Pão de Queijo Doce with Guava

Name: Pão de Queijo Doce with Guava
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 1½ cups (225 g) tapioca starch flour; ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, room temperature; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, softened; 1½ cups (150 g) sharp aged cheddar cheese, finely grated, finely grated, at room temperature; ½ cup (50 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated, finely grated; 4 ounces (115 g) guava paste (goiabada), cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) cubes, room temperature; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; 1 tablespoon (12½ g) granulated white sugar; ⅛ teaspoon (½ g) freshly ground black pepper

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Soft, pillowy cheese bread kissed with sweetness and studded with guava paste. This Brazilian treat balances the richness of melted cheese and tapioca's signature chewy texture with the tart-sweet brightness of guava. Serve warm for the most dramatic puff and stretch—the cheese is at its most indulgent straight from the oven.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 42 min
Makes: 12 rolls

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Ingredients

12 servings

1½ cups (225 g) tapioca starch flour
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (150 g) sharp aged cheddar cheese, finely grated, finely grated, at room temperature
½ cup (50 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated, finely grated
4 ounces (115 g) guava paste (goiabada), cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) cubes, room temperature
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
1 tablespoon (13 g) granulated white sugar
⅛ teaspoon (0.5 g) freshly ground black pepper

Equipment (7)

Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or mixing bowl)
Muffin tin (12-cup)
Paper muffin liners or cooking spray
Baking sheet (optional, to place muffin tin on)
Measuring cups and spoons
Knife (for cutting guava paste)
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) on the middle rack.
Use fresh guava paste (goiabada) at room temperature so it cuts cleanly into cubes.
Have all ingredients at room temperature for best mixing.

1
Combine wet ingredients
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine milk, eggs, and softened butter.
- Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds until well blended and the butter begins to incorporate.
- If mixing by hand, whisk vigorously in a large bowl until combined.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale yellow and the butter is mostly incorporated
Tip: Room-temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and create a lighter batter
2
Add tapioca and cheese
- Add tapioca flour, salt, sugar, and pepper.
- Mix on low speed for 20 seconds just until the flour disappears—the batter will look very thick and slightly sticky, almost like wet sand.
- Add the grated cheddar and Parmesan and fold gently with a rubber spatula until the cheese is evenly distributed throughout.
- Do not overmix.
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Ready when: Cheese is distributed throughout the batter; mixture is thick and holds together
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten-like structure in the tapioca, making the bread tough instead of tender
3
Prepare baking tin
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly coat with cooking spray.
- The batter will puff dramatically when baked, so make sure the tin is ready before scooping.
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Tip: Use paper liners for easy removal and a prettier presentation of the puffed tops
4
Divide batter and fill with guava
- Spoon about 1½ tablespoons (22 g) of batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling each about one-third full.
- Press one guava paste cube gently into the center of each portion of batter.
- Top with another 1½ tablespoons (22 g) of batter, filling the cup about two-thirds full.
- The guava should be mostly covered but slightly visible.
- You'll have about ½ tablespoon (7 g) of batter left over if needed for final adjustments.
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Ready when: Each cup is layered: batter, guava cube, batter; cups are two-thirds full
Tip: Don't overfill the cups—pão de queijo puffs considerably and can overflow. Leave about one-third headroom.
5
Bake until golden and puffedOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet (to catch any overflow) and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 22–24 minutes, until the rolls are puffed, golden brown on top, and the edges are a deep golden color.
- A toothpick inserted into a roll (avoiding the guava center) should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
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Ready when: Rolls are puffed, golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the bread portion comes out clean
Tip: Do not open the oven door before 20 minutes—escaping steam can deflate the puffing action
6
Cool and serve
- Let the rolls cool in the tin for 5 minutes so they set slightly, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack or serve directly from the liners.
- The rolls will still feel soft and warm.
- They're best enjoyed warm, within the first few hours, when the cheese is still creamy and the guava paste is molten inside.
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Ready when: Rolls have set enough to be removed from the tin without breaking
Tip: Pão de queijo is most spectacular when served warm—the cheese stretches beautifully and the guava is warm and jammy

Good to know

Tips

Guava paste can be sticky and difficult to cut. Dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts for clean cubes. Or briefly refrigerate the guava paste for 15 minutes to firm it up.
Tapioca flour absorbs moisture differently than wheat flour—don't add extra milk. The batter will feel thick and unusual but that's correct; it puffs dramatically when heat hits it.
For extra drama, dust the tops of unbaked rolls with a pinch of coarse sugar or a tiny sprinkle of sea salt before baking—this creates a subtle crunch that plays beautifully against the soft interior.
Pão de queijo is best the day it's baked. If you must make it ahead, bake the rolls, cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze. Thaw at room temperature and warm in a 325°F (163°C) oven.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 325°F (163°C) oven for 5–7 minutes to restore some softness. Freeze baked rolls in a freezer bag for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature and reheat as above. Do not refrigerate, as the starch will stale faster.

Substitutions

sharp aged cheddar cheese, finely grated → Mozzarella cheese, finely grated. Use whole-milk mozzarella for a milder, creamier result; the rolls will be less sharp but still tender and stretchy
guava paste (goiabada) → Dulce de leche or quince paste, cut into cubes. Dulce de leche adds caramel sweetness; quince paste is more tart. Both work beautifully in this ratio
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated → Pecorino Romano, finely grated. Sharper and more peppery than Parmigiano; use the same amount for a bolder, more intense cheese flavor
whole milk, room temperature → Whole milk mixed with 2 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraîche. Adds richness and slight tang; reduce the milk to 10 tablespoons (150 ml) and add 2 tablespoons (30 g) sour cream