Easy Coconut Brigadeiros

Brazilian Coconut Brigadeiros! This brigadeiro recipe uses coconut milk and condensed milk, cooked down into a sweet and sticky caramel-like fudge that is rolled in toasted coconut. They're easy to make and even easier to eat! 

NOTE: This post was originally published on March 15, 2011 and updated on March 30, 2020.

Picture this: Ooey gooey, super sweet, fudge-like coconut flavor rolled into a ball and coated in a shredded coconut blanket of sorts. Hello, heaven! {And hello cavities, too, if you're not careful. This stuff is sweet, people. But sooo worth it.}

These sweet, no bake bites are pretty simple to make, especially if you use the tips I'm sharing below! It doesn't get much easier than pouring a few ingredients into a pot and whisk, whisk, whisking until you get something resembling coconut-scented Mod Podge. Sticky stuff!

The best part? While your mixture is cooling, you get to scrape the sort of burnt-on residue on the bottom of the pot {sounds delicious, I know} and sample the fruits of your labor. Unless you you've already reached your sugar quota for the day when you licked the leftover condensed milk right off the spoon. Um... oh. You mean you didn't do that? Good! I didn't either... 😉

This coconut brigadeiro recipe makes a perfect treat to share for holidays, baby showers and any occasion that calls for something sweet! Enjoy! {And don't forget to brush!}

Ingredients You'll Need

• sweetened condensed milk
• coconut milk
• unsalted butter
• light corn syrup
• finely shredded, unsweetened coconut (toasted, if desired)

Tips for This Brigadeiro Recipe

• Don't crank up the heat too high. Due to the high sugar content of condensed milk, it can easily scorch over high heat.
• Keep stirring! Stirring will keep the mixture from burning and sticking too much to the bottom of the pan {some of it will inevitably stick, you just don't want it to scorch, like I mentioned.}
• You'll know the mixure is ready when the whisk or a spatula leaves a trail in the mixture that takes a second to run together again. When you tilt the pot {carefully!}, the mixture should slide as a blob, leaving a sticky residue at the bottom.
• Chill out. Once the mixture is cool, you'll need to refrigerate it for a few hours until it's firm enough to scoop into balls. If you don't wait long enough, you'll end up with a sticky mess.
• Speaking of sticky messes, a greasing your hands with a little coconut oil can help make the rolling process a bit easier.
• Using a mini cookie scoop {like this one} will ensure that your brigadeiros are all equal in size. If you don't have one, you can use a greased teaspoon or mellon baller.
• The fastest way to coat the brigadeiros is to place your toasted coconut flakes in a small baking pan and scoop the balls directly onto the coconut flakes, leaving a bit of space between them. After you have about a dozen, give the pan a shimmy to allow the coconut flakes to coat the brigadeiros. Remove them and place them on a separate plate, then repeat with the next batch.

More Coconut Desserts

Are you nuts for coconuts? Here are a few other coconutty recipes you might want to check out!

Toasted Coconut Mini Pavlovas with Coconut Custard

Coconut-Macadamia Pralines

Salted Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

WP Recipe Maker #12664removeCoconut Brigadeiros Coconut Brigadeiros! These sticky, fudge-like Brazilian candies are full of sweet coconut flavor. Course: Dessert Cuisine: Brazilian Keyword: brigadeiro, candy, coconut Prep Time: 20m Cook Time: 10m Total Time: 270m Chill Time: 240m Servings: 3 dozen Author: The Kitchen Prep - 1 cup sweetened condensed milk - ½ cup coconut milk canned - 2 tablespoons butter unsalted - 1 teaspoons light corn syrup - 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut finely shredded works best 1) Combine condensed milk, coconut milk, butter, corn syrup, and ½ cup of the toasted coconut in a medium heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low. 2) Slide the mixture into a bowl. (Don’t scrape the pan—you don’t want to use any of the batter stuck to the bottom. But you will want to eat it directly off the spoon. Duh.) Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until very firm, 3 to 4 hours. 3) Whisking constantly, allow the mixture to cook until it thickens and pulls together into a dense batter, about 8 minutes. You'll know the mixture is ready, the whisk leaves a trail in the batter, allowing you to briefly see the pan bottom. It should slide to the side of the pan in a blob when tilted slightly, leaving a thick residue on the bottom of the pan. {The residue might be slightly brown, and that's ok.} 4) Place the remaining ½ cup of toasted coconut in a small pan or shallow dish. Using a small cookie scoop, greased teaspoon or a melon baller, scoop the mixture, and with your hands, roll each into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Drop each ball into the coconut as you finish rolling it, leaving a bit of room between them. Once you have about 6-8, give the pan a shake and allow them to become coated in the coconut. {You may need to pat it on lightly to adhere fully.} 5) To store: Place the brigadeiros in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. If stored in the refrigerator, they'll last up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving! Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking  

Original photo circa 2011: