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These Lemon Alfajores are my remix of the classic Peruvian alfajores. They’re delicate, buttery cookies sandwiched with a silky homemade lemon curd and dusted with powdered sugar. These little sunshine cookies (what I like to call them) are perfect to enjoy on a warm Spring day with an iced latte.
What I love about these lemon alfajores is the classic melt-in-your-mouth texture and the bright, citrusy flavor from the lemon curd and lemon zest. Traditionally, Peruvian alfajores are filled with manjar blanco (dulce de leche), but this lemon curd version is just as creamy and complementary to the buttery but mildly flavored cookie. If you’re as obsessed with lemons as I am, you have to try out my lemon brownies, lemon layer cake, and lemon crinkle cookies.
Ingredients Youโll Need for Lemon Alfajores
- Lemon zest + lemon juice – We want as much lemon flavor as possible. The oil in the zest carries so much lemon flavor, and the juice adds acidity and brightness.
- Lemon extract – I just love how a bit of lemon extract really enhances the flavor, but if you don’t have it, this recipe would still be delicious!
- Cornstarch – Used in both the curd and the cookie dough, it thickens the curd and gives the cookies their soft, tender texture.
- Unsalted butter – Provides richness and structure for a smooth dough and a glossy curd.
- Powdered sugar – Keeps the cookies soft and delicate rather than crisp, and blends seamlessly into the dough without graininess.
- Eggs and egg yolks – The yolks are the base of the curd and enrich the dough, creating a creamy filling and a tender cookie.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Lemon Curd
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release its oils.
- Whisk in the eggs, yolks, cornstarch, salt, and lemon juice until smooth.
- Set over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until glossy.
- Strain and chill completely.
How to Make Lemon Alfajores
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, beat the wet ingredients. Combine until the dough forms.
- Roll the dough between parchment to 1/4-inch thick and chill until firm.
- Stamp out 2-inch rounds, chill briefly.
- Score the cookies with the tines of a fork. Then bake at 350ยฐF for 11-13 minutes. Cool completely.
- Pipe or spoon the chilled lemon curd onto half the cookies.
- Sandwich with the remaining cookies.
- Dust generously with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Quick Tips for the Best Lemon Alfajores
Rub the zest into the sugar first. This step intensifies the lemon flavor by releasing the natural oils.
Strain the lemon curd. It removes any cooked egg bits and ensures a smooth, silky filling.
Chill the dough thoroughly. A firm dough is so much easier to cut and helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven. We don’t want these to spread.
Use an offset spatula to transfer cookies. The dough is delicate, so this helps prevent tearing when moving cut rounds.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make-ahead: The lemon curd can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. The dough can also be rolled and chilled overnight.
Storage: Store assembled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freezing: You can freeze the baked, unfilled cookies. Thaw and assemble when ready to serve. Be gentle, the cookies are delicate.
If you tried this Lemon Alfajores recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ๐ star rating and let me know how it went in the ๐ comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Lemon Alfajores
Equipment
- 2 half baking sheets
Ingredients
Lemon Curd:
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- โ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, strained (from 3 lemons)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Lemon Shortbread Cookie:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, (227g)
- 1/2 cup corn starch, sifted
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 large egg yolk
- โ cup powdered sugar, for garnish
Instructions
To Make the Lemon Curd:
- To a medium saucepan, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers to release the oils. Then add the eggs, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk until combined. Then whisk in the lemon juice.
- Place the pot over medium low heat and continue whisking until the mixture thickens about 5 minutes. Then remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the butter. Strain the lemon curd into a small bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until completely chilled.
To Make the Lemon Shortbread Cookie:
- To the medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sifted corn starch, powdered sugar and salt. Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand-up mixer (you can also use a medium bowl and an electric hand-mixer), add the butter, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla paste or extract. Beat until smooth. Next, add the egg yolk and mix just until incorporated.
- Add all of the flour mixture and slowly mix it together (being sure not to go too quickly or else the flour will fly out of the bowl), until combined, about 1 minute.
- Scoop the dough out of the bowl and sandwich it between two large pieces of parchment paper. Roll out the dough until itโs about ยผ-inch thick then transfer to the fridge to chill for about 1 hour until dough is firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When the dough is done resting in the fridge, using a 2-inch cookie cutter, stamp out cookies as close to each other as possible. Transfer the cookies (I found it easiest to use an offset spatula to pick up the cookies) to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Transfer to the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes, we want them to be firm when they go into the oven. Repeat until you work your way through all of the dough. I rerolled the dough about 2 more times.
- Score the tops of the cookies with the tines of a fork. Transfer to the oven to bake for about 11 to 13 minutes, until the cookies are a bit firm to the touch but have zero color on the edges. These cookies are baked just until set. Allow to cool on the baking sheets until room temperature.
To Assemble the Lemon Alfajores:
- When the cookies have cooled, flip half of the cookies on their opposite side. Transfer the lemon curd to a piping bag with a piping tip attached (this part is optional). Pipe a round of lemon curd on all of the cookies facing their opposite sides.
- Alternatively, you could also spoon the lemon curd onto each of the cookies and smooth it out (gently because the cookies are delicate) using a butter knife.
- Top each of the cookies with another cookie and lightly press it down. Dust the tops of the cookies generously with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Notes
Quick Tips
Rub the zest into the sugar first. This step intensifies the lemon flavor by releasing the natural oils. Strain the lemon curd. It removes any cooked egg bits and ensures a smooth, silky filling. Chill the dough thoroughly. A firm dough is so much easier to cut and helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven. We don’t want these to spread. Use an offset spatula to transfer cookies. The dough is delicate, so this helps prevent tearing when moving cut rounds.ย
Make Ahead & Storage
Make-ahead: The lemon curd can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. The dough can also be rolled and chilled overnight. Storage: Store assembled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture. Freezing: You can freeze the baked, unfilled cookies. Thaw and assemble when ready to serve. Be gentle, the cookies are delicate.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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