Description
Heart Alfajores are delicate and tender heart-shaped sandwich cookies filled with creamy dulce de leche and coated with desiccated coconut. These Argentine-inspired treats combine a soft, buttery shortbread-like texture with a rich, sweet filling, perfect for special occasions or gifting.
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 even distribution and remove any lumps.
- Wet ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition to incorporate fully. Stir in the pure vanilla extract.
- Combine – Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing gently until a smooth dough forms. Use a spatula or lightly knead with your hands, taking care not to overwork the dough.
- Chill – Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour to firm up the dough for easier handling.
- Oven Prep – Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) or Gas Mark 4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cut – Roll each chilled dough portion between two sheets of parchment paper into a ¼-inch thick rectangle. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out heart cookies. Place the cut cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart.
- Bake – Bake the cookies on the middle rack for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden. Avoid overbaking to keep them tender and pale in color.
- Cool – Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sandwich – Once fully cooled, spread a generous amount of dulce de leche evenly on the flat side of one cookie and sandwich it with another heart cookie, pressing gently to adhere.
- Coat – Roll the edges of the dulce de leche-filled cookie sandwiches in desiccated coconut to evenly coat the filling edges.
- Store – Place the coated alfajores on a tray or plate and let them set for at least one hour before serving. This resting time allows flavors to meld and coconut to stick firmly.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted for best creaming results.
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading during baking and to make cutting shapes easier.
- Use a gentle touch when combining ingredients to keep cookies tender.
- Dulce de leche can be store-bought or homemade; homemade adds a richer flavor.
- Store alfajores in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend suitable for baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie (about 40g)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
