Brazilian coconut kisses (beijinhos de coco) are fudgy coconut balls made with only 4 ingredients in less than 30 minutes. They are as easy and delish as our brigadeiros recipe.
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Are you throwing a party soon? Or simply craving something scrumptious yet hassle-free?
These coconut balls call for less than 5 ingredients and are quick and easy to prepare, making the perfect treat for any season and occasion, including birthday parties… or to serve as an afternoon treat.
I made them for my daughter’s Frozen theme party and they were a hit!
I hope you give them a try and enjoy as much as we do!
What is Beijinho?
Beijinhos (singular beijinho or little kiss) mean literally in Portuguese ‘kisses’. They are coconut brigadeiros or a variation of the famous chocolate brigadeiros as many other docinhos (candies or sweets) in Brazil.
They have sweetened condensed milk and butter as the base. The flavoring ingredient (coconut, passion fruit, strawberry gelatin, cocoa powder, etc) is what gives each their name. Coconut is what names the doce beijinhos de coco (literal translation: coconut kisses).
Brazilians serve them as a treat for birthday parties but you can also give them away as Christmas gifts. If your child is crazy for FROZEN, you gotta make these!
I served them at my daughter’s 8th birthday party.
Although I was secretly rooting for her to choose RIO as the theme for her upcoming birthday party, she winded up choosing FROZEN… as many children did a few years ago.
Don’t you agree that they look like SNOWBALLS?
Ingredients and Substitutions
Brazilian coconut kisses (also known in Brazil as beijinhos de coco, beijinhos, or branquinhos) are traditionally made from a mixture of:
- Sweetened condensed milk: It is one of the main ingredients and what makes them fudgy when mixed and cooked with butter. If you want to make them dairy-free, use a dairy-free sweetened condensed milk and butter.
- Coconut flakes: You may use the unsweetened type, but the authentic Brazilian recipe calls for sweetened coconut flakes.
- Butter: You may replace it with coconut butter for a dairy-free treat.
- Egg yolks (OPTIONAL): Some beijinho recipes call for at least an egg yolk to make them richer in flavor and color. But it is optional!
- Vanilla extract (OPTIONAL): This is another optional ingredient but it makes these “candies” tastier.
After briefly cooking, they are rolled into balls, dredged in coconut flakes or sugar, and decorated with a single clove on top.
Does this sound familiar? The process of making them is similar to the ever-popular BRIGADEIROS (or Brazilian chocolate fudge balls)!!!
Coconut Kisses vs. Coconut Truffles
Although coconut kisses and coconut truffles are coconut balls, there is a difference between them.
Our Brazilian coconut kisses are technically a stovetop fudge -- and so not the same as truffles. Fudge calls for milk and sugar (or sweetened condensed milk) and butter while truffles are made of ganache (chocolate and heavy cream).
Either one can be coated in coconut flakes though.
Right Consistency
Coconut balls are easy to make. The key to obtaining a fudgy texture without using a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage at 240 °F or 116 °C) is to cook them over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to show the bottom of the pan when you scrape it with your wooden spoon.
It takes about 5-8 minutes depending on the size of your pan and also the amount that you are going to make.
The mixture should be thick enough to reveal the bottom of the pan for a couple of seconds before the mixture levels out again.
After spreading the mixture onto a greased plate to cool completely, you can roll it into balls. If they get too soft to roll, you can chill in the fridge preferably before or after rolling into balls. It will help to firm them!
But anyway, you can always eat the coconut fudge mixture by spoons as we do in Brazil when they are too soft to roll into balls.
How to Roll Coconut Balls
When the beijinho de coco mixture has cooled completely, lightly grease your hands with unsalted butter to prevent the fudge mixture from sticking everywhere.
Then scoop out enough coconut fudge to form a ball using a tablespoon or teaspoon as measurement and roll between your hands into balls.
Place the shredded coconut in a separate plate. Roll the balls in shredded coconut until covered. Then place into bonbon paper cups. If you want, decorate the center of each coconut kiss with a whole clove.
