Delight your taste buds with these irresistible Peruvian Caramel Cookies, a melt-in-your-mouth treat that combines buttery shortbread and luscious dulce de leche. Known as "alfajores" in South America, these delicate sandwich cookies are a perfect harmony of crumbly, tender dough and creamy caramel filling. Made with a blend of all-purpose flour and cornstarch for a signature light texture, these cookies are dusted with powdered sugar for a sweet and elegant finish. Perfect for holiday platters, afternoon tea, or as a decadent homemade gift, this recipe is surprisingly easy to prepare, with only 30 minutes of prep time. Indulge in the classic flavor of these Peruvian dulce de leche cookies, and elevate your dessert game with this crowd-pleasing favorite!
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, cream the unsalted butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
In a separate large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.
Divide the dough into two portions, flatten each into a disc, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to make the dough easier to handle.
Once the dough is chilled, lightly flour a clean surface and roll out one portion to a thickness of about 5mm (1/4 inch).
Use a round cookie cutter (about 5 cm or 2 inches in diameter) to cut out the cookies. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 cm (3/4 inch) apart.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden. The cookies should remain pale on top.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cookies are fully cooled, spread about a teaspoon of dulce de leche onto the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich it with another cookie. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Lightly dust the tops of the assembled cookies with powdered sugar before serving.
Enjoy your homemade Peruvian caramel cookies!
Calories |
3569 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 170.2 g | 218% | |
| Saturated Fat | 99.0 g | 495% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 463 mg | 154% | |
| Sodium | 561 mg | 24% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 473.0 g | 172% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 7.2 g | 26% | |
| Total Sugars | 219.1 g | ||
| Protein | 47.7 g | 95% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.6 mcg | 3% | |
| Calcium | 826 mg | 64% | |
| Iron | 12.4 mg | 69% | |
| Potassium | 1366 mg | 29% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.