Alfajores

212 Ratings
  • 5 41
  • 4 74
  • 3 59
  • 2 29
  • 1 9

These alfajores cookies are courtesy of blogger Matt Armendariz of mattbites.com.

The Martha Stewart Show, September Summer 2008, The Martha Stewart Show, Episode 4001

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Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

Yield:
Makes about 30
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.

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  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing until well combined, about 1 minute. Working in batches, add flour mixture; mix until well combined. Add milk, orange juice, and vanilla; continue mixing until a dough forms, 1 to 2 minutes.

  • Using a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack until completely cool.

  • When cookies have cooled completely, spread the bottoms of half of the cookies with dulche de leche, cajeta, or jam; sandwich together with remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Just before serving, lightly sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

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Reviews (26)

212 Ratings
  • 5 41
  • 4 74
  • 3 59
  • 2 29
  • 1 9
Martha Stewart Member
12/16/2013
These were delicious! easy to make and healthy thanks alot . soigner Hemorroides Externe
Martha Stewart Member
03/10/2012
roll them over grated coconut...are delicious
Martha Stewart Member
08/27/2010
I also believe that Alfanjores are originally from Peru
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Martha Stewart Member
07/06/2010
These were delicious! I substituted a condensed milk, bittersweet chocolate, butter
Martha Stewart Member
07/05/2010
We love Matt and his Alfajores cookies!
Martha Stewart Member
06/30/2010
valentina: they are alfajores!! maybe not the one you tried, I?Ǭ
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Martha Stewart Member
06/30/2010
So all the dulce de leche is is brown condensed milk? What a fancy name for something so odd....
Martha Stewart Member
06/30/2010
HAVE NOT TRIED MAKING THESE BUT WILL SOON. IF YOU CHOOSE TO BOIL THE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK (ABOUT 21/2-3 HRS)..MAKE SURE YOU LET IT COOL DOWN BEFORE OPENING THE CAN....... VERY IMPORTANT!! THANKS AGAIN FOR A WONDERFUL EASY RECIPE!!
Martha Stewart Member
06/30/2010
the real alfajores are made with corn starch and all purpose flour...this recipe is not for alfajores...i would say it is for something else...
Martha Stewart Member
06/30/2010
For those of you who cannot find "dulce de leche", you can get a can of condensed milk and put it in the pressure cooker (with water of course) for almost an hour. When you open the can you will see that it looks brown. That is the "dulce de leche".
Martha Stewart Member
03/01/2010
I had never tasted an alfajor until I went to Monterrey, Mexico. A friend gave me a box of some. OMG were they good!! I fell in love. They were from a company called bits'nbites. Luckily I found their website bitsnbites.com.mx so I can get my fix :D But I'm going to try this recipe for sure! That way I can have them whenever I want.
Martha Stewart Member
01/31/2009
These came out great, the only tough part is trying top be consistent with the size of the cookies. I brought these to a friend's party and all the kids at the party liked them, as did the adults.
Martha Stewart Member
01/14/2009
I made the dulce de leche for the first time and made extra to put on cheesecake. Wow was it a hit. The next time I boil the cans I will prepare double. My family complimented me for the great taste and all I did was simmer water for 3 hours! Easy enough for a child to do!
Martha Stewart Member
01/09/2009
Making dulce de leche is extremely easy and inexpensive. Just boil a can of condensed milk for 3 hours. Make sure the can is always covered with water otherwise it can explode. Once finished, just open the can and enjoy. Also you can add 1tspn of vanilla to finished product.
Martha Stewart Member
01/09/2009
I am from Argentina. Alfajores are a traditional Argentine cookie which can be filled with either jams or dulce de leche. The alfajores in Argentina oftentimes have shredded coconut along the outside or a sugar glaze.
Martha Stewart Member
01/06/2009
actually alfajores are a traditional arabian sweet, enjoy from spain to many many latinamerican countries, I know cause I live in Costa Rica, and here we also enjoy alfajores, and find them anyway!
Martha Stewart Member
01/04/2009
This recipe is originally from Peru not Argentina
Martha Stewart Member
01/04/2009
I love this cookie. They taste as beautifull as they look. I found the dough easy to work with. I used the dulce de leche in a can. It was easy to find and taste Very Good. This one will be in my cookie box!!
Martha Stewart Member
01/03/2009
Vicki370 Thank you for your answer to my dilemma. I will start by boiling the condensed sweetened milk first.
Martha Stewart Member
01/02/2009
Just watched the video on making the alfajores and noticed that he said 1 1/2 cups of sugar; however, the printed recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups. Which is the correct amount?
Martha Stewart Member
01/02/2009
I made alfajores a few years ago for a presentation on the food of Argentina in my Spanish class. They turned out great, and they quickly disappeared in a roomful of college students (my teacher, who is Mexican and has been to Argentina, even loved them -- yay!). But I made the dulce de leche from scratch -- I didn't know I could just go into Safeway and buy it in a can. And I had the heat too low. It took *forever* (though it was delicious). Next time, the can!
Martha Stewart Member
01/02/2009
