This alfajores cookies recipe will show you how to make alfajores de maicena just like they do in Argentina. Corn starch makes the shortbread tender and soft, and they are filled with luscious dulce de leche.
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Let's make the dreamiest sandwich cookie you've ever had in your life. With tender, lemon-laced shortbread that will melt in your mouth, filled with creamy dulce de leche so caramel-y that it will make your eyes roll back in your head.
I'm talking about alfajores, cookies I had never even heard of until our honeymoon in Buenos Aires. I ate them every day for two weeks while we were there and brought two boxes home on the plane.
I'll show you an easy way to make alfajores cookies without having to roll out the dough. We're making them like refrigerator cookies and just slicing each one. Let's do this.
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What are alfajores cookies?
Alfajores are sandwich cookies made throughout South America that are especially popular in Argentina. The dough is made with a significant amount of cornstarch, which makes them very light and tender. They are flavored with lemon zest for lightness and zing, and brandy to give a hint of caramel.
The filling is dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk) and they can be topped with powdered sugar or coated with coconut. Some are even covered in chocolate.
A sandwich cookie that's easy to make with unique flavors!
- We're using the roll and slice method, so no need for cookie cutters.
- You can pipe the filling by cutting the corner off a zip top bag, no piping bags or special equipment needed.
- Lemon zest adds incredible brightness and aroma to the cookie dough.
- Dulce de leche filling gives alfajores cookies their distinctive Argentinian flavor.
Ingredients you'll need
- Corn starch: You'll be using more cornstarch than flour in this recipe and that is what makes the alfajores so light and tender!
- Baking powder AND baking soda
- AP flour
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar
- Egg yolks
- Vanilla
- Lemon zest: This makes the cookies literally sing with bright flavor.
- Brandy: Or cognac or whole milk. Brandy or cognac will lend a bit of caramel flavor that complements the dulce de leche.
- Dulce de leche: Use the canned dulce de leche that you'll probably find right next to the sweetened condensed milk on the baking aisle. I get it at the Mexican market, and I've also seen it at Target. Don't use dulce de leche syrup in a squeeze bottle, it's not thick enough.
- Powdered sugar: For dusting the cookies when finished.
How to make homemade alfajores cookies
Adapted from a recipe by Mirta Rinaldi in Food and Wine.
Follow these step by step instructions for perfect homemade alfajores cookies!
Step 1: Whisk together the dry ingredients
Add flour, corn starch, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. I highly recommend you weigh your flour and corn starch with a kitchen scale. See tip below.
Step 2: Cream together the butter and sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, lemon zest, brandy and vanilla on medium speed for about 30 seconds until just combined.
Step 3: Add the egg yolks
Then add all three egg yolks and mix for another 30 seconds until completely incorporated.
Step 4: Combing the wet and dry ingredients
Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients gradually, in about 3 batches. Once all dry ingredients have been added, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 15 seconds. The batter should come together and start making a flapping sound, and it will come away from the sides of the bowl, leaving it clean.
The batter will be very creamy and smooth and it should hold an indent when pressed.
Step 5: Divide the alfajores dough and refrigerate
Divide the dough in two, and roll into logs about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap each one in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.
Step 6: Slice the cookies and bake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap. Roll it a little to round it out if it's gotten flat on one side. Slice into rounds about ⅛ inch thick and place them on the parchment about 1 ½ inches apart.
Bake one sheet at a time for 6-8 minutes, until the tops are dry and barely hold an indent when gently pressed.
Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Next, carefully lift up one corner of parchment, then—staying well above the hot baking sheet—run the other hand palm side up under the cookies on the parchment to loosen them gently.
Step 7: Fill the alfajores with dulce de leche
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack in alternating rows facing up and down and let cool completely. Once cool, fill a piping bag or ziptop plastic bag with dulce de leche. Snip a small hole in one corner and pipe about a teaspoon of dulce de leche onto the cookies that are flat side up. (Or topside down, however you want to look at it.)
