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Traditional Chilean Alfajores

Published: Sep 8, 2022 · Modified: Feb 24, 2025 by Pilar Hernandez · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Versión en español

Chilean Alfajores are traditional sweet cookies. They are made at home for celebrations ( Fiestas Patrias) or Christmas and bought at bakeries the rest of the year unless there is a big family event like a baptism or graduation. At these parties, offering small pastries, including Alfajores, is customary.Chilean Alfajores Recipe The dough recipe is a family heirloom; my great-aunt taught me how to do it. She was also in charge of our family's famous Thousand Layer Cake.

When I crave them but have no time, I stick two water crackers with dulce de leche and imagine I'm eating alfajores, a classic from college. Our poor man alfajores if you wish.

What are Alfajores made of and filled with?

Great question, and it depends. Alfajores are cookies filled with something, and like many recipes introduced by the Spaniards, they have gotten different variations throughout Latin America with time.

They are most popular in South America, especially in Chile, Peru, and Argentina.

In Peru and Argentina, the most common variation of Alfajor is the recipe: a melt-in-your-mouth cornstarch cookie filled with dulce de leche.

In Chile, alfajor is a cookie made with a crunchy dough (Hojarasca) made with egg yolks and flour and filled with dulce de leche; you can also try this other traditional filling with molasses Alfajores Atoradores.

Chocolate Alfajores
Chocolate Alfajores

In Argentina and Chile, Alfajores Mendocinos are also very popular. I included a recipe in my book, The Chilean Kitchen (Amazon affiliate link). You can also see a recipe here: Chocolate Alfajores, similar to the commercial ones Alfajores Havanna (Amazon affiliate link).

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Chilean Alfajores.

Chilean Alfajores

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Pilar Hernandez
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 35
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Chilean
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Description

Alfajores, Chilean Recipe are a traditional sweet in Chile, filled with dulce de leche or Huevo Mol.


Ingredients

Units
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 5 tablespoons of milk (whole or 2%)
  • 1 teaspoon of vinegar (apple or white)
  • 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
  • Dulce de Leche to fill

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F or 180C.
  2. Put flour in a large bowl.
  3. Add the egg yolks and work with a fork or your hands to form crumbs.
    crumbs
  4. Add the milk, vinegar, and melted butter.
  5. Form a dough, add water if necessary, one teaspoon at a time.
    Alfajor dough
  6. Knead to a smooth dough, about 10 minutes.
    Alfajor dough shape into a ball
  7. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest, refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
  8. Roll thin and cut the Alfajores, prick with a fork.
    Cutting the wafers
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
    Baked alfajores
  10. Fill with the Dulce de Leche once they are cool.
    Chilean Alfajores

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 alfajor
  • Calories: 95
  • Sugar: 9.6 g
  • Sodium: 26.3 mg
  • Fat: 2.3 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 16.1 g
  • Fiber: 0.2 g
  • Protein: 2.3 g

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @chileanfoodandgarden on Instagram and hashtag it #chileanfoodandgarden

Tips for great Chilean Alfajores:

What is the most important thing for the alfajores to be delicious?

The kneading by hand for 10 minutes and with a machine for at least 5 minutes, the dough should be smooth and sound (crack) when folded.

What manjar do you recommend?

I like the Colun or the artisanal one from Playa Venado in Chile. It's terrific. I preferred the La Lechera brand, canned in the USA and made in Chile. Do not use Argentinian Dulce de Leche or Cajeta. They have different flavor profiles.
La Lechera Dulce de Leche can Manjar en tarro

Can I remove or replace the vinegar?

It can be replaced with orange juice or alcohol (brandy or pisco). The idea is to prevent the flour from forming gluten so that the alfajores are crispy and not chewy. The acid and alcohol help, so I don't recommend omitting this ingredient.

What can I do so the circles do not deform or shrink when cutting and handling them?

I recommend rolling the dough directly on the baking sheet (cookie sheets work great for this) with a bit of flour. Cut and prick the almonds and go straight to the oven. You can also roll them on silicone mats and then move them with the mat onto the baking sheet. This way, you avoid having to lift the circles.

My dough is dry. Can I add milk or water?

Occasionally, if you live in an arid climate or the egg yolks are too small, they will lack liquid to hold the dough together. Add one teaspoon of milk or water until you can unite and knead it.

You may also like the recipe: Chilenitos.

Dulce de Leche Alfajor

More Chilean recipes

  • Dulce de Leche bars
    Dulce de Leche bars
  • Chilean Choripan
    Chilean Choripán
  • Clery Strawberry White Wine Punch
    Clery Strawberry White Wine Punch
  • Chancho en Piedra, Chilean Recipe
    Chancho en Piedra

Comments

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  1. Hannah Yates says

    September 01, 2024 at 4:43 am

    Made these for my family while I learn to bake and safe to say they love them! I've made a few batches for my friends too, thanks from us Aussies ❤

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez says

      September 01, 2024 at 4:40 pm

      I'm so glad you enjoy them!

      Reply
  2. Becky Vachon says

    November 30, 2023 at 8:05 pm

    This is the first recipe for alfajores that actually looks like what you can get in a Chilean restaurant. Most of the recipes I've seen are a thicker cookie (I think that's how they make them in Peru?).

    Anyways, would these freeze well. I'm thinking of making a batch and saving it for serving on Christmas.

    I love your website as I am half Chilean but often feel out of touch with my heritage. I love being able to learn how to make certain foods that my mom has told me about, but that I've never gotten the opportunity to try for myself.

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez says

      December 01, 2023 at 3:59 pm

      Hi Becky!
      I'm glad the blog is a connection to your heritage.
      You can freeze the Alfajor cookies before filling them with dulce de leche.
      Take them out 3 hours before, wait 2 hours to defrost, and then fill them out and serve.
      Good luck!

      Reply
  3. Loreto Ibarra Schuster says

    May 03, 2022 at 2:53 pm

    Gracias Pilar ,soy una asidua fans tuya ,te tenía entre mis amigas ,pero cambié equipo de celular y perdí todo ....cariños desde Chile 🇨🇱🥂🌷 acá todo mal ,estamos en una situación crítica ,poco para ser una guerra civil ..horror amiga ,un abrazo gigante para ti 🙏😇❤️

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez says

      May 04, 2022 at 12:25 pm

      Bienvenida nuevamente Loreto. Saludos.

      Reply
  4. Pauline Cosmelli says

    November 19, 2021 at 2:43 pm

    Excellent and easy to follow recipe.
    Thank you Pilar, and congratulations!!

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez says

      November 20, 2021 at 2:01 pm

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
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¡Hola!

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I'm Pilar Hernandez, a Latina mom, blogger since 2008, and urban farmer.

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