Brazil’s favorite treat, brigadeiros are incredibly addicting. Made with only 5 ingredients, these fudgy balls are easy to make and will win your heart in one bite!
Now that you’ve (hopefully) stopped jumping up and down, let’s talk about this very serious – and yet so simple – dessert.
The name “brigadeiro” means “brigadier” in English. According to popular beliefs, the Brigadeiro was created in honor of Brazilian Brigadier Eduardo Gomes in the 40s.
Gomes was a good looking (single!!) fellow and because of that he conquered a vast number of female fans that ended up creating this candy that now carries his title.
In spite of Eduardo Gomes’ good looks, he didn’t win the elections! However, he will be forever remembered in every Brazilian birthday party, as brigadeiros of all kinds are always served in birthday parties.
What is a brigadeiro?
If you don’t know what a brigadeiro is yet, you might be dying to find out.
Well… Brigadeiros are bite-sized chocolate sweets. Some people say they are bon-bons, other people say they are truffles… I think they come closer to fudge balls.
Traditionally made of sweet condensed milk, chocolate powder, eggs and butter, nowadays it is rare to see recipes calling for eggs as an ingredient.
They are then hand rolled individually and then covered in chocolate sprinkles.
In the past years, lots of different types of brigadeiros have been invented and they are now often called “gourmet brigadeiros”.
Different toppings and flavors like lime, passion fruit, pistachio, white chocolate, Nutella and more can be found at Brigadeiro shops that are the new trend in Brazil.
Before those shops existed you either made them at home or you ordered them from a “doceira” (a woman that made candies and sweets for parties), usually in dozens. But now you get to go to a Brigadeiro shop and pay lots of money for something that costs nothing to make, and bring them home in fancy boxes! ;-)
While the brigadeiro requires some patience, as it needs constant TLC, it is not at all difficult to make. All you need is 5 ingredients and a sauce pan.
After you roll the brigadeiros and cover them with sprinkles, you can put them in small paper or foil candy cups. I bought mine in a Brazilian market in NYC, but I know Wilton has some. You can find them at Amazon! :-)
In Brazil every birthday party has some brigadeiros by the cake. And by the time everybody gathers around the cake to sing “Parabéns a você!” (Happy Birthday to you!) you can always see some empty paper cups because there’s always a few naughty ones that eat the brigadeiros before Happy Birthday time. (I must confess I’m one of them…)
Seriously, if you serve those little chocolate treats on your next party, you will be the most popular kid in town! Be sure you eat some before serving them to other people, because there won’t be any left at the end, I can guarantee!
Good quality chocolate sprinkles, or any other type of sprinkles you like
Instructions
In a small sauce pan mix the sweet condensed milk, the cocoa powder, the salt and the butter.
Bring the sauce pan to the stove and heat it over medium-low heat.
Cook it, mixing constantly (this is important, otherwise it will burn!) until it thickens. A way to know is to run your wooden spoon (or spatula) in the middle of the mixture. If it takes a while for the mixture to move, then your brigadeiro is ready!
Reserve, letting it cool to room temperature.
In a plate or bowl, spread your sprinkles.
Once the brigadeiro is cool, grease your hands with butter and roll the brigadeiros into little balls.(In Brazil we usually use half a tablespoon as measurement, but you can make your balls as big or small as you’d like!)
Roll the brigadeiro balls into the sprinkles and place them in paper/foil candy cups.
These are so cute – and I never realized how easy they are to make. You could decorate them so many different ways – I think I see orange and brown ones in my future for a Halloween treat :).
Hi Olivia, just wondering how often you look at this and when new resipes will you come up with! I’ve made some of your food and I love it!! I’m not a very good cook
Hi Jessica! Sorry I’ve been a little MIA. Life with a baby has been super hard! But I have some recipes coming up that I hope you’ll like! :)
Kristin Ferguson —
Hi Olivia. I tried a test batch of these tonight because I am making them for a bridal shower in 2 days (the groom is Brazilian) and mine turned out pretty soft and sticky to touch–even after refrigeration. Do I need to cook them longer perhaps? Any suggestions would be helpful as I’m pretty excited to serve these and a few other Brazilian dishes!
Olivia —
Hi Kristin,
It should be sticky (I butter my hands so I can handle it) but you should be able to form little balls with them, especially after refrigeration. I would cook it longer, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn, until you can see the bottom of the pan when you run a spoon through it!
