Alfajor cookies, delicious dulce de leche cookies or alfajores, are buttery cookie sandwiches filled with sticky caramel (dulce de leche) and covered in powdered sugar. The cookies are like shortbread, crumbly at the same time with the slightest hint of citrus. Its shortbread sandwich cookie is made of flour, sugar, butter, lemon rind, salt & milk.
One of the best “pasalubong” we can buy or ask our friends when they visit Baguio City care of Good Shepherd.
Yield: 2 dozens cookies sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cups dulce de leche
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a big mixing bowl, combine all ingredients (except dulce de leche) and mix together until the dough can form into a ball. You can also use a food processor or a stand mixer.
- Shape the dough into a disc, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Sprinkle some flour onto your work surface and roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thick.
- Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and transfer to cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Combine dough scraps together, gently press into a ball, and roll out again so you can cut out more rounds. I ended up with around 48 cookie rounds (enough to make 24 cookie sandwiches).
- Bake cookies for about 12-14 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Let cookies cool for about 15 minutes.
- Assemble cookie sandwiches by spreading about 2 teaspoons of dulce de leche on the flat side of one cookie, then topping with another cookie flat side down.
- Generous sprinkle powdered sugar before serving. Cookies should be kept in the refrigerator in an air-tight container if not consumed immediately.
Credits to: confessionsofachocoholic.com/dessert/alfajores
