With the discovery of mines near Ouro Preto in around 1700, some 20% of the Brazilian population at that time, mainly slaves, occupied a vast territory in southeast Brazil.

Since wheat was not available, local cooks created a kind of bread from starch derived from the cassava tubes shown to them by Tupiniquins indigenous groups.

[3] In Brazil the most traditional recipe uses both sweet and sour cassava flour, oil, eggs, milk, salt, cheese (Minas, Canastra, Parmesan), and water.

[7] Pães de queijo are formed into small balls, around 3–5 centimeters in diameter (though they may be larger) and about 50 calories in each roll.

[citation needed] In Brazil, pão de queijo is a popular breakfast dish and snack.

It continues to be widely sold at snack bars and bakeries, and it can also be bought frozen to bake at home.