I could definitely devour a couple of these fudge balls right now.. they look amazing! Totally loving all the sprinkle action going on as well, pinned!
Hi Fatima! You’re right. Nowadays no one uses eggs in brigadeiro, but the original (and traditional) recipe asks for egg yolks to make it creamier. If you would have read my post, you would see that I said it was optional! :) I’m Brazilian too, born and raised in Sao Paulo.
My grandma used to do Brigadeiros exactly as your recipe!!!! It really is a traditional – and old – recipe. Nowadays, perhaps as a matter of convenience, many people do not use eggs, but they don’t know the huge difference when we use them! Hope people that have never tasted with eggs, try at least one time with and enjoy a lot!!!! Congratulations for your perfect recipe!
I grew up a missionairy kid in Brazil partly in Sao Paulo where my brother was born and partly in Campinas. I always loved Brigadeiros. I don’t know if I ever had it with egg. Definitely want to try it. I did have brigadeiros stuffed with grapes at a wedding party once. We sometimes added a little vanilla to our recipe.
The first time I tried exactly this recipe, the brigadeiros would not hold their shape and kept flattening out. When I added a fifth tablespoon of cocoa powder, they held theor shape much better. Just a kink I worked out.
My name is Mercedes Rieche. A Brazilian friend of mine introduced me to the Brigadeiros over 22 years ago when I was celebrating my daughters 1st year birthday party, so I’ve known of Brigadeiros for a while now. I just had a baby shower for my oldest daughter and made the Brigadeiros in silver mini cups with a prety boxes that you fold up the four sides in blue with pretty baby designs. These were brought from Brazil and don’t want to bother the person who sent them to me. My question is where can I buy them in other designs and color? I have look in the enter net and I can’t read their language. I am planning my youngest daughters 12th birthday party in October and she has chosen the colors orang-red , hot pink and sliver..
You could use any chocolate truffle or candy cups. They are usually the same size as the brigadeiro ones! A trip to Michael’s would definitely solve your problem.
If you’re an online shopper like me, here’s a few options:
I just returned from a festival where brigadeiros in several flavors. Strawberry, peanut, corn, chocolate and several other flavors. I have not been able to locate a recipe for any other than chocolate. Do you make other flavors, if so I would love to know your recipe.
Hi Jenice, I do have a few that I haven’t posted on the blog yet. So if you have any specific one in mind, shoot me an email at oliviascuisine@gmail.com and I’d be happy to help you out! :)
I made these, they were good, but not like my sister-in-laws mothers who’s from Brazil. Her’s are so much more I don’t know how to say it fluffier, not so creamy? How would i achieve that? The ones I made I would say i wanna compare to a tootsie roll, just not as hard or thick as one.
Maybe you cooked too long? Or perhaps she adds a little table cream at the end. If you took some photos, feel free to send me at oliviascuisine@gmail.com and I’d be happy to help you troubleshoot! :)
Yes, I followed this recipe, and they also turned out more like soft tootsie roll pancakes. I cooked two batches, both turned out like this after cooling. I further heated them, and they hardened a bit more, but did not stay ball-shaped. I could see the bottom of the pan. My dough looked like your pictures, and I raised the heat after the first two batches from medium low to medium. They taste much more like tootsie roll candy then fudge or the creamy brigadeiro that I’ve enjoyed here in Luxembourg (which has a high Portuguese population). I have cooked these forever, stirred them for hours, trying to avoid the burn, but waiting for them to puff up and stay ball-shaped. If you give me suggestions, I will try again. My son was really disappointed for his birthday. 😞
These turned out great! Surprisingly easy to make and will definitely turn into my go to dessert :) Our exchange student from Brazil who we hosted 22 years ago came to visit for Christmas, so I made these for her arrival! She said they tasted great and just like the ones she finds in Brazil!! Thank you for the great recipe!
I’ve been making these since my friend spent a year in Sao Paolo in high school and brought back the recipe (many many years ago!). I’ve spent lots of time experimenting with these yummy treats, using a very slightly different recipe than the one above. I suspect you may not have cooked them long enough. It’s tricky to be absolutely sure when they are done, and a very short time difference will make a candy that is harder or much softer and gooier. Try again!
I made these for a school project and they were a big hit! Everyone loved them and wanted to know what was in it, when I told them they were shocked that there were so few ingredients for something so good.
