Best Peruvian Caramel Cookies Recipes

ALFAJORES: DULCE DE LECHE SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Stir all the ingredients very well and add the lemon zest.
• Use an electric hand mixer to mix the butter with the powdered sugar (previously sifted) until you get a creamy mixture.
• Add the milk and egg yolks, continue mixing until all the ingredients are well combined.
• Add the flour mixture in batches and mix well in between adding each batch of flour. The final dough should be smooth and not sticky. If it's still sticky you can add an additional handful of flour.
• Divide the dough into two equal parts and make two balls of dough. Then gently squash each ball into a thick disk shape. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375F (200 ° C).
• Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten and extend the dough until you have a thin layer. The maximum thickness of the layer should be about five millimeters (less than ¼ inch).
• Use a round cookie cutter mold to cut as many circles as you can. I used a 2 in (5 cm) round mold. You can make them smaller or larger, just adjust the baking time accordingly.
• Put the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leave at least two centimeters or ¾ inch of space between each cookie to keep them from sticking together.
• Bake the cookies for about 12-15 minutes or until they are lightly golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool down completely.
• Take a cooled down cookie and place a teaspoon of dulce de leche on its inner surface (the part that was stuck to the baking sheet), spread it well to the edges of the cookie and then gently stick another cookie (baking side on the caramel) on top to form a cookie sandwich.
• Place the grated dry coconut on a flat plate and roll each stuffed cookie in the coconut mix until it sticks to the dulce de leche filling, giving it the characteristic look of the alfajor cookie. You can also dust the cookies with powdered sugar.
• You can keep the alfajores or dulce de leche cookies refrigerated for a week.

PERUVIAN CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter with confectioners' and granulated sugar until fluffy.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
• If chilled longer let it warm up until it can be rolled.
• Or, whack it with a rolling pin until it cooperates.
• Roll dough out to 1/4" thickness, cut in 2 1/2" circles and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes.
• Cool cookie sheets between batches.
• Cool cookies on wire rack.
• Carefully (they're fragile cookies) spread some caramel on one cookie and top with another cookie.
• Dust tops with confectioners' sugar and enjoy immediately having a crisp cookie-the way they were meant to be eaten.
• They will turn soft after setting.
• Alternatively the cookies can be filled with the rewarmed caramel as needed.
• Caramel: Pour both cans of condensed milk in the top of a double boiler over simmering water and simmer on very low heat 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Eventually the milk will thicken and brown.
• Cool well and it will thicken further.
• Refrigerate until needed.
• Makes enough for 4-5 dozen cookies.

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.

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.

CARAMEL PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1 cup white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda; stir into the sugar mixture until well blended. Stir in 1/2 cup of the pecans. Cover, and refrigerate dough for 1 hour, or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a shallow bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup pecans and 1 tablespoon of sugar; set aside.
• Press 1 tablespoon of cookie dough around each chocolate coated caramel, forming a ball. Dip one side of each ball into the pecan mixture; and place pecan side up, 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven (the cookies will look soft). Cool on the pans for one minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream butter, then add egg and brown sugar.
• Stir in dry ingredients and blend until mixed.
• Blend in crushed Werther's Original Candy.
• Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Bake at 350°F until done, approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove parchment paper with cookies and cool for 15 minutes.