Have you ever tried Brazilian Cheese Rolls? Oh My! I had never tried them until I recently visited my friend, Teresa,  in Little Rock, who took me to a little Brazilian cafe called Cafe Bossa Nova, where they served these delicious, cheesy, oh I can’t eat just one, Brazilian Cheese Rolls. Upon returning home, I purchased a new cookbook, which I highly recommend:

America’s Test Kitchen: How Can It Be Gluten-free?

While thumbing through the pages guess what I found? Yes! Brazilian Cheese Rolls! What I like about this cookbook is the why this recipe works section. Recipes have been tweaked and re-tweaked several times with a team of chefs until the perfect mixture of ingredients have combined to produce an awesome recipe for taste, texture, and the all-important question we hope everyone asks, “How can this be gluten-free?”. If you’re interested, they even have an e-newsletter for How Can It Be Gluten-free. Each recipe lists what the chefs tried, what didn’t work, and how they maneuvered through several options before settling on the recipe that ultimately ended up in the cookbook. I like this approach; it helps me in my own recipe development. Even though Brazilian Cheese Rolls are naturally gluten-free, there are a few different methods on how to prepare the mixture before baking. After trying a few different options in method and ingredients, this easy recipe produced a perfectly delicious, you can’t eat just one, Brazilian Cheese Roll.  Hint: do not under-cook them or you will end up with a gooey, almost rubbery inside.

While a traditional Brazilian Cheese Roll recipe calls for Queso Fresco, Cotija, or Queijo Minas, a Brazilian Cheese, unless you are near a Brazilian market, sharp cheddar and parmesan are a great substitute and give the rolls a delicious cheesy flavor.

Now for the drum roll please-I present from America’s Test Kitchen

Gluten-free Brazilian Cheese Rolls

Serves 24
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Total time 30 minutes
Dietary Gluten-free
Meal type Bread, Side Dish, Snack
From book How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook
These mini gluten-free Brazilian Cheese Rolls are ready in 30 minutes and are perfect as a fast snack or with a meal. I bet you can't eat just one!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Tapioca Starch
  • 1 cup Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
  • 2/3 cups Whole Milk
  • 1/3 cup Olive Oil (extra virgin)
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Directions

Step 1
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Step 2
Whip up the ingredients for Brazilian Cheese Rolls in a high-powered blender.
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and process on high for one minute, scraping down sides if needed. Mixture should be smooth with a consistency of pancake batter.
Step 3
Pour approximately two tablespoon into the prepared mini muffin tin.
Pour batter into lightly non-stick sprayed-mini 24 muffin tin (approximately 2 tablespoons per muffin cup).
Step 4
Bake until light golden brown, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking.
Place in pre-heated oven and bake until lightly golden brown. 17-20 minutes. Rotate muffin tin halfway through baking.
Step 5
Gluten-free Brazilian Cheese Rolls
Remove from oven and place muffin tin on a wire rack for 3 minutes, then remove rolls from pan. Serve warm.
Step 6
Rolls may be frozen and reheated in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.

This recipe was also shared on the following blogs: ThisGalCooks, TheChickenChick, ChefInTraining, RealFoodForager, PintSizedBaker, GlutenFreeHomemaker, LadyBehindTheCurtain, AnyonitaNibbles, DoItYourselfDreamer, GingersnapCrafts, WeLikeToLearnAsWeGo, LiveLaughRowe, VegetarianMamma, TheShabbyNest, SnippetsofInspiration

29 comments on “Gluten-free Brazilian Cheese Rolls”

  1. I would like to make these for my daughter when we have spaghetti. Can I use canola oil instead of the olive oil? If not, what kind do you recommend? I’ve never used olive oil before. Are there other uses besides these rolls?
    Thank you.

    • Hi Jeanette, I just happen to prefer olive over canola, but they should turn out just fine with canola. As for your question about parmesan cheese, definitely use fresh, not in a can. There is a huge difference in taste, as well as freshness. And as for other uses of olive oil, it is my preferred oil for all sautéing. Enjoy!

  2. oops! another question…does ‘grated’ Parmesan mean the kind that comes in a can made by Kraft or the fresh cheese? Thanks.

  3. Our friend makes a version of these Pan de Yuca rolls and they are SO good! He uses Cotija cheese because it’s not hard to find here in NJ. His recipe must be a little different than yours since they’re in ball form when they go into the oven. And once they’re out, you basically have to burn your hands to grab a few before they disappear. They are my favorite GF rolls!

  4. Hi Laurie! I am visiting from the Marvellous Mondays linky. I just love your blog and your recipes! I am going to follow you 🙂
    I’ve had Brazilian cheese rolls at a Brazilian restaurant a few years ago. You are right you cannot eat only one! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

  5. Hi Laurie! I too, have this book! The recipes and format look great! However, when I spend time looking at it, I get a headache!! I noticed immediately upon getting it, that it has quite an odor – might be the ink. Have you noticed this? I contacted the company a few minutes ago. They’ll get back to me about it. I don’t know anyone else who has the book.

    • oh, strange, I never noticed it. I wonder if you could take it back and receive a different one. Maybe it was just how it was packaged in shipping. I do really like the cookbook’s format. Although I have noticed an error or two. On the Brazilian Cheese rolls they call for 2 oz of parmesan then in parenthesis it says 1 cup.

  6. I am Gluten and Lactose Free so I wonder if I could use Swiss in place of the Parmesan cheese or would it be better to use more Sharp Cheddar Cheese? Would love to eat a roll; it’s been 5 months since I enjoyed one. Thank you so much!

    • Tapioca starch comes from the cassava plant (also known as yucca). It is a staple mainly in Africa and South America, but most grocery stores carry tapioca starch in the specialty flour section. Bob’s Redmill tapioca starch is what I used.

  7. Oh yum, these look great! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂

    What great recipes this week in the link up!

    Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com

  8. Love them!!! Tonight, I made them for the second time. Last time, I made a 1/2 recipe. This time I decided to make a full recipe and save some for a future meal, so I used cupcake papers. Big mistake! They stuck firmly to the paper, so we were only able to eat the middle. Just thought I would share, so others can learn from my mistake.

    • Hi Bernadyn, this is one of my favorite GF rolls. Just be sure to bake them long enough. They will come out a bit gummy if not fully cooked. But they are so delicious, I have a hard time just eating one! Enjoy.

  9. I am going to have to try these. I was diagnosed with Celiac disease about 7 1/2 years ago now…have yet to find a roll I like! I am so excited to try these now!!!

  10. I don’t have a mini muffin pan- and I don’t really have room for another tin, would regular do? Also if I make the dough will it keep a day or two if I dont want to make then all at once–sounds like my husband and I would have ro eat them all at once which may not be good. Thank you.

    • Yes, you can use a regular size muffin tin. You may need to adjust the cooking time though. You can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to a week in a sealed container and I understand you can freeze the rolls. I have never tried that because they just don’t last long enough around here!

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