Olivia – I’ve looked at tons of recipes for brigadeiros over the years, and yours comes closest to the one I’ve been using and tweaking since high school. The ingredients are slightly different than yours (no salt, and I mix Nestles Quik -part of the original recipe my friend brought back from Brazil 50 years ago- and cocoa powder in ever-shifting proportions. I also do the combining and mixing of ingredients over heat. The rest is much the same….and I love making and sharing them. They are addictive, so I tend to wait until an occasion comes along as an excuse! I plan to try your recipe and see how it compares to what I’ve been doing since forever. Btw, I also live in NYC.
This recipe looks great. My 7th grade daughter is making this for her Spanish class. The teacher is recommending that the students find a recipe already translated in Spanish. Do you have this written in Spanish? Would love to have a copy! Thank you!!
Sorry Natalie, this is not a Spanish recipe. It is a traditional Brazilian recipe from Brazil, where the language spoken is Portuguese. A good Spanish recipe to try and very easy to make is “tres leches cake”.
Tres leches cake is a mexican recipe. Not spanish!! In Mexico they speak Spanish but they are mexican and have their own culture. Spanish and mexican cuisines are very different, same with traditions, culture in general. Its really sad how “americans” aka USA citizens think of Latin america – Spain – Spanish as the same culture. It would be the same as seeing England, USA, Australia and New Zeland as the same, not accurate, ignorant, and rude.
Hello Olivia:
First of all let me say this recipe is fantastic.
I have been looking for this recipe for some time but I wanted an authentic Brazilian recipe.
I have one question I wanted to know because I saw in another recipe that you can add heavy cream I wanted to know what would be the difference if I put it in. I see you don includ it. Would it make much of a difference.
“They are traditionally made of sweet condensed milk, chocolate powder, eggs and butter. ”
Apparently you forgot to list the egg(s) in the ingredients! How many? What size? When and how should they be added?
I realize this is a very old post, but I am hoping you reply.
I saw a recipe for Brigadeiros on Epicurious which uses the same ingredients as yours, but a Brazilian woman commented the recipe is not authentic. That led me to search for an authentic recipe, and when I read you saying the traditional recipe includes eggs, I thought “Aha! THAT’S the missing ingredient!” So of course your not including an egg (or eggs) in your recipe is perplexing.
Hi! Thanks for the catch, I need to update the recipe.
The egg yolks are optional and most people don’t use them nowadays. But, if you want, you can add 1-2 egg yolks when you add the sweet condensed milk and cocoa powder. They will help thicken the brigadeiro and will make it creamier.
I’m going to make these for Christmas Eve, but have two things I’m wondering.
1. Can they be made ahead? If so, how long ahead and how do they get stored? Is room temperature fine, or do they need to be refrigerated?
2. Is it possible to freeze these, or does that ruin their texture?
Hi Carol! Yes, they can be made ahead and refrigerated. I’d say up to 3 days. Just let them come to room temperature before serving! Also, I have never tried freezing them, but a quick research tells me they can be frozen for up to 3 months. I hope that helps!
What kind of cocoa did you use? I bought Nestle hot cocoa packets (it’s all they had at the store) and the color was MUCH lighter than yours. My boyfriend (who is Brazilian) said he normally uses a form of Nestle “Toddy” but was wondering specifically which kind you use. thanks!! :)
Hi Meg, I use dutch cocoa powder. Your boyfriend probably uses Nescau, which is similar to Nesquik. Both Nescau and hot cocoa packets are already pre-sweetened and do not have the same amount of cocoa as cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is pure, 100% cocoa without anything added to it. That being said, lots of people in Brazil make brigadeiro with chocolate mixes. It’s still good but maybe sweeter and not as strong!
Hi Olivia. How many minutes would you say is the best time to cook these beauties? Also, how many grams for each ball? I have seen they are doing 15 grams but when I put it inside the paper cups, it is not filled to that top unlike what you can see online. I am using 3/4 cupcake liners
Hi Ann! It will depend on your stove, but anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. As for how many grams, it’s hard to say as I’ve never measured them. No two brigadeiros are the exact same size in my house. lol But Google tells me that some people make them as big as 30g. So I guess, if you are really keen on them being exactly the same size, just make one that you know will fill your liners and then measure the others based on that. I hope that helps!
Hi,
We don’t have table cream in Germany so I used creme fraiche. Does anyone have an idea what to use instead or if creme fraiche or if you can make table cream at home?
