Argentine · Moderate
Alfajores de Maicena
Make this Argentine alfajores de maicena recipe: tender cornstarch cookies filled with dulce de leche and edged with coconut.
- Prep
- 30 mins
- Cook
- 12 mins
- Total
- 87 mins
- Yield
- 12 sandwich cookies
Total includes 30 minutes chilling and 15 minutes cooling, with both sheets baked together. Makes 12 sandwich cookies.
About this recipe
Cornstarch gives these sandwich cookies their delicate, crumbly texture, so the dough is handled gently and baked only until set. Thick dulce de leche holds the layers together without running, and a narrow edge of coconut finishes each sandwich without covering the tender cookie.
For consistent texture, measure both dry ingredients without packing them; the same spoon-and-level method used for flour also helps prevent excess cornstarch from drying the dough.
If you want another Argentine bake built around a tender short dough, pasta frola bars use a related gentle mixing approach with a quince filling.
For a no-bake Argentine dessert using the same thick dulce de leche, layer it with chocolate biscuits and cream cheese in chocotorta.
For a caramel-topped Argentine dessert with a smooth custardy crumb, make budín de pan and serve it chilled.
Why this method works
- Cornstarch limits gluten development and gives the cookie layers their delicate, short texture.
- Chilling firms the soft dough so the rounds cut cleanly and hold their shape in the oven.
- Keeping the cookies pale preserves their tenderness, while thick dulce de leche supports the layers without running.
Ingredient notes
- Cornstarch (maicena)
- Maicena is the Spanish word commonly used for cornstarch. It supplies most of the dry base in these cookies and creates their characteristically delicate crumb.
- All-purpose flour
- Spoon it into the measuring cup and level the top. Packed flour can make this already delicate dough dry and prone to cracking.
- Softened butter
- It should yield to gentle pressure but not look melted or greasy. Butter that is too warm can make the dough sticky and encourage spreading.
- Dulce de leche
- Use a thick pastry-style dulce de leche when available. A thin sauce can squeeze out when the cookies are assembled.
Simple Home Dish
Alfajores de Maicena
- Prep
- 30 mins
- Cook
- 12 mins
- Total
- 87 mins
- Yield
- 12 sandwich cookies
Total includes 30 minutes chilling and 15 minutes cooling, with both sheets baked together. Makes 12 sandwich cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 3/4 cup thick dulce de leche
- 1/3 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
Instructions
- Whisk cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in yolks, vanilla, and zest.
- Mix in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Pat into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets.
- Roll the dough between parchment sheets to 1/4 inch thick. Cut 24 rounds with a 2-inch cutter, gently rerolling scraps. If the dough cracks, press it back together; chill briefly if sticky.
- Place rounds 1 inch apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes until set and barely colored underneath. Bake both sheets together, rotating and swapping halfway through. Let cool on the sheets for 15 minutes; the warm cookies are delicate.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon dulce de leche on the flat side of half the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining rounds and roll the exposed filling edges in coconut.
Step-by-step notes
- The mixed dough should feel soft and hold together when pressed. If it looks crumbly, press and fold it gently before deciding it needs any adjustment.
- If the dough cracks while rolling, let it stand for a minute and press the cracks together through the parchment. If it feels sticky, chill it for 5 to 10 minutes before continuing.
- Remove the cookies while the tops are still pale and the bottoms are only lightly colored. Let them firm on the baking sheets before moving them.
- Support each cooled cookie from underneath while adding the filling. Press the sandwich just enough to bring the dulce de leche to the edge, then roll that exposed edge in coconut.
Cooking tips
Make ahead
Prepare and chill the dough up to 1 day ahead, then let it soften only enough to roll without cracking. Unfilled cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw them completely before adding dulce de leche and coconut.
Storage & reheating
Store assembled cookies airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, following any shorter storage direction on your dulce de leche. Let stand briefly before serving. Freeze unfilled cookies for up to 2 months.
Variations
Leave the coconut off if you prefer. Use a little orange zest in place of lemon for a different aroma.
Frequently asked questions
What does maicena mean?
Maicena is a widely used Spanish term for cornstarch. It is the ingredient that gives these alfajores their delicate, crumbly texture.
Why is my alfajores dough cracking?
The dough may be a little too cold or may not have been pressed together fully. Let it stand briefly, then roll between parchment and press small cracks closed as you work.
Can I make alfajores without coconut?
Yes. The coconut finishes the exposed dulce de leche edge, but the cookies can be assembled and served without it.
Can I use regular dulce de leche?
Use the thickest dulce de leche available. A regular spread can work if it holds its shape on a spoon, while a thin sauce is likely to squeeze out.