This beijinho recipe, also known as Brazilian little kiss, is not only tasty but also a delish variation of a famous Brazilian sweet, brigadeiro.
As rice is for brown beans in Brazilian cuisine, the coconut brigadeiro is for the chocolate one. It’s unusual to serve brigadeiro without beijinho in a children’s party. They pair so well together.
It’s hard for me to say which one is tastier because they’re really different from each other, and I love both coconut and chocolate.
That’s why I decided to share this white brigadeiro recipe with you so that you can decide for yourself. Both of them are easy-peasy to prepare. Perfect for receiving last-minute guests.
Beijinho de coco pronunciation: bay-gee-nio dji coh-coh
Just for clarification: beijinho de coco literally means coconut little kiss in English.
Coconut brigadeiro
My husband isn’t a fan of coconut, but because I insisted (a lot), he tried this truffle and now he’s written this coconut brigadeiro recipe in his recipe book. He just couldn’t stop eating it.
In fact, this is one of the most consumed Brazilian sweets with condensed milk.
That’s why I say you’ll love it!
In short, this bite-size coconut dessert is easy to prepare, to store, and even easier to eat. (Perhaps too easy!)
Situations where you could prepare this “coconut little kiss”
There are many situations when you could prepare, but I’ll give you some other ideas.
- Birthdays
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas, although it’s not really a tradition in Brazil
- Whenever you want
Can beijinho be refrigerated?
Absolutely! In fact, you should refrigerate it right after cooking so the dough can cool down. It’s easier to roll the truffles if the dough is cold.
How to store coconut brigadeiro?
Store your coconut brigadeiros in a tightly closed plastic container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
If you want, you can freeze the leftovers. Here are some tips for doing that:
- Freeze the beijinhos without the candy cups.
- Don’t use granulated sugar to dredge them if you plan on freeze this coconut brigadeiro.
- To unfreeze, let them rest for one hour inside the closed plastic container, then transfer the truffles to the bonbon cups.
- Beijinhos freeze well for up to three months.
What can I serve with beijinho?
I have several suggestions right here for your party snack options that will pair beautifully with my beijinho de coco recipe.
- Coxinha
- Pastel
- Kibbeh
Or if you want a pairing for another sweet, check out my strawberry and traditional brigadeiros.
Fun fact: Brigadeiro means Brigadier in English, and it has this name because it was created to support the presidential candidate Eduardo Gomes, a Brigadier.
The Brigadier didn’t win the election, but this Brazilian dessert stuck around for decades, and it’s one of our favorites, if not the #1.
Tips for a perfect beijinho
- Do it in batches! Roll these Brazilian coconut balls first, and once you’ve rolled them all, dredge them in the coating so that it’s not annoying to roll the next white truffles with shredded coconut on your hands.
- Cool down! Not you, the beijinhos. They are tastier when served cold.
- Grease your hands…or not! I didn’t grease my hands with butter and everything went just fine. If you feel the dough is not sticky enough for the shredded coconut, feel free to spread some butter on your hands before rolling them.
Other brigadeiro variations
Brigadeiro is a very versatile candy. You can basically create any new flavor you may like.
From the fruity ones, such as strawberry brigadeiros and lemon brigadeiros to the seasonal ones, such as pumpkin brigadeiros (for Halloween), brigadeiro can have countless tastes options.
Be creative when making new brigadeiro variations yourself, and be sure to come back here and let me know what you prepared. I’d love to learn about new flavors!
How to make this beijinho recipe
As said before, this “docinho de coco” recipe is pretty straightforward. Everyone can cook it regardless of one’s cooking skills.
Without further ado, let’s talk about how to make beijinho.
Add the condensed milk and butter to a non-stick pan on medium heat. Stir and cook the mixture with a wooden spoon or plastic spatula non-stop.
Once the mixture looks more like a dough than a batter, add the shredded coconut. It should peel away when you scrape the bottom of the pan and reveal it for a few seconds before the mixture levels out again.
Add the coconut and stir it well. Then, transfer it onto a greased plate and spread it so the coconut brigadeiro can cool down faster. Put it in the fridge for 1 hour.
Before rolling the beijinhos, place a plate full of mini bonbon cups and another with the shredded coconut and sanding sugar mix.
With a teaspoon, put a little dough in your hands, roll it, and place the truffle onto the plate with the coating. You will want to make sure to dredge the coconut truffles thoroughly.
After dredging all beijinhos, transfer them to a candy cup No3. To finish your sweet, garnish each beijinho with clove and voila. Enjoy!
Did you like this recipe for beijinho, the coconut brigadeiro? Then save it to your Pinterest board and send it to a friend who might also like it.
Beijinho Recipe (Coconut Brigadeiro)
Yield: 20
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rolling the truffles: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
This beijinho recipe, also known as Brazilian little kiss, is not only tasty but also a delish variation of a famous Brazilian sweet, brigadeiro.
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce (397 grams) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon butter, and more to grease your hands, if needed
- 5.3 ounces (150 grams)coconut flakes
Garnish
- Shredded coconut
- Cloves
Instructions
- Add the condensed milk and butter to a non-stick pan on medium heat.
- Stir and cook the mixture with a wooden spoon or plastic spatula non-stop.
- Once the mixture looks more like a dough than a batter, it's time to add the coconut flakes. It should peel away when you scrape the bottom of the pan and reveal it for a couple of seconds before the mixture levels out again.
- Stir it well to mix the flakes to the dough.
- Transfer it onto a greased plate and spread it so the coconut brigadeiro can cool down faster. Put it in the freezer for 35 minutes.
- Before rolling the beijinhos, place a plate full of mini bonbon cups and another with the coconut flakes and sanding sugar mix.
- With a teaspoon, take a piece of the dough in your hands, roll it, and place the truffle onto the plate with the coating. You will want to make sure to dredge the coconut truffles completely.
- After dredging all beijinhos, transfer them to candy cups.
- To finish your sweet, garnish each beijinho with clove and voila. Enjoy!
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 145Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 72mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 3g
