alfajores hamantaschen!
Alfajores hamantaschen are my latest (and super delish) mash up!
as we answer the burning question, “will it hamantaschen”?
Is there nothing I won’t “hamantaschen” (and yes, I just used hamantaschen as a verb)?
I actually made and shot these last year, because – for reasons I can’t for the life of me recall – I had both leftover dulce de leche AND shredded coconut. My dear friend Bea introduced me to alfajores years ago and I knew that I had the makings of a killer hamantaschen. I’d already planned on posting these creme brulee beauties but was more than happy to get a jump on this year’s model!
have you ever had alfajores?
If you’ve never had alfajores you need to get on that. I’ve been lucky enough to eat my weight in these delicious cookies, courtesy of the aforementioned Bea, but here’s a quick description: think shortbread-style cookie, sandwiched with dulce de leche and rolled in coconut.
Do I have your attention?
so what are alfajores hamantaschen?
Part of the challenge – and fun – in making hamantaschen inspired by another recipe is to figure out a way to transfer the components of one into another. But I always leave room for creative “expression” and in these case I wanted equal amounts of coconut and caramel flavor.
I started by toasting the coconut – this is always a must-do for me as there is (IMO) no comparison in flavor and texture between toasted and untoasted coconut flakes.
And while I stand by my tried-and-true hamantaschen dough, it’s a bit one-note so I decided to fold some of that toasted coconut right into the dough. YUM.
The filling was easy – a dollop of dulce de leche was all she needed.
I finished by drizzling more dulce de leche over the cooled cookies and sprinkling with more toasted coconut.
You guys!
perfect hamantaschen are all yours!
As I do every year, I’m sharing my five top tips for perfect hamantaschen – every time:
1. Roll the dough to about 1/4″ thickness – this will seem too thick but a thinner dough will not hold its shape as well.
2. Use only about 1/2 teaspoon of filling per cookie – again, this will seem wrong, like, how can this possibly be enough? Well, here’s the thing: as the cookies bake, the filling expands and pushes the sides of the dough that you’ve so carefully and painstakingly pinched and shaped. The more filling, the more misshapen the finished cookie will be. If you don’t care about the look, and want more filling, you can go up to one teaspoon. But your hamantaschen will likely not be as pretty.
3. Pinch the cookies closed almost completely shut. Here’s a picture – from my triple chocolate hamantaschen – that show how “closed” the cookies should be. Trust me on this, it will result in the prettiest cookies.
4. Glue those suckers SHUT – an egg wash is essential to seal the sides, so think of it as extra insurance.
5. Freeze before baking – after the egg wash “glue”, stick your tray in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (or up to overnight). This will pretty much ensure that your cookies stay intact once placed in the oven.
Let me know if you try them!
Alfajores Hamantaschen!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup flaked coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
- 1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 eggs, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- scant 1/4 cup dulce de leche, plus extra for drizzling
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the coconut in an even layer on your prepared sheet and bake till golden brown, stirring continuously once the edges start to color. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar till fluffy. Add one egg, the vanilla and salt – beat again. Add the flour and 3/4 cup of the cooled toasted coconut and beat just till incorporated. Separate the dough into two halves and place each between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll each dough to about 1/4″ thickness. Stack the doughs on a baking sheet or cutting board and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to three days.
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 and beat the remaining egg with one tablespoon of water.
- Place one dough onto a baking sheet and remove the top sheet of parchment paper. Cut out circles with a drinking glass or cookie cutter (I used a 2 1/2″ cutter here). Re-roll and cut the trimmings until all of the dough is used up. Repeat with the remaining dough and a second baking sheet.
- Place about 1/2 teaspoon of the dulce de leche into the center of each circle - I used a disposable pastry bag but you can use a ziploc bag with an opening snipped in the corner. Fold the dough into a triangle shape and pinch the corners firmly together, to almost completely enclose the filling. Brush the tops of the cookies with a little of the beaten egg. Place cookies in the freezer for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Bake the cookies until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If you like you can pipe or drizzle more dulce de leche over the tops of the cooled cookies, and sprinkle with the reserved coconut. Let set before serving. Store in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for longer storage.
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Hi! I'm Sheri!
Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!