How to make Brazilian coconut kisses (Beijinhos de Coco)
- To make our beijinho recipe, mix the condensed milk, coconut flakes, and butter together. For a richer flavor and color, mix in an egg yolk if you want. SEE PIC. 1
- Cook in a medium non-stick saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to show the bottom of the pan when you scrape it with your wooden spoon (about 5-8 minutes). If you are using a sticky pan, cook it over medium-low heat for a longer time. SEE PICS. 2 and 3 The mixture should be thick enough to reveal the bottom of the pan for a couple of seconds before the mixture levels out again.
- When coconut kisses ‘dough’ is ready, remove from the heat, mix in the vanilla extract, and spread the mixture onto a greased plate. Use butter to grease the plate! SEE PIC. 4
- Let cool to room temperature before starting to roll them into small balls with greased hands. Use a ½ or 1 tablespoon as measurement. SEE PIC. 5
- Then, dredge gently in the coconut flakes until totally covered. Place into paper bonbon cups. Stick a whole clove atop (center) of each coconut kiss if desired.
NOTE: The clove is only for decoration and should be removed right before eating!!!
Storage
Store coconut kisses in a clean airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This is one of those easy freezer recipes that can keep frozen for up to 2 months. Place the coconut balls in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for at least 2 hours. Then transfer to a freezer bag or plastic container and lay them in one single layer.
Thaw in the fridge before dredging in coconut flakes and serving.
If you would like to infuse these coconut balls with the aroma of cloves, store the candies and cloves in the same container.
More coconut desserts:
- Coconut rolls
- Coconut sugar cookies
- Quindim
- Low carb coconut cookies
- Keto coconut ice cream
- Lemon coconut pound cake
- Queijadinha
- Mango coconut muffins
- Coconut flan
PIN & ENJOY!
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Brazilian Coconut Kisses (Beijinhos de Coco)
Equipment
- pan
- wooden spoon
- plate
Ingredients
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14-ounce or 396 g
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes plus more for dredging
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter softened (plus more for greasing a plate and your hands)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional
- Cloves for garnishing optional
Instructions
- Mix the condensed milk, coconut flakes, and butter together.
- Cook in a medium non-stick saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to show the bottom of the pan when you scrape it with your wood spoon (about 5-8 minutes).
- When coconut kisses 'dough' is ready, remove from the heat, mix in the vanilla extract, and spread the mixture onto a greased plate.
- Let cool to room temperature before starting to roll them into balls with greased hands. Use a ½ Tablespoon as measurement. Then, dredge gently in the coconut flakes until totally covered.
- Place into paper bonbon cups. Stick a clove atop (center) of each coconut kiss if desired. The clove is only for decoration and must be removed right before eating!!!
Recipe Notes
- Love fudge? Try our Brigadeiros recipe.
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
This post was first published on August 11, 2014.
Barb Zishka says
My future daughter-in-law made these & added a seedless green grape to each. I was in heaven. If I wouldn't have got sick, I'd have ate all of them!! YUMMM
Valentina Dimitrova says
I am so glad to hear Barb!
Barb says
I made these this afternoon & finished them up tonight. The only problem I had was scooping the mixture up & trying to roll it in the coconut. There has to be a better way. I used a fork to roll them around in the coconut & then into the pretty sprinkles. They are really cute.
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Barb! What you can do is lightly grease with butter the spoon you use as a measurement to scoop the dough up and also lightly grease your hands to roll the scooped dough into balls. As for rolling the balls onto the coconut flakes, I usually shape all the balls and place them over the coconut flakes on a single layer keeping a distance between them. After you finish rolling them all, wash and dry your hands well and then roll the balls onto the coconut flakes.
Emily says
Hello I love making these but how many are in a serving? Thanks
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Emily! One can of sweetened condensed milk can yield about 12 to 24 depending on the size of the balls.
Emily says
Hi I found these under a keto search. But I am not sure if they are. How many balls ar3 in a serving? Thank you!
Valentina Dimitrova says
Thank you for letting me know. I don't know why my plugin placed them in my keto category because they are not keto. These are made with condensed milk which contains milk and sugar. I apologize for this!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
These look great. Coconut is one of my favorite desserts flavors (one of my favorite flavors in anything, actually), and this is such a great recipe. Thanks!
Becky says
My Girl Scout Troop is making these for World Friendship day. Do you know if they can be frozen? They are very yummy!!