Sadly I added the creme before the brigadeiro was ready and I think because I gave it too little time to cool down the filling dripped down the sides of the cake, which got crooked and almost collapsed in the process.. So I guess room temperature is almost a little to much for the filling (?). It’s been in the fridge all night and now the filling has hardened a little. I think I can still save it.
Obrigado from Germany :)
I just came across this blog and I’m so excited! I’m an American but i grew up in Florianopolis, SC. I make chicken stroganoff on a weekly basis, and I’m now looking forward to making these other dishes i grew up having. I grew up having brigadiers made with Nescau. While it’s not the best chocolate quality, it takes me back to my childhood, so that’s what i decided to use. Thanks doe your blog!
You can always see some empty paper cups, because there are always some mischievers who eat brigadeiros before congratulations. (I must confess I’m one of them …)
How I identified myself. Wonderful recipe, in Brazil birthday party without brigadeiro is not party.
If anyone’s wondering about the egg yolks, I tried adding them to this recipe and it worked. I just mixed 2 yolks into the condensed milk at the beginning, and then used an extra half tablespoon of cocoa powder because I hate to change a recipe in any way that dilutes the chocolate. The result was pretty lumpy but after cooling off it became as smooth and creamy as promised.
Hi Olivia! I just made a batch of these delicious, easy-to-make brigadeiros following your recipe and they turned out beautifully! Definitely I kept stirring and paid careful attention to ensure the mixture didn’t burn. Around the 9th minute, I turned off the heat and kind of kept stirring the mixture in the pot for one more minute, then poured the mixture into a bowl to cool to room temperature. I realize the right pot and the medium/low heat are essential. After liberally buttering my hands, I rolled some of the brigadeiro balls in rainbow sprinkles and, since I didn’t have chocolate sprinkles, I rolled others in Nesquik. I was personally fine using unsweetened cocoa powder for the mixture itself and found the mixture sweet enough with the condensed milk. I’m bringing these to a tree-trimming party today and can’t wait to share them! Thank you for this excellent recipe!
Oh my goodness! I just had my first brigadeiro yesterday. A friend from Brazil brought them to work and shared. I have saved your recipe and plan to make brigadeiros soon. Thank you so much for sharing the cuisine you grew up with.
Hi. These look amazing and I first saw them when a friend posted her’s on FB. I’d like to make them and have one question, “Your history of them mentions that they are traditionally made with eggs, but your recipe doesn’t have eggs. Does it not make a difference in the texture without the eggs?”
Hi Charity, I removed the egg yolks from the recipe because almost no one uses it nowadays. But it’s up to you. You can try it with and without and see if it’s silkier when you add it. :) I’ll update the post!
I made these myself and referred this recipe to some classmates and my college professor! They love the recipe, especially during the COVID-19 quarantine period. Thanks so much, Olivia!
Hello! i’m Maria and i’m from Brazil. this recipe is exactly the one we use here. Just a little thing! The brigadeiro is actually very old (and not a new attempt).
These were delicious! I’ve been learning about Brazil for the last 3 weeks with my daughter. We’ve tried lots of your recipes and really enjoyed them. Thank you!
this is an old conversation, but how would one use the egg yolk? I like to try it. My cleaning lady is from Brazil and I love to make this for her as a surprise.
Olivia, I just heard about Brigadeiros and am ready to try making them. I saw your egg reference for a traditional recipe. Do you have a recipe with eggs? When do I add the eggs? How many of them?
Thank you!
Hi Regula, the traditional recipe used egg yolks instead of butter. You can add them instead of the butter or do 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 egg yolk. That being said, almost no Brazilians use egg yolks these days, as it’s really hard to notice the difference from a brigadeiro made with egg yolks and one made with butter.
I would love to make these! The ones I enjoyed were creamy like caramel. Is it possible to use Eagle Brand Dulce de Leche sweetened condensed milk? If so would I follow the recipe as written? Heating for less time?Thanks!
Yes, you can use that brand with the recipe as written! To make them creamy like caramel, just add some heavy cream at the end to loosen it up, then serve in small glasses. We call it “brigadeiro de colher”!
I will try them for a dinner party tomorrow. Around ow many brigadeiros do you get out of this recipe? I need around 30, do you recommend doubling the recipe then?
