Alfajor Cookies
Alfajor Cookies are buttery cornstarch cookies filled with dulce de leche, often decorated with a drizzle of chocolate, or powdered sugar dusted on top, or with the sides coated in shredded coconut, or chopped almonds.
Servings 20 cookie sandwiches
Calories 240kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornstarch 120 grams
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 95 grams
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter 141 grams, room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 66 grams
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 3/4 cup dulce de leche store-bought or homemade read post above for instructions on how to make dulce de leche
- 2 oz chopped chocolate to drizzle on top of the cookies if you want to*
Instructions
Alfajor Cookies
- Sift the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium high speed for 1 minute.
- Add granulated sugar. Beat for another 1-2 minutes until very fluffy and light in color.
- Add egg yolks one at a time, and mix until combined before adding the next one.
- Add vanilla and almond extract.
- Mix to combine.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until you form a dough.
- Dough should be soft and not too sticky.
- Wrap it in plastic or place it in a ziplock bag and chill it in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
- When it’s time to roll the cookies out, remove dough from the fridge and cut it into 4 pieces. Work with one piece at a time, while keeping the others covered.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
- Roll it out until about 1/4 thick over a floured surface.
- Dough might be breaking up, simply patch it back together by patting it down with your fingers.
- I used a 2.5 inch cutter to cut the cookies.
- Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. Cookies should look set, but not too browned.
- Let them cool down all the way before filling with the dulce de leche. I placed my dulce de leche in a piping bag to make it easier to fill the cookies.
- After filling the cookies, I melted some dark chocolate and drizzled it over the cookies.
Storage
- Keep cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days, in an air tight container.
Notes
Cornstarch: Cornstarch (or maizena) is key for giving alfajores their soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Be sure to measure it accurately to get the right balance of crumbly and tender.
Butter Temperature: Use room-temperature butter to ensure it creams properly with the sugar, creating a smooth dough. Cold butter may result in a crumbly texture.
Chilling the Dough: Chilling the dough for about 3 hours makes it easier to roll out and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
Assembling: Gently press the cookies together when sandwiching with dulce de leche to avoid breaking the delicate cookies.
Storage: Alfajores improve in flavor and texture after a day or two. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerate them for longer freshness.
Decoration: You can also dust the cookies with powdered sugar, or completely cover them with chocolate. Other serving suggestions are coating the sides in shredded coconut, or chopped almonds.
Nutrition
Serving: 1alfajor | Calories: 240kcal