Brazilian Cornmeal Rolls (Broa de Fubá)

Posted by By HQ da Vida 07/04/2026
Brazilian Cornmeal Rolls (Broa de Fubá)
Prep Time

1 hour and 5 minutes

Servings

15 servings

Difficulty

Easy

Calories

280 kcal

Brazilian Cornmeal Rolls (Broa de Fubá) are a cornerstone of Brazilian comfort baking, especially beloved in Minas Gerais and São Paulo yet found nationwide. These rustic, golden buns are tender inside with a lightly crisp shell and carry the warm, nostalgic flavor of heritage. Their key ingredient—fine cornmeal (fubá)—is a South-American native that Portuguese settlers folded into their bread-making once they discovered its abundance. The recipe we bake today is the delicious result of that cultural blend, often scented with anise and served at afternoon coffee or June Festivals. Making broa is an act of affection: a family formula passed down to guarantee a nourishing, flavorful snack. The aroma that drifts through the house while they bake is an irresistible invitation to nostalgia and to savor a genuinely Brazilian treat.

Ingredients

  • 1¾ cups fine cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp anise seed or ½ tsp anise extract (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a baking sheet and dust lightly with cornmeal.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Beat in the eggs, milk, and melted butter until a uniform, slightly sticky dough forms.
  4. If using, stir in the anise.
  5. Scoop 2-Tbsp portions and roll into balls; place on the prepared sheet 1½ in apart. (They spread only a little.)
  6. Bake 22–26 min, until tops are golden and the crust sounds hollow when tapped.
  7. Cool 10 min on the pan, then transfer to a rack. Best served warm with a fresh cup of Brazilian-style drip coffee.

Chef’s Tips

  • For the softest texture use fine—not stone-ground—cornmeal.
  • Want a chewier, more rustic roll? Swap half the milk for water.
  • Fold in ½ cup diced farmer’s cheese or mild cheddar for cheesy broas.

Brazilian Cornmeal Rolls (Broa de Fubá) are far more than a bun—they’re edible heritage. Made from the corn that sustained Indigenous peoples long before European arrival, these rolls embody the Portuguese-meets-Brazilian fusion that shaped national baking. Soft-crumbed and faintly sweet, they’re afternoon-coffee staples and June-Festival favorites alike.

Historical Crumbs

Portuguese colonists quickly swapped wheat for abundant cornmeal, and by 1733 Domingos de Souza Braga was already accounting for “thirteen rolls” in his expense book in Vila Rica (today’s Ouro Preto). Minas Gerais became the heartland of broa, where farm tables welcomed them warm from wood-fired ovens. Enslaved Africans contributed techniques, and over centuries the recipe absorbed local quirks—anise in the southeast, cheese in the south—until it settled into the golden, comforting version most Brazilians know.

Regional Twists

  • Sweet Minas-style: scented with anise seed and served with black coffee.
  • Savory Paraná-style: studded with queijo minas or cheddar for a hearty soup side.
  • Festive June version: smaller rolls rolled in cinnamon sugar while still warm.

However you flavor them, every bite carries the taste of Brazilian simplicity—crisp edges, tender center, and the sunny perfume of corn.

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