Best Alfajores Recipes

ALFAJORES (DULCE DE LECHE SANDWICH COOKIES)

Steps:

• Mix flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl. Place butter in a separate bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until soft and fluffy. Add white sugar and vanilla and mix well.
• Add flour mixture to the bowl with the butter mixture in 3 stages; mix until just blended. Divide dough in half and roll each half into a log. Refrigerate dough logs until firm, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Slice dough logs into 1/4-inch cookies and place on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until just starting to turn golden around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes more.
• Use a knife to apply a generous amount of dulce de leche on one cookie. Sandwich another cookie on top and place on a serving tray. Repeat with remaining cookies and dulce de leche. Lightly dust finished cookies with confectioners' sugar.

ALFAJORES DE MAIZENA

Steps:

• Beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar gradually, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon rind.
• Sift together the cornstarch, flour, baking powder and soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating until thoroughly combined.
• Drop the batter by small spoonfuls onto well buttered baking sheets. Leave enough space between the cookies because they will spread.
• Bake in a 350 degrees oven 15 minutes. Immediately remove from the baking sheets and let cool.
• When cool, spread some Dulce de leche on the bottom half of the cookies and make a sandwich with the remaining cookies. Squeeze the sandwiches so that some of the dulce de leche is squeezed out the sides, and roll the sides in the grated coconut.

ALFAJORES

Steps:

• Combine the flour, corn flour and baking powder together in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Using a food mixer or an electric whisk in another bowl beat the butter together with the sugar and lemon zest until very pale. Add the egg yolks followed by the Cognac and vanilla extract. Beat in the dry ingredients until you have smooth dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for a minimum of 1 hour. You can make the biscuit dough the day before and leave in the fridge.
• Line two large baking trays with baking parchment. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin then cut out 60 biscuits with a 5cm round or fluted cutter. Put the biscuits back in the fridge for 20 mins to firm up.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the biscuits for 8 mins until just set. You want the biscuits to stay pale with a crumbly texture. Leave to cool completely before sandwiching two biscuits together with a spoonful of dulce de leche. Once all the biscuits are sandwiched together roll in desiccated coconut.

ALFAJORES (AN ARGENTINEAN DULCE DE LECHE SANDWICH COOKIE)

Steps:

• Cream butter for a minute, add sugar and beat until fluffy.
• Add egg and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well. Beat in vanilla and lemon rind.
• In a separate bowl, sift together cornstarch, flour, baking powder and salt. Add to mixture and mix well.
• Drop batter by small spoonfuls onto well buttered baking sheet. Try to keep your cookie size uniform as it will make building sandwiches easier.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove immediately.
• Sandwich the cookies together with (dulce de leche) sweet milk dessert.

PERUVIAN ALFAJORES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Sift flour and 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar together into a bowl. Rub the shortening into the flour until completely incorporated to form a dough. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thick, then cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch circles with a small, round cookie cutter. Place circles onto an ungreased baking sheet, and poke each twice with a fork.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Disks should be removed from the oven while still pale, they should not brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• To assemble the alfajores, spread one of the disks with a teaspoon of dulce de leche, then place a second disk on top, creating a sandwich. Repeat with remaining disks, then dust with confectioners' sugar.

PERUVIAN ALFAJORES WITH MANJAR BLANCO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Beat white sugar and butter together in a large bowl using an electric mixer until creamy. Add cornstarch, flour, eggs, pisco, vanilla extract, and baking powder. Mix gently until combined.
• Turn dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand until smooth. Add water as needed. Divide in half, refrigerate 1 portion, and leave the other out.
• Coat your work surface with powdered sugar. Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch rounds with a cookie cutter or shot glass. Place rounds close together on a baking sheet. Prick each cookie twice with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; cookies should still be white and soft, not crispy, and will firm up as they cool. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
• Pour condensed milk, evaporated milk, and brown sugar into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until filling approaches the consistency of thick caramel, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat; mixture will firm up as it cools to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Pour confectioners' sugar into a shallow bowl. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of the filling over cooled cookies. Attach every two cookies together to make the alfajores. Roll alfajores in confectioners' sugar.

ALFAJORES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing until well combined, about 1 minute. Working in batches, add flour mixture; mix until well combined. Add milk, orange juice, and vanilla; continue mixing until a dough forms, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Using a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack until completely cool.
• When cookies have cooled completely, spread the bottoms of half of the cookies with dulche de leche, cajeta, or jam; sandwich together with remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Just before serving, lightly sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

GLUTEN-FREE SANDWICH COOKIES WITH DULCE DE LECHE (ALFAJORES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Whisk in egg yolks, one at a time, until well combined. Add lemon zest and vanilla extract with the last egg. Fold into flour mixture with a spoon, mixing until dough holds together and turns into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut cookies with a small round cookie cutter and place on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set but not browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove immediately to cool on a wire rack.
• Spread underside of a cookie with 1 teaspoon dulce de leche. Sandwich together with another cookie until filling comes out on the sides. Roll sides in the shredded coconut.

