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Alfajores

Latin American · 45 min · Easy · 10 cookies

Alfajores

Two crumbling cornstarch cookies with caramel between them, edges rolled in coconut. They dissolve rather than crumble.

~400 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.

soy-freenut-free
Plan it:

Method

  1. 1

    Make the dough

    ⏱ 30 min

    Beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in a bowl until pale, then work in the cornstarch and flour to a soft dough. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.

  2. 2

    Cut

    Roll to ¼ inch (5 mm) on a floured wooden board and stamp out two rounds for every cookie, lifting each away so the sheet is left pocked with empty holes where they came from. The dough is fragile — patch tears with your fingers rather than re-rolling too often.

  3. 3

    Bake pale

    ⏱ 15 min

    Bake at 350°F conventional (160°C fan) for 12–15 minutes. They should barely color; the bottoms just set. Cool completely on the tray — warm alfajores fall apart.

  4. 4

    Sandwich

    Spread caramel generously on half of the cooled cookies, then set a second cookie on top of each one to make a sandwich. Roll the exposed caramel edge through the desiccated coconut.

Notes

The high cornstarch ratio is what gives the melting texture — do not swap it for more flour. They must be completely cold before filling. They soften pleasantly after a day in a tin.

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