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Alfajores or dulce de leche cookies are a tradition in many South American countries. These sandwich cookies usually are filled with dulce de leche (caramel made with sweet condensed milk) but sometimes you will find variations with Nutella or guava. 

My grandmother always said the special ingredient to make the best alfajores is the cornstarch (or maicena in Spanish) because it produces the best texture. She also made her own dulce de leche (or manjar, as it is called in Chile) by boiling cans of sweet condensed milk in the pressure cooker. Now you can skip that and easily buy dulce de leche at the supermarket.

The biggest problem when you make the best alfajores is that you can’t just eat one. They’re addictive! Everybody will be licking their fingers after trying these sandwich cookies, trust me.

Can you use Nutella instead of dulce de leche as filling?

Yes! I usually make two batches of alfajores, one with dulce de leche and one with Nutella to please everybody. The results are equally delicious!

 

In which countries can I find alfajores?

Alfajores are traditionally found in Southern Cone countries like Argentina, Peru and Chile. Sometimes you might see them topped with shredded coconut instead of powdered sugar.

 

What is the best way to store alfajores?

You can store alfajores in an airtight container for 5 days. You may also freeze these dulce de leche sandwich cookies if you won’t be serving them soon.

 

Alfajores or Dulce De Leche Sandwich Cookies 

Yield: 14

Prep Time: 10 min 

Bake Time: 12 min 

Total Time: 22 min 

 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large egg yolks 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup cornstarch, like Maizena
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ½ teaspoon baking soda  
• 1 can ( 13.4 oz ) dulce de leche, like this one by La Lechera 
• Powdered Sugar 

 

Instructions: 

• Line baking trays with parchment paper or baking silicone mats, and set to the side. 
• Add butter and sugar to a stand mixer bowl. Mix using a paddle attachment until combined, 3-4 minutes.
• Add the egg yolks and vanilla; mix until combined. 
• In a large bowl add the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda. 
• Whisk until combined. 
• Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until the dough pulls from the sides to form a ball. 
• Transfer the dough to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. 
• Place in the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours. 
• Preheat the oven to 350 F or 177 C.
• Transfer the dough to a flour-covered work space. 
• Cut the dough in half. 
• Roll the dough to a ½ inch thickness 
• Use a circle cookie cutter to cut your cookies and transfer to the baking sheets.
• Bake for 12 minutes. 
• Transfer cookies to a baking rack to cool to room temperature.  
• Pour the dulce de leche into a piping bag with a 1/2 inch round tip.
• Pipe your dulce de leche onto half of the cookies.
• Place another cookie on top of the caramel topped cookie. 
• Set to the side to allow the cookies to become firm, around 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle powdered sugar on top as garnish.

More delicious desserts

• Tres leches waffles
• The best dulce de leche flan recipe
• Homemade churros
• How To Make Homemade Dulce de Leche in an Instant Pot

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