These alfajores are made from two soft, cornstarch cookies that are filled with gooey dulce de leche (a caramel-like spread). They're sweet with a melt-in-your-mouth quality. This is the most traditional and perfect recipe of them all. If you never had alfajores, you're in for a treat.
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I know alfajores
Alfajores come in many variations, including different fillings, coatings, and shapes. They are often served with coffee or tea and are a popular snack or dessert.
To my knowledge, the oldest that are relevant to this day are these cornstarch alfajores, which are different from these shortbread-style alfajores.
I'm from Argentina, and, as I told you in the post about walnut alfajores, we are the biggest consumers of these sweet snacks worldwide. The array of different options you can buy here is mind-boggling.
So trust me when I say that this is the only recipe you'll ever need for traditional cornstarch alfajores.
The original recipe hails from a 90-year-old cookbook by Doña Petrona (our own Julia Child) and is still the recipe we all adapt. It's sort of like the chocolate chip cookies recipe from Toll House. It's where they all start, isn't it?
Overall, the combination of delicate crumbly texture, subtle flavor and sweet filling is what makes cornstarch alfajores so delicious and beloved by so many.
What are alfajores?
An alfajor (singular) is a sandwich made of two discs of dough with a filling in between. It is a sandwich cookie. ALL are filled with dulce de leche unless specified in the name, like chocolate mousse alfajores or quince jam alfajores.
Alfajores have a unique combination of textures and flavors. They are delicate yet rich, crumbly yet creamy, and sweet yet balanced.
They are very popular in South America, especially Argentina, Perú, and Uruguay.
The most in-demand are probably chocolate alfajores because, well, they're chocolate-covered. Then there are shortbread alfajores, which are usually small and great for tea time, with a cup of coffee, or as finger food at a celebration.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Cornstarch: it's essential for that crumbly texture and a main ingredient.
- Baking powder: Make sure it's not expired.
- Cognac: You can also use brandy or whisky. It evaporates during baking and leaves behind a wonderful flavor. If you don't want alcohol, omit it and use more vanilla.
- Dulce de leche: we're using it as a filling, so we need the thicker kind, the one labeled 'repostero', which means pastry or baking. I use and recommend dulce de leche repostero Vacalin.
About the liquor: This recipe features a magic flavor trio of lemon, vanilla, and cognac (or brandy, or whisky). The synergy between these three flavors is one for the books. None of them is the star, but together, they are magic.
Variations & substitutions
- Don't use liquor: though I recommend using it, omit it if you can't use it. Add ½ a teaspoon more vanilla extract.
- Rolling: coconut is the traditional ingredient, but you can roll them in finely ground nuts or leave them plain.
- Fillings: being simple cornstarch cookies with an indefinite flavor, you can use different fillings like nut butter, buttercream, or a light ganache. Still, I highly encourage you to try them with dulce de leche first.
Magic flavoring
I specifically want to acknowledge the flavoring in this recipe.
It has 3 components: lemon zest, vanilla extract, and cognac (or brandy).
Though they are nothing special, when you add all three to a recipe in the right proportions, the result is fantastic!
None shine on its own but there is a deep, caramel, fresh flavor that I think is unmatched.
It's not vanilla, it's not lemon, it's not caramel, it is magic. Maybe that's stretching it a bit? Well, you can be the judge of that.
It reminds me of the flavor of red velvet cake. What does it taste like? What is so special about it? It simply has a fabulous flavor. This flavor trio reminds me of that.
The alfajores dough is a simple vanilla dough with cornstarch. It sounds easy and it is. It's all about the right proportions of flour and cornstarch.
- By hand: I use a large bowl, a whisk, and a spatula. If the butter is soft, mixing everything by hand should be simple.
- Electric mixer: you can use a handheld mixer but make sure you use it at low speed. This is not a dough that needs beating or anything like it. If you use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix at the lowest speed.
The final dough is soft to the touch and neither sticky nor dry. It needs to be refrigerated before rolling.