87 Comments on “Traditional Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls)”
These look yummy! Thanks for sharing the history of the brigadeiros, it was very interesting.
These are so cute – and I never realized how easy they are to make. You could decorate them so many different ways – I think I see orange and brown ones in my future for a Halloween treat :).
Thanks, Geraldine! A pumpkin brigadeiro is on the works for my Halloween week posts! lol
Hi Olivia, just wondering how often you look at this and when new resipes will you come up with! I’ve made some of your food and I love it!! I’m not a very good cook
Hi Jessica! Sorry I’ve been a little MIA. Life with a baby has been super hard! But I have some recipes coming up that I hope you’ll like! :)
Hi Olivia. I tried a test batch of these tonight because I am making them for a bridal shower in 2 days (the groom is Brazilian) and mine turned out pretty soft and sticky to touch–even after refrigeration. Do I need to cook them longer perhaps? Any suggestions would be helpful as I’m pretty excited to serve these and a few other Brazilian dishes!
Hi Kristin,
It should be sticky (I butter my hands so I can handle it) but you should be able to form little balls with them, especially after refrigeration. I would cook it longer, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn, until you can see the bottom of the pan when you run a spoon through it!
I hope that helps! Best, Olivia
I could definitely devour a couple of these fudge balls right now.. they look amazing! Totally loving all the sprinkle action going on as well, pinned!
This is not traditional brigadeiro. Never eggs. Condensed milk( good one),chocolate( good one) ,butter.that is it.
I am Brazilian.
Hi Fatima! You’re right. Nowadays no one uses eggs in brigadeiro, but the original (and traditional) recipe asks for egg yolks to make it creamier. If you would have read my post, you would see that I said it was optional! :) I’m Brazilian too, born and raised in Sao Paulo.
Super concordo
My grandma used to do Brigadeiros exactly as your recipe!!!! It really is a traditional – and old – recipe. Nowadays, perhaps as a matter of convenience, many people do not use eggs, but they don’t know the huge difference when we use them! Hope people that have never tasted with eggs, try at least one time with and enjoy a lot!!!! Congratulations for your perfect recipe!
I grew up a missionairy kid in Brazil partly in Sao Paulo where my brother was born and partly in Campinas. I always loved Brigadeiros. I don’t know if I ever had it with egg. Definitely want to try it. I did have brigadeiros stuffed with grapes at a wedding party once. We sometimes added a little vanilla to our recipe.
That’s so nice, Yvonne. Indeed, nobody uses egg yolk nowadays. But it was part of the original recipe!! :)
The first time I tried exactly this recipe, the brigadeiros would not hold their shape and kept flattening out. When I added a fifth tablespoon of cocoa powder, they held theor shape much better. Just a kink I worked out.
Good Day Olivia,
My name is Mercedes Rieche. A Brazilian friend of mine introduced me to the Brigadeiros over 22 years ago when I was celebrating my daughters 1st year birthday party, so I’ve known of Brigadeiros for a while now. I just had a baby shower for my oldest daughter and made the Brigadeiros in silver mini cups with a prety boxes that you fold up the four sides in blue with pretty baby designs. These were brought from Brazil and don’t want to bother the person who sent them to me. My question is where can I buy them in other designs and color? I have look in the enter net and I can’t read their language. I am planning my youngest daughters 12th birthday party in October and she has chosen the colors orang-red , hot pink and sliver..
Thank you so much and hope to hear from you soon,
Mercedes
Hi Mercedes,
You could use any chocolate truffle or candy cups. They are usually the same size as the brigadeiro ones! A trip to Michael’s would definitely solve your problem.
If you’re an online shopper like me, here’s a few options:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/287305157/32-forminhas-para-docinhos-forminhas?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=brigadeiro%20cups&ref=sr_gallery_27
https://www.etsy.com/market/brigadeiro
http://amzn.to/29EDnOU
http://amzn.to/2a5HXmS
http://amzn.to/29uJn9F
If you don’t find exactly what you are looking for, I’m sure you can contact one of those Etsy sellers and ask for a customized version.
Good luck! And let me know if this works for you!
Hi,
Could you please tell me, for this recipe, how many egg yolks should I use?
Thank you
Tonia
Hi Tonia, I’ve recently removed the egg yolk from the recipe because nowadays I rarely use it. But you can add 2 egg yolks if you want! :)
Hi Olivia,
Is there a particular reason you don’t use the egg yolks anymore? Thanks!