Kaarle....I believe Pelaya is using sweetened condensed milk to make the filling by boiling it 2 1/2 hours in the can; but she prefers the store bought Dulche de Leche. Regular milk is used to make the cookie.
Martha Stewart Member
01/02/2009
Could you explain please about the sweetened condensed milk boiling for 2 1/2 hours? Is that for the filling or part of the cookie recipe? Do you use regular milk in the cookie recipe? I want to try these.
Martha Stewart Member
01/02/2009
Alfajores is a provably the most popular cookie in Argentina, I have been including them in my Christmas list for more than 30 years, everybody loves them. My recipe is different than this one but the same idea. I use both the sweetened condensed milk and the bought dulce de leche, of course, I prefer the purchased one but the other works perfect also. I boil the can for a little over 2 1/2 hours because I want it to be a thick a possible so the cookies wont slide. Glad that so many enjoy these.
Martha Stewart Member
01/02/2009
Has anyone used the Alfajores recipe from the cookie cookbook? I plan to make them later today and will update.
Martha Stewart Member
12/24/2008
These were a spectacular addition to my cookie swap recipes. I have never made alfajores before, but I have heard of the shortbread cookie version (with manjar blanco- instead of store-bought dulce de leche). These are very soft, fluffy, delicious, and dainty! I am making these again for Christmas tommorrow. BTW, it is absolutely important to use a cookie scoop or melon baller because the batter is much like cake batter. I don't think anyone is doing anything wrong; I think the batter is supposed to be fluffy and wet. Thats what gives these cookies their spongy texture as opposed to a solid shortbread type texture.
Martha Stewart Member
12/24/2008
These were a spectacular addition to my cookie swap recipes. I have never made alfajores before, but I have heard of the shortbread cookie version (with manjar blanco- instead of store-bought dulce de leche). These are very soft, fluffy, delicious, and dainty! I am making these again for Christmas tommorrow. BTW, it is absolutely important to use a cookie scoop or melon baller because the batter is much like cake batter. I don't think anyone is doing anything wrong; I think the batter is supposed to be fluffy and wet. Thats what gives these cookies their spongy texture as opposed to a solid shortbread type texture.
Martha Stewart Member
10/11/2008
I tried it again and it worked! So, JandJmommy, I think the wetness was from not scraping down the bowl and sides and paddle before/after pouring in the liquid, (and not putting all the liquid all at once) which allowed less flour to be trapped on the sides and paddle, thus alllowing more flour to be there for the liquid. That's really what I think happened the first time. But it still seemed like a wet dough, almost like a battter. But they baked up nicely, like little flat pillows!
Martha Stewart Member
10/11/2008
I tried it again and it worked! So, JandJmommy, I think the wetness was from not scraping down the bowl and sides and paddle before/after pouring in the liquid, (and not putting all the liquid all at once) which allowed less flour to be trapped on the sides and paddle, thus alllowing more flour to be there for the liquid. That's really what I think happened the first time. But it still seemed like a wet dough, almost like a battter. But they baked up nicely, like little flat pillows!
Martha Stewart Member
10/01/2008
made this twice already. the dough itself was pleasing enough before baking. yummy. make sure all your ingredients are room temperature and use the smallest scoop to drop the dough in the sheet. made it with nutella, rasberry jam, and i eat it plain with green tea in the morning. yummy.
Martha Stewart Member
09/25/2008
Help! I love aflajores, but have never made them before. When I tried this recipe, I also had problems with it looking wetter,much like cake batter. I tried to fix it with more flour, but they ended up looking like little scones.
Martha Stewart Member
09/24/2008
Hey! Great recipe... Find here a great site for alfajores too: http://www.alfajorargentino.com.ar
Martha Stewart Member
09/22/2008
I made these this past weekend and they were at a great consistency until I added the wet ingredients. HELP! where did I go wrong. I'm a freak about measuring when i bake.... It was like dough before the wet ing. and like cake batter after.......Any thoughts. thanks
Martha Stewart Member
09/18/2008
perfect! i was looking for something to take to a barbeque this weekend.
Martha Stewart Member
09/18/2008
Anything of Matt's is fantastic!
Martha Stewart Member
09/17/2008
don't boil the sweetened condensed milk! Go to the eaglebrand.com website and learn how to carmelize it safeley.
Martha Stewart Member
09/17/2008
These are my husbands and my favorite Peruvian Dessert too!! Homemade Manjar Blanco is much better as a filling than the canned Dulce de Leche. The cutout recipe for these cookies is also easier to make than the drop cookie version. Makes more uniform cookies and they sit flatter on a serving plate! :)
Martha Stewart Member
09/17/2008
These are my husbands and my favorite Peruvian Dessert too!! Homemade Manjar Blanco is much better as a filling than the canned Dulce de Leche. The cutout recipe for these cookies is also easier to make than the drop cookie version. Makes more uniform cookies and they sit flatter on a serving plate! :)
Martha Stewart Member
09/17/2008
Does anyone know how long Sweetened Condensed Milk needs to be boiled to obtain the desired consistency for this recipe's filling? Thanks!
Martha Stewart Member
09/17/2008
These look delicious! I'd like to try Nutella as a filling variation.
Martha Stewart Member
09/17/2008
My favorite yummy Peruvian dessert!
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