ALFAJORES (DULCE DE LECHE SANDWICH CRèME COOKIES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In large bowl, stir cookie mix, 1/2 cup of the coconut, the pecans, butter and egg until stiff dough forms.
• On floured surface, roll half of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch round or fluted cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.
• To make each sandwich cookie, spread about 2 teaspoons dulce de leche on bottom of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down; gently press cookies together so some of filling seeps out around edges. Roll edges in remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Place cookies on cooling rack.
• Sprinkle tops of sandwich cookies with powdered sugar. Store between sheets of waxed paper in tightly covered container.

ALFAJORES WITH COCONUT DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Bring condensed milk, coconut milk, and ½ tsp. salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Scrape mixture into a 13x9" baking dish and bake, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until very thick and a light caramel color, 40-50 minutes. Mixture will look lumpy, broken, and very pasty-that's exactly what you want. Let cool in dish 1 hour, then transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Set dulce de leche aside for serving.
• Meanwhile, whisk almond flour and 2¼ cups all-purpose flour in a medium bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, and 1½ tsp. salt in a large bowl, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and ¼ cup honey and beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients, and mix, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl, until incorporated. Divide dough in half and pat each piece into a 1"-thick disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, dusting with more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking, to about ⅛" thick. Punch out shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters and transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1" apart. Pat scraps into a 1"-thick disk, wrap with plastic, and chill 10 minutes if soft.
• Bake a sheet of cookies, rotating halfway through, until edges are lightly browned, 7-9 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Bake remaining sheet of cookies. Line baking sheets with fresh sheets of parchment paper and repeat process with remaining disk of dough.
• Divide coconut evenly among 3 bowls. Add 1 Tbsp. food-coloring powder (sift if needed) to a bowl of coconut and toss until coconut is coated; add more powder if a more intense color is desired. Repeat with remaining food-coloring powder and another bowl of coconut. Leave 1 bowl of coconut white. If using, add some luster dust to all 3 bowls and toss to combine.
• Turn half of the cookies over to expose flat side; spread 1 tsp. dulce de leche over (this will be the inside of the sandwiches); set aside.
• Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. honey in a small bowl in the microwave just until warm (you want it to be loose), then stir in 2 tsp. warm water. Working one at a time, lightly brush honey over the top of remaining cookies (the ones that have not been filled with dulce de leche). Immediately dip tops into a bowl of coconut; press additional coconut onto cookie to cover any bald spots. Close up cookie sandwiches, coconut side up.
• Do Ahead: Dulce de leche can be made 1 month ahead; place in an airtight container and freeze. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before using. Dough can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled. Cookies can be baked (but not assembled) 2 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.

ALFAJORES DE DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking mat (such as Silpat).
• Sift together flour and confectioners' sugar. In a food processor, pulse together flour mixture and butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 20 seconds. With machine running, pour in the water in a slow steam and process just until the dough comes together, about 20 seconds. Form the dough into 2 flattened disks and wrap well in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a well-floured work surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds from dough and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with other disk of dough. Gather up the scraps from both batches, and reroll and cut. Sprinkle half the rounds with sanding sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• About 30 minutes before serving, spread 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cold dulce de leche on bottom of unsugared cookies. Place sugared cookies on top to make sandwiches. Serve immediately. Unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Remaining dulce de leche can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator as well.

ALFAJORES (PERUVIAN)

Steps:

• Remove labels of of milk cans - do NOT open the can. Boil unopened can(s) of sweet condensed milk in deep pots with plenty of water over a high heat for 1.5-2 hours. The more you boil it the deeper, more caramelly and more flavorful the filling will be. Make sure the water does not run out and the pot does not run dry. Turn off heat and allow water to cool for about 20-30 min. Remove can from water with pinchers and allow the can to cool to room temperature. While milk is boiling, mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter a stick at a time in chunks, working through to make small chunks (you can use a food processor for the first 2 sticks). When you add the last stick of butter you should be able to form a ball of dough. Try not to overwork dough. Refridgerate dough for 15 min. Roll out dough (I do half at a time) on smooth stone or wooden surface using plenty of flour on both sides and on rolling pin to avoid sticking. Roll out to 1/4 in thick and then cut out shapes with a round cookie cutter. With a spatula or with fingers, arrange cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Continue rolling cookie dough and placing onto baking sheet until all the dough is gone. Bake at 350 degrees until cookies are brown (about 10-15 min.) Remove from oven, cool. Separate cookies from the baking sheet with a spatula. Using a can opener, open the room temperature can(s) of sweet condensed milk. Do not open if still warm. Using a small spreading knife, (like a cheese knife), spread a small amount on the bottom side of a cookie. Place a similar size cookie on top to make a sandwich and put aside (on another baking sheet). Once all cookies have been made into a sandwich, and have been placed on a sheet evenly spaced apart, place about 1/4 cp of powdered sugar on sieve and sprinkle over cookies. Enjoy!