Rolling the dough
After refrigerating the dough for a few hours, it's time to roll and cut.
This dough is soft and very easy to handle. A lightly floured counter and a good rolling pin are all you need.
Cookie cutters: I use a small round cutter, which is the traditional shape of an alfajor. The dough doesn't change much during baking, and the cookies will mostly keep their shape, so you can, technically, use other forms. Still, I recommend using simple patterns.
- Preheated oven: always make sure it's on before you start rolling the dough. If you forgot, place the sheets in the fridge while the oven gets to the desired temperature.
- Preparing the cookie sheets: I use parchment paper or lightly buttered sheets, both work well.
- Leave some space between the rounds, so they can grow during baking.
- These are light-colored, delicate cookies, so bake until barely starting to color. Don't be tempted to bake them longer, as they will be too crisp and won't soften as they should when filled.
What is dulce de leche?
Dulce de leche is a sweet milk jam, a cousin to caramel, made with milk, sugar, and baking soda, the latter being accountable for its dark color.
It takes a few hours to make and there are as many tips and tricks as there are grandmothers in this country. Each with its own recipe.
We have an abundance of commercial brands and styles, pretty much like peanut butter in the US, so we hardly make it at home.
The flavor is very sweet, similar to caramel but not quite. It does have a milk undertone, something that caramel lacks, and some might say it's not as sophisticated, and they might be right. I'm a raving fan so my opinion is biased.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
For fillings, you need to use what we call pastry dulce de leche. It's much thicker than the regular kind. Look for the word Repostero on the label. The best one available online (that we also use here!) is Vacalin Dulce de Leche Repostero. Another good one is Veronica dulce de leche repostero. If you want to buy in bulk a great one is San Ignacio repostero (22 pounds) or Vacalin repostero (22 pounds).
Filling the alfajores
The traditional filling was, is, and will always be dulce de leche.
Piping bag: you can use it with a smooth, plain piping tip for a more even filling, or use a teaspoon and get more of an irregular filling.
- Use a teaspoon or a piping bag for this part. Piping the dulce de leche it will be neater and you probably won't need to smooth out the edges.
- Swipe the bottom of a teaspoon around the edges. This will even out the dulce de leche that overflowed when you pressed down the top cookie and make it easier for the coconut to adhere. You can skip this step, of course, but the alfajores will be easier to handle.
Rolling in coconut
Rolling the sides in unsweetened shredded coconut is the way these beauties roll. Coconut and dulce de leche are a match made in heaven. Truly spectacular!
Coconut border: this step, on the other hand, is completely optional. It pairs fantastically with the rest of the ingredients, but alfajores are also amazing without it. So, don't buy shredded coconut just for this.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Make-ahead: As with most cookie doughs, it can be made ahead and kept for 4-5 days in the refrigerator or up to a month in the freezer. Always make sure you wrap it well in clingy plastic. Otherwise, the top layer will dry out.
- Storage: The unfilled cookies can be kept in an airtight container for about a week. Fill them several hours ahead of the time you're planning to eat them so they have time to soften a little. Consider that the dulce de leche transfers moisture to the cornstarch cookies, and they will be softer when you bite into them.
- Eat them and be very happy.
I sure do hope you try this recipe for cornstarch alfajores.
It's an easy-to-work-with dough, and they are incredibly yummy. I imagine many of you have never tried them, so trust me when I say the flavor is amazing and that they will become a favorite fast.
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Ingredients
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup + 3 tablespoons, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon cognac, or brandy or whiskey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup pastry dulce de leche, the thick type labeled 'repostero'; I use and recommend Vacalin dulce de leche repostero.
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, for rolling (optional)
Instructions
- Mix 11 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl, until very creamy, using a spatula, handheld mixer, or a wooden spoon.
- Add 2 egg yolks and 1 egg and mix well to incorporate.
- Add 1 tablespoon cognac, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon lemon zest. Mix well.
