Sugar Cookie Alfajores

My game plan for baking at El Rancho yesterday was to make the easiest cookies I knew how...Sugar Cookies and my Mexican Chocolate Chunk Cookies.  But as I was gathering all of the ingredients from my kitchen, I spied an unopened jar of cajeta sitting on top of my fridge.  Suddenly I was reminded of the gorgeous Alfajores de Maicena I featured in yesterday's Christmas Cookie Round-Up and thought they'd make for the perfect treat to serve at our pre-Christmas Eve family gathering.  So I grabbed the jar of cajeta and my container of shredded coconut and threw them into the box of ingredients I was taking to the ranch.  You know, just in case.

As I was preparing the sugar cookie dough, I couldn't get the Alfajores out of my head.  So, as soon as the cookies came out of the oven, I topped them with a little cajeta and they disappeared before I could even taste one.  (But at least I was able to snap a few pics.)

My kiddies liked them so much, they want me to bake another batch tonight for Santa Claus.  I think Mr. and Mrs. Claus will both be very happy with these Sugar Cookie Alfajores.

Sugar Cookie Alfajores 
(Sugar Cookie recipe from Wilton)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup cajeta
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cream together the butter and sugar with a wire whisk or electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, until completely combined.  Stir in the vanilla.  Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing well until blended.

Wrap the cookie dough in plastic and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours.  (This step is completely optional.  I didn't refrigerate the dough and the cookies turned out perfect.)

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls.  Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2-inches apart.  (The kiddies can help with this part.)  Flatten the cookies with the tips of your fingers or the bottom of a glass dipped in flour to prevent sticking.

Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for one minute.  Turn cookies over.  Spoon 1 teaspoon of cajeta onto the flat side of one cookie and top with another cookie, forming a sandwich.  Press the cookies together gently so that a little cajeta oozes out the sides.  Using your index finger, spread the cajeta along the sides.  Dip sides in shredded coconut.

Enjoy!