Cakes & Bread
Caramel Alfajores, Argentine Shortbread Cookies Filled with Dulce de Leche
Prep
40 min
Cook
14 min
Servings
20
Level
Medium
Alfajores are South American shortbread cookies with a soft, sandy-crumbly texture, sandwiched with sweet, rich dulce de leche caramel, then rolled in shredded coconut along the edges. The texture is unique: crisp on the outside but melts the moment you bite into it, thanks to the high cornstarch content. Perfect as a special treat that's different from your everyday cookies for family gatherings or gift baskets.
🧂 Ingredients
🍽️ Servings: 20
Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.
- 300 grams cornstarch
- 100 grams low-protein all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 150 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 100 grams powdered sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk (white)
- 1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 250 grams dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)
- 100 grams dried shredded coconut, toasted
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Sift the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda into one bowl and set aside. This is important so the dough doesn't clump and the cookies bake evenly.
- 2 In a separate bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar with a mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and soft; there's no need to beat until it's very fluffy.
- 3 Add the egg yolks one at a time while continuing to beat, then add the sweetened condensed milk, grated lemon zest, vanilla powder, and salt. Mix well for about 1 minute.
- 4 Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, folding with a spatula (not the mixer) until it forms a soft dough that can be shaped without sticking to your hands. If it's still sticky, add cornstarch 1 tbsp at a time.
- 5 Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten it, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so it's easier to shape and won't spread too much while baking.
- 6 Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) for 10 minutes. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a surface dusted with cornstarch to a thickness of 5 mm.
- 7 Cut out the dough with a round cutter about 4-5 cm (1.5-2 inches) in diameter, and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing the cookies 2 cm apart since they'll spread slightly.
- 8 Bake on the middle rack of the oven at 320°F (160°C) for 12-14 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottoms just start to turn lightly golden but the tops are still pale; don't let them brown, or they'll turn bitter and hard.
- 9 Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before filling, as they're still very fragile while hot.
- 10 Take one cookie, spread about 1 tbsp of dulce de leche on its surface, then sandwich it with another cookie, pressing gently until the caramel oozes slightly out at the edges.
- 11 Roll the caramel-covered edges of the cookie in the toasted shredded coconut until evenly coated. Repeat with the remaining cookies, then store in an airtight container.
💡 Tips
• Don't roll the dough too thin—keep it at least 5 mm thick so the alfajores stay soft and don't turn out hard like regular cookies.
• You can make your own dulce de leche by boiling a can of sweetened condensed milk (label removed) submerged in water for 2-3 hours, or use store-bought for convenience.
• Make sure the cookies are completely cool before filling them with caramel; if they're still warm, they'll easily break when sandwiched together.
• Store the alfajores in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
185
Calories (kcal)
2 g
Protein
9 g
Fat
24 g
Carbs
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