Shortbread Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies

It's that time of the year again when baking cookies every day is totally OK!

For us, baking cookies is as much a Christmas tradition as making hallacas (Venezuelan Christmas tamales), putting up the tree or listening to gaitas (Venezuelan holiday carols). Besides, it's a fun activity for my kids, who really enjoy helping me in the kitchen.

These shortbread dulce de leche sandwich cookies are some of my all-time favorite holiday cookies. They're lightly sweet, buttery, and so simple to make with just six ingredients. They're a great option to give as an edible gift to closest friends and favorite neighbors, or simply enjoy with a cup of café con leche.

You can find dulce de leche in the international aisle of the most grocery stores.

RECIPE: Shortbread Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies

Yield 18 – 20 sandwich cookies

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 10 ½ tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup dulce de leche (store-bought or homemade)

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl sift flour and cornstarch. Set aside.
  2. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 5 – 8 minutes, or until creamy and pale. Add vanilla and mix to combine.
Add flour and cornstarch and beat until dough forms.
Roll the dough out between 2 pieces of parchment paper to ¼ inch thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Using a 2 inches round cookie cutter, cut as many rounds as possible from the dough. Place them on cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 -12 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Allow to cool. Spread half of the cookies with dulce de leche and cover with the other half to form the sandwiches. To get the swirl look pictured, put dulce de leche in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe in a circle on one cookie, then place the other cookie on top.

Photo by Oriana Romero
Photo by Oriana Romero