Chocolate Strawberry Trifle: The Easiest Dessert

Is there anything more comforting than a cookie that melts in your mouth? I remember the first time I tasted one of these magical maicena cookies at my Tía Rosa’s house. The texture was unbelievable—like a little cloud that dissolved the moment it touched my tongue, followed by that sweet, caramel hug of dulce de leche. I begged her for the recipe, and after a few of my own kitchen experiments (and a couple of happy accidents), I’ve perfected this version that’s become my secret weapon for every family gathering. Let’s bake some happiness together!

The Sweet Story of a South American Favorite

These cookies are a classic treat across many South American countries, especially in Argentina and Uruguay. They are often called “alfajores de maicena,” which are famous sandwich cookies. The magic ingredient, maicena (cornstarch), is what gives them that signature tender, crumbly, and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Traditionally, they are filled with “dulce de leche,” a rich, sweet milk caramel that is a national treasure. My version uses condensed milk right in the dough, which adds an extra layer of creamy sweetness and makes them even more irresistible. It’s a beautiful blend of old-world tradition and simple, home-baking love.

Why You’ll Fall in Love With These Cookies

You will adore this recipe for so many reasons! First, the texture is pure magic—they are incredibly light and delicate. Second, they are surprisingly simple to make with just a handful of everyday ingredients. The process is forgiving, perfect for baking with kids or when you need a quick sweet fix. Finally, the combination of the subtle cornstarch cookie with the bold dulce de leche filling is a match made in heaven. It’s a humble cookie that tastes utterly luxurious.

Perfect Occasions for These Sweet Sandwiches

These cookies are wonderfully versatile for any event! They are a staple at my afternoon tea or coffee gatherings. I always pack a tin for picnics because they travel so well. They make a lovely homemade gift during the holidays, stacked in a pretty box with a ribbon. Honestly, a Tuesday afternoon is also a perfect occasion—they turn an ordinary day into a small celebration.

Gathering Your Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to create these delightful treats:

• 200 g of cornstarch (maicena)
• 100 g of all-purpose wheat flour
• 100 g of softened butter 🧈
• 1 large egg 🥚
• 200 g of sweetened condensed milk 🥛
• Dulce de leche to taste, for filling (About ½ cup works well!)

Handy Substitution Options

No worries if you’re missing something! Here are some easy swaps:

• Butter: You can use a good-quality margarine for a similar texture.
• Wheat Flour: For a gluten-free version, try using all cornstarch (300g total) and check your dulce de leche is gluten-free.
• Dulce de Leche: If you can’t find it, a thick caramel sauce or even a chocolate hazelnut spread makes a delicious alternative filling.

Let’s Get Baking: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare

Start by turning your oven to 180°C (350°F). This gives it plenty of time to reach the perfect temperature. While it heats, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. This little step is a lifesaver—it prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze. Get your ingredients measured and ready to go. This “mise en place” makes the whole process smooth and enjoyable.

Step 2: Create the Base Mixture

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the all-purpose flour. Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients. Use your clean fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture. You want it to look like coarse, sandy crumbs. The smell of the butter mixing with the flour is already promising! Pro tip: Your butter should be soft but not melted. You should be able to make an indent with your finger.

Step 3: Integrate the Liquid Magic

Now, make a well in the center of your sandy mixture. Crack in the egg and pour in the glorious sweetened condensed milk. Use a wooden spoon or a spatula to start bringing the dough together. It will seem sticky at first, but keep mixing! It will soon transform into a soft, smooth, and very manageable dough. It should not stick to the sides of the bowl.

Step 4: Shape with Care

Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them between your palms to form smooth balls, about the size of a walnut. Place each ball on your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between them. They don’t spread a huge amount, but they need a little room to breathe. Seeing the tray fill up with these little dough balls is so satisfying!

Step 5: The Perfect Bake

Slide your tray into the preheated oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The key is to bake them just until the bottoms are a very, very light golden color. The tops should remain pale. Over-baking is the enemy of the tender texture! Chef’s Tip: Do the “touch test.” Gently press the top of a cookie; it should feel firm but not hard, and it will indent slightly.

