food

Alfajores

These traditional South American sandwich cookies are perfect on the coffee table or as a way to end a Peruvian-inspired feast.

food

Alfajores

These traditional South American sandwich cookies are perfect on the coffee table or as a way to end a Peruvian-inspired feast.

Supplies

  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces), sealed with label removed
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
  • 1 large egg

Steps

  1. You can buy dulce de leche, but if you'd like to make your own, place a can of condensed milk into a slow-cooker and cover with water. Turn slow-cooker onto low and allow to simmer for 8 hours or overnight. Remove the can from the slow-cooker. Allow to cool.
  2. Add flour and salt to a glass bowl and whisk together to get rid of any lumps. Sift the confectioners' sugar into a separate large glass bowl to get rid of lumps.
  3. Add the butter to the confectioner's sugar and beat with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Crack in the egg and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Slowly add the flour into the butter mixture and beat until just combined.
  4. Divide the dough in two and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350.
  6. Line 2 heavy-duty rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let soften for 5 minutes.
  8. Sprinkle your work surface with a light dusting of flour and roll out each round to 1/4 inch thickness.
  9. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles; place rounds on the 2 baking sheets.
  10. Prick the center of each cookie with a fork and bake the cookies for 15 minutes, until golden.
  11. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack.
  12. Spread 1 heaping teaspoon of dulce de leche in the center of a cookie and sandwich together with another. Continue with remaining cookies.
  13. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.