“Alfajores de maicena” are delicious South American cookies. It is a luscious layer of “dulce de leche” sandwiched between two crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth cornstarch cookies.
WHAT ARE ALFAJORES:
Alfajores are famous Argentinian cookies popular throughout Latin America, Spain, and Israel.
It consists of two discs of cornstarch butter cookies filled with homemade caramel made from canned condensed milk, called dulce de leche.
There are two versions of it, one filled with dulce de leche, then rolled in coconut flakes, and another with the same filling covered in melted dark chocolate.
WHAT IS DULCE DE LECHE:
Dulce de leche is milk and sugar cooked down until it becomes a thick caramel similar to butterscotch.
This candy made of milk can be found in South American supermarkets in wide varieties, like peanut butter here in the US.
INGREDIENTS:
Flour: All-purpose flour.
Corn starch: Corn starch makes a crumbly cookie that melts in your mouth.
Butter: Unsalted butter, softened at room temperature.
Eggs: Only egg yolks for this recipe.
Sugar: Powdered sugar
Baking soda & baking powder: They help raise the cookies, creating a soft and fluffy cookie.
Flavors: Vanilla extract.
Fillings and decorations: They are traditionally filled with dulce de leche, a thick caramel made from condensed milk, then rolled in coconut flakes.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:
For the dulce de leche:
To make your own dulce de leche, follow my blog post, where I explain how to make it from a can of condensed milk.
If you want to skip all the hustle, you can easily buy pre-made dulce de leche at most grocery stores or online. For this recipe, you’ll need the thicker version that says “repostero” on the label; here’s the link.
For the cookies:
STEP 1
Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
STEP 2
Place the softened butter and granulated sugar into a large bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment and mix at high speed until nice and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl sides using a rubber spatula.
STEP 3
Add the egg yolks to the butter mixture one at a time, waiting until the previous one is incorporated, then add the vanilla essence and lemon zest.
STEP 4
Turn the mixer to low speed, then add the dry ingredients one spoonful at a time.
STEP 5
Mix at medium speed until the dough comes together.
STEP 6
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, then place it in the refrigerator overnight.
STEP 7
The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and move it to a lightly floured surface.
STEP 8
Roll the dough using a rolling pin into a square 1/4 of an inch thick; try to make it as even as possible. Then cut the dough using a round cookie cutter or a glass into 2-inch circles.
STEP 9
Move the cookies to two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
STEP 10
Grab the scraps and re-roll, and cut them like before. If the dough becomes too warm, move it to the freezer for 10 minutes until it’s easy to handle.
STEP 11
Once all the cookies are formed, move the baking trays to the freezer for 8-10 minutes. This step is essential to ensure the cookies stay in shape while baking.
STEP 12
Bake cookies directly from the freezer; Place into a preheated oven at 350° F for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden at the edges and crispy at the bottom.
Let the cookies cool off for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.
STEP 13
Fill a piping bag with the dulce de leche (at room temperature) and pipe it to the bottom half of the cookie. Sandwich together with another half of the cookie and gently press to squeeze the filling all over the cookie.
STEP 14
Roll the alfajores edges into desiccated coconut flakes and enjoy!
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
Store the filled alfajores for up to 5 days in the fridge; after this time, they’ll still be good to eat and a little softer. You can also store the baked shells for up to two weeks at room temperature in an airtight container, then fill them whenever you need.
FAQ:
Why rest the dough overnight?
Resting the dough in the refrigerator overnight has multiple benefits. It allows the flour to absorb the liquid and redistribute them, giving a more cohesive dough that is easy to handle.
It also allows the ingredients to blend, resulting in a more well-rounded flavor.
Can I use a different filling?
They are traditionally filled with dulce de leche, but you can treat them like a macaron and fill them with ganache or jam.
TIPS AND VARIATIONS:
1 All the ingredients should be at room temperature when making this recipe.
2 Once the flour has been added, mix the dough just enough for it to come together. Mixing for an extended amount of time develops the gluten in the dough, resulting in a tough cookie. If you have ever made pie crust, it is a similar process.
3 Don’t overbake the cookies! They are ready when slightly browned at the edges and crispy at the bottom.
4 If you want to skip the hassle of making dulce de leche from scratch, you can buy it online by looking for dulce de leche repostero, which is the thicker version and is perfect for alfajores.
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Alfajores de maicena.
Ingredients
- 90 g softned butter
- 80 g powdered sugar
- 36 g egg yolks
- 110 g all-purpose flour
- 140 g cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 orange zest
- 1 lemon zest
- dulce de leche
- dessicated coconut flakes
Instructions
For the dulce de leche:
- To make your own dulce de leche, follow my blog post, where I explain how to make it from a can of condensed milk.
- If you want to skip all the hustle, you can easily buy pre-made dulce de leche at most grocery stores or online. For this recipe, you’ll need the thicker version that says “repostero” on the label; here’s the link.
For the cookies:
- Combine all the dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside.
- Place the softened butter and granulated sugar into a large bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment and mix at high speed until nice and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl sides using a rubber spatula.
- Add the egg yolks to the butter mixture one at a time, waiting until the previous one is incorporated, then add the vanilla essence and lemon zest.
- Turn the mixer to low speed, then add the dry ingredients one spoonful at a time.
- Mix at medium speed until the dough comes together.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, then place it in the refrigerator overnight
- The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and move it to a lightly floured surface.
- Roll dough using a rolling pin into a square 5-inch thick; try to make it as even as possible. Then cut the dough using a round cookie cutter or a glass into 2-inch circles.
- Move the cookies to two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Grab the scraps and re-roll, and cut them like before. If the dough becomes too warm, move it to the freezer for 10 minutes until it's easy to handle.
- Once all the cookies are formed, move the baking trays to the freezer for 8-10 minutes. This step is essential to ensure the cookies stay in shape while baking.
- Bake cookies directly from the freezer;
- Place into a preheated oven at 350° F, for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden at the edges and crispy at the bottom.
- Let the cookies cool off for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.
- Fill a piping bag with the dulce de leche (at room temperature) and pipe it to the bottom half of the cookie. Sandwich together with another half of the cookie and gently press to squeeze the filling all over the cookie.
- Roll the alfajores edges into desiccated coconut flakes and enjoy!
Notes
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
Store the filled alfajores for up to 5 days in the fridge; after this time, they’ll still be good to eat and a little softer. You can also store the baked shells for up to two weeks at room temperature in an airtight container, then fill them whenever you need.About Author
