Alfajores de Chocolate
Buttery dulce de leche sandwich cookies with a chocolate coating—an Argentine classic that's crispy outside, melt-in-your-mouth inside. Make these tender treats ahead; they taste even better the next day.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 2g
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 count large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup dulce de leche
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, cream together 0.5 cup softened unsalted butter and 0.75 cup granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. The mixture should look pale, fluffy, and noticeably lighter in color — this incorporates air and creates a tender crumb.
- 2
Add 2 large egg yolks one at a time, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition until fully incorporated. Then add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix for another 30 seconds.
- 3
In a separate bowl, whisk together 1.75 cups all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup cornstarch, 0.5 teaspoon baking powder, and 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt. This combination of flour and cornstarch is what gives alfajores their signature tender, almost sandy texture.
- 4
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined — do not overmix, or the cookies will be tough. The dough should come together but still look slightly crumbly; that's perfect.
- 5
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and gather it into a disk. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — chilled dough is easier to roll and produces cookies with cleaner edges.
- 6
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. The lower temperature prevents the delicate edges from browning too quickly before the centers bake through.
- 7
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Dust your work surface lightly with flour and roll out the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness — use a rolling pin and rotate the dough frequently to keep it even. The dough should be thin enough to see the work surface through it.
- 8
Using a 1.5-inch round cookie cutter or small glass, cut out cookies and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gather scraps, reroll gently, and cut more cookies until all dough is used.
- 9
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden but the centers still look pale and soft — they should feel tender to a gentle touch. The cookies will firm up as they cool. Do not overbake; alfajores should be delicate and crumbly, never crispy.
- 10
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. They will set up and become more delicate as they cool.
- 11
Once the cookies are completely cool, flip half of them over so the flat side faces up. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of dulce de leche onto each base cookie and spread it gently with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, leaving a small border around the edges — you don't want filling squishing out when you press the top on.
- 12
Top each filled cookie with a second cookie, flat side down, pressing gently until a tiny bit of filling peeks out around the edges. You should have 12 assembled alfajores.
- 13
Set up a makeshift double boiler by placing a heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water — the bowl should not touch the water. Add 6 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the bowl and stir gently with a rubber spatula until completely melted and smooth. Melting chocolate over gentle heat prevents it from seizing and becoming grainy.
- 14
Working with one cookie at a time, use a fork to dip the top and sides of each alfajor into the warm chocolate, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If using garnish, sprinkle 0.25 cup unsweetened coconut flakes over the chocolate immediately, before it sets — this is traditional in Argentina.
- 15
Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to allow the chocolate to set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days — the cookies taste even better after a day or two as the flavors meld and the texture becomes even more tender.
Tools you’ll need
- electric mixer
- large mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- plastic wrap
- rolling pin
- 1.5-inch round cookie cutter
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- wire cooling rack
- offset spatula or butter knife
- fork
- heatproof bowl
- pot for double boiler
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