Description
Heart Alfajores are delicate, tender sandwich cookies filled with rich dulce de leche and coated in desiccated coconut, shaped in charming hearts perfect for gifting or special occasions. These traditional South American treats combine a buttery cookie with creamy caramel for a sweet and satisfying dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ cup (65 g) Cornstarch
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) Unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) Granulated sugar
- 3 large Egg yolks
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Filling and Coating
- 1 ½ cups (339 g) Dulce de leche (store-bought or homemade)
- ½ cup (40 g) Desiccated coconut
Instructions
- Dry ingredients – Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl to ensure an even, lump-free mixture for the cookie dough.
- Wet ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract to flavor the dough.
- Combine – Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula or gently kneading by hand until a smooth cookie dough forms.
- Chill – Divide the dough into two equal portions, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up the dough for easier handling.
- Oven preparation – Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C or Gas Mark 4) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut – Roll out each chilled dough portion to about ¼ inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out cookies and place them spaced apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake – Bake the cookies on the middle oven rack for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden, taking care not to overbake as you want the cookies tender and pale.
- Cool – Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets briefly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sandwich – Spread a generous layer of dulce de leche on the flat side of one cookie and top with another to form adorable heart-shaped sandwich cookies.
- Coat – Roll the edges of each filled cookie carefully in desiccated coconut so the filling edges are fully coated for added texture and flavor.
- Store – Set the coated alfajores on a tray or plate and let them rest at room temperature for at least one hour to let the flavors meld and the coconut adhere firmly before serving.
Notes
- Use good quality dulce de leche for the best flavor.
- Softened butter should not be melted; it should be just soft enough to cream easily.
- Keep an eye on the cookies while baking to avoid overbaking and losing their tender texture.
- Chilling the dough is essential for easy rolling and well-shaped cookies.
- Store alfajores in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
