Brigadeiro Recipe — The Best Chocolate Fudge Balls Ever

Brigadeiro (plural Brigadeiros) is a chocolate fudge made with condensed milk, butter, and cocoa powder. It’s LOVE at first bite!

WHAT IS BRIGADEIRO?

Brigadeiro (Portuguese for Brigadier) is the most beloved ‘candy’ of Brazil. From north to south, it is a national passion!

It came into being in the 1940s and gets its name from Brigadier Eduardo Gomes, who once ran for president.

According to this brigadeiros article, it’s also know as ‘negrinho’. Some compare it to truffles or tootsie rolls, but it is different from both.

It’s usually rolled into balls which are then covered in chocolate sprinkles. However, you can also enjoy it unrolled with a spoon. 

Plus, use it as a topping or filling for cakes and cupcakes. In Brazil, no kid’s party is complete without it!

So satisfy your sweet tooth with these rich chocolate candy cups. 

HOW TO MAKE BRIGADEIRO

For this traditional brigadeiro recipe, whisk the condensed milk and cocoa together until uniform. Then, stir in the butter.

(SEE FULL RECIPE BELOW – FOR BOTH STOVETOP AND MICROWAVE)

WHICH OTHER TREATS CAN YOU MAKE WITH BRIGADEIRO?

You can make cake, cupcakes,  brigadeiro cookies, and this triple brigadeiro cheesecake tart. 

Also, patriotic brigadeiros or those with other flavors such as pumpkin, strawberry, coconut, and beer.

If the cooked mixture is too soft to roll into fudge balls, the alternative is to serve brigadeiro piped onto spoons.

Moreover, you can serve it as fudge cups, to eat with small spoons, almost like a shot of dense pudding.

USEFUL TIPS TO GET BRIGADEIRO RIGHT THE FIRST TIME

1. Use a wider, no stick pan — those with aluminum bottoms work best. This will let it cook faster, saving you time. Take a look at the RECIPE VIDEO!

2. Cook over medium heat, avoiding burnt bits.

3. Whisk condensed milk with cocoa powder before starting to cook– for a mixture without lumps.

4. If making brigadeiro recipe in the summer time, use only 1 tbsp of butter; otherwise it’ll make harder to achieve the correct consistency. In the cold months, though, you can use 2 tbsp of butter and still roll it into balls with no problem. They will be tastier too!

5. If making a double batch at once, use a large, wider pan rather than a pot; otherwise it will take much longer to get it right. 

HOW DO YOU STORE AND FOR HOW LONG?

Store brigadeiro in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days. Either store covered in the fridge for up to 4-7 days, or freeze in plastic bags for up to 30 days.

If frozen, bring them to room temp before serving them.

PIN & ENJOY

5 from 36 votes

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Brigadeiro -- Brazilian chocolate fudge balls

Brigadeiro (or Brigadeiros) is a chocolate fudge made with condensed milk, butter, and cocoa powder. Our brigadeiro recipe is love at first bite! It comes with a video and step by step photos. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Brazilian

Keyword brigadeiro, brigadeiro recipe

Prep Time 22 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 28

Calories 52 kcal

Author Denise Browning

Ingredients

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14-ounce
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa powder unsweetened
• 1-2 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened) plus extra to grease plate and hands
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• Chocolate vermicelli or good quality chocolate sprinkles

Instructions

1. Whisk the condensed milk and cocoa powder together until homogeneous (no lumps). Then, stir in the butter.

2. Stove: Cook in a medium non-stick saucepan over medium heat (large burner), stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to peel away/show the bottom of the pan when you scrape it with your wood spoon (about 5-8 minutes). 

3. Microwave: Pour mixture into a deep microwaveable bowl. If 900 watts, let cook on full power for about 6 minutes -- removing and stirring at least every 2 minutes, or until thick enough to be rolled (when it cools down, mixture will be thicker). 

4. While it is cooking, do not leave the microwave unattended because mixture will rise and possibly bubble over, making a mess. Every time it rises, pause until mixture settles back down. If 1100 watts, cook at 80 % power. Double batches take more time to cook

5. When brigadeiro is ready, remove either from the stove top or microwave, mix in the vanilla extract and spread mixture onto a greased plate.
   
   

6. Let cool to room temp before starting to roll them into balls with greased hands. Use a 1/2 ( or 1 ) tbsp as measurement. 

7. Then, dredge gently in the chocolate sprinkles until totally covered, and place into paper bonbon cups.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• Store brigadeiro/brigadeiros (Brazilian chocolate fudge balls) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They can be also stored, covered well, in the refrigerator for up to 4-7 days, or frozen in ziploc bags for up to 30 days. 
• If making brigadeiro recipe in the summer time, use only 1 tbsp of butter; otherwise it’ll make harder to achieve the correct consistency. In the cold months, though, you can use 2 tbsp of butter and still roll it into balls with no problem. They will be tastier too!
• ALTERNATIVE: If you don't get the right consistency and the cooked mixture is so soft that cannot be rolled into balls, the alternative is to serve brigadeiros piped on spoons or into shot glasses/cups to be eaten with small spoons almost like a shot of pudding-- like we do in Brazil. 
• Love brigadeiro(s)? Try also our Brigadeiro Cookies and also our Triple Brigadeiro Tart.

Nutrition Facts

Brigadeiro -- Brazilian chocolate fudge balls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 52 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Cholesterol 5mg2%

Sodium 18mg1%

Potassium 64mg2%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 50IU1%

Vitamin C 0.3mg0%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.