe only calls for six simple ingredients and it doesn’t require any special equipment — making it extra easy for little helpers to do their thing. Edie especially loved pouring the dough into the greased mini-muffin tin and was super careful not to let the cups overflow. The ones that did overflow a bit turned out even better (and fluffier) than the ones we filled up the “right” way.

Once we popped these out of the oven, they didn’t last long. Pro tip: If they get a little hard after some time, pop them in the microwave for a quick 10 to 12 seconds. They’ll be warm and delicious again!

Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheesy Bread)

Makes 24 bite-sized pieces

Ingredients

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups tapioca flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

24-cup mini-muffin tin

Directions

1. Generously oil the mini-muffin tin.

2. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the milk, oil, egg and salt.

4. Add the tapioca flour gradually until blended and smooth and then mix in the cheese.

5. Fill each muffin cup with the batter, about ¾ of the way full. (If you accidentally fill it to the top, it’ll still come out great).

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Remove from cups with an offset spatula. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.

Author
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Judith Rich

Judith Klein Rich has been blogging about food since 2007. Born in Slovakia, her enthusiasm for food experimentation and creation stems from her deeply seated Eastern European roots. Currently writing under the alias of Eaty Pie (eatypie.com), her blog explores dining experiences, meal creation and travel adventures from a kid and a grown-up perspective.