- Add the sifted 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, pinch of salt and 2 cups cornstarch gradually, mixing very well until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. The final dough will be very soft and silky but not sticky.
- Pat it into a disc, wrap the dough in plastic wrap or freezer sheets, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, like any sweet dough. At this point, it can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for a month, always well wrapped to prevent dryness.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°).
- On a floured surface, roll dough to ½ cm thick (about ¼ inch).
- Using a round cookie cutter, cut circles and place them on a buttered cookie tray or use a Silpat. In my experience, they tend to stick when using parchment paper, but then, all papers are different depending on where you live. Thickness and size are totally up to you; I suggest you try different combinations and see which one works best for your taste.
- Gather the scraps, roll them again and cut more alfajores cookies until you use up all the dough.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until barely starting to color. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Put about a tablespoon of dulce de leche (with a spoon or with a piping bag) and fill one round, flat side up. Press lightly with another round, flat side down forming the alfajores.
- With the back of a small spoon, wipe any dulce de leche that has overflowed. This will leave a path for the coconut to stick.
- Put ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut on a small plate or bowl and roll the sides of the alfajores until coated. Or leave the sides plain.
- Eat them and be happy.
Nadia says
I've made these tonight.
I put 170g of sugar and it was still too sweet. It'll be even sweeter once the caramel is added.
When the author says don't be tempted to leave them in the oven longer, DONT DO IT! First two batches were in the oven ( Fan 150-155C ) for 14-ish minutes, they are more crunchy, although still crumbly and lovely, but the third batch is sooo soft and melts in your mouth. Yum.
Turns out I didn't have the caramel and dessicated coconut, so I packed them into an airtight container for now.
Erika says
I dont have coñac,brandy,or whiskey.how an substitute?i have a rum!!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Erika! Use rum or no alcohol and an extra half teaspoon of vanilla.
Sally says
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! These came out so good! Definitely saving this recipe to make again in the future.
Paula Montenegro says
So happy you loved them Sally! Have a great week.
Firas Ghazali says
Hello, what exactly is corn flour? Is it the same as corn starch? I live in the UK so I’m confused about the naming
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Firas! No, cornstarch is a white powder similar in texture to icing sugar or arrowroot. Corn flour, from what I know, is very finely ground corn (like a superfine polenta). That said, I googled it, and it turns out cornstarch might be called cornflour in the UK. My suggestion is that if it's labeled cornflour, only buy it if it's white and powdery. In the image with the ingredients, you can see the look of cornstarch.
Emily says
Hi - I’ve seen other recipes use powdered sugar instead of white sugar. Do you know what difference this makes?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Emily! There are many recipes for alfajores. These cornstarch ones are among the most popular here in Argentina; the first recipes are more than 100 years old. Shortbread alfajores are somewhat popular for teatime but not as old. And they don't have cornstarch. I guess the recipes you saw are those. Other countries such as Peru also have alfajores among their traditional recipes.
Powdered sugar will create a shorter crust, snappier. It's used for French sweet tart dough and some shortbread cookies among other things.
Matias Henriquez says
Using this recipe to make alfajors for my Chilean mom :)! I used the metric ingredients and it says 127 grams AND 140g for flour which was confusing. Perhaps a mistake? I only saw it after I was done but 140 grams seemed to do the job
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Matías! Yes, flour weight is an issue, and even Google doesn't give a set number.
The thing is that flours vary in consistency around the world so a cup of flour doesn't always weigh the same. For me, it's always been 140g, maybe 135g. I use the metric system as I live in Argentina, so I always had to weigh ingredients when converting them from US measuring cups and spoons. But for most recipes in this blog, I use the automatic converter that comes with the recipe card. I'm looking into being able to turn it off for some recipes to avoid confusion. For now, I'll add a note clarifying it.
I do recommend that you start weighing the flour you use and writing down your own conversion table, at least for ingredients that can vary in weight.
How did the alfajores turn out?
