I just made Sandwich Cookies filled with ridiculously sticky dulce de leche that ruined my self-control and you absolutely need to keep scrolling to see them.

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I am obsessed with these Dulce de Leche cookies because they actually taste like childhood and grown-up sugar at the same time. I love how tender the cookies are from real unsalted butter and how that sticky dulce de leche center steals the whole show.

But it’s not precious bakery fluff. These are Homemade Cookies you want in the kitchen drawer, the ones you eat standing up, crumbs on your shirt.

Filled Cookies that refuse to be dainty. And they’re great just whenever you need a ridiculous, sweet fix.

I mean it. I will bake them until I run out.

Ingredients

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Unsalted butter — rich, makes cookies tender and buttery, it’s what makes them melt.
Powdered sugar — gives gentle sweetness and silky texture, dusts like snow on top.
Egg yolks — add richness and a little glue, basically keeps cookies soft and cakey.
Vanilla extract — warm scent that ties things together, it’s subtle but familiar.
All purpose flour — structure and bite, so cookies hold their shape without getting tough.
Cornstarch — makes the cookie extra tender and almost shortbread-like, soft and delicate.
Baking powder — lift and lightness, so they’re not flat and heavy.
Fine salt — balances sweetness and boosts flavor, you’ll notice when it’s missing.
Lemon zest (optional) — bright pop of citrus, adds a fresh twist if you want.
Dulce de leche — creamy caramel filling, sticky, sweet, and totally indulgent.
Desiccated coconut (optional) — chewy edge, adds rustic texture and a tropical note.
Extra powdered sugar (optional) — keeps things pretty and extra sweet for rolling.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup (85 g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups (150 g) all purpose flour

1 cup (120 g) cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp fine salt

Zest of 1 lemon, optional

1 to 1 1/2 cups (300 to 360 g) dulce de leche, room temperature, for filling

About 1/2 cup (60 g) desiccated coconut or extra powdered sugar for rolling, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a bowl with a stand mixer or hand mixer beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 2/3 cup powdered sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape down the sides once or twice.

3. Add 2 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the zest of 1 lemon if using, mix just until combined — don’t overbeat.

4. Whisk together 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt; sift or whisk well to remove lumps.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions and mix on low until a soft, slightly crumbly dough forms; stop as soon as there are no big streaks of flour.

6. Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, flatten into a disk, wrap and chill for 30 to 60 minutes until firm enough to roll. This helps keep the cookies tender and prevents spreading.

7. Roll dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 2 to
2.5 inch rounds (you should get roughly 24). Re-roll scraps once or twice, chill any soft pieces briefly before cutting.

8. Bake on prepared sheets for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set and bottoms are barely colored; they should remain pale. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

9. Spread about 1 to 1 1/2 cups room temperature dulce de leche on the flat side of half the cookies, sandwich with the remaining cookies. If you like, pipe the dulce de leche for more even coverage. Roll the exposed edges in desiccated coconut or dust the whole sandwich with extra powdered sugar.

10. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to a week. If refrigerated bring to room temperature before serving so the dulce de leche is soft.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheats to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Stand mixer or hand mixer with paddle attachment
3. Medium and large mixing bowls
4. Measuring cups and spoons (dry and liquid)
5. Whisk and rubber spatula (for folding and scraping)
6. Baking sheets lined with parchment paper
7. Rolling pin and extra parchment for rolling between sheets
8. 2 to 2.5 inch round cutter (or a glass) and a cooling rack

FAQ

Can I make the dough ahead of time and freeze it? Yes, you can. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling and cutting, or let sit 20 to 30 minutes at room temp if you need it faster.

My cookies spread or lose their shape. What went wrong? Usually that means the butter was too warm or the dough was overworked. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before cutting, and handle it as little as possible. If your kitchen is hot, pop the cut cookies on a tray into the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.

Can I use store bought dulce de leche or make my own? Both work fine. Store bought is quick and consistent. If you make your own from canned sweetened condensed milk, be sure to cook it safely and cool completely before using. Warm dulce de leche will make the cookies messy.

How do I get a neat filling without it oozing everywhere? Use a piping bag or a zip bag with the corner snipped for better control, and only fill a thin layer about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons per cookie. Press two cookies gently together, not hard, to avoid squeezing it out.

