Beijinhos Recipe (Brazilian Coconut Sweets)
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My beijinhos recipe will bring to life the buttery, soft, coconut-covered Brazilian candy you never knew you needed in your life!
The coconut variation of Brazil’s beloved brigadeiros, these squidgy candies are delightfully sweet and incredibly indulgent – ideal for a “stack ’em high” sweet treat centerpiece for any birthday or celebration.
What are Beijinhos?
Quite simply, a beijinho is essentially a coconut-flavored variant of a brigadeiro, one of Brazil’s favorite confections. Made from a wholesome mixture of condensed milk and coconut, topped with sugar and grated coconut, this is a party candy not to be missed out on!
Variations
If you love beijinhos, you’ll have no choice but to also try brigadeiros, which consist of condensed milk and cocoa powder (instead of grated coconut) and chocolate sprinkles covering these delightful candies.
Ingredients
To get started with my beijinhos recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Condensed Milk – 1 can or carton of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz or 397 grams)
- Desiccated Coconut – 1 1/2 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut or coconut flakes (120 grams or 4.2 oz) (1 cup for the beijinhos mixture and 1/2 cup for the outside of the beijinhos)
- Butter – 1 1/2 tablespoon butter (1 tbsp for the mixture and 1/2 tbsp for rolling the beijinhos)
- Vanilla – 1 tsp vanilla bean extract or paste
- Salt – pinch of salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – To a pot over medium heat, add the condensed milk, 1 cup of desiccated coconut (about 80 grams or 2.8 oz), 1 tablespoon of butter (14 grams), 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean extract or paste, and a pinch of salt.
Step 2 – Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened (about 6-10 minutes).
How to tell if the mixture is thick enough: Pull the spatula through the middle of the mixture, and it should take a couple of seconds for the mixture to pull back together.
Step 3 – Transfer the mixture to a plate and let it cool down. Once it’s at room temperature, cover it and put it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
Step 4 – Set up your beijinhos rolling station: put 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut in a bowl or on a plate, get a tablespoon to measure the mixture, and get some butter to grease your hands so the beijinhos don’t stick to your hands.
Step 5 – Grease your hands with some butter and then get one tablespoon at a time of the bejinhos mixture and roll it until you form a ball.
Step 6 – Roll the balls in the desiccated coconut. Refrigerate them until ready to serve.
These glorious candies have a chewy, almost fudge-like texture and deliver a delicately sweet and comforting flavor.
You can make a big batch of them, stack them high, and put them in the center of the table for your guests to enjoy at their leisure. They won’t be there long, I can assure you!
Beijinhos are such a great conversation starter as well. As soon as you say the name and tell your guests they are Brazilian, you’ll get plenty of intrigue, follow-up questions, and wide, satisfied smiles.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 can or carton of sweetened condensed milk 14 oz or 397 grams
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut or coconut flakes 120 grams or 4.2 oz (1 cup for the beijinhos mixture and 1/2 cup for the outside of the beijinhos)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tbsp for the mixture and 1/2 tbsp for rolling the beijinhos
- 1 tsp vanilla bean extract or paste
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- To a pot over medium heat, add the condensed milk, 1 cup of desiccated coconut (about 80 grams or 2.8 oz), 1 tablespoon of butter (14 grams), 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean extract or paste, and a pinch of salt.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened (about 6-10 minutes). How to tell if the mixture is thick enough: Pull the spatula through the middle of the mixture, and it should take a couple of seconds for the mixture to pull back together.
- Transfer the mixture to a plate and let it cool down. Once it’s at room temperature, cover it and put it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
- Set up your beijinhos rolling station: put 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut in a bowl or on a plate, get a tablespoon to measure the mixture, and get some butter to grease your hands so the beijinhos don’t stick to your hands.
- Grease your hands with some butter and then get one tablespoon at a time of the bejinhos mixture and roll it until you form a ball.
- Roll the balls in the desiccated coconut. Refrigerate them until ready to serve.
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Hello! These look wonderful! I am thinking of making them for a baby shower for our pastor and his wife (both from Brazil). The base recipe says for 16 servings — how many pieces do you estimate for one serving? One ball? Three?
We could have as many as 80 or 100 ladies at this shower.
Second question — how far ahead can I make these (will refrigerate of course) before serving?
Thank you!
Hi Kathy,
This recipe makes 16 beijinhos. They will last in the refrigerator about 5-6 days but I find that they taste best the day after making them. I would make it no more than 1-2 days before the event for the best flavor. Before serving them, take them out of the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes. As they come to room-temperature, they’ll be creamier. You should also take a look at our brigadeiros recipe (they’re similar to beijinhos but with cocoa/chocolate instead of coconut). You could make an assortment of both, particularly since you’re thinking of making them for so many people. Hope this helps. – Doina