Chilean Alfajores are traditional sweet cookies. Make at home for the Independence celebrations or Christmas, the rest of the year bought at bakeries unless there is a big family event like a baptism or graduation. At these parties, offering small pastries, including Alfajores, is customary.
Filling for Chilean Alfajores:
- Dulce de Leche
- Huevo Mol
- Molasses paste
The recipe for the dough is a family heirloom; my great aunt taught me how to do it; she was the person in charge of the famous Thousand Layer Cake in our family.
Alfajores are my favorite Chilean sweet. The recipe for the dough is the traditional one of my family. Alfajores are always present at Christmas, baptisms, and Chilean parties in general.
When I’m craving, but without time, I stick two water crackers with manjar, and I imagine that I’m eating alfajores, a classic from college times.
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)
What manjar do you recommend?
In Chile, I like the Colun or the artisanal one from Playa Venado. It’s terrific. I preferred La Lechera brand canned in the USA, made in Chile. Do not use Argentinian Dulce de Leche or Cajeta. They have different flavor profiles.
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 that the circles do not deform when cutting and handling them or shrink?
I recommend rolling the dough directly in the baking sheet (cookie sheets work great for this) with a bit of flour. Cut and prick the alfajores and go straight to the oven. Or on silicone mats that you can slide to the baking sheet. Avoid having to lift the circles.
My dough is dry. Can I add milk or water?
Occasionally if you live in a very dry climate, or the egg yolks are too small, they will lack liquid to hold the dough together. You can add milk or water one teaspoon at a time until you manage to unite it and can knead.
What is the standard egg size in pastry?
Recipes in the US are written for large eggs, which weigh about 65 grams in the shell.
Without shell 50 grams: 35 grams the egg white, 15 grams the yolk.
You may also like the recipe: Chilenitos.
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Chilean Alfajores
Alfajores, Chilean Recipe are a traditional sweet in Chile, filled with dulce de leche or Huevo Mol.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 35
Ingredients
- 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
- Preheat oven to 350F or 180C.
- Put flour in a large bowl.
- Add the egg yolks and work with a fork or your hands to form crumbs.
- Add the milk, vinegar, and melted butter.
- Form a dough, add water if necessary, one teaspoon at a time.
- Knead to a smooth dough, about 10 minutes.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest, refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Roll thin and cut the Alfajores, prick with a fork.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Fill with the Dulce de Leche once they are cool.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Chilean
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
- Cholesterol: 22.4 mg
Keywords: chilean alfajores, chilean cookies
I am making these alfajores for my Spanish project. I was wondering if these alfajores tasted better cooked that day or cooked 1 day before? Hope you respond soon. Thank you
love,
Chloe Pittman
Is better if you filled them with the dulce de leche the same day you will serve them. But you can bake the “cookies” and storage them for up to a week unfilled. Good luck!
I am going to make these for my wife for Christmas. She is from Viña del Mar. Have you ever coated yours with white and/or milk/dark chocolate? Your alfajores have a very original look to them, I think that is why I am choosing to make these. I want her to have a taste of ‘home’. When she tries it, I want her to feel like she has been taken back, if only for a minute. Thank you for posting your recipe, I can’t wait to get started on them.
Hi Daniel,
This kind of alfajores can be covered in meringue, but the ones always covered in chocolate are this other ones http://www.enmicocinahoy.cl/2010/11/alfajores-argentinos-200-alfajores-de-chocolate-y-manjar/ (this are more traditional in Viña del Mar)
You may want to do this ones instead… I’m sorry to tell you there is at least 4 different kind of filled cookies call Alfajores in Chile.
Also, how do you make your dulce de leche? I have heard from many people to take cans of condensed milk and put them inside a pot, fill with water and boil for two hours. With the dulce de leche being the key ingredient (equal to the cookie), I want to be sure I make it how you make it in Chile. Thanks again for your help.
Here is the recipe for making Dulce de Leche http://www.enmicocinahoy.cl/2013/02/como-hacer-manjar-de-leche-condensada/ , but if you leave in the USA just buy the Dulce de Leche La Lechera is made in Chile.http://www.amazon.com/La-Lechera-Dulce-Leche-Container/dp/B00032B8LA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419173871&sr=8-2&keywords=la+lechera (it’s cheaper $2 at supermarkets).
Question what kind of vinegar do you use? All I have is white wine vinegar would that be ok?
Hi Carol,
Yes white vinager is fine.
Querida Carol
muy agradecida por darte el tiempo de darnos todas esa ricas recetas Chilenas. De todas las recetas hice Caldillo de pescado muy Buena y tambien Patel de Choclo para ser choclo gringo a mi marido le gusto bastante un millon.
