Puto Cheese: Steamed Filipino Rice Cakes
Dan
Filipino steamed cake | Cheese topping | Merienda
Puto cheese is soft, lightly sweet, and steamed until fluffy, with a salty cheese cap that makes every bite pop.
Why make it: This version uses an easy rice-flour batter and small molds for home steamers.
Fresh From the Kitchen
These photos show the colors, textures, and serving style to look for when making Puto Cheese.
What Is Puto Cheese?
Puto are Filipino steamed rice cakes. Puto cheese adds a small square of cheese on top near the end of steaming.
Why You Will Love It
- Practical for U.S. kitchens: the recipe uses ingredients and substitutions a home cook can realistically shop for.
- Built for the table: the serving notes match how the dish usually lands in Filipino-American homes, from weeknights to merienda to parties.
- Flexible without erasing the dish: swaps are named clearly so the original idea stays visible.
- Easy to cook through: the shopping list, timings, and storage notes make the recipe straightforward to test and adjust.
Ingredient Notes
For flour
A mix of rice flour and all-purpose flour gives a soft, approachable texture.
For steaming
Wrap the steamer lid with a towel so condensation does not drip on the cakes.
Puto Cheese Recipe
This version uses an easy rice-flour batter and small molds for home steamers.
Shopping List
- rice flour
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- milk
- egg
- butter
- cheese
Ingredients
Batter
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Cheese
- 18 small squares quick-melt cheese or cheddar
For Serving
- Dinuguan, pancit, or coffee
Instructions
- Heat a steamer and grease small molds.
- Whisk dry ingredients.
- Whisk milk, egg, and butter, then combine with dry ingredients.
- Rest batter 10 minutes.
- Fill molds about three-quarters full.
- Steam until nearly set.
- Add cheese and steam until melted and cakes spring back.
Tips For The Best Puto Cheese
- Do not overfill: The cakes need room to rise.
- Cover the lid: A towel catches drips.
- Steam steadily: Avoid opening the steamer too early.
- Use small molds: They cook evenly.
How To Serve And Store
Serve warm or room temperature. Store covered for 2 days or refrigerate for 4 days.
Common Questions
Can I use cake flour?
Yes, but the texture will be less rice-forward.
Can I skip cheese?
Yes. Plain puto is classic too.
Why did tops wrinkle?
Water may have dripped from the lid.
Can I freeze puto?
Yes. Steam briefly to refresh.
Do you eat puto with cheese, salted egg, or plain? Share your family version or testing notes in the comments.
Recipe inspiration and technique reference: Filipino dessert and bakery source research from Panlasang Pinoy, Kawaling Pinoy, The Dusky Kitchen, and Filipino-American dessert sources in the site roadmap.
