Alfajores consist of two sweet biscuits sandwiched together with dulce de leche (or jam), and they are sprinkled with powdered sugar.

It’s a traditional cookie found in some regions in Spain and in countries of Latin America. I first made alfajores many years ago when my neighborhood had a little gourmet dinner group that met once a month. One of the gals in our group was Peruvian, and she suggested I bake these for her dinner party. Everyone loved them!

Picture serving steak with chimichurri sauce, empanadas, your favorite malbec or tequila and alfajores for dessert. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

Ingredients needed:

• salted butter
• granulated white sugar
• egg yolks
• brandy or cognac
• vanilla extract
• lemon zest
• all purpose flour
• cornstarch
• baking soda, baking powder and salt
• grated coconut
• dulce de leche
• powdered sugar

How do you make Alfajores?

The full, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

Tips for making the best alfajores:

1. Make sure that your room temperature butter is pretty soft. If it’s too firm, the cookie dough will tend to be more crumbly.
2. Don’t be afraid to use the brandy! It does NOT give a liquor taste to these cookies. It works well with the lemon and vanilla, and I think it adds an element of flavor that wouldn’t be there if you left it out. If you have to leave it out, be sure to add 2 tablespoons of milk in its place.
3. Be sure to use ‘grated’ coconut and not shredded coconut. I am able to find it in a bulk bin at Whole Foods. If you cannot find it, go ahead and whir your shredded coconut in the food processor to create much smaller pieces.
4. Rounds are the typical shape used for these cookies. Try using different shaped round cutters. I made some 2-inch and then made some much smaller ones too.
5. Take the time to make homemade dulce de leche– it’s so easy to do and you’ll be happy you did! 

The first time I baked these, I brought them to a dinner party, and they were served with Lucuma ice cream that they hostess had made. Lucuma is a fruit that is native to Peru and it is rarely seen in the United States. Since the fruit cannot be brought to the US on the airplane, our hostess brought back Lucuma powder to make the ice cream. In Peru, Lucuma ice cream is more popular than chocolate ice cream and vanilla ice cream. I thought it was delicious. If I ever get myself to Peru, I’d love to try the real thing.

The alfajores were a big hit at the party. They were a perfect garnish for ice cream, and the few that were left over were gone before the end of the night.

If you’re up for trying something new, try baking alfajores. You’ll be glad you did because they really are so delicious. Enjoy!

Note: If you don’t like coconut, you can always leave it out. However, I’m one who doesn’t always like coconut but love it in these cookies. It doesn’t take on an overwhelming flavor at all.

Print

Alfajores

This traditional South American confection, is so delicious it's tough to resist.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Latin

Keyword alfajores, cookies, dulce de leche

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Chill Time 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours

Servings 24 cookies (2-inch size)

Calories 143kcal

Author RecipeGirl.com

Ingredients

• ½ cup salted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons brandy or cognac
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup grated coconut
• 1 cup dulce de leche
• ¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until fluffy and creamy. Add the egg yolks and mix. Add the brandy, vanilla and lemon zest; mix well and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and work it together with your hands until all is combined and the dough is soft. Do not add any extra flour. You may wish to add a few drops of milk if the dough appears crumbly. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Working with half of the dough at a time (keep the other half refrigerated) on a floured work surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of ¼-inch. Cut into 2-inch rounds and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Repeat rolling and cutting with the 2nd half of the chilled dough. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until done. The cookies should be dry but not brown. Transfer to racks and cool.
• When the cookies are completely cool, match them up into pairs of like-sizes. Turn one cookie over and spread a dollop of dulce de leche onto the flat part of the cookie. Place its partner on top (flat side down) and gently press so that the caramel comes to the edges. Roll the edges in coconut and place them on a rack to set. Continue with the rest of the cookie pairs.
• When ready to serve, sift a light layer of powdered sugar over the tops of the cookies and place them on a platter.

Notes

• Make sure that your room temperature butter is pretty soft. If it's too firm, the cookie dough will tend to be more crumbly.
• Don't be afraid to use the brandy! It does NOT give a liquor taste to these cookies. It works well with the lemon and vanilla, and I think it adds an element of flavor that wouldn't be there if you left it out. If you have to leave it out, be sure to add 2 tablespoons of milk in its place.
• Be sure to use 'grated' coconut and not shredded coconut. I am able to find it in a bulk bin at Whole Foods. If you cannot find it, go ahead and whir your shredded coconut in the food processor to create much smaller pieces.
• Rounds are the typical shape used for these cookies. Try using different shaped round cutters. I made some 2-inch and then made some much smaller ones too.
• Take the time to make homemade dulce de leche- it's so easy to do and you'll be happy you did! Instructions HERE.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

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