Mi fracas !! que mis alfajores no me resultaron, estan como chicle un poco latiguda la masa; no se que paso despues de hacer la masa la deje 2 dias al refrigerador y la volvi a masar cuando la saque se vea diferente a cuando la puse. Tambien creo que fue muy delgada la masa ya que salieron como 42 redondelas de 2″ tratare de Nuevo igual las comimos. Gracias y muchas Bendiciones Adriana Stuven
Hi, so i was going to make these for my english class due to a project and was wondering if the dough HAS to be refrigerated for 2 days? because my project is due tomorrow. Thank you.
Is better, but you could manage to refrigerated overnight only. Good luck.
Hola! I am planning on making these yummy looking treats for my boyfriend who is from Santiago Chile.
How thin/thick should I make the dough once rolled out? Also would I be able to use different cutters for the shapes of the Alfajores?
*side note: how long does store bought manjar last?*
Amor, Caitlyn
Hi Caitlyn,
Roll the dough as thin as possible, 2-3 mm. You can use different shapes but stick to basic ones, because they will blurry after baked.
The store bought manjar last almost forever if still seal on a can. If open I put it in a jar in the fridge, so it doesn’t dry out.
Good luck,
OK great thank you so much!!!! And thank you very much for posting this recipe!! can’t wait to try it out!!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks!
Any, I usually prefer unsalted.
Hi! What type of vinegar? Could it be Apple Cider Vinegar? I live in Bangkok, not sure if I can find all types
Apple Cider Vinegar is perfect. If not available you can replace for orange juice.
Hi, I need a student friendly recipe. My son and his friends need an easy recipe from Chile. It is for a school project they have to make & sell for a school fund raiser. I am hoping for a chlean inspired hot chocolate or sometype of recipe thay can be made in a slow cooler or crock pot and be easily served in a cup or bowl. I would appreciate any recommendations.
Thank you on advance.
Hi Laura.
I can tell you that any recipe with chocolate is not Chilean, our weather is not tropical. Cacao can’t grow in Chile. Squash and beans are very traditional.
Maybe a soup like https://www.enmicocinahoy.cl/cream-beans-soup/
Or https://www.enmicocinahoy.cl/chilean-sopaipillas/ or https://www.enmicocinahoy.cl/green-beans-patties/
More to explore https://www.enmicocinahoy.cl/chilean-recipes/
Good luck.
Thank you, I did do many, many google, youtube & pinteset searches for a flavorful drink or some type atole, like arroz con leche with a Chilean twist. Due to the delayed onset of fall here in South Texas, I did want something warm. But I will definately have my son and his peers consider one of your suggestions.
Your help is most appreciated!!!
Hi
I was just wondering, once the circles are cut out of the dough, can I store them in the fridge overnight or will they dry out? (want to make for a party but won’t have time to roll out dough and cut on the day, but I want them to be fresh!)
Is better to storage the circles already baked. 2-3 days double wrapped.
Hi there,
Any specific diameter the dough rounds should be? Thx
In Chile they vary in size, so really is up to you. In general, I go for 2″ or 6-8 cm of diameter.
do you use all purpose flour or self rising flour? thanks!
All recipes on the blog are with all-purpose flour. Good luck!
Gracias por compartir tus recetas. Copie el pino para las empanadas , tambien copie
la de los alfajores.
Yo tengo una receta de estos dulces, pero nunca tuve muy buenos resultados.
Espero me vaya bien con la receta de estos dulces.
Suerte y cualquier duda me dejas un comentario. Saludos.
Hola , I’m going to make those right now, I’m in Kaslo British Columbia Canada at Cherry Cove Cabins, it’s snowing outside , I’m from Chile , yo vivi en Santiago por 38 años, y estoy aca en Canada por 10 y es la primera vez que voy a cocinar Alfajores , espero que sean los mejores , I will let you know… Thanks
¡Suerte!
When I read this I wonder if the cookie (without the fillung) is sweet….?
It’s similar to shortbread in sweetness.
Thank you for the recipe! I am making them right now, I just would like to know if once you bake the biscuits how long can you keep them in an air tight container?
No more than 10 days, don’t fill them until ready to serve, they can get soggy if filled.
Hola Pilar. When I was a little girl I lived in Santiago for 3 years. I went to a private girls school (I believe now it is co-Ed), Santiago College. At recess after lunch the older girls would sell cookies with Manjar, they were put together with a wafer style cookie. I loved them!
Can you tell me anything about them?
★★★★★
My husband remembers them as Blitty (he also went to Santiago College). I have never seen them; I don’t think they were ever popular or recognized as traditional Chilean.
Hola Pilar
cuantas unidades rinde esta receta?
Gracias
Siempre esta al principio de la receta. 35
This looks so good I will be trying the recipe this weekend. Do you have a recipe for meringue? I love it without and with
This one I recommend https://www.chileanfoodandgarden.com/best-meringue-decorate-cakes/
Good luck!
Excellent and easy to follow recipe.
Thank you Pilar, and congratulations!!
Thank you so much.
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 🙏😇❤️
Bienvenida nuevamente Loreto. Saludos.