Loading...

Alfajores {Dulce de Leche Shortbread Cookies}

Our family celebrated Three Kings Day last week, which means that the Christmas season is officially over. Boo. But, it did mean that we got to eat alfajores! These buttery little shortbread sandwich cookies are filled with sweet, creamy caramel, and coconut. They are usually served during the holidays in Spanish households. But, trust me, the sweet taste of these cookies is truly universal!

To make things easier, you can buy the dulce de leche at your local supermarket, but making homemade dulce de leche is so easy (you only need a can of sweetened condensed milk!!) and the taste is so much better. Whatever you do, just make them!

Alfajores {Dulce de Leche Shortbread Cookies}

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 large pinch of salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dulce de leche*
  • 1 cup shredded coconut

Instructions:

  • In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter until smooth, about 1 minute.
  • Add in the powdered sugar, and beat for another minute, until well-combined.
  • Beat in the vanilla extract.
  • Slowly mix in the flour and salt, mixing just until combined.
  • Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Flatten the dough in a round circle. Wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Once the dough has been refrigerated, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets, and set aside.
  • Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is about a 1/4 of an inch thick.
  • With a round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out circles from the dough. Re-roll the dough to continue cutting out circles.
  • Lay the circles on the lined sheets, and refrigerate for another 20 minutes.
  • Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, until the cookies are very lightly golden.
  • Let cool completely.
  • Once the cookies have cooled, make the sandwiches. Spread about 1 tablespoon of dulce de leche onto one cookie, top with some coconut, and cover with a plain cookie. Continue to make the cookie sandwiches until all the cookies have been paired.
  • Refrigerate the cookies until you are ready to eat them, and enjoy!

Original recipe by La Casa de Sweets, with inspiration for the shortbread cookies from Joy of Baking.

You might also like

Comments (2)

  • DessertForTwo 12 years ago Reply

    I looooove these cookies! I had an old boyfriend who’s mom was from Argentina and she would make these every Christmas. She added lemon zest to the cookies. I love the lemon + caramel + coconut flavors!

  • Erin 12 years ago Reply

    These look gorgeous! Love anything with caramel in it!

Leave a Reply to DessertForTwo Cancel Reply