I’m tackling a new cookie today, Tartlets!
My Grapefruit Alfajores are a citrusy twist a classic shortbread sandwich cookie from South America.
Why are Grapefruit Alfajores Cookies the book-inspired recipe for Something Followed Us Home?
I was worried I might not be able to come up with a book-inspired recipe for Something Followed Us Home. Horror is the worst genre for culinary inspiration; it has a lot more gross and scary things than delicious things.
Then, I read “Pomelo.” Which is a Latin American fruit that’s very close to a grapefruit.
“Pomelo” is a very interesting story. By the time I finished it, I knew I had to make something grapefruit-flavored.
Alfajores are traditional sandwich cookies popular in multiple countries across South America.
They’re usually flavored with vanilla, but I’m making grapefruit alfajores – or, alfajores de pomelo (thanks, Johari!) in honor of this Latiné spooky story collection.
What I like about Grapefruit Alfajores Cookies / Alfajores de Pomelo
This was my first time trying alfajores. The cookie dough is similar to other shortbread cookies I’ve made, though it uses powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar, and cornstarch along with all-purpose flour to give the cookies a crumbly, soft texture.
I was curious how the grapefruit would work in the alfajores. Grapefruit juice is usually a little bitter, but this recipe uses only the zest to infuse flavor into the cookie dough.
The result is a surprisingly light, bright general citrus flavor that’s not quite lemon, not quite orange.
I also really loved the bits of grapefruit zest in the cookies. That citrusy zing is the perfect way to offset the super sweet, super rich dulce de leche filling between the buttery cookies.
Tips for making Grapefruit Alfajores Cookies / Alfajores de Pomelo
While making Grapefruit Alfajores isn’t tricky, I do have some tips to help you along the way:
- This cookie dough is STICKY. Work with the dough while it’s still very chilled, and work quickly. Once the dough warms up, you’re gonna have a tough time peeling it away from your work surface, no matter how much powdered sugar you use to roll out your dough.
- You can make any size alfajores you want, though I think they’re traditionally a smaller cookie. Just one or two bites. I used a 2” cookie cutter. (Okay, it’s 17/8, but let’s round up, shall we?)
- Don’t skip chilling the cookies in the fridge before baking. This helps keep the butter in place while baking, giving you perfectly formed cookies instead of pancakes.
- When it comes to sandwiching the cookies, use more dulce de leche than you think you’d need. Alfajores call for a thick layer of creamy goodness between those crisp, little cookies. Don’t be stingy.
I didn’t make my own dulce de leche. You don’t have to, either.
I didn’t make my own dulce de leche. There are plenty of recipes for it online, and I’ve seen a version made in a pressure cooker on baking competitions that I was tempted to try.
In the end, I didn’t want the extra bother. Like, I’m making homemade shortbread cookies. That’s enough.
So I bought this jar of premade dulce de leche.
I’m really like glad I didn’t go through all the trouble of making it myself because — unpopular opinion alert! — I don’t really like dulce de leche. At least, not on its own.
I adore caramel, and dulce de leche is supposed to be like caramel on steroids. It does have a similar flavor. But I find dulce de leche is thicker and too “milky tasting” for my palate. It’s rich – like, stomach ache-inducing rich.
However, the dulce de leche sandwiched in between the grapefruit shortbread cookies? That was really good. I can get behind that.
What do you serve with Grapefruit Alfajores / Alfajores de Pomelo?
Grapefruit Alfajores / Alfajores de Pomelo are a perfect dessert after a hearty meal of Grilled Honey Sausage Sandwiches, Grilled Spiced Skirt Steak with Avocado Chimichurri, Chicken and Chickpea Quinoa, or Black Bean Burgers with homemade guacamole.
These cookies also make a great afternoon pick-me-up with an Iced Dirty Chai Latte or Spiced Hot Chocolate, or with Cucumber Limeade Slushies or Pineapple Mint Agua Frescas for a nod toward Latiné culture.
If you’re looking for other shortbread-type cookies, try making my Berry Rose Shortbread, Millionaire Shortbread, Rosemary Orange Cookies, Rainbow Pinwheel Cookies, and Lemon Sable Cookies.
Grapefruit Alfajores Cookies / Alfajores de Pomelo
Ingredients
Grapefruit Alfajores Cookies /Alfajores de Pomelo Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- Zest of two grapefruits
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- Additional powdered sugar for rolling out the cookie dough
- Additional powdered sugar for decorating (optional)
Grapefruit Alfajores Cookies /Alfajores de Pomelo Filling Ingredients
- 1 cup dulce de leche homemade or storebought
Instructions
Grapefruit Alfajores Cookies /Alfajores de Pomelo Dough Instructions
- Whisk together the cornstarch, flour, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until combined.
- Beat in the egg, then the grapefruit zest and vanilla extract.
- Beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Cookie dough will be thick, sticky, and soft.
- Remove cookie dough from mixer and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours (preferably overnight), until dough is really cold and firm.
Grapefruit Alfajores Cookies /Alfajores de Pomelo BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350F.
- Line 2-4 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sprinkle some powdered sugar over your work surface. Unwrap the dough and roll it out to ¼ -inch thickness on your powdered work surface.
- Use a small round cookie cutter (around 2 inches) to cut out as many cookies as possible. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. They won’t spread as they bake, so you can fit 12-15 cookies per sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough.
- Refrigerate the cookie sheets for 10-15 minutes before baking. This is important!
- Bake cookies at 350F for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are firm to the touch and are just starting to brown around the edges.
- Remove baking sheets from oven. Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the sheets, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Make sure cookies are completely cooled before sandwiching.
Grapefruit Alfajores Cookies /Alfajoresde pomelo Assembly Instructions
- Spoon a healthy dollop of dulce de leche onto half of the cooled cookies. Top with remaining cookie halves and press lightly to spread the dulce de leche to the edges of the cookies.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
