Description
Alfajores are traditional Peruvian sandwich cookies filled with rich and creamy manjar blanco, a type of dulce de leche. These delicate vanilla shortbread cookies are slightly crumbly yet buttery, perfectly complementing the smooth, caramel-like filling. This recipe includes a homemade manjar blanco baked in a water bath and vanilla cookies made with cornstarch for a tender texture. The assembled alfajores are dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant finish, making them an irresistible treat perfect for afternoon tea or special occasions.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Manjar Blanco
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- Pinch kosher salt
Vanilla Shortbread Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch, sifted
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste (optional)
- 1 large egg yolk (optional)
Assembly
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Make the Manjar Blanco: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the sweetened condensed milk in a small baking dish and cover it tightly with foil. Set this dish inside a larger baking dish and fill the larger dish halfway with water to create a water bath. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, replenishing water if it evaporates by 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes to cool slightly.
- Whisk the Manjar Blanco: Remove the foil and take the small dish out of the water bath. Discard the cinnamon stick, then pour the dulce de leche into a bowl and whisk until smooth. This can be made a day ahead and stored airtight in the fridge.
- Prepare the Cookie Dough Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sifted cornstarch, powdered sugar, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Vanilla: In a stand mixer bowl or with an electric hand mixer, beat the butter with vanilla extract or paste until smooth. Add the egg yolk (if using) and mix until just incorporated.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Slowly add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, mixing gently to combine. Continue mixing about one minute until dough forms, taking care not to overmix or scatter flour.
- Chill the Dough: Shape the dough into a ball and flatten into a 2-inch round. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Roll Out the Dough: Preheat oven to 350°F. On parchment paper, roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. If too cold, let rest 10 minutes to soften slightly.
- Cut and Chill Cookies: Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out cookies closely together. Transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart using an offset spatula. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling twice.
- Score and Bake Cookies: Lightly score tops of cookies with fork tines. Bake 11-13 minutes until firm but not browned. Let cool on baking sheets to room temperature.
- Assemble Alfajores: Flip half the cookies upside down. Fill a piping bag with manjar blanco and pipe a round on each flipped cookie. Alternatively, spoon and gently spread the filling. Top with remaining cookies and gently press together. Roll exposed sides in sifted powdered sugar.
- Storage: Store assembled alfajores in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Notes
- Refrigerating the dough for at least an hour up to 3 days helps distribute moisture evenly for better dough handling and texture.
- Store-bought dulce de leche can be used but may require whisking to smooth out lumps.
- Cookie cutter size affects alfajor size: use 1 1/2-inch for mini or 3-inch for standard cookies.
- Best stored in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain texture.
- Manjar blanco can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Temper manjar blanco by bringing it to room temperature for 2 hours or placing the sealed container in warm water to soften.
- Essential tools include baking sheets, parchment paper, offset spatula, stand mixer, and measuring utensils.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 33g)
- Calories: 386 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Fat: 19.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.1 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 2.7 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
