Two soft, crumbly cookies sandwiching thick dulce de leche, given an unexpected herbal warmth from a hint of fresh thyme.
Alfajores — two tender, crumbly cookies sandwiched around a thick layer of dulce de leche, often finished with a coating of shredded coconut or a dip in chocolate — are one of Argentina's most beloved sweets, found in bakeries and corner stores across the country. The cookie itself, called maicena for the cornstarch that gives it its signature melt-in-the-mouth texture, is delicate and needs gentle handling since the dough is soft and prone to spreading if the butter gets too warm. Infusing a small amount of fresh thyme into the dulce de leche isn't traditional, but warming a good store-bought or homemade dulce de leche gently with a sprig of thyme for a few minutes, then straining it out, adds a subtle herbal warmth that plays surprisingly well against the caramel's sweetness — a modern twist some contemporary Argentine bakeries have experimented with for a more grown-up alfajor. The cornstarch-heavy dough should be chilled before rolling and cut with a small round cutter, since these cookies are meant to be delicate and bite-sized rather than large, and they're traditionally rolled in shredded coconut around the edges once assembled for extra texture and visual appeal.
Serves 12
Whisk cornstarch, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, brandy or vanilla, and lemon zest.
Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut into 2-inch rounds. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until just set but pale on top — do not let them brown. Cool completely.
Gently warm dulce de leche with thyme sprigs over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove and discard the thyme.
Spread a generous layer of the infused dulce de leche on the flat side of half the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies and roll the exposed edges in shredded coconut.
Chill the dough before rolling; it's very soft due to the high cornstarch content and spreads too much if worked warm.
Watch the cookies closely in the oven — they should stay pale, not browned, since the classic maicena texture depends on a short, gentle bake.
Warm the dulce de leche with thyme only briefly and over low heat; too long or too hot can make the herb flavor bitter.
Skip the thyme for the classic, traditional alfajor filled with plain dulce de leche.
Dip the assembled cookies in melted dark chocolate instead of rolling in coconut.
Add a pinch of cinnamon to the dough for a warmer, spiced version.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days. The cookies soften slightly as they sit, which many people prefer.
Alfajores trace back to Moorish Spain and were brought to Argentina through Spanish colonization, evolving into the cornstarch-based, dulce-de-leche-filled version that's now considered a defining national sweet, especially popular brands like Havanna having built entire businesses around them.
Yes, most Argentine bakers use good store-bought dulce de leche rather than making it from scratch, and it works perfectly for this recipe.
The dough was likely too warm when it went into the oven; make sure to chill it fully and work quickly when cutting and transferring the rounds.
Absolutely — plain dulce de leche is the traditional filling, and the thyme is simply an optional modern variation for those who want to try something different.
Per serving (70g / 2.5 oz) · 12 servings total
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