4-Ingredient Patriotic Brigadeiros

Patriotic Brigadeiros are gluten-free fudge balls made from 4 staple ingredients cooked in 15 minutes. A fun treat on-the-go to celebrate your 4th of July!

America’s Independence Day will be celebrated in just a few days. These 4-Ingredient Patriotic Brigadeiros are the perfect treat for celebrating the occasion because not only are they fun, but they are also easy to transport and are a real crowd pleaser.

They are made from sweetened condensed milk, unsalted butter, pure vanilla extract and food coloring. So easy to prepare that even a kid could make them!

They can be prepared ahead of time and stored in a clean airtight container at room temperature. They could be served at a bbq cookout, picnic, or indoor get-together, etc. and are a real favorite of both kids and adults.

Try them and you will be hooked!

These fudge balls are an adaptation of the classic Brazilian brigadeiros to sweeten this very American celebration with some immigrant pride. 🙂  As a Brazilian- immigrant-turned-US-citizen as of more than a decade ago, you can say this is one of my culinary contributions to my dear America.

A piece of me sent to you with much love!

How to Make Patriotic Brigadeiros

To make about 20 patriotic brigadeiros, combine sweetened condensed milk with unsalted butter in a wide, no-stick pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until obtaining a homogeneous mixture (without lumps).

Mixture is ready when it thickens and begins to peel away or show the bottom of the pan when you scrape it with your wood spoon (about 10-15 minutes, depending on how potent your stovetop is). NOTE: The fudge mixture should be thick enough to reveal the bottom of the pan for a couple of seconds before the mixture levels out again.

When the fudge mixture is ready, remove from the stovetop and stir in the vanilla extract. Next, place 1/3 of the mixture in the center of a large plate greased with unsalted butter.

Place another 1/3 of the mixture in a bowl and stir in with blue food coloring. Then, place the remaining 1/3 of the mixture in another bowl and stir in red food coloring.

Transfer both the blue and red mixtures to the greased plate as shown in the picture. Let cool completely!

Using a tablespoon as measurement, scoop out one spoon of the white/red/blue mixture, and with greased hands, roll out into balls.

Place each bowl into a paper bonbon cup, and if desired, place a few patriotic color star-sprinkles on top. Enjoy!