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Cinnamon Vanilla Brigadeiro Recipe – The Perfect Fall Fudge

This cinnamon vanilla brigadeiro recipe is so mouthwatering that you won’t believe it is this easy to make! Oh, and serve it with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Thank me later!

Vanilla brigadeiro Pinterest graphic

Cinnamon vanilla brigadeiro

Since we don’t have well-defined seasons in Brazil, we don’t have a real fall food culture as there is in Europe and North America.

Although we serve dishes with raisins, apple, and cinnamon during Christmas, we do so purely because of the international influence.

After all, Christmas in Brazil is during summer, so there is nothing in those flavors that matches the season.

Still, I love brigadeiro and enjoy adding personal twists to Brazilian recipes I’ve known my whole life.

That’s why I created this delicious and absolutely fall-friendly cinnamon vanilla brigadeiro.

It tastes woody, earthy, spicy, and fruity sweet. Heck, it tastes like fall!

The moment I put it in my mouth, I shouted to my husband, “I need a cup of coffee.”

That was the best decision ever.

I can’t possibly put into words how delicious and mouthwatering these vanilla brigadeiros taste with a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Vanilla brigadeiro balls
These cinnamon vanilla brigadeiros are mouthwatering!

Brazilian dessert

It’s not a secret that brigadeiro is one of the most popular—if not the most—Brazilian dessert.

Not only that, but they are also incredibly easy to make, so no reason not to try ‘em!

As for the ingredients, this recipe calls for a couple of ingredients only, and I strongly believe you have most of them in your pantry.

Maybe you will need to buy condensed milk, but the rest of the ingredients are found in any kitchen.

In most Brazilian kitchens—if not all of them—you can easily find this sweetener as nearly 90% of our desserts have sweetened condensed milk.

Anyway, let’s talk about the recipe!

Vanilla brigadeiro fudge

When to serve these cinnamon vanilla truffles

You can serve brigadeiros on any occasion, to be honest. You can even make them in a bowl and eat with a spoon if you want. I’m guilty of that!

Still, you can serve these brigadeiros at:

  • Afternoon teas
  • Birthday parties
  • Fall treats
  • Friends or family gatherings
  • Christmas treat

Can I make these cinnamon vanilla brigadeiros ahead?

Of course! For the best flavor-moisture balance, make it the day before serving it. However, you can keep it for up to 4-5 days in the fridge or at room temperature, covered.

They last longer than that, but the truffles become a little dry as the days go by.

Vanilla brigadeiro fudge

Can I save the leftovers?

If you have any leftovers! Ha! 

But yes, you can if you don’t dredge the balls with sugar. To freeze them, place the vanilla brigadeiros in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer.

To thaw them, leave the brigadeiros on a plate at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Other brigadeiro variations you might like

Here are all my brigadeiro variations.

Vanilla brigadeiro truffles

Tips for making a delicious vanilla brigadeiro

  • Use measuring spoons to achieve the exact results of this recipe. Just a little more cinnamon can make your brigadeiro taste too strong. You can decrease the cinnamon amount if you believe it is too strong for you.
  • I dredged my brigadeiros in granulated sugar with a pinch of cinnamon, but you can use anything else you prefer. Namely, you can use chocolate sprinkles, minced nuts, etc.
  • To achieve a uniform look, weigh each brigadeiro ball before rolling them. I used about 15 grams for each truffle.

For this recipe, you will need candy cups no 3.

How to make cinnamon vanilla brigadeiro

Here’s the instruction on how to make this vanilla brigadeiro. As always, the printable recipe follows at the bottom.

Grease a plate with butter and set aside.

In a medium non-stick pan, cook the butter, sweetened condensed milk, and salt over medium-low heat—always stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Once the brigadeiro mix is warm and the butter is completely melted, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue stirring.

Vanilla brigadeiro recipe

The mixture thickens after about 8-10 minutes, and once you can run your spoon through the middle of it without it running back together for 2-3 seconds, it is done.

Pour the mixture into the greased plate, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

In the meantime, place the mini bonbon cups on a serving plate and a mix of granulated sugar with a pinch of cinnamon in a bowl.

Once the 1 hour is over, slightly wet your hands, put a tablespoon of the chewy mixture on your hands, and roll into a small ball. Cover with the sugar-cinnamon mixture, and transfer to the candy cups.

Garnish each brigadeiro with a clove and serve with freshly brewed coffee. Enjoy!

Pin it!

Vanilla brigadeiro Pinterest graphic
Vanilla brigadeiro balls

Cinnamon Vanilla Brigadeiro

Yield: About 20
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Rolling the balls: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

This cinnamon vanilla brigadeiro recipe is so mouthwatering, especially when served with a cup of freshly brewed coffee, that you won’t believe it is this easy to make!

Ingredients

  • 1 14 ounces (397 grams) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • A dash of salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Garnish

  • Granulated sugar with a pinch of cinnamon
  • Cloves

Instructions

    1. Grease a plate with butter and set aside.
    2. In a medium non-stick pan, cook the butter, sweetened condensed milk, and salt over medium-low heat---always stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon.
    3. Once the brigadeiro mix is warm and the butter is completely melted, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue stirring.
    4. The mixture thickens after about 8-10 minutes, and once you can run your spoon through the middle of it without it running back together for 2-3 seconds, it is done.
    5. Pour the mixture into the greased plate, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
    6. In the meantime, place the candy cups on a serving plate and a mix of granulated sugar with a pinch of cinnamon in a bowl.
    7. Once the 1 hour is over, slightly wet your hands, put a tablespoon of the chewy mixture on your hands, and roll into a small ball. Cover with the sugar-cinnamon mixture, and transfer to the candy cups.
    8. Garnish each brigadeiro with a clove and serve with freshly brewed coffee. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 95Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 42mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

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Brittany

Wednesday 26th of January 2022

How many days is this good for? I'm trying to figure out how far in advance from my event I can make these.

Bruna

Thursday 27th of January 2022

Hi Brittany, thanks for your question! You can read more about storing the brigadeiros in the text above the recipe. Copy from the text: "For the best flavor-moisture balance, make it the day before serving it. However, you can keep it for up to 4-5 days in the fridge or at room temperature, covered."

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