These sweet little dulce de leche cookies are going to be your new favorite cookie! For this take on the traditional South American Alfajores cookie recipe, I’ve filled easy-to-make, buttery shortbread cookies with heavenly, creamy dulce de leche and dusted them with a coat of powdered sugar. They’re so delicious and perfect for the holidays.
Easy Dulce De Leche Sandwich Cookies
These mouthwatering petite sandwich cookies can be enjoyed all year round. But with their powdered sugar (or coconut) topping, they are perfect for the holidays and make a festive addition to your Christmas cookie box.
The original Alfajor cookie recipe comes from Spain via the Moors, who invaded Spain in the early 8th century. This traditional cookie is made with ground nuts, honey, and spices and is formed into a cylindrical shape (like a small log) and dusted with sugar.
The recipe then made its way to South America during the Spanish expeditions. And it has since morphed into the popular sandwich cookie, Alfajores, which is stuffed with a caramelized milk cream called dulce de leche.
There are several variations of these buttery cookies including some that use a hefty amount of cornstarch in the dough. But for this recipe, I went for a more traditional, tried-and-true shortbread cookie recipe. And of course, lots of the decadent dulce de leche cream filling!
So What is Dulce De Leche?
If you’ve never tried dulce de leche before, here’s the deal. Dulce de leche is a caramelized sweet milk cream. It is made by cooking sweet condensed milk long and slow until it becomes a gorgeous, thick caramelly sauce.
Dulce de leche is similar in appearance and texture to caramel sauce. But the golden color in dulce de leche comes from the caramelization of the milk, not the sugar. And the taste of dulce de leche is not quite as sweet as caramel sauce. And it has a hint of nuttiness.
There are several ways to make homemade dulce de leche. But I’ve included step-by-step instructions for making dulce de leche on the stovetop. It’s super simple to do by slowly simmering a sealed can of condensed milk in a pot of water.
It does take about 3-3 1/2 hours, though, so plan ahead. And you can also use store-bought dulce de leche in this recipe.
Alfajores Recipe Ingredients:
To make these cookies, you’ll need just 7 ingredients. Here’s the list.
- UNSALTED BUTTER
- GRANULATED SUGAR
- PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- SALT
- SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK: You can also use store-bought dulce de leche
- CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR: This is for the topping. You can also use shredded coconut.
How to Make Dulce De Leche {Spoiler Alert: It’s Super Easy!}
Making dulce de leche is easy but does take 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Here’s how to do it.
- ADD A CAN OF CONDENSED MILK TO POT OF WATER: Submerge a sealed can of sweetened condensed milk in a large pot filled with water. The water should cover the top of the can by about 2 inches. Tip: since dulce de leche will last in the refrigerator in a sealed can for up to 3 months, you might want to make more than one can at a time.
- SIMMER: Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the can(s) for 3-3 1/2 hours.
- MONITOR POT WATER LEVEL: Make sure to check the water level of the pot at least hourly. Add more water if needed. The can(s) need to stay submerged in water to prevent bursting.
- COOL: Remove the can(s) with tongs and set it on a wire cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature before opening.
- STORE: You can store dulce de leche in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks and up to 3 months in an unopened can.
SHOP THE POST:
A Few More Recipe Tips for Making the Best Alfajores:
- PLAN AHEAD: If you’re making your own dulce de leche, it takes 3 to 3 1/2 hours + cooling time. So make sure to plan ahead! The good news is that dulce de leche lasts for up to 3 months in an unopened can in the fridge.
- CHILL YOUR DOUGH: Give your cookie dough a chance to chill in the fridge at least 30 minutes before using it. If you skip this step, the dough might be too warm to roll out easily. And your cookies will likely spread into shapeless puddles if you try to bake them! If you’re chilling the dough overnight, take it out and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before rolling out.
- STORAGE: These cookies are best eaten the day you make them. But you can store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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Print
Dulce de Leche Cookies {Alfajores}
- Total Time: Approx. 4 hours
- Yield: About 2 dozen 1x
Description
These mouthwatering dulce de leche shortbread cookies are filled with heavenly dulce de leche cream and dusted in a coat of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup homemade or store-bought dulce de leche
- Confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), for dusting or shredded coconut.
Instructions
FOR THE COOKIES:
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet or two with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- CREAM BUTTER & SUGAR: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until combined.
- ADD VANILLA: Add the vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- SHIFT FLOUR & SALT: Sift together the flour and salt in a medium bowl.
- MIX INGREDIENTS: Next, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.
- FORM DOUGH & CHILL: Dump the dough onto a surface dusted with flour. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap it in plastic, and then chill for at least 30 minutes. You can also divide the dough into two discs and freeze one for later use.
- ROLL OUT & CUT COOKIES: On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out the disc of cookie dough until it’s 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough into round cookies using a small (2″) cookie cutter. If the dough cracks, just wait a few minutes for the dough to warm up. Reroll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all of the dough is used.
- BAKE: Place the cookies on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges of the cookies are just beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes.
- COOL: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Then transfer all of the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling.
- FILL: Spread approximately 1/2 teaspoon of dulce de leche on each bottom cookie. Then carefully top each with a top cookie and press down gently to create a cookie sandwich.
- DUST: Dust the tops of the cookies in a sprinkling of powdered sugar. You can also roll them in shredded coconut if you prefer (the coconut will stick to the dulce de leche).
- STORE: Store the cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
FOR THE DULCE DE LECHE:
- ADD CAN OF CONDENSED MILK TO POT OF WATER: Submerge a sealed can of sweetened condensed milk in a large pot filled with water. The water should cover the can by about 2 inches. Since dulce de leche will last in the refrigerator in a sealed can for up to 3 months, you might want to make more than one can at a time.
- SIMMER: Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the can(s) for 3-3 1/2 hours.
- CHECK WATER LEVEL REGULARLY: Make sure to check the pot’s water level at least hourly. Add more water if needed. The can(s) needs to stay submerged in water to prevent them from bursting.
- COOL: Remove the can(s) with tongs and set it on a wire cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature before opening.
- STORE: You can store dulce de lech in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks and up to 3 months in an unopened can.
Notes
- PLAN AHEAD: If you’re making your own dulce de leche, it takes 3 to 3 1/2 hours + cooling time. So make sure to plan ahead! The good news is that dulce de leche lasts for up to 3 months in an unopened can in the fridge.
- MONITOR POT WATER LEVEL: When making the dulce de leche, make sure to check the water level of the pot at least hourly. Add more water if needed. The can(s) needs to stay submerged in water to prevent them from bursting.
- CHILL YOUR DOUGH: Give your cookie dough a chance to chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before using it. If you skip this step, the dough might be too warm to roll out easily. And your cookies will likely spread into shapeless puddles if you try to bake them! If you’re chilling the dough overnight, take it out and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before rolling out.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: Approx. 8-10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Spanish
SAVE TO MAKE LATER
