Brigadeiro

Brigadeiros are popular Brazilian treats that fall somewhere in between fudge and ganache. They only take 4 simple ingredients and a couple of minutes to bring together, but are packed with flavor and a feeling of festivity.

These tender little balls of chewy chocolate goodness are rolled in chocolate sprinkles and can be found everywhere from birthday parties and family get-togethers to bakeries and pastry shops.

Brigadeiro make wonderful gifts and are a great addition to a holiday dessert spread. They are one of those desserts that come together super easy, but feel quite special.

Let’s get started…

To make a batch of 2 dozen brigadeiro, you will need 2 tablespoons of sweet cream butter, 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, a pinch of salt and 4 ounces of chocolate sprinkles.

Begin by combining 2 tablespoons of sweet cream butter, 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium low heat. While the mixture is warming up, sift 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and a pinch of salt into the saucepan and stir until completely incorporated.

Cook over medium low heat and as soon as it gets warm, begin stirring consistently until it thickens to the point where it will hold its place in the bottom of the saucepan for a few seconds when you drag a spatula down the center. See how in the photo above you can see the bottom of the saucepan? When the mixture has reached this consistency, it is ready to be transferred off of the heat. If you drag the spatula down the middle and the mixture immediately returns back together, cook for another 30 seconds or so and try the spatula drag again.

Transfer the mixture into a lightly greased shallow bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until completely cooled.

Once the mixture is chilled, it is time to shape the brigadeiro…

• • • Step #1. Spray a small cookie dough scoop with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Step #2. Rub your palms with a little bit of butter (this helps the mixture not stick to your hands).
    • Step #3. Use the scoop to collect some of the mixture, drop it into your palm and gently roll it into a ball.
    • Step #4. Drop the brigadeiro into chocolate sprinkles.

Use a fork to transfer the sprinkle covered brigadeiro into a mini cupcake liner and repeat the process until all of your brigadeiro have been shaped and coated.

If you nailed the cook time on the mixture, your consistency should easily hold its shape at room temperature, but if the mixture feels soft, you can store the brigadeiro in the refrigerator to firm it up a bit.

I used a 2 teaspoon scoop and got 26 brigadeiro out of this batch, but you can make them as big or as small as you’d like! The 2 teaspoon sized brigadeiro are great because they are bite sized, so no need to get your fingers sticky, but the larger ones are beautiful and impressive. My next batch, I am going to make some in varied sizes and maybe use different colored sprinkles too. There are no set rules when making brigadeiro. Have fun with them!

When it comes to truly delicious things, I feel quite confident trusting Brazilian cuisine and once you try brigadeiro, you will have faith in them too.

Print Recipe

Brigadeiro

Little balls of fudgy goodness rolled in sprinkles.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Chilling Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Brazilian

Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of sweet cream butter
• 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
• a pinch of salt and black pepper
• 4 ounces of chocolate sprinkles
• butter (for shaping)

Instructions

• Add 2 tablespoons of sweet cream butter, 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract into a small saucepan and place over medium low heat 
• While the mixture is warming, sift 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and a pinch of salt into the saucepan and stir to combine 
• Cook while stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to the point that when you scrape your spatula across the bottom of the saucepan, the mixture takes a few seconds to recombine 
• Transfer the mixture into a greased bowl, cover and chill until completely cooled 
• To shape, pour some sprinkles into a shallow bowl, grease a small spoon or ice cream scooper and grease your hands 
• Gather equal sized portions of the brigadeiro mixture, roll into round balls  and then roll in the sprinkles until the outside is completely coated
• Place the shaped brigadeiro into mini cupcake liners or mini paper cups
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or chill for up to 2 weeks