Christine says
Hello and thank you for the wonderful recipe! You mention salt in the introductory ingredient list but then not in the recipe. Is there salt in this recipe and if so, how much?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Christine! Thanks for letting me know. A pinch of salt always brings out the flavors in baking recipes. I added it to the recipe card. Have a great day!
Makaela Black says
Hey, another question do you happen to know the weight of the dough for 1 batch? I’m using your recipe for a senior event at my school and we have to serve 100 so I’m trying to figure the batch size I need.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Makaela, the recipe makes 25 small alfajores. I'm guessing it weighs a pound or a bit less. You can double the recipe and make it twice (smaller batches work better when making them at home) to have 1 alfajor per person, a ballpark estimate.
Jessica says
Hola! Can I roll the dough into a log, refrigerate, and then cut into thin discs for baking instead of rolling and cutting out the rounds?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Jessica! I haven't done that with this dough, but it should be fine. Happy baking!
ingerid says
I'm starting on a food journey where I'm going to make recepies from all over the world and this will definitely be on my list for Argentina. But I have one question: do you need the alcohol in it?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Ingerid, it sounds like a great journey! The alcohol adds a great flavor and evaporates during baking, but you can omit it if, for whatever reason, you can't or don't want to use it.
Makaela Black says
I have a question. Do you think this cookie would hold up as a tart shell or a base with cheesecake on top?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Makaela! OMG I was just thinking about that yesterday lol. It should hold pretty well and I would make it 1/4 inch or so, not very thin. I recommend you pre-bake it first as I don't think it will bake well if the filling is added to the raw dough.
Makaela Black says
Hey, another question do you happen to know the weight of the dough for 1 batch? I’m using your recipe for a senior event at my school and we have to serve 100 so I’m trying to figure the batch size I need.
Shai says
Amazing recipe! Question, can the flour be substituted for almond flour? Or any other type of flour? Would it be the same measurements?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Shai! I never tried it with almond flour. I guess part of the flour can be substituted, but I don't know how the texture will be if you sub the whole amount. They might be crumblier, maybe. You might want to make a small batch first using almond flour for half the amount of flour and see how it goes. So not to waste a lot of almond flour if they don't turn out as you want them to.
Cherry says
I made these for my first time and they turned out exactly like how my Argentinian friend makes them. They were pretty easy to make too and soo damn good!!! The dulce de leche turned out perfect as well! Will make again
Paula Montenegro says
SO happy to know that Cherry! What dulce de leche did you use?
Paula Cerdas says
These cookies are absolutely delicious! The recipe makes more than I thought though. I got almost 60 cookies out of a single batch.
Paula Montenegro says
Happy to know they turned out so well Paula!
Melissa says
Hi! I am trying this recipe for the first time and tried rolling out the dough but it is very sticky, to the point where I cannot use the cookie cutter. It was in the fridge well over 4 hours. What can I do to prevent the stickiness?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Melissa! Make sure the dough is as cold as it can and regularly flour the surface where you're rolling so it doesn't stick. Let me know if it helps. Happy baking!
Connie Anderson says
Hi Paula,
I made (for the first time) dulce de leche using condensed milk with the pressure cooker method on high for 35 minutes.
Can I use this version for this cookie, or will it leak?
Thanks
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Connie! Usually, the one made from condensed milk is thicker than the regular one and might work. Put a tablespoon on a plate, tilt it, give it a few minutes, and see if the dulce de leche starts to slide or not. It should be thick as peanut butter to give an example and stay in place. Otherwise, it will leak and also make it impossible for a person to bite without it flooding to the sides and making a mess. Hope this helps!
Estela Lam says
Hi Paula, I am planning to make these for Christmas but have a quick question. Do you sift the flour with the baking powder and cornstarch or do you just sift the flour and them combo with the BP and CS?
Thank you!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Estela! I have all ingredients measured and then sift them directly over the butter-sugar mixture as I add them. You can sift all three together or the flour and baking powder first, add them, and then the cornstarch. As long as they're all integrated, the order is not really an issue. Let me know if you have other doubts. Happy baking!
