Billionaire Alfajores with Homemade Dulce de Leche & Toasted Coconut

What are Alfajores?

A Brief History of Alfajores (Cookies)

Alfajor cookies have a long history and have been making appearances across the globe for centuries. In fact, the word alfajor (albeit using a different spelling) was first noted by a Spaniard back in 1492. For all we know, Christopher Columbus had a fanny pack full of these bad boys when he arrived to the New World! ...Okay, probably not. However, these cookies DID find their way to the New World and WOW, are we thankful!

Admittedly, the New World variations of these cookies look a lot different than their European ancestors. Spanish variations of alfajores are cylindrical confections made of breadcrumbs, flour, nuts, honey and spices.

This Billionaire Alfajor recipe best resembles the dulce de leche sandwich cookies found in Latin America. Alfajores are a beloved cultural tradition and consist of two shortbread style cookies filled with dulce de leche. Today, they are gaining popularity all over the world but are best known in South American countries like Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.

Ingredients For Billionaire Alfajores

The only thing better than one cookie is two cookies! And the only thing better than two cookies is two cookies sandwiched with dulce de leche! Facts.

Here's what you need to make these dulce de leche sandwich cookies with coconut:

Cookie Dough:

The cookie dough for this Billionaire Alfajores recipe is a lot like a shortbread cookie: lots of butter, not too sweet, and easy as pie. (Or should we say cookie?)

The main difference between this recipe and our go-to shortbread recipe is the addition of coconut and almond flours (for flavor!) and cornstarch (for texture!). The addition of cornstarch to this recipe results in tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies with a delicate, sandy crumb. They almost don’t need the dulce de leche. Almost.

• All-Purpose Flour
• Almond Flour (or additional coconut flour)
• Coconut Flour
• Cornstarch
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• European Butter - European butter has a higher fat content that makes these cookies melt in your mouth! Brands like Kerrygold and Plugra are widely available in the US. If using standard butter, we recommend increasing the butter by 1 Tablespoon.
• Sugar - We recommend using powdered confectioners sugar for a finer texture. However, you can use regular granulated sugar, if needed.
• Egg Yolks
• Vanilla Extract

Filling & Toppings:

• Sweetened Condensed Milk - For homemade dulce de leche! See instructions for 3 Ways To Make Dulce De Leche below!
• Vanilla Extract
• Salt
• Dark or Bittersweet Chocolate - You can use chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar
• Coconut Oil
• Unsweetened Coconut

Tips For Making Alfajores

• Sift the dry ingredients. For the smoothest dough and best texture, sift all of your dry ingredients together for even baking with no lumps or clumps!
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Use butter that is room-temperature and cream with sugar for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
• Chill the dough completely! Chilling the dough allows the flours to fully hydrate while making the dough firm and easy to roll evenly.
• Use dowel (or rolling pin spacers) to help roll the dough evenly! (See image below.) By placing quarter-inch dowels on either side of the cookie dough, we ensure we can roll the dough to the perfect, even thickness.

Filling The Cookies: All About That Dulce de Leche

Depending on which side of the Andes you fall on, you may know this sugary treat better as manjar blanco. Meaning “candy of milk”, dulce de leche (or manjar blanco for the Westerners) closely resembles caramel.

Caramel, however, can be made quickly with nothing more than granulated sugar. The richer and creamier confection of dulce de leche takes several hours on the stovetop (or in the oven) to achieve the deep color and desired flavor.

For the Billionaire Alfajores with Toasted Coconut, we like to cook the dulce de leche until it is deeply browned and a scoop-able thickness. While lighter, runnier dulce de leche makes a lovely dessert sauce, thick, shape-holding dulce de leche is essential for binding these alfajores together.

Is it Safe to Boil a Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk? YES!

We understand you may be a little hesitant to throw that canned good on the fire for so long. However, we assure you it is totally safe and could not be any easier! Read these tips and tricks to ensure your safety!

Safe Practices for Boiling Dulce do Leche on the Stovetop or Pressure Cooker

• Remove the label and sticky adhesive from the can of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)!
• Check the can for any dents, improper seals or deformities. DO NOT BOIL ANY DAMAGED CANS!
• For the stovetop method: Lay the can on its side! Yup, the round part! Standing the can upright will result in a terrible rattling sound that WILL drive you cuckoo for the next 4 hours. *More of a sanity tip than a safety tip, we suppose.
• Make sure the can is CONSTANTLY covered with water. Uncovered cans will create uneven temperatures that run the risk of explosion! For the stovetop method, we set a timer to top off our boiling water every 30 minutes. For the pressure cooker method, fill your pot to the MAX water level before processing.
• Allow the can to cool in the water completely before proceeding. Not only is that can HOT but it is also filled with boiling sugar. If you are using the pressure cooker, release all of the pressure, remove the lid and then let cool. Furthermore, the dulce de leche will continue to thicken as it cools and needs to be thick and room (or refrigerator) temperature before filling your alfajores. It’s worth the wait! We promise.

Dark Chocolate and a Sprinkle of Toasted Coconut

A drizzle of melted chocolate and a sprinkle of toasted coconut give these cookies a chic and elegant presentation!

The modern day pastalero (pastry chef) has come up with endless variations of the crowd-pleasing alfajor cookie. For this Billionaire Alfajores recipe, we are pairing the buttery flavors of shortbread, the nutty toffee-like flavor of dulce de leche with toasted coconut and the subtly-bitter richness of dark chocolate. The flavors are decadent and divine!

For a more classic South American appearance, roll the edges of your cookie in toasted coconut. For even more decadence, melt a little extra chocolate and dip half (or all!) of the alfajores in dark chocolate. However you choose to decorate, we know you’ll love bringing this delicious bake into your own family’s traditions.

Storing Cookie Dough or Leftover Cookies

• Cookie Dough: Billionaire Alfajores cookie dough can be made ahead of time.
  • Refrigerator: Keep the dough tightly wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 2 - 3 days, until ready to bake.
  • Freezer: Keep the dough tightly wrapped in plastic in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw dough completely (in the refrigerator or at room-temperature) until ready to bake.

• Leftover Alfajores: We rarely have any leftover alfajores but if you do, here's what to do!
  • Refrigerator: Dulce de leche filled sandwich cookies need to be stored in the refrigerator. Store the assembled Billionaire Alfajores in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
    • We recommend allowing the cookie to temper at room-tempearure before serving!