Alfajores are a popular sweet from Argentina that incorporate dulce de leche! An alfajor includes two shortbread-like cookies with dulce de leche in the middle and shredded coconut around the outside. They are often eaten with Mate a popular tea-like infusion from South America that has a bitter taste that pairs perfectly with them.

Although alfajores are known to come from South America in reality this is not where they are believed to originate from. In fact, from as early as the 8th century a sweet similar to alfajores was popular in the Middle East! This was called an alajú which translates to, 'stuffed' or 'filled.' These were believed to be preserved fruits rolled in dough and then sugar or nuts (very similar to the alfajor we see in South America today!). This idea travelled from the Middle East to Spain who updated it to a cookie dusted in almonds or powdered sugar and renamed it the alfajor. It was the Spaniards that brought the alfajor to South America in the 16th century.

Since it was first introduced in South America in the 16th century the alfajor has continued to be altered and changed using things like the thick sweet dulce de leche as a filling and altering the cookie recipe until we were left with the delicious treat we know as alfajores today! After extreme growth in popularity in the 20th century alfajores are now not only a staple in houses, restaurants and cafes across South America but are also well known across the globe. You can even find them in little old New Zealand or even make them yourself!