ALFAJORES HIDDEN SURPRISE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick cookie sheets).
• Make sugar cookie dough as directed on pouch. Roll dough into 36 (1-inch) balls; place on ungreased large cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets 1 minute. Using 1 1/4-inch round cutter; cut the center out of 12 of the cookies and set aside for another use. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons dulce de leche on each of 12 uncut cookies. Top each with cookie with center cut out. Fill each hole of 11 of the cookies with 1 teaspoon hazelnut spread. Fill 12th cookie with colored sprinkles (that's the surprise cookie). Spread 1/2 teaspoon dulce de leche around top edge of each cookie to act as "glue," and top with remaining 12 cookies. Press together gently to squeeze dulce de leche out slightly.
• In small microwavable bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High 1 minute, stirring until smooth. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate. Roll edges of other half of each cookie in toasted coconut, pressing slightly to allow it to stick. Place on sheet of waxed paper; refrigerate to set chocolate. If desired, place cookies in decorative bags to give as gifts.

ALFAJORES DE MAICENA

Steps:

• Bata las yemas con el azucar y eche la manteca diluida, la ralladura de limon y luego los ingredientes secos, com son harinas y royal. Nota: En un papel se lone la taza de harina, maizena, royal y poco a poco se le pone a los huevos batidos, que ya estan con el azucar y manteca. La msa tiene que ser suave, no seca! Es mejor que falte la harina a que sobre (tazas no muy llenas). Hacer los discos de copitas pequena y rellenar con dulce de leche.

CARAMEL ALFAJORES COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Process Easy Homemade Pie Dough and 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) sugar in food processor 30 sec. or until mixture is well blended and starts to form ball. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into ball; flatten into disk.
• Roll out 1 disk on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into 16 rounds with 2-inch cookie cutter, rerolling scraps as necessary. Place, 1 inch apart, on parchment-covered baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake 13 to 15 min. or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Microwave caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 30 sec. to 1 min. or until caramels are completely melted and sauce is well blended, stirring after 30 sec. Stir in cinnamon.
• Spread caramel sauce onto flat sides of 16 cookies, adding about 1 tsp. caramel sauce to each cookie. Cover with remaining cookies, flat sides down, to make 16 sandwiches. Place on wire rack; sprinkle with remaining sugar.

TRADITIONAL ALFAJORES - CARAMEL SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix briefly.
• Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture, blending with your fingers until the mixture is smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and Pisco, and mix with your hands until the dough is homogeneous and smooth (add a little extra Pisco if dough is too crumbly to form a ball).
• Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Roll out dough to 3/8" thickness, and cut into 2 inch circles.
• Place cookies on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• .Bake cookies for 10-15 minutes, until they are barely golden brown. Let cookies cook 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
• To fill the cookies, spread one cookie with dulce de leche and top with second cookie. Roll the edges in the coconut.
• Store in an airtight container.

MINI ALFAJORES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick cookie sheet).
• In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and flour. With electric mixer on low speed, beat in butter and egg until soft dough forms.
• On floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter; place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Re-roll remaining dough and cut until most of dough is used.
• Bake cookies 5 to 7 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• On bottoms of half of the cookies, spread 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons dulce de leche. Place remaining cookies, bottom side down, over dulce de leche to form sandwich cookies. Sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar. If desired, place cookies in decorative bags to give as gifts.

ALFAJORES ARGENTINEAN STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
• Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, allowing each yolk to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla rum, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest with the last egg. Gently fold in the flour mixture with a spoon, making a crumbly dough. When the dough becomes cohesive enough, press it together into a ball with your hands. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Roll out the dough, using as little flour as possible, about 1/4 inch thick. The dough will have an unusual consistency. Cut with a small round cookie cutter. Continue pressing the dough together, rolling it out, and cutting until you have used it all. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set but not browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the cookies immediately to cool on a wire rack.
• Spread the underside of a cooled cookie with a teaspoon of dulce de leche, then sandwich together with another cookie until the caramel oozes out the sides. Roll the sides in the shredded coconut.

ARGENTINIAN ALFAJORES

Steps:

• Cream butter; add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well. Beat in vanilla and lemon rind.
• Sift together cornstarch, flour, baking powder and salt. Add to mixture and mix well.
• Drop batter by small spoonfuls onto well buttered baking sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove immediately. Sandwich the cookies together with dulce de leche. See my recipe.

ALFAJORES DE DULCE DE LECHE (CARAMEL SANDWICH COOKIES)

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg yolks, whole egg, rum, and vanilla and beat until well blended. 2. In another bowl, mix 2 cups flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended. Divide dough in half. Flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. 3. Unwrap dough. On a lightly floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll one disk at a time to about 1/8 inch thick. With a floured 2- to 3-inch round cutter, cut out cookies. Place about 1 inch apart on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. Gather excess dough into a ball, reroll, and cut out remaining cookies. 4. Bake in a 350° oven until cookie edges are golden, about 10 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer them to racks to cool completely. 5. Turn half the cookies bottom side up and spread each with about 1 tablespoon dulce de leche. Top with remaining cookies, bottom side down. Place coconut in a shallow bowl. Gently squeeze each sandwich until filling begins to show at the edges, then roll edges in coconut.