Best,
Tonia
I honestly don’t taste a difference from when I did!
Olivia hi !
How do I apply the egg yolks
Beating first or just added to the others ingredients
Hi, can I omit butter from the recipe. Will it make any difference?
Hi Shilpa, yes you can make brigadeiro without butter but you have to be careful it doesn’t stick to the pan.
Umm where is the egg?
I just returned from a festival where brigadeiros in several flavors. Strawberry, peanut, corn, chocolate and several other flavors. I have not been able to locate a recipe for any other than chocolate. Do you make other flavors, if so I would love to know your recipe.
Hi Jenice, I do have a few that I haven’t posted on the blog yet. So if you have any specific one in mind, shoot me an email at oliviascuisine@gmail.com and I’d be happy to help you out! :)
hi…….is the cocoa powder sweetened or unsweetened cocoa powder? thanks in advance
Hi Mariann, unsweetened is best! :)
I made these, they were good, but not like my sister-in-laws mothers who’s from Brazil. Her’s are so much more I don’t know how to say it fluffier, not so creamy? How would i achieve that? The ones I made I would say i wanna compare to a tootsie roll, just not as hard or thick as one.
Maybe you cooked too long? Or perhaps she adds a little table cream at the end. If you took some photos, feel free to send me at oliviascuisine@gmail.com and I’d be happy to help you troubleshoot! :)
Yes, I followed this recipe, and they also turned out more like soft tootsie roll pancakes. I cooked two batches, both turned out like this after cooling. I further heated them, and they hardened a bit more, but did not stay ball-shaped. I could see the bottom of the pan. My dough looked like your pictures, and I raised the heat after the first two batches from medium low to medium. They taste much more like tootsie roll candy then fudge or the creamy brigadeiro that I’ve enjoyed here in Luxembourg (which has a high Portuguese population). I have cooked these forever, stirred them for hours, trying to avoid the burn, but waiting for them to puff up and stay ball-shaped. If you give me suggestions, I will try again. My son was really disappointed for his birthday. 😞
I am sending photos to your email address. Thanks!
Answering your email now! :)
These turned out great! Surprisingly easy to make and will definitely turn into my go to dessert :) Our exchange student from Brazil who we hosted 22 years ago came to visit for Christmas, so I made these for her arrival! She said they tasted great and just like the ones she finds in Brazil!! Thank you for the great recipe!
I tried these and they didn’t turn out. Once rolled they flattened out. What did I do wrong?
I’ve been making these since my friend spent a year in Sao Paolo in high school and brought back the recipe (many many years ago!). I’ve spent lots of time experimenting with these yummy treats, using a very slightly different recipe than the one above. I suspect you may not have cooked them long enough. It’s tricky to be absolutely sure when they are done, and a very short time difference will make a candy that is harder or much softer and gooier. Try again!
I made these for a school project and they were a big hit! Everyone loved them and wanted to know what was in it, when I told them they were shocked that there were so few ingredients for something so good.
Hi! Do you know how long these keep for? And how I should store them? I’d like to make them in advance for a baby shower.
About 3 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge! Store in an airtight container.
Olivia – I’ve looked at tons of recipes for brigadeiros over the years, and yours comes closest to the one I’ve been using and tweaking since high school. The ingredients are slightly different than yours (no salt, and I mix Nestles Quik -part of the original recipe my friend brought back from Brazil 50 years ago- and cocoa powder in ever-shifting proportions. I also do the combining and mixing of ingredients over heat. The rest is much the same….and I love making and sharing them. They are addictive, so I tend to wait until an occasion comes along as an excuse! I plan to try your recipe and see how it compares to what I’ve been doing since forever. Btw, I also live in NYC.
This post made my Brazilian heart so happy ❤️❤️❤️
This recipe looks great. My 7th grade daughter is making this for her Spanish class. The teacher is recommending that the students find a recipe already translated in Spanish. Do you have this written in Spanish? Would love to have a copy! Thank you!!
Sorry Natalie, this is not a Spanish recipe. It is a traditional Brazilian recipe from Brazil, where the language spoken is Portuguese. A good Spanish recipe to try and very easy to make is “tres leches cake”.
Tres leches cake is a mexican recipe. Not spanish!! In Mexico they speak Spanish but they are mexican and have their own culture. Spanish and mexican cuisines are very different, same with traditions, culture in general. Its really sad how “americans” aka USA citizens think of Latin america – Spain – Spanish as the same culture. It would be the same as seeing England, USA, Australia and New Zeland as the same, not accurate, ignorant, and rude.