Step 6: Fill with Love and Enjoy

This is the best part! Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack. They are very fragile when warm. Once cool, flip half of them over. Spread a generous teaspoon (or more!) of dulce de leche on the flat side of each flipped cookie. Top with another cookie to create a sweet sandwich. Gently press so the filling peeks out the edges. Now, try to eat just one—I dare you!

Your Baking Timeline

Here’s a quick breakdown of how your time will be spent:

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cooking Time: 18 minutes
• Cooling & Assembly Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: About 1 hour

A Little Chef’s Secret Just for You

For an extra-special touch, roll the edges of your assembled cookies in fine shredded coconut or drizzle them with a little melted dark chocolate. It looks professional and adds a wonderful textural contrast to the soft cookie and creamy filling. It instantly elevates them from homemade to bakery-worthy!

A Fun Fact About Maicena

Cornstarch is a baking powerhouse beyond just thickening gravy! In cookies, it interferes with gluten formation in the wheat flour. This results in a more tender, crumbly, and delicate texture that’s completely different from a standard butter cookie. That’s the science behind the magic “melt” in these treats!

Necessary Equipment

You likely have everything you need already:

• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons / Kitchen scale
• Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Wire cooling rack

Storing Your Cookie Creations

Once assembled, these cookies are best stored in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature. If you stack them, the weight can crush their delicate texture. They will stay fresh and delicious for 3-4 days this way. The dulce de leche filling helps keep the cookies moist.

If you want to keep them longer, you can store the unfilled cookies and the dulce de leche separately. The plain cookies freeze beautifully for up to 2 months in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before filling. The dulce de leche can be kept in its jar in the fridge.

I do not recommend refrigerating the assembled cookies, as the cold can make the cookies hard and can cause condensation. The beauty of these cookies is their tender bite, so room temperature is always best.

My Best Tips and Advice

• If your dough feels too sticky when shaping, dust your hands very lightly with cornstarch—not flour.
• Make your cookie balls all the same size for even baking and pretty sandwich pairs.
• For a more intense flavor, use a high-quality, brand-name dulce de leche. It makes all the difference!
• Let the cookies cool fully before filling. A warm cookie will make the dulce de leche runny.

Inspired Presentation Ideas

• Stack them in a pyramid on a vintage cake stand for a tea party.
• Place each cookie in a small cupcake liner for individual servings at a buffet.
• Pack them in a decorative tin lined with wax paper for a heartfelt gift.
• Dust the tops with a little powdered sugar just before serving for a snowy, elegant look.

Healthier & Fun Recipe Variations

Love the base recipe? Try these twists!

1. Lemon Zest: Add the zest of one lemon to the dough for a bright, citrusy note that cuts the sweetness.
2. Coconut Heaven: Mix ½ cup of fine unsweetened shredded coconut into the dough and roll the filled edges in more coconut.
3. Chocolate Dip: Dip half of each assembled cookie in melted dark chocolate and let it set on parchment paper.
4. Nutty Delight: Add ¼ cup of very finely ground almonds or hazelnuts to the dry ingredients for a richer flavor.
5. Spiced Version: Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon or a pinch of ground cloves to the flour mixture for a warm, comforting flavor.
6. Mini Bites: Make tiny, quarter-sized balls for adorable one-bite party appetizers.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Using Cold or Melted Butter

Butter that’s straight from the fridge won’t blend properly, leading to a dry, crumbly dough. Melted butter will make the dough greasy and cause the cookies to spread too much. Your butter should be softened to room temperature. It’s ready when you can press your finger into it easily and leave a clear indent. This creates the perfect sandy texture that builds the cookie’s structure.

Mistake 2: Overworking the Dough

Once you add the wet ingredients, mix just until the dough comes together. If you knead it like bread dough, you’ll develop the gluten in the wheat flour. This makes the cookies tough and chewy instead of tender and crumbly. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain. A few floury spots are okay—they will incorporate as you roll the balls.

Mistake 3: Overbaking the Cookies

This is the most common pitfall! We wait for golden tops, but these cookies are done when only the bottoms are lightly golden. The tops should stay pale. Overbaking dries them out and they lose their magical melt-in-your-mouth quality. Set a timer for 15 minutes and check them. They often need just a minute or two more. They will firm up as they cool.

