Vanilla alfajores
This Uruguayan dessert builds dulce de leche, coconut flakes and dulce de leche into a weeknight-friendly meal you can have ready in about 85 minutes. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 11 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and baking sheet. At medium difficulty across 11 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Egg
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- For the sandwich cookie cream the soft butter for about a minute, then add the sugar and cream for another two minutes.
- Incorporate the egg fully before mixing in the egg yolk.
- Once everything is nicely combined, add all remaining ingredients and mix one more time.
- Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.
- Chill for at least half an hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide dough in half, put one back in the fridge and roll out the other thickly on a lightly floured surface. Cut out cookies with either the bottom of a glass or a cookie cutter around 6cm in diameter. Repeat with all the dough.
- Bake for about 8-10min, the cookies will look very pale.
- Let cool off before filling half with each a teaspoon of dulce de leche.
- Place other half of cookies on top and roll the sides of each cookie in the coconut flakes (it helps if the dulce de leche was pressed down to the sides of the cookie).
- Enjoy.
You'll use: Oven · Baking sheet
Watch how it's made
Hosted on YouTube — pressing play loads content from YouTube.
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener)
What to serve with Vanilla alfajores
- Chivito uruguayo Beef
- Beef Empanadas Beef
- Torta de fiambre Pork
- Chivito sandwich Beef
Tips & common questions
How long does Vanilla alfajores take to make?
About 85 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 11 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Vanilla alfajores vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Structured source recipe — not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Recipe data for Vanilla alfajores via TheMealDB (open database). ▶ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.