This is a Brazilian recipe , not
Spanish.
This recipe was so good! My whole family loved it! They were so rich and delicious. The cocoa powder made it very “chocolatey.” SO DELICIOUS!
How long can brigadeiros be refrigerated for?
About a week.
Hello Olivia:
First of all let me say this recipe is fantastic.
I have been looking for this recipe for some time but I wanted an authentic Brazilian recipe.
I have one question I wanted to know because I saw in another recipe that you can add heavy cream I wanted to know what would be the difference if I put it in. I see you don includ it. Would it make much of a difference.
You wrote:
“They are traditionally made of sweet condensed milk, chocolate powder, eggs and butter. ”
Apparently you forgot to list the egg(s) in the ingredients! How many? What size? When and how should they be added?
I realize this is a very old post, but I am hoping you reply.
I saw a recipe for Brigadeiros on Epicurious which uses the same ingredients as yours, but a Brazilian woman commented the recipe is not authentic. That led me to search for an authentic recipe, and when I read you saying the traditional recipe includes eggs, I thought “Aha! THAT’S the missing ingredient!” So of course your not including an egg (or eggs) in your recipe is perplexing.
Hi! Thanks for the catch, I need to update the recipe.
The egg yolks are optional and most people don’t use them nowadays. But, if you want, you can add 1-2 egg yolks when you add the sweet condensed milk and cocoa powder. They will help thicken the brigadeiro and will make it creamier.
Hi Olivia. Any idea where I can get those flat square sprinkled I see on brigadieros. I like the look of them but can’t seem to find them
Hi Lisa! Maybe a specialty sprinkle store? Google “specialty sprinkles” and you will find quite a few options!
I’m going to make these for Christmas Eve, but have two things I’m wondering.
1. Can they be made ahead? If so, how long ahead and how do they get stored? Is room temperature fine, or do they need to be refrigerated?
2. Is it possible to freeze these, or does that ruin their texture?
Thanks!
Hi Carol! Yes, they can be made ahead and refrigerated. I’d say up to 3 days. Just let them come to room temperature before serving! Also, I have never tried freezing them, but a quick research tells me they can be frozen for up to 3 months. I hope that helps!
I have frozen them for longer than 6 months and they kept perfectly. No change whatsoever.
What kind of cocoa did you use? I bought Nestle hot cocoa packets (it’s all they had at the store) and the color was MUCH lighter than yours. My boyfriend (who is Brazilian) said he normally uses a form of Nestle “Toddy” but was wondering specifically which kind you use. thanks!! :)
Hi Meg, I use dutch cocoa powder. Your boyfriend probably uses Nescau, which is similar to Nesquik. Both Nescau and hot cocoa packets are already pre-sweetened and do not have the same amount of cocoa as cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is pure, 100% cocoa without anything added to it. That being said, lots of people in Brazil make brigadeiro with chocolate mixes. It’s still good but maybe sweeter and not as strong!
My sprinkles aren’t sticking! Any tips?
Butter your hands before rolling the balls! That way they will get buttery and the sprinkles are gonna stick!
Olivia , this looks really good! I think I need to make these for myself and the kids. Love this idea!
Hi Olivia. How many minutes would you say is the best time to cook these beauties? Also, how many grams for each ball? I have seen they are doing 15 grams but when I put it inside the paper cups, it is not filled to that top unlike what you can see online. I am using 3/4 cupcake liners
Hi Ann! It will depend on your stove, but anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. As for how many grams, it’s hard to say as I’ve never measured them. No two brigadeiros are the exact same size in my house. lol But Google tells me that some people make them as big as 30g. So I guess, if you are really keen on them being exactly the same size, just make one that you know will fill your liners and then measure the others based on that. I hope that helps!
Hi,
We don’t have table cream in Germany so I used creme fraiche. Does anyone have an idea what to use instead or if creme fraiche or if you can make table cream at home?
Sadly I added the creme before the brigadeiro was ready and I think because I gave it too little time to cool down the filling dripped down the sides of the cake, which got crooked and almost collapsed in the process.. So I guess room temperature is almost a little to much for the filling (?). It’s been in the fridge all night and now the filling has hardened a little. I think I can still save it.
