A Spicy Perspective

Brigadeiro Recipe (Brazilian Truffles)

Brigadeiro Recipe – Brazilian Truffles are easy to make with cocoa powder, sweetened condensed milk, and butter. They’re a decadent no-bake dessert bursting with chocolate and caramel flavorand coated in colorful sprinkles!

brigadeiro recipe with sprinkles

Brazilian Desserts

If you are looking for a rich, chocolatey, incredibly indulgent and delicious treat, buddy, you came to the right place. Bonus: these truffle delights don’t even need to be baked.

Brazilian Brigadeiro is a fun and easy no-bake dessert to make any time you’ve got a sweet tooth craving. The base of the recipe includes just sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, and butter, all cooked into a thick, rich fudge. Because the sweetened condensed milk caramelizes as it cooks down, the fudge has a delightful chocolate-caramel flavor.

The fudge is cooled and formed into neat little balls. Lastly, the Brazilian truffles are rolled in your choice of colorful sprinkles. This final touch makes them as lovely to look at as they are delicious to eat!

homemade colorful brigadeiro truffles (negrinho)

The Best Brigadeiro Recipe (Negrinho Truffles)

While the roots of this dessert are actually Portuguese Negrinho Truffles, Brigadeiros have become one of the most popular treats in Brazil. Some even consider them the unofficial national dessert! They are often served at celebrations and gatherings, with sprinkle colors coordinating to match special events or sports teams.

Brazilian Brigadeiros are fabulous as-is, but just as the colorful sprinkles can be customized, this chocolate bite recipe can be adjusted to include all sorts of flavors. Here we added coffee and cayenne pepper to give them a little extra something. However, feel free to get creative and make the truffles with your favorite goodies!

brazilian truffle with bite taken (negrinho truffle)

Ingredients For Your Grocery List

This classic recipe for homemade Brigadeiro requires only 5 ingredients:

  • Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • Unsalted Butter – or salted if you prefer
  • Salt – not necessary if using salted butter
  • Jimmies sprinkles – your choice of color (I used chocolate sprinkles and rainbow sprinkles.)
cocoa powder, condensed milk, and butter

How to Make Brazilian Truffles

From start to finish these Brigadeiros take less than an hour to make, with no baking needed.

The recipe yields 45 balls, so it’s perfect for preparing as a treat for parties/birthday parties – or, enjoy some now and freeze the rest for whenever you have are needing a little something that’s chocolatey sweet.

Instructions

First, set a large pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, salt, and any flavor add-ins. Mix well.

Stir constantly, with a spatula or wooden spoon, as you cook the fudge so the condensed milk doesn’t burn, about 12-18 minutes. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot and the sides of the pan as well. The fudge will thicken from a thin brownie-like batter consistency to a thick and fudgy dough-like texture. Once it’s very thick remove it from the heat and turn off the stove.

thick chocolate and caramel

Set the pot on a trivet or other heat-safe surface, and allow the fudge to cool and thicken until room temperature.

Meanwhile, set out 45 mini cupcake liners/candy cups on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the sprinkles into a shallow dish.

Next, lightly butter your hands so the fudge doesn’t stick. Use spoons or scoops to portion out 2 teaspoons of the fudge into your hands, and tightly roll it into a small ball. Then dunk the fudge ball in the sprinkles and shake the pan to coat the ball on all sides.

Place the coated fudge ball in a paper liner. Repeat, repeat, repeat!

Once all of the Brigadeiro chocolate fudge balls are formed and coated in sprinkles, place the baking sheet in the fridge to help the balls set.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

coating in sprinkles

Get the Complete Printable Brigadeiro Recipe (Brazilian Chocolate Truffles) Below!

tray of colorful brigadeiros

How to Store Homemade Brazilian Fudge Balls

Move the truffles to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Avoid stacking the balls so they stay pretty.

Brigadeiros are fantastic for freezing! We recommend that you first flash-freeze them by setting them on a baking sheet (either lined with parchment or with the truffles in individual paper wrappers) and placing them in the freezer for one hour until hard. Then carefully place the balls in an airtight plastic bag, and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

brazil truffle recipe

Variations of This Recipe

Feel free to add other ingredients to create your favorite flavors. Some ideas for possible add-ins are 1/2 a teaspoon of vanilla, coffee, rum, coconut, or peppermint extract. For a kick of spice, add 1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne pepper or ground cinnamon.

Choose any colored sprinkles you like for coordinating with your party theme or favorite sports teams.

You can even roll the chocolate truffles in other toppings like edible glitter, crushed Oreos, coconut flakes, powdered sugar, or a dusting of cocoa powder.

truffle candy from brazil homemade with sprinkles

Looking for More Decadent No-Bake Sweets?

Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, fat, and sugar percentages.

brigadeiros
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Brigadeiro Recipe (Brazilian Truffles)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Brazilian Truffles are an easy no-bake dessert made with chocolate and sweetened condensed milk, and coated in colorful sprinkles!
Servings: 45 truffles

Ingredients

  • 28 ounces 2 cans sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 ounces jimmies sprinkles
  • Optional Add-Ins: ½ teaspoon vanilla coffee, rum, coconut, or peppermint extract, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or cinnamon

Instructions

  • Set a large wide pot over medium heat. Add the sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter and salt. Mix well.
  • Cook the fudge, stirring consistently, so the condensed milk doesn’t burn, for 12-18 minutes. The fudge will thicken from a thin brownie-like batter to a thick fudgy dough texture. Once it’s very thick, remove from heat.
  • Allow the fudge to cool and thicken to room temperature.
  • Set out 45 mini cupcake liners on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the sprinkles into a shallow dish.
  • Butter your hands so the fudge doesn’t stick. Portion out 2 teaspoon balls of fudge and roll tightly in your hands. Then dunk the fudge ball in the sprinkles and shake the pan to coat the ball on all sides.
  • Place the coated fudge ball in a paper liner. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Once all the fudge balls are formed and coated in sprinkles, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to help the balls set.

Video

Notes

Brigadeiros can be served cold or at room temperature. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Brigadeiros are fantastic for freezing! We recommend that you first flash freeze them by setting on a baking sheet (either lined with parchment or with the truffles in individual paper wrappers) and placing them in the freezer for one hour until hard. Then carefully place the balls in an airtight plastic bag, and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ball, Calories: 81kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 83mg, Potassium: 80mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 79IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Brazilian
Author: Sommer Collier

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12 comments on “Brigadeiro Recipe (Brazilian Truffles)”

  1. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your article and found it to be very beneficial. Play slope game with me if you have some free time.

  2. These Brazilian truffles are the best! It does not require baking which makes it easy to make and my family really enjoyed them for dessert!

  3. these truffles were easier to make than I thought and they taste AMAZING! All my friends thought I was magic to make them these chocolates. thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!

  4. These were a huge hit at our family gathering last week! Great recipe – I already have a few request  to make it again.

  5. Oh my word, these little truffles were magical. I ate way too many, but oh so worth it!

  6. OMGosh these look amazing and easy to make too! What a wonderful addition they will be to some holiday baking!

  7. I could use this recipe to celebrate our marriage anniversary next week. Thanks a lot!!

  8. Pingback: Brigadeiro Recipe (Brazilian Truffles) - Social Recipe Hub

  9. These were so amazing and easy to make!

  10. Can they get any better than this?! Wow! They’re so creamy and the perfect bite for a birthday celebration!

  11. My kids really enjoyed making these truffles!! The whole batch disappeared quickly! It is so good!

  12. holy cow, these are some of the best truffles that I have tasted  in a long time!