Dulce de Leche Alfajores
Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth Argentine shortbread cookies sandwiched with rich dulce de leche and rolled in shredded coconut. These elegant treats are surprisingly simple but taste impressively indulgent.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 280
- Protein
- 2g
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 whole large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 200 g dulce de leche
- 100 g unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- 1
Remove 200 g of unsalted butter from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes until it's soft enough that a finger leaves an indent, but it's not melting or greasy — this ensures the cookies will be tender and sandy-textured.
- 2
While the butter softens, whisk together 200 g all-purpose flour, 50 g cornstarch, 0.5 teaspoon baking powder, and 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- 3
In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and 100 g granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and noticeably lighter in color — this incorporates air and creates a delicate crumb structure.
- 4
Separate the yolk from one large egg, reserving just the yolk. Add the yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed for 1 minute until fully combined and smooth.
- 5
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as needed, until just combined — you want a cohesive dough with no dry flour streaks. Do not overmix or the cookies will be tough.
- 6
Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — chilled dough is much easier to cut and prevents spreading during baking.
- 7
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 8
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough to an even 1/4-inch thickness — work slowly and evenly to avoid cracks.
- 9
Using a 1.5-inch round cookie cutter (or a small drinking glass), cut out circles from the rolled dough, re-rolling scraps as needed. You should yield 24 cookies total (12 pairs). Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- 10
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden and the centers are set but still pale — the cookies should feel slightly firm to the touch but not brittle. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
- 11
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely — this prevents them from becoming too crisp on the bottom.
- 12
Pour 100 g unsweetened shredded coconut into a shallow dish. Take one cooled cookie and spread about 0.5 tablespoon of dulce de leche on the flat side, then press another cookie on top, flat side down, creating a sandwich. Gently roll the edges in the coconut to coat the filling. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
- 13
Arrange the finished alfajores on a serving platter. They are best enjoyed within 2-3 days, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tools you’ll need
- electric mixer
- large bowl
- small mixing bowl
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- plastic wrap
- rolling pin
- parchment paper
- two baking sheets
- 1.5-inch round cookie cutter
- wire cooling rack
- shallow dish
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