Classic Argentine Alfajores

4.92 from 12 votes

Classic Argentine Alfajores

Super soft cornstarch cookies sandwich together with sweet creamy dulce de leche and rolled in coconut flakes. A classic and delicious Argentine snack.

Prep Time30

Cook Time12

Servings: alfajores

Author: Bea & Marco

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2 ½ cup (300 g) corn starch , use spoon and level method
1 ½ cup (200 g) all purpose flour , use spoon and level method
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients

1 ¼ cup (150 g) icing sugar , sifted
7 oz (200 g) unsalted butter , soften
3 large egg yolks , room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 medium sized lemon

Filling

bakery dulce de leche , as needed

Instructions

Dry Ingredients

Sift everything into a bowl, set aside.

Wet Ingredients

In another bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter until creamy using a handheld whisk. Add in egg yolk one by one, mixing well to combine after each addition. Add in vanilla extract, lemon zest and mix to combine.
Add in dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing just enough after each addition. Don't over mix. For the 3rd addition, you will not be able to mix everything to combine using hand held mixer. When it's half mixed, pour everything onto the working surface.
Start folding the mixture onto itself and gently push with your palm until you get a ball. Do not knead. Refer to tutorial video above for better understanding.
Wrap with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until manageable.

Shape & Bake

Put ⅓ of dough on a cling film and cover it with another. Gently roll it into 8-10mm thickness. If the dough breaks, just gently push it back together. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes while you continue rolling the rest.
Take 1 rolled dough from the fridge and place it on the working surface. Remove the top cling film. Cut out 1.7 inch (4.5 cm) circles using floured cutter/glass. Place on parchment paper on baking tray. Place in the fridge if you're not baking them immediately.
Bake at 360F (180ºC) in a preheated oven, conventional mode, on middle rack for 10-12 minutes or until fully cooked without having any toasted colour. Cool completely before using.

Assemble

Pipe dulce de leche on the bottom side of a cookie, more or less the same thickness of the cookie itself. Take another cookie and place it on top and lightly press. Roll in desiccated coconut. Enjoy!

How To Store

Place in air tight container, at room temperature. Best consumed the next day. Last good for 1 week at room temperature, 2 weeks in the fridge.

Notes

Make sure to use softened butter.
Don't over work the dough at any time, have patience, pressing and pushing it gently with your palm will bring everything together.
Always keep the dough/cut out circles chill in the fridge when you're not working with them.
Use bakers' dulce de leche, not the normal one.
Use portable oven thermometer to get the accurate temperature (I use it in all my bakings).

Nutrition