Alfajores (Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies)
Description
These Peruvian dulce de leche cookies called alfajores are buttery and sweet with a touch of vanilla. Try them for your next big gathering.
Ingredients
•
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
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1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
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1/4 cup sifted cornstarch
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
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1/4 cup white sugar
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 (11 1/2 ounce) jar dulce de leche
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1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, or as needed for dusting
Directions
1
Mix flour, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl.
2
Beat butter with an electric mixer in a separate bowl until soft and fluffy. Mix in white sugar and vanilla until well combined.
3
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in 3 batches, beating until just blended after each addition. Divide dough in half, roll each half into a log, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
4
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5
Slice dough logs into forty-eight 1/4-inch-thick cookies and place onto ungreased baking sheets.
6
Bake in the preheated oven until just starting to turn golden around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
7
Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely, 25 to 30 minutes.
8
Use a knife to generously spread dulce de leche onto 1/2 of the cooled cookies. Sandwich remaining cookies on top and place onto a serving tray.
9
Lightly dust finished cookies with remaining confectioners' sugar.