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi, Becky! Yes, they can be frozen. Make them, roll into balls after the dough has completely cool down,place them all in one single layer into an airtight container, and freeze for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge and let come to room temp before placing them into paper bonbon cups. Enjoy!
Ray says
I made these for my daughter's birthday party. What a hit! Thanks for such an unique and delicious coconut fudge recipe.
Lori says
Thank You Thank You Thank You Denise for giving me a real measurement I can use! I was trying to find a beijinho recipe to figure out how much coconut to use. All the Brazilian recipes are in grams and I don't own a kitchen scale (I know, it's embarrassing to admit). I'm having a Minecraft birthday for my 10 year old and with a little blue tint in the sugar crystals I will roll them in, these sweet candies will become Minecraft diamonds. Love your recipes!
Valentina Dimitrova says
Lori, I am so glad to find out that you found what you needed. Wishing your child a very happy birthday! Enjoy our beijinhos.
Ghislaine Cuellar says
In Bahia they have another variation of Beijinhos the Coco... Just follow your recipe to a t, but before rolling them up into a ball, add a small green grape as a filling...
Valentina Dimitrova says
How delicious! In Pernambuco, we make the white brigadeiros and add a sour grape before rolling them up. We call them surpresa de uva or uvinha. Enjoy!
Dessa says
thank you so much for sharing this recipe. We loved it but will add about half the amount of vanilla next time. These are awesome thank you!
Valentina Dimitrova says
Glad that you enjoyed these coconut fudge balls, Dessa!!! Feel free to adapt the recipe as desired. Have an awesome weekend!
Denise McCarty says
Hello,
I am looking for a recipe that is VERY similar to this recipe but it has a crunchy candy shell (yellowish color)on the outside of the coconut ball. Do you have a recipe for that?
A co-worker's mother lives in Brazil and makes them and ships them to my co-worker who shares them with me but I'd love to have the recipe to try to make them. The co-worker's mother prefers not to share the recipe so I'm trying to find it elsewhere.
Any assistance would be appreciated greatly!
Thank you.
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi, Denise! Yes, I have the recipe that you are talking about. It is called Bala Bahiana or Glass Bonbons. It has a beijinho de coco or coconut kisses inside and a hard shell outside. Here is its recipe link: https://www.easyanddelish.com/glass-bonbons/
Enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas!
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hello Denise!
YES, these are exactly what I've been looking for! THANK YOU SO much! you have no idea how happy I am right now! (insert happy dance here!).
I can't wait to make these this week for Christmas!
Thank you so much.
HUGS and Cheers!
Denise M.
Valentina Dimitrova says
My pleasure, Denise! Enjoy...
Melissa says
My Grandaughter got invited to a birthday party and they’re Brazilian… they have this cute lil tiny dessert balls with coconut chocolate and in different colors….I just have to try I can’t believe how delicious they are… I’m so embarrassed I only took one… I m kicking myself I should’ve ate more…
Thank you for the recipe… I will sure try to make it … you made it so sound easy
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Melissa! I am so happy you enjoyed our Brazilian candies in that b-day party. These are made of coconut only. But in brazil we also make some flavored with chocolate and you can cover them in chocolate sprinkles, colorful sprinkles, or coconut flakes. They are called brigadeiros. Here in the blog you can search them under the name "brigadeiro recipe".
Kate @ ¡Hola! Jalapeño says
Wow these sound amazing! My mom used to make something similar but with orange. I haven't thought about these in so long—yum!
Valentina Dimitrova says
Thank you, Kate...I wish I could try your Mother's orange version...
Little Cooking Tips says
Fantastic idea and also very easy to make, like the Brigadeiros. Mirella plans to offer your Brigadeiros at work on her birthday later on September. They're the perfect treat:)
Have a wonderful week Denise!
Valentina Dimitrova says
Panos:
My birthday is also in September -- on the 6th! How about Mirella's? I hope her co-workers and she enjoy brigadeiros which is the most popular bonbon in Brazil. Wishing you both a wonderful week! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Little Cooking Tips says
Hi Denise,
her birthday is on the 22th, you have the same sign she says:) The brigadeiros will be definitely a hit. We tested them before on our ourselves:)
Valentina Dimitrova says
Thanks, Panos! Enjoy the brigadeiros, a fave of my eldest daughter... 🙂