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Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls)

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A recipe for Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls)! Sweetened condensed milk is simmered with butter and cocoa powder until thickened, then rolled in sprinkles.

Nine Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls) on a wooden board with sprinkles in the background.

Secret Recipe Club

After a month off in December, Group D of the Secret Recipe Club is back for January!

For those who haven’t seen my previous Secret Recipe Club posts, this club includes a group of bloggers who are assigned a different blog each month and secretly make a recipe to post on their specified reveal day.

I look forward to my assignment email every month and discovering new blogs. It is also fun to see what someone chooses from your blog.

This month, I was assigned to a personal favorite blog, Bewitching Kitchen! The author, Sally, was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. She has also spent time in California and Paris before settling into her current Manhattan, Kansas working with the Biochemistry Department of Kansas State University.

In addition to her job and cooking, she is quite active! Hobbies include golf, running, and P90X. Since updating this post, she has also started a cookie-centric blog called For The Love of Cookies!

Since my blog is quite lacking in South American recipes, I wanted to choose one of Sally’s many Brazilian dishes. I picked one that has been on my bucket list for quite a while, Brigadeiros.

Other great recipes I have pinned for later include: Pasteis, Cocada de Forno, Shrimp Moqueca, Oeufs a la Neige, Canja de Galinha, Tlayuda, and Coconut Brigadeiros.

Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls)

Aerial view of ten Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls) on a wooden board next to sprinkles and a scoop.

I am so glad I picked Sally’s Brigadeiros! They come together with only a handful of ingredients and the resulting texture is fantastic.

The Brigadeiro was created in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the 1940s and named after Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes. They have since become one of the most well known Brazilian treats and are especially popular at birthday parties and other celebrations.

Sweetened condensed milk is simmered on the stove with butter, cocoa powder, and a pinch of cinnamon to create a thick and fudge-like texture. After cooling, the mixture is formed into balls and coated in sprinkles.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Looking for more Brazilian recipes?

Try my:

A Few Tips

Two photo collage of rolling Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls) in sprinkles and in mini muffin liners on a wooden board.

The trick to forming these Brigadeiros is to cook them to just the right consistency, similar to fudge. You want the condensed milk to become thickened enough to hold their shape so the balls can be rolled in sprinkles.

You can tell when it has reached this point by sliding a wooden spoon through the mixture on the stove and it continues to stay parted and pulls away from the edges.

Stir constantly (especially towards the end of cooking) to keep the condensed milk from sticking and burning on the bottom and sides of the pan.

Sift the cocoa powder before adding to the sweetened condensed milk to keep the texture smooth.

I rolled most of the Brigadeiros in chocolate sprinkles, but Claire wanted to add some color to hers during the latest photography update.

If using colored sprinkles, take care when lightly moistening your hands with water. If they are too wet, the colors may bleed.

I used a small cookie scoop to form the individual fudge balls. If you do this, be careful to not break the scoop with the thick mixture. I keep the scoop lightly moistened and do not press the lever.

Check out what everyone else made!

Close up of Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls) on a wooden board with sprinkles in the background.

Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls) Recipe

Adapted from Bewitching Kitchen

Nine Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls) on a wooden board with sprinkles in the background.
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5 from 2 votes

Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls)

A recipe for Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls). Sweetened condensed milk is simmered with butter and cocoa powder until thickened, then rolled in sprinkles.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Brazilian
Keyword Brazil, Brazilian, chocolate, dessert, fudge, South America, sweetened condensed milk
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 20 Brigadeiros

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces (397 grams) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon (9 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
  • Pinch cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (90 grams) Chocolate sprinkles for coating

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, combine the condensed milk, butter, cocoa powder, and cinnamon over medium heat. Stir often until butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.
  • Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and pulling from the bottom of the pan, 10-17 minutes.
  • Allow to cool until room temperature or chill in the refrigerator.
  • Fill a small bowl with cold water. Fill another small bowl with chocolate sprinkles.
  • Wet your hands and roll about a 1/2 tablespoon size of chocolate into a ball. Coat in chocolate sprinkles and place in a mini paper cup. Repeat with remaining chocolate.
  • Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel

    Wow, these look SO GOOD! I am hoping to visit Brazil in the fall so I’ll be dreaming about these until then!

    Reply

  2. sallybr

    Wonderful post!!!!! i love the photo of the brigadeiro half eaten, it showed so well its creamy texture! made me crave one right now before going to bed. 😉

    thanks for the write-up too…..

    Have a wonderful Reveal Monday!

    Reply

  4. Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories

    Oh my goodness, these look so amazing!!! I love Sally’s blog btw (and your too). Lovely story of these!

    Reply

  5. culinarycam

    Oh, wow. I haven’t made these in a long time. I will definitely give it another go soon. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply

  6. Couscous & Consciousness

    Love the sound of some of those Brazilian dishes, but I’m glad that this is the one you chose. These little balls of fudge look fabulous, and I love those cute little stripey cases you’ve presented them in as well.

    Reply

    • Tara

      Thanks! I actually got the wrappers a couple of years ago during the Food Blogger Prop Swap and finally got to put them to use.

      Reply

  10. Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm

    oh my goodness. I have never heard of Brigadeiros before but I definitely need to try one. Great SRC choice.

    Reply

  12. Sarah E. (@sjanee11)

    I immediately knew who you had from the recipe – when I had Sally’s blog, I ALMOST made these. They look amazing! Great pick 🙂 Happy reveal day!

    Reply

  14. The Wimpy Vegetarian

    OMG, these look amazing. And they look so easy to make as long as you get the right consistency! Great pick!!

    Reply

  19. Amanda E

    Yum! These look like a great sweet treat – tho not sure how you were able to stop yourself midway thru eating one of them!

    Reply

  20. Stephanie

    I had a friend who would make these and they were so delicious. I can’t imagine them lasting more than a few days in my house either. Great SRC post

    Reply

  30. jessica

    Brazil really is a wonderful country, and Brigadier is present at any party especially of children who are in love with this candy.

    Reply

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