These soft and delicate treats are popular across Latin America. This gluten free alfajores recipe is easy and super tasty. They just melt in your mouth! I doubt you will have leftovers after they are filled with delicious caramel-like filling.
I can’t get enough of these cookies. They are one of my very favourite treats and I always find it hard to stop myself from finishing the whole batch after baking.
So what are Alfajores and Gluten Free Alfajores?
Alfajores have now become extremely popular across the world. They are a delicious dessert in South America and a few other countries. Alfajores consist of two shortbread-like cookies sandwiched together with a creamy caramel-like filling (traditionally a manjar blanco or dulce de leche). There are different versions across cultural regions.
I am so excited that I can share this gluten free Alfajores recipe with you so that you can enjoy and experience this treat at home.
A note on ingredients for Gluten Free Alfajores
Sugar
For the best results, use castor sugar (superfine sugar). You can use granulated sugar too, but don’t use powdered / icing sugar.
Cornstarch
If you can’t have corn you can try using arrowroot starch instead. I have not tested this, but I am sure this will work. Use the same amount of grams as the recipe calls for cornstarch.
Caramel filling
Where I am from, we don’t get Dulce de Leche. For these cookies, I make a quick creamy caramel filling which you can find here. You can, of course, use Dulce de Leche or tinned caramel if you prefer.
Important steps not to miss when making these Gluten Free Alfajores
- When creaming the butter and sugar together, make sure not to do it too much as this can change the texture and shape of the cookies too much.
- The chilling process after mixing the dough together is extremely important. This will make sure that the cookies don’t spread too much and also gives a deeper flavour to the cookies.
- You can make the cookies bigger if you prefer, but keep the thickness of the dough the same.
- Don’t over bake the cookies or they will become hard and chewy instead of soft and crumbly.
- The cookies will look pale even when done, the bottoms will just be lightly golden brown.
Storage
Store any leftovers (if that’s even possible to have) at room temperature in an airtight container. When you store them correctly, they will last up to 7 days.
If you’ve tried this recipe, remember to comment below and let me know how it went.
Love,
Gluten Free Alfajores
Ingredients
- 105 g Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Link to recipe in Notes
- 1 ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum Omit if your flour blend already contains it
- 120 g Cornstarch
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt
- 112 g Unsalted Butter Softened
- 66 g Caster Sugar Or granulated sugar
- 2 Large Egg Yolks
- 1 Tbsp Water
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¾ – 1 Cup Creamiest Caramel Filling Link to recipe in Notes
- Powdered Sugar For dusting
Instructions
- Combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go.
- Add egg yolks to butter and sugar and mix until combined.
- Slowly add your flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
- Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refridgerator for 1 hour until completely chilled.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C with a fan) and prepare your baking sheet with baking or parchment paper.
- Roll half the dough at a time (to avoid heating up and overworking) on a lightly floured surface or a silicone mat. Roll the dough about 5mm (about ¼ inch) thick and cut out 4,5 cm rounds (or bigger if you prefer) and place the rounds on your prepared baking pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough. ***
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes until just golden brown at the bottom. The cookies will be pale, this is normal.
- Let the cookies cool in the pan.
- Once cooled, place approximately 1 teaspoon of filling on one half (or more if your cookies are bigger) and then sandwich together.
- Dust your completed cookies with powdered sugar and enjoy!
