I went to Brazil in early 2023, and out of all of the delicious food I consumed, I found some of the country’s most enjoyable bites in bakeries. On my last night, I finally tried the beloved brigadeiro, a small ball-shaped sweet, typically made of milk chocolate, butter, cocoa powder, and sweetened condensed milk, covered entirely in chocolate sprinkles. Shortly after returning to the U.S., I happened upon Brigadeiro Bakery on a stroll through SoHo. I couldn’t believe there was an entire storefront dedicated to the Brazilian sweet treat I’d just enjoyed on my travels.
Veering slightly from the traditional recipes, the brigadeiros at Brigadeiro Bakery come in a wide variety of flavors, like pistachio, dulce de leche and banana cinnamon. You can still get the classic chocolate brigadeiro, and after trying several of these pop-in-your-mouth sweet treats on various occasions, my vote for my favorite still goes to the OG. Hey, maybe it’s just nostalgia from my trip, but the milk chocolate is an ode to life’s simple pleasures. It’s almost like a cake pop without the cake — a chocolatey, sprinkled-covered frosting pop, if you will.
Brazilian-born Mariana Vieira is the woman behind bringing such a specific treat to New York. Hailing from Bauru, she studied culinary arts at Anhembi Morumbi in São Paulo before making her way to the States. She would often bring people brigadeiros as a gesture, and the reaction was positive across the board. This inspired her to start a blog about the treats, which would eventually lead to her first large order. Vieira got a call in 2012 from Macy’s to place an order of 1,000 brigadeiros. That was the catalyst for turning her hobby into an official business.
Fast forward to December 2014: Brigadeiro Bakery is born. While there’s no denying the star of the show is Vieira’s rotating range of brigadeiros, they also serve up yet another Brazilian specialty: pão de queijo, or Brazilian cheese bread. The incredibly fluffy and soft bread comes absolutely loaded with sharp Brazilian cheese. Naturally gluten-free, pāo de queijo is made with yucca flour and has a nice stretch and toothsome chew. You can get the buns on their own, but for a real cheese overload, get a pāo de queijo cheese sandwich, where the bread is sliced in half and filled with even more creamy, tangy cheese.
There are a few different ways to try brigadeiros here. You could go for a slice of brigadeiro cake, where you can choose from flavors like classic chocolate or their super moist carrot cake (which is all prepped in a blender). For a fix on a chilly day, the brigadeiro hot chocolate is a must. While brigadeiros are naturally already quite sweet, the hot chocolate can only be described as over-the-top decadence. The rim is made with a thick “frosting,” which, true to form, is covered in sprinkles. If you need something to balance all the sugar you’re bound to consume in your visit, the bakery also makes their own coffee blend and serves a variety of tea and Brazilian sodas.
Address: 156 Sullivan St., New York, NY 10012
Phone: (917)-328-2571
Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Prices: Brigadeiros start at a minimum of three per order for $7.50; Cake slices and jars $9; Boxed brigadeiros $36 to $124; Whole cakes $90; Pao de queijo $3.50; pao de queijo sandwich $5.50
Takeout and delivery available; no reservations (limited seating). Delivery available nationwide on GoldBelly.
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