Nikki says
Hi there! I absolutely love this recipe, it's my go to. But everything I look back at it, the butter confuses me. Is it 3/4c, 10 tablespoons, or 150 g? Because those are all different measurements. 3/4 cup should be 12 tablespoons (169 g), 10 tablespoons would weigh 141g. (This is based on American measurements of 8 Tbs = 1/2 cup = 113g)
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Nikki! Yes, it's confusing because I wrote scant cup and that is not clear. I will leave the tablespoons and grams measurement and it will be easier. Thanks for the heads up. Love that you love them. I do as well! Happy holidays!
Mamae Kate says
Thank you for your recipe! I will be making probably 125 (so I guess five batches) of these this week and bringing to an event. Do you use regular dulce de leche or dulce de leche repostero? I am nervous about the dulce de leche spreading/leaking out of the alfajor as the day goes on and in transport (I will be filling in the morning, and serving them that night). I believe this happened to me in the past.
The dulce de leche I have is La Serenisima Estilo Colonial. Do you think this should be okay, consistency wise, or should I try to make it thicker?
Thank you so much!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Kate! That's a lot of alfajores! You should always use dulce de leche repostero. The one you have is not that, it's the regular kind that will leak.
You can buy it at Amazon and they now sell Vacalin repostero which is the one most of us use here, so you can't go wrong with that one. I highly recommend it for any type of filling.
As for the cookies themselves, you can make them ahead and keep them (without the filling) in an airtight container (I like metal tins) for 2 days.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Mamae Kate says
Thank you Paula! I was afraid that would be the case. I am going to try to thicken the dulce de leche I have, as the stores where I am in the US don't carry repostero, and if I order online, it won't get here in time. Oh well! I'll let you know how it goes! 🙂
Paula Montenegro says
There is a thickening instruction in my dulce de leche post.
And there is a shortcut that works as far as thickening goes, but the flavor is mellower, which might be completely fine. You have to melt 50g (3 1/2 tablespoons) butter and add a can of condensed milk (400g / 14oz) and 200g (7oz) regular dulce de leche. Stir over low heat until it thickens and let cool before using. I think this would be the best alternative. Also, I haven't tried it, but I think dulce de leche La Lechera, which comes in a can similar to condensed milk, is quite thick. Let me know if I can be of any additional help. Happy baking!
Kate Cabral says
Paula ~
Thank you for the tips about thickening the dulce de leche.
The alfajores were delicious! This will now be my go to recipe!
Paula Montenegro says
SO happy to hear this Kate! Happy holidays!
Dmitry says
Loved the recipe, straightforward and easy to follow.
One tweak I had to make was cooling the dough in the freezer for ~10 minutes before rolling, otherwise it would stick to my rolling pin.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Dmitry! Happy to hear they turned out well. I tweaked the recipe slightly so that the instructions are easier to follow now. Have a great week.
Rachel says
Hi Paula, I'm interested in making the dulce de leche filling from scratch (your recipe) and was wondering if I had to make the thicker version to use in the alfajores? Like the regular recipe but with the added cornstarch and milk mixture?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Rachel, yes, you have to use a thicker one (with cornstarch) for the filling, otherwise it'll be too runny. Also, the boiling a can of condensed milk for several hours renders a thick dulce de leche also. I haven't made it in a while, but it's 4 hours from what I remember.
Si says
Hello Paula, I just made this, and it is amazing! My husband had to take the kids out of the house, so I could put the filling...they ate a whole tray of cookies before they even coolled down...
I wonder if you have a version of this recipe that uses much less sugar? At least in the cookies.... So I can make them more often without the guilt?
Thank you
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Si, so happy to know you all loved them! I don't have one with less sugar, as it will completely change the balance of flavor and texture. But I will see what recipe I can find among my Argentine friends, those that bake with alternative sugars. Happy holidays!