Alfajores

Name: Alfajores
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Argentinian
Ingredients: 1 cup (120g) cornstarch; ¾ cup (95g) all-purpose flour; 115g unsalted butter, softened; 2 egg yolks; ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 cup (300g) dulce de leche; 200g dark or milk chocolate, for coating (optional); ½ cup desiccated coconut, for rolling (optional)

About this dish

Alfajores are soft, crumbly sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche and often coated in chocolate, powdered sugar, or desiccated coconut, beloved throughout Argentina and much of Latin America. They are a staple of everyday snacking and are found in homes, bakeries, and corner shops across the country.

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Ingredients

🌽1 cup (120g) cornstarch

🌾¾ cup (95g) all-purpose flour

🧈115g unsalted butter, softened

🥚2 egg yolks

🍬½ cup (60g) powdered sugar

🍋1 teaspoon lemon zest

🫙1 teaspoon vanilla extract

🥄1 teaspoon baking powder

🍮1 cup (300g) dulce de leche

🍫200g dark or milk chocolate, for coating (optional)

🥥½ cup desiccated coconut, for rolling (optional)

Method

Serves 2

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until pale and creamy, then mix in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.

Sift together the cornstarch, flour, and baking powder, then gently fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until a soft, pliable dough forms. Do not overwork the dough.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 5–6mm thickness. Cut into rounds using a 4–5cm cookie cutter and place on the prepared trays.

Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the cookies are set but still very pale — they should not brown. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Once cooled, spread a generous layer of dulce de leche on the flat side of one cookie and sandwich it with a second cookie, pressing gently so the filling reaches the edges.

Finish the alfajores by rolling the exposed edges in desiccated coconut, dusting with powdered sugar, or dipping the whole sandwich in melted chocolate and allowing it to set before serving.

✓ What Makes it Authentic

While cookie-like confections sharing the name 'alfajor' have roots in Moorish Spain and were brought to the Americas during the colonial era, the distinctly Argentinian version — soft, cornstarch-based rounds filled with dulce de leche — developed its own strong identity over generations and is now considered a cultural icon of Argentina. They are eaten year-round as an everyday treat and are commonly given as edible souvenirs to visitors.

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