Alfajores
Buttery dulce de leche sandwich cookies from Argentina with a melt-in-your-mouth cornstarch shortbread. An elegant dessert that looks impressive but comes together quickly.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 3g
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 whole large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup dulce de leche
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.5 cup cornstarch, 0.5 teaspoon baking powder, and 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt. Set aside.
- 3
In a large bowl, beat 0.5 cup room-temperature unsalted butter and 0.75 cup granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl halfway through.
- 4
Add 2 large egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated. The batter should look smooth and creamy.
- 5
Reduce the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until the dough comes together — do not overmix, or the cookies will be tough. The dough should be soft but hold together when pinched.
- 6
Scoop the dough using a small cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon, spacing them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets — you should have about 24 cookies total. Gently flatten each one slightly with the bottom of a glass.
- 7
Bake on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just golden but the centers still look slightly underdone — they will continue to cook as they cool. The cookies should be pale golden, not brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 8
Once the cookies are completely cool, match them into pairs of similar size. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of dulce de leche onto the flat side of one cookie, then gently press another cookie flat-side down onto the filling to create a sandwich.
- 9
If using the coconut garnish, gently roll the edges of each alfajor in 0.5 cup unsweetened shredded coconut so it adheres to the filling. Arrange on a serving plate and serve at room temperature or chilled — the dulce de leche will be creamier if the cookies have been refrigerated for at least 30 minutes.
Tools you’ll need
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- small mixing bowl
- whisk
- large mixing bowl
- electric mixer
- rubber spatula
- small cookie scoop or tablespoon
- glass
- wire cooling rack
- shallow plate or bowl
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