Authentic Portuguese Fresh Cheese Cakes • Queijadas de Queijo Fresco

I absolutely love queijadas, including the pseudo-queijadas (portuguese milk queijadas technically aren’t queijadas, they share the same name because they have a similar texture) hehehe, cheese always gives it a special touch, even commercial queijadas tend to have a less artificial flavor, and with Halloween just around the corner or well any other celebration, this is a beautiful little sweet that’s super easy to recreate at home.

Normally I make queijadas with requeijão cheese or with a more aromatic cheese, but this time I went with the classic fresh cheese and the flavor is interesting, they’re very similar to a milk queijada, but the texture is delicious, very creamy and dense. Well, they do have some milk in them so that makes sense heheh!

I suppose they’d also be quite good with a shortcrust-type pastry or with the base from Madeira queijadas or Beja queijadas, but let’s get to the recipe! ;D

Authentic Portuguese Fresh Cheese Cakes • Queijadas de Queijo Fresco

Servings: 12
Time: 1hr
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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These delicious and very traditional Portuguese fresh cheese cakes are a beloved treat from the Alentejo to the Beiras regions of Portugal, simple, creamy, and absolutely irresistible!

Ingredients

Fresh Cheese – 250g
Milk – 400ml
Sugar – 220g
Eggs – 4 L
Flour – 30g
Cinnamon – A Pinch

Directions

Start by leaving the fresh cheese outside to get to room temperature, let it drain.

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), place the tray with water in the oven so that the small cheese cakes bake in a water bath, prepare the cupcake tins, lining them with non-stick paper (or alternatively greasing them generously with butter).

Crumble the cream cheese, I used a food processor until it became a paste, mix in the sugar and eggs, also at room temperature, and whisk well.

Then add the milk, flour, and a pinch of cinnamon, and whisk well again until you have a smooth mixture.

Pour the mixture into the molds, place them on a baking tray with hot water, and bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown. If in doubt, insert a toothpick, if it comes out dry, the cheesecakes are done.

Allow to cool slightly before serving. Note that they will come out of the oven puffed up, but will then naturally deflate. Bon appétit!

Notes: Room temperature ingredients are key here – both the cheese and eggs should be at room temperature for the smoothest batter.

Don’t worry when they puff up dramatically in the oven! They’ll settle down as they cool, creating that characteristic dense, creamy texture.

The water bath (bain-marie) is essential for achieving that signature moist, custard-like texture. Make sure the water comes halfway up the sides of your muffin tins.

If you can’t find fresh cheese, you can try ricotta or even cottage cheese blended until smooth, though the flavor will be slightly different.

These are quite sweet and have a subtle cheese flavor. If you prefer a more pronounced cheese taste, consider using requeijão or another cheese with more character.

They’re best enjoyed slightly warm or at room temperature on the day they’re made, but they’ll keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

The texture is wonderfully creamy and dense, almost like a hybrid between a cheesecake and a cupcake!

This recipe for Authentic Portuguese Fresh Cheese Cakes • Queijadas de Queijo Fresco was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Queijadas de Queijo Fresco foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.