Fogo de Chao rolls are a version of Brazilian cheese bread, also known as pão de queijo-those warm, chewy, gluten-free rolls served endlessly at Brazilian steakhouses. This copycat recipe recreates the signature crisp exterior and stretchy center, just like the restaurant version.
What Are Fogo de Chao Rolls?
If you’ve never been to the Brazilian steakhouse, you might be wondering what these rolls even are. They are the warm, chewy Brazilian cheese bread served at the popular Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão. They’re made with tapioca flour instead of wheat flour, which makes them naturally gluten-free.
Unlike standard dinner rolls, these cheese puffs have a crisp, lightly golden exterior and a soft, stretchy, almost elastic center thanks to the tapioca starch and melted cheese. They’re meant to be eaten warm, when the cheese pull and texture are at their best.
Recipe Essentials
I’d be willing to be you have almost all of these fogo de chao rolls ingredients already on hand. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Tapioca flour – This specific flour helps to give the rolls their signature chew and texture. It also makes them naturally gluten free.
- Whole milk
- Unsalted butter
- Coarse kosher salt
- Cotija cheese
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Olive oil
- Cooking spray
How to Make Fogo de Chao Rolls (Step-by-Step)
Making this Brazilian steakhouse favorite might just be easier than you think, just follow these simple steps.
- Prepare oven and pan. Preheat the oven and grease the insides of a light colored mini muffin tin with cooking spray or vegetable shortening.
- Boil butter, salt an milk. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, coarse kosher salt and whole milk. Bring to a low boil.
- Slowly add flour. As soon as mixture boils, transfer it to a mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, slowly add in the tapioca flour. Be very careful because the mixture can spit out and it is hot!
- Add in remaining ingredients. Blend in the grated cheese, eggs, sugar and olive oil. Mixture will be the consistency of a chunky pancake batter- pourable & thick, but liquid-y.
- Add batter to pan. Spoon or pour the dough into individual muffin tins to about 2/3 of the way full.
- Bake. Puffs will start to puff right out of the tin and be golden brown on the tops with a dimple in the center.
Tips for the Perfect Chewy Center
Fogo de chao rolls have a signature chewy center. Follow these tips to ensure yours come out perfectly.
- Tapioca flour is non-negotiable – In addition to making them gluten-free, this flour is crucial for the chewy texture we all know and love. It gelatinizes when mixed with hot liquid, thus creating the signature chew.
- Add flour while liquid is hot – This process is what jumpstarts the gelatinization noted above and creates the chewy texture.
- Don’t over mix – Mix until just combined; Over-mixing introduces excess air, which can cause the rolls to rise unevenly and collapse.
- Use finely grated cheese – Finely shredded cheese melts faster and more evenly, thus dispersing throughout the dough instead of clumping.
- Serve warm – As the rolls cool, the starches firm up, making the texture different. If you want soft, chewy rolls, serve them hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Fogo de Chao serves a version of Brazilian cheese bread called pão de queijo, made with tapioca flour and cheese for a chewy, gluten-free roll.
This usually happens if the batter is too thick, the eggs were cold, or the rolls were overbaked.
Yes. Traditional pão de queijo uses tapioca flour instead of wheat flour, making them naturally gluten-free.
More Copycat Recipes
I love recreating recipes in my own kitchen. Here are some of my favorite copycat recipes.
Cheese Puff Bread Recipe- Copy Cat Fogo de Chao Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 2 cups tapioca flour
- 5 oz Parmesan or Cotija cheese finely shredded
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the insides of a light colored mini muffin tin with cooking spray or vegetable shortening.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt and 1 cup whole milk. Bring to a low boil.
- As soon as mixture boils, transfer it to a mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, slowly add in the 2 cups tapioca flour. Be very careful because the mixture can spit out and it is hot!
- Blend in the grated 5 oz Parmesan or Cotija cheese, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mixture will be the consistency of a chunky pancake batter- pourable and thick, but liquid-y.
- Spoon or pour the dough into individual muffin tins to about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Puffs will start to puff right out of the tin and be golden brown on the tops with a dimple in the center.
- If you've tried this recipe, please come back and leave us a comment or star rating to let us know how it was!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Not sure what I did wrong. After combining all the ingredients, my mix was just liquidy and never formed a dough. I tried adding some more tapioca flour, but it still didn’t form.
Hmmm- it is a liquid- you pour it. It doesn’t get to be a super sticky dough.
I followed this recipe exactly and mine came out like doughy bricks. They didn’t puff up at all. The only thing I did differently was use a full sized muffin pan as that’s all I had. Doesn’t seem like that alone could’ve caused my result.
The right size baking pan is pretty important. It adjusts the cooking temp/time and physics of the bread.
I made it for thanksgiving… didn’t tell anybody what it was but I saw their faces with awe as they were looking at the bread… had to make a new batch to bring to work for Monday
AWESOME! We love to hear that and thanks for coming back to let us know!
Very good. I’m going to back off the cheese to 4 oz though. I report back after.
For those asking, never use store grated cheese. It has anti-caking on it and doesn’t melt smooth. All the difference! Family loved these. Thanks.
Thanks for the feedback!
Oh my gosh! Heavenly! And exactly like Fogo De Chao! Thank you!!!!!!
Great! That is what we love to hear!
My boys can’t get enough of these delicious bites. Thanks for the great recipe!
Woohoo! That is what I love to hear and thanks for coming back to let us know!
Hi . I’m wondering why my bread does not fluff ?
Hi Irene, there are several reasons, if you’d like to chat about it, please email me at jessica@savoryexperiments.com.
The number one reason is that there isn’t enough air in the batter- either from using a blender or whipping by hand.
This recipe I’d say (Cheese Puff Bread) is way so much better than Fogo de Chao which is too commercialized and lacking of that cheese taste but more of texture. I used Cotija Cheese which has more strong cheesy flavor. Your recipe is excellent and I give a two thumbs-up! Thank you for sharing.
Aw, thank you for the feedback. It makes my heart happy.
Made it many times now; a great recipe
Thanks for coming back to let us know!
Hi Jessica. Thank you for posting this recipe! I’m itching to go to the store to get ingredients!
I was wondering, have you tried the Fogo de chaos recipe on the website? Just wondering how the extra eggs would change the taste and texture of the recipe, and the omission of the cooking step. Thank you! Will post back when I tried this one!
Hi Alana! I haven’t- I honesty didn’t know they had it posted. I made this one years ago. But I will totally check it out- I mean any excuse to eat bread, right?
Thank you!
Thank you! Tried yours tonight it was tasty!
Woohoo! That is what we love to hear and thanks for coming back to let us know!