A delicate, sandy-textured Argentine cookie sandwich filled with a thick layer of caramel-like dulce de leche, coated in shredded coconut or chocolate.

خطوات التحضير

Sift the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

Beat the soft butter with the powdered sugar until pale and creamy.

Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition, then add the vanilla and lemon juice.

Gradually add the dry flour mixture, mixing gently until a soft, non-sticky dough forms.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a surface dusted with cornstarch to about half a centimetre thick.

Cut circles about 4-5 cm in diameter using a cookie cutter.

Arrange the circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for just 10-12 minutes, without letting them brown much (they should stay pale).

Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.

Spread a generous layer of dulce de leche on half the cookies, then top with the remaining halves, pressing gently so the filling peeks out slightly from the sides.

Roll the edges of each alfajor in shredded coconut, or coat the whole cookie in melted chocolate if desired.

نصيحة

Do not overbake the cookies — they should stay quite pale to preserve their signature sandy, tender texture. Let the filled cookies rest briefly before serving so the filling settles and doesn't slide out.

Alfajores are among Argentina's most famous sweets, also hugely popular in Uruguay, Chile and Peru. The word's origin traces back to Andalusian-Arab cuisine in Spain, where it referred to sweets filled with honey and almonds, but the modern Argentine version developed quite differently after Spanish immigrants arrived in the 19th century, becoming closely tied to Argentina's famous dulce de leche.

Alfajor cookies are known for their extremely delicate, sandy texture that melts in the mouth, achieved by using a high proportion of cornstarch alongside flour. Two cookies are sandwiched with a generous layer of dulce de leche — the thick caramelized milk sweet famous across Latin America — and the exposed sides are then coated in shredded coconut, or the whole cookie is dipped in dark chocolate.