Description
Heart Alfajores are delicate, tender sandwich cookies filled with sweet dulce de leche and coated with desiccated coconut. These charming heart-shaped treats are perfect for special occasions or anytime you want a delightful, buttery cookie with a creamy caramel filling. Made from a soft dough of flour, cornstarch, and butter, they bake to a tender texture that pairs beautifully with the rich dulce de leche center.
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 in a small bowl to ensure there are no lumps and the ingredients are well combined.
- Wet ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition to fully incorporate them. Stir in the pure vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine – Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Use a spatula or your hands to gently knead until a smooth, cohesive dough forms. Avoid overworking the dough to maintain tenderness.
- Chill – Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. This helps firm up the dough for easier handling and rolling.
- Oven preparation – Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C, Gas Mark 4). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cut – Roll each chilled dough portion into a ¼-inch thick rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy handling. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out cookies from the rolled dough. Place the heart-shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart to allow for slight spreading.
- Bake – Place the baking sheets on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges just start turning golden. Be careful not to overbake, as the cookies should remain tender and pale.
- Cool – Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes to firm up. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling.
- Sandwich – Once completely cool, spread a generous amount of dulce de leche on the flat side of one heart-shaped cookie and top it with another cookie to form a sandwich, pressing gently to adhere.
- Coat – Roll the edges of the dulce de leche-filled sandwiches in desiccated coconut until evenly coated. This adds texture and completes the classic alfajor look.
- Store – Place the coconut-coated alfajores on a tray or plate and let them set at room temperature for at least an hour. This allows the flavors to meld and the coconut to adhere firmly before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted for proper creaming with sugar.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading during baking and makes it easier to handle.
- You can use homemade or store-bought dulce de leche depending on convenience.
- Handle the cookies gently when sandwiching to avoid breakage.
- Store alfajores in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer shelf life.
- Rolling the dough between parchment sheets prevents sticking and makes rolling uniform thickness easier.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