Mistake 4: Filling Warm Cookies

Impatience is a cookie’s foe! If you spread dulce de leche on a warm cookie, the heat will thin out the caramel. It can soak into the cookie, making it soggy, or leak out the sides messily. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack. This also allows them to firm up, so they won’t break when you sandwich them together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these cookies without wheat flour?

Absolutely! For a completely gluten-free version, you can replace the 100g of all-purpose wheat flour with an additional 100g of cornstarch. So, you’d use 300g total cornstarch. The texture will be slightly more delicate and crumbly, but still delicious. Just ensure your brand of cornstarch and dulce de leche are certified gluten-free if that’s a concern.

My dough is too sticky to handle. What should I do?

Don’t panic! This can happen based on the size of your egg or humidity. First, try chilling the dough in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This will firm up the butter. When you’re ready to shape, dust your hands and the work surface very lightly with cornstarch (not flour, as it can make them tough). Work quickly with cool hands, and you’ll be able to form the balls.

Why did my cookies spread out and become flat?

Flat cookies usually point to two issues: butter that was too soft or melted, or an oven that wasn’t hot enough. Make sure your butter is softened but still cool to the touch. Also, always preheat your oven for a full 15-20 minutes and use an oven thermometer if possible to check the true temperature. A properly heated oven sets the cookies quickly, helping them keep their shape.

Can I freeze the assembled cookies?

I don’t recommend freezing the cookies once they are filled with dulce de leche. The freezing process can change the texture of the filling and make it weep or become grainy when thawed. The best method is to freeze the baked, unfilled cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature and fill with fresh dulce de leche when you’re ready to serve.

What’s the difference between dulce de leche and caramel?

This is a great question! Traditional caramel is made by melting and cooking sugar, then adding cream and butter. Dulce de leche is made by slowly cooking sweetened milk (often canned sweetened condensed milk) until it caramelizes. The result is a thicker, milkier, and often sweeter paste with a distinct flavor. For this authentic recipe, dulce de leche is the classic and best choice.

How can I make my own dulce de leche at home?

It’s surprisingly easy! Take a can of sweetened condensed milk. Remove the label. Place it in a deep pot and cover completely with water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 hours, ensuring the can is always covered with water (very important for safety!). Let the can cool completely in the water before opening. You’ll have perfect, rich dulce de leche! Alternatively, you can oven-bake it in a water bath.

My cookies are too crumbly and fall apart when I bite. What went wrong?

Excessive crumbliness usually means there was too much cornstarch relative to the binding agents, or the dough was under-mixed. Double-check your measurements. Also, make sure you mixed the wet and dry ingredients thoroughly until a unified dough forms. Letting the cookies cool completely before handling also helps them set and become less fragile.

Can I use a stand mixer for this recipe?

You can, but use a light touch. Use the paddle attachment on low speed to combine the dry ingredients and butter until sandy. Then add the egg and condensed milk and mix on low just until the dough gathers. Over-mixing with a powerful machine is easy, so stop as soon as it comes together. Often, mixing by hand gives you more control for this delicate dough.

How long will these cookies stay fresh?

When stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature, the assembled cookies are at their best for 3-4 days. After that, they can start to dry out or the dulce de leche might begin to crystallize slightly. They are so delicious, though, that they rarely last that long in my house! For longer storage, keep components separate as mentioned earlier.

Can I add flavorings like vanilla or almond extract?

Please do! A teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon of almond extract added with the egg and condensed milk is a wonderful enhancement. It adds a lovely background aroma. Just remember that the star flavors are the buttery cookie and the rich dulce de leche, so don’t go overboard with extracts that might overpower that beautiful balance.

Your New Favorite Cookie Awaits

And there you have it! Every secret, tip, and trick I’ve learned for making the most perfect maicena and condensed milk cookies. They might seem simple, but the joy they bring is immense. That moment when someone takes a bite, their eyes widen, and they say, “What IS this? It melts!”—that’s the real reward. So, put on your apron, preheat that oven, and get ready to make a batch of pure, sweet magic. Your kitchen is about to smell amazing, and your friends and family are about to declare you a baking genius. Happy baking!