These irresistible Alfajores are a soft, sweet and crumbly shortbread sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche. A very popular recipe across Latin America but specially Argentina.
Literally one of my favorite cookies ever!
These light, buttery cookies offer a subtle lemon flavor, and are filled with a sweet and creamy dulce de leche, giving you a mouthful of delicious goodness!
I’m partnering with Darling Lemons to share this delicious post. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and special content for Muy Delish.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Alfajores
- The main flour ingredients are all-purpose flour & cornstarch. Using cornstarch (Maizena in Spanish) is the key to make these melt in your mouth cookies. The results are amazing!
- Baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt
- White sugar and 1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks & vanilla extract
- The zest of two lemons*
1 cup coconut flakes
1 can of dulce de leche. Store bought or homemade (see how to make homemade dulce de leche)
*Lemons, limes, oranges, clementines (and all other types of citrus) are a must-have in my household year round! But since citrus season is over in Arizona I must rely in getting my citrus from somewhere else.
Come to my rescue Darling Lemons! They are available year round since they're grown in different citrus groves around the world. This is perfect for the citrus lovers like me that can't live without them!
The Argentinian lemons are picked and packed at peak freshness to deliver generous juice content as well as desired flavor to everyone looking to add zest to their summer dishes and drinks.
How to Make Alfajores Cookies
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add yolks and beat to combine. Then add the vanilla extract, water and lemon zest beat until just combined.
- Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
- Heat oven 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from plastic wrap and place on a lightly floured surface, flour a rolling pin and roll out to about ¼ inch thick. Cut the dough with a 2 inch cookie cutter.
- Place on prepared sheet pans, then bake until firm and edges are pale golden and the middle of the cookie is firm, about 9 minutes. Transfer baking pan to a rack and allow to cool completely before removing from baking sheet.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of dulce de leche onto the back of half the cookies. Place a second cookie on top and gently press to create a sandwich and repeat. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
- Roll sides in coconut and dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Make ahead
- Make cookie dough, wrap very tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic wrap and and place inside a plastic freezer bag. Label the bag with the month and the baking temperature and place the bag in the freezer.
As you can see I love Argentinian recipes! This Chimichurri is at the top of my favorite marinades.
Recipe adapted from Cocineros Argentinos
Argentinian Alfajores (Melt in your mouth Dulce De Leche Cookies)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest divided. I use Darling Lemons.
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 cup coconut flakes
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk. Store bought or homemade
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Set aside
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add yolks and beat to combine.
- Add the vanilla extract, water and lemon zest beat until just combined.
- Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
- Heat oven 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from plastic wrap and place on a lightly floured surface, flour a rolling pin and roll out to about ¼ inch thick. Cut the dough with a 2 inch cookie cutter.
- Place on prepared sheet pans, then bake until firm and edges are pale golden and the middle of the cookie is firm, about 9 minutes. Transfer baking pan to a rack and allow to cool completely before removing from baking sheet.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of dulce de leche onto the back of half the cookies. Place a second cookie on top and gently press to create a sandwich and repeat. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
- Roll sides in coconut and dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Make cookie dough, wrap very tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic wrap and and place inside a freezer plastic bag. Label the bag with the month and the baking temperature and place the bag in the freezer.
Nutrition
PIN ME to make later!
Make sure your butter is very soft! Not melted, not warm, just perfectly soft. This will achieve the dough texture we need. Cream the soft butter and sugar for 5 minutes.
Love alfajores and have never made them but DEF inspired to now! And your pics are absolutely stunning!!!
Thank you so much Daniela! I'm so glad you're inspired to make them!
I know what to gift for my next kiddie party! Thanks for this recipe. Those cookies look like perfection
Thank you so much! Enjoy!
Oh my, you are speaking my language with these little morsels of heaven! I never met a cookie I didn't like, but shortbread are usually my go-to. I'm drooling over that dulce de leche inside. Yum!!
Shortbread cookies are mine too! Enjoy Michele!
Your pictures do a fantastic job of highlighting your alfajores cookies. I'm a huge fan of shortbread cookies so I can't wait to make these.
Thank you so much Kelly! I appreciate your kind comment.
These are just the perfect little bites of deliciousness! I think I could eat quite a few of these, yum!
My husband is asking for them again. They're so good! Thanks Michelle!
I had never heard of alfajores cookies before reading this post but they look and sound divine! Pinning for later!
I'm so happy that you found them! I hope you get to make them
I have never heard of those cookies before. Now all I can think about is making a batch in my kitchen!
Yes please do Chef Dennis! You'll love them! They're such a classic cookie in Argentina
This looks insanely, incredibly good. Sooo yummy!
Thanks so much Maggie!
These look sooooo good! I love sandwich cookies and I just happen to have some leftover dulce de leche right now. I know what I'm making this weekend!
Dulce De Leche cookies are the best!
Oh HECK YES!! These cookies are the dreamiest. I love anything with dulce de leche! I can't wait to make these and not share with anyone.
Me too! Anything with Dulce De Leche is the best! These Argentinian Cookies are perfect with it. Enjoy!
What darling looking cookies. Love the lemony taste -- it's so summery. The shortbread cookies remind me of macarons only easier to make. I'm definitely trying the sandwich cookie for our reading group.
Oh how fun that you're in a reading group! They will enjoy these traditional Argentinian cookies!
This recipe has my name all over it! I love the addition of lemon zest....I think some people add Brandy too lol
Thanks Monica! The Brandy does make it delicious too!