"We had some sweetened condensed milk left over from another recipe (Brazilian lemonade) and I was wondering what to do with it.
I stumbled upon these delicious and festive little Brazilian treats.
My son loved them, we devoured them in just two days — Marilyn

🖨️ Print the recipe

A simple and comforting Brazilian treat

Brigadeiros are among Brazil's most popular sweets (over 10 million annual Google searches for "brigadeiro" in Portuguese alone). They are served at family celebrations, birthdays, and any occasion where chocolatey treats are shared. The base is simple: sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, and butter, cooked slowly until a thick, glossy paste is formed, which is then rolled in multicolored or chocolate sprinkles. Here, we offer the classic version, followed by a Quebecois twist by replacing the sprinkles with fine maple sugar to create a coating that perfectly complements the chocolate.

Summary
🔍 Information	Details
⏱️ Preparation time	10 minutes
🍳 Cooking time	8 to 10 minutes
⏲️ Total time	1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes
🔧 Difficulty level	Easy
🍽️ Portions	18 to 22 brigadeiros
🔥 Calories (approx.)	≈ 90 kcal per brigadeiro

Ingredients
1 can of 300 ml sweetened condensed milk 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon of butter (salted or unsalted) 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional) Chocolate or multicoloured sprinkles (classic version) Fine maple sugar (Quebec version)

Instructions

Baking the chocolate dough: Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the cocoa, butter and vanilla, then mix before heating. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until you obtain a thick, shiny paste that pulls away from the bottom (8 to 10 min). Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. Shaping and coating: Prepare a plate with the sprinkles or maple sugar. Lightly butter your hands. Roll small portions of dough to form balls. Coat each ball in sprinkles or maple sugar. Place the brigadeiros on a plate or in paper cups. Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes before serving for a firmer, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Tips and variations

These treats will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can adjust the chocolate intensity by changing the amount of cocoa. The batter can be divided if you want to make a small portion from leftover sweetened condensed milk. For a softer texture, slightly reduce the cooking time; for a denser texture, extend the cooking time by one minute.

Nutritional Information per Serving
Nutrient	Quantity
Calories	90 kcal
Proteins	1 g
Carbohydrates	14 g
Sugars	13 g
Fibers	0.5 g
Lipids	3.5 g
Saturated fatty acids	2.5 g
Sodium	25 mg
Health rating	6/10 Strengths: simple, portion controlled, minimalist ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

My dough is still runny, what should I do?

Cook a little longer over low heat, stirring constantly. The dough is ready when it pulls away from the bottom of the pan and becomes shiny and thick.

My dough is too firm after cooling, is that normal?

Yes, brigadeiros firm up in the cold. If they're too hard to roll, let them rest for about ten minutes at room temperature.

Can I make a small portion with leftover condensed milk?

Yes, simply divide the ingredients according to the remaining quantity and cook in the same way until you obtain a thick paste.

What can I use instead of vermicelli?

You can use fine maple sugar, cocoa, coconut, or chocolate or multicoloured confetti.

How long does it keep?

Brigadeiros can be kept for three to four days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.