Sandwich the alfajores cookies together, pressing down gently with the backs of your fingers until the dulce de leche has reached the edge and is just about to squeeze out the sides. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Pro tips for making alfajores cookies
- Weighing your dry ingredients is crucial for this recipe. Corn starch is super fine and can get packed down VERY easily, resulting in accidentally using several ounces more than you intended which will make your batter too dry. How do I know? Because it happened to me and I had to start over - I weighed it the second time.
- Do not overmix the dough! I know 30 seconds of mixing doesn't sound like much, but it's really all you need. You don't want these cookies to get tough.
- Don't skip the step of loosening the cookies from the parchment. Alfajores are very delicate when still warm and if you just try to lift them up, you'll risk leaving half the cookie on the parchment.
- If you prefer to have absolutely perfectly round identical cookies, you can absolutely roll out the dough to ⅛ inch thick and use a 1 ½ inch cookie cutter instead of slicing them off the log. Do not flour the surface, only the rolling pin if necessary.
- In Argentina, alfajores are made with dulce de leche repostero, but it's very hard to find in the US and can be very expensive if you do. It's thicker and helps the cookies be a bit sturdier. If you can find it and afford it, go for it. If not use the 'regular' canned dulce de leche.
How to store alfajores cookies
- Alfajores can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week. Keep them on one layer, or stack them with sheets of parchment in between. They can be a bit delicate around the edges, so don't cram them together.
- To freeze the alfajores, place the cookies in an airtight freezer container for up to 30 days.
More cookie recipes
Try these cookies from around the world!
- Amaretti Cookies are a specialty of Sicily. I've made them a little fancier by using cocktail cherries to zhuzh up the flavor.
- Palmiers are little French cookies made with just two ingredients: store-bought puff pastry and sugar!
- Pecan Sandies Cookies bring it all home to the U.S.A. with a simple shortbread dough infused with the king of all nuts.
Recipe
Homeade Alfajores Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces corn starch about 2 ¼ cups, but you should really go by weight
- 6.375 ounces flour about 1 ½ cups
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoon brandy, cognac, or whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of one medium lemon
- 3 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 1 can dulce de leche 13.5 ounces
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Add flour, corn starch, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. I highly recommend you weigh your flour and corn starch with a kitchen scale. See tip below.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, lemon zest, brandy and vanilla on medium speed for about 30 seconds until just combined. Then add all three egg yolks and mix for another 30 seconds until completely incorporated.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients gradually, in about 3 batches. Once all dry ingredients have been added, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 15 seconds. The batter should come together and start making a flapping sound, and it will come away from the sides of the bowl leaving it clean. The batter will be very creamy and smooth and it should hold an indent when pressed.
- Divide the dough in two, and roll into logs about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap each one in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap. Roll it a little to round it out if it's gotten flat on one side. Slice into rounds about ⅛ inch thick and place them on the parchment about 1 ½ inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 6-8 minutes, until the tops are dry and barely hold an indent when pressed.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Next, carefully lift up one corner of parchment, then—staying well above the hot baking sheet—run the other hand palm side up under the cookies on the parchment to loosen them gently.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack in alternating rows facing up and down and let cool completely. Once cool, fill a piping bag or ziptop plastic bag with dulce de leche. Snip a small hole in one corner and pipe about a teaspoon of dulce de leche onto the cookies that are flat side up. (Or topside down, however you want to look at it.)
- Sandwich the cookies together, pressing down gently with the backs of your fingers until the dulce de leche has reached the edge and is just about to squeeze out the sides. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Weighing your dry ingredients is crucial for this recipe. Corn starch is super fine and can get packed down VERY easily, resulting in accidentally using several ounces more than you intended which will make your batter too dry. How do I know? Because it happened to me and I had to start over - I weighed it the second time. This is my favorite kitchen scale.
- Do not overmix the dough! I know 30 seconds of mixing doesn't sound like much, but it's really all you need. You don't want these cookies to get tough.
- Don't skip the step of loosening the cookies from the parchment. Alfajores are very delicate when still warm and if you just try to lift them up, you'll risk leaving half the cookie on the parchment.
- If you prefer, you can roll out the dough and use 1 ½ inch cookie cutters.
- Store alfajores in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
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