Can I swap cornstarch for something else? Cornstarch gives these cookies their tender, melt in your mouth texture. You can try tapioca starch in a pinch, but not regular flour alone. If you reduce the cornstarch you will change the texture a lot.

How should I store the assembled alfajores and how long do they last? Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving for the best texture. If you plan to keep them longer, freeze assembled cookies layered with parchment up to 1 month, thaw overnight in the fridge.

Dulce De Leche Sandwich Cookies (Alfajores) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted butter (1 cup): can use salted butter at a 1 to 1 swap but reduce added salt by about 1/4 teaspoon, or use solid coconut oil for a dairy free version, same weight but expect a slightly different texture and mild coconut flavor.
Powdered sugar (2/3 cup): if you’re out, blitz 3/4 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a blender until powdered, or use store bought icing sugar 1 to 1.
Cornstarch (1 cup): replace with potato starch or arrowroot in a 1 to 1 ratio; arrowroot gives a silkier crumb, potato starch is closer in structure for tender cookies.
Dulce de leche (1 to 1 1/2 cups): use thick caramel sauce or make quick dulce de leche by simmering a can of sweetened condensed milk until thick and caramel colored, or spread thickened mascarpone sweetened with a bit of brown sugar for a less sweet, tangy filling.

Pro Tips

1. Chill the dough well before rolling and if it starts to get soft while you’re cutting, pop the scraps in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. That keeps the cookies from spreading and makes the edges much cleaner.

2. Keep your dulce de leche at room temp so it spreads or pipes smoothly. If it’s too thick warm it briefly in a bowl over hot water or microwave in 5 to 10 second bursts, stirring between, but don’t overheat or it’ll get grainy.

3. Pipe the filling for neat, even coverage and cleaner sandwiches. Use a small round tip or cut the corner off a plastic bag. If you want less mess, spread a thin rim around the edge first to create a seal, then fill the center.

4. Bake until the cookies are just set and still pale. They won’t brown much. Overbaking makes them dry and brittle, so err on the side of underbaked by a minute rather than overbaked.

5. Store at room temp for up to 3 days in an airtight container so the dulce de leche keeps the cookies tender. If you refrigerate, bring them back to room temperature before serving so the filling is soft again.

Dulce De Leche Sandwich Cookies (Alfajores) Recipe

Recipe by Dan Coroni

0.0 from 0 votes

I just made Sandwich Cookies filled with ridiculously sticky dulce de leche that ruined my self-control and you absolutely need to keep scrolling to see them.

Servings

servings

Calories

172

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheats to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Stand mixer or hand mixer with paddle attachment
3. Medium and large mixing bowls
4. Measuring cups and spoons (dry and liquid)
5. Whisk and rubber spatula (for folding and scraping)
6. Baking sheets lined with parchment paper
7. Rolling pin and extra parchment for rolling between sheets
8. 2 to 2.5 inch round cutter (or a glass) and a cooling rack

Ingredients

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (85 g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (150 g) all purpose flour
1 cup (120 g) cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
Zest of 1 lemon, optional
1 to 1 1/2 cups (300 to 360 g) dulce de leche, room temperature, for filling
About 1/2 cup (60 g) desiccated coconut or extra powdered sugar for rolling, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a bowl with a stand mixer or hand mixer beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 2/3 cup powdered sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape down the sides once or twice.
Add 2 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the zest of 1 lemon if using, mix just until combined — don’t overbeat.
Whisk together 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt; sift or whisk well to remove lumps.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions and mix on low until a soft, slightly crumbly dough forms; stop as soon as there are no big streaks of flour.
Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, flatten into a disk, wrap and chill for 30 to 60 minutes until firm enough to roll. This helps keep the cookies tender and prevents spreading.
Roll dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 2 to
5 inch rounds (you should get roughly 24). Re-roll scraps once or twice, chill any soft pieces briefly before cutting.
Bake on prepared sheets for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set and bottoms are barely colored; they should remain pale. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Spread about 1 to 1 1/2 cups room temperature dulce de leche on the flat side of half the cookies, sandwich with the remaining cookies. If you like, pipe the dulce de leche for more even coverage. Roll the exposed edges in desiccated coconut or dust the whole sandwich with extra powdered sugar.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to a week. If refrigerated bring to room temperature before serving so the dulce de leche is soft.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.