Obrigado from Germany :)
Sorry I wanted to comment on the brigadeiro cake…
I just came across this blog and I’m so excited! I’m an American but i grew up in Florianopolis, SC. I make chicken stroganoff on a weekly basis, and I’m now looking forward to making these other dishes i grew up having. I grew up having brigadiers made with Nescau. While it’s not the best chocolate quality, it takes me back to my childhood, so that’s what i decided to use. Thanks doe your blog!
I love this recipe, thank you Olivia!
You can always see some empty paper cups, because there are always some mischievers who eat brigadeiros before congratulations. (I must confess I’m one of them …)
How I identified myself. Wonderful recipe, in Brazil birthday party without brigadeiro is not party.
If anyone’s wondering about the egg yolks, I tried adding them to this recipe and it worked. I just mixed 2 yolks into the condensed milk at the beginning, and then used an extra half tablespoon of cocoa powder because I hate to change a recipe in any way that dilutes the chocolate. The result was pretty lumpy but after cooling off it became as smooth and creamy as promised.
Hi Olivia! I just made a batch of these delicious, easy-to-make brigadeiros following your recipe and they turned out beautifully! Definitely I kept stirring and paid careful attention to ensure the mixture didn’t burn. Around the 9th minute, I turned off the heat and kind of kept stirring the mixture in the pot for one more minute, then poured the mixture into a bowl to cool to room temperature. I realize the right pot and the medium/low heat are essential. After liberally buttering my hands, I rolled some of the brigadeiro balls in rainbow sprinkles and, since I didn’t have chocolate sprinkles, I rolled others in Nesquik. I was personally fine using unsweetened cocoa powder for the mixture itself and found the mixture sweet enough with the condensed milk. I’m bringing these to a tree-trimming party today and can’t wait to share them! Thank you for this excellent recipe!
Oh my goodness! I just had my first brigadeiro yesterday. A friend from Brazil brought them to work and shared. I have saved your recipe and plan to make brigadeiros soon. Thank you so much for sharing the cuisine you grew up with.
Hi. These look amazing and I first saw them when a friend posted her’s on FB. I’d like to make them and have one question, “Your history of them mentions that they are traditionally made with eggs, but your recipe doesn’t have eggs. Does it not make a difference in the texture without the eggs?”
Hi Charity, I removed the egg yolks from the recipe because almost no one uses it nowadays. But it’s up to you. You can try it with and without and see if it’s silkier when you add it. :) I’ll update the post!
I made these myself and referred this recipe to some classmates and my college professor! They love the recipe, especially during the COVID-19 quarantine period. Thanks so much, Olivia!
Hello! i’m Maria and i’m from Brazil. this recipe is exactly the one we use here. Just a little thing! The brigadeiro is actually very old (and not a new attempt).
Hi Maria, I’m from Brazil too! :)
i am intrigued by the post that mentions the brigaderios with the grapes inside. how would I do that?
These were delicious! I’ve been learning about Brazil for the last 3 weeks with my daughter. We’ve tried lots of your recipes and really enjoyed them. Thank you!
this is an old conversation, but how would one use the egg yolk? I like to try it. My cleaning lady is from Brazil and I love to make this for her as a surprise.
Hi Rita! You can substitute one tablespoon of butter for the egg yolk. It acts as an emulsifier, like the butter.
Olivia, I just heard about Brigadeiros and am ready to try making them. I saw your egg reference for a traditional recipe. Do you have a recipe with eggs? When do I add the eggs? How many of them?
Thank you!
Hi Regula, the traditional recipe used egg yolks instead of butter. You can add them instead of the butter or do 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 egg yolk. That being said, almost no Brazilians use egg yolks these days, as it’s really hard to notice the difference from a brigadeiro made with egg yolks and one made with butter.
I would love to make these! The ones I enjoyed were creamy like caramel. Is it possible to use Eagle Brand Dulce de Leche sweetened condensed milk? If so would I follow the recipe as written? Heating for less time?Thanks!
Yes, you can use that brand with the recipe as written! To make them creamy like caramel, just add some heavy cream at the end to loosen it up, then serve in small glasses. We call it “brigadeiro de colher”!
I will try them for a dinner party tomorrow. Around ow many brigadeiros do you get out of this recipe? I need around 30, do you recommend doubling the recipe then?
It really depends on the size you are making them. But, yes, I’d double the recipe!