Thanksgiving Cheese Rolls: Pao de Queijo in 20 Minutes (Or Less)

Let’s face it. In the realm of Thanksgiving baking, the priority is turkey, a mishmash of sides and dessert. The rolls come in close to last if you haven’t already decided to give in and just buy them off the shelf or from your favorite bakery. But these Brazilian cheese rolls (also call pao de quiijo) will have you thinking otherwise.

I first had these at a Brazilian steakhouse. They are light and airy with an unavoidable cheesy center. They may not be suitable for sandwiching a turkey (I haven’t tried it yet), but they’re addictive and limiting yourself to just one takes the willpower of many. The rolls don’t necessarily fall into the traditional Thanksgiving roll category but they’re a savory addition to the holiday table … or any meal. Try adding a little bit of mustard to complement the cheese.

With the use of a blender or shaker, these rolls whip up in less than a minute and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. This recipe uses tapioca flour that can be found in most baking aisles or gluten-free areas of the grocery.

They make either 48 mini rolls or 12 large rolls depending on the size of the muffin tin.

Brazilian Cheese Rolls

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

1 large egg
½ cup milk
¼ oil (canola or vegetable is fine)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup tapioca flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat over to 400 degrees F.

In a blender or larger shaker, add egg, oil, tapioca flour, salt and mustard and mix. Add cheese and mix until incorporated.

Pour batter in nonstick muffin tin until ¾ full and top with a bit more cheddar cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until puffed and golden. (Larger muffin tins may bake up until 20 minutes. Watch closely.)

Remove from oven and serve.