Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies
Hi.
I’ve noticed you around these parts a lot. I made you some cookies. I’m glad you’re here.
Maybe we could sit down and you could shell out some advice. I just have one question. Gimme your gut. What’s it thinkin’? This might seem silly, but what else is new? I really need your help with this.
Couch. Should I buy a couch?
Just the thought of a real life couch in my little apartment gives me all sorts of unreasonable anxiety. Yeesh. I thought I would only buy a couch… a big fluffy couch… when I was an adult and I had my life aaaaaaaallllllll figured out. Well… I’m pretty darn sure I’m an adult, and I’m pretty darn sure I’ll never actually have it all figured out…. so I might just need to buck up and buy the darn couch, right?
Couch. It’s just a couch. Somehow… it seems like so much more. What do you think?
I’ll trade you your thoughts for these ridiculously good cookies. Deal? Deal.
There are a few things you should know about these cookies…. wait! Do you know what dulce de leche is? Dulce de leche is like a thick, milky, caramel sauce. It’s made when sweetened milk is slowly cooked and boiled down to deliciousness. I buy the jarred stuff because it makes my life easier.
This recipe from Dorie Greenspan makes one whole heck of a lot of cookie dough. Phew! This recipe makes about 30 sandwich cookies. That’s a lot.
Even with the dulce de leche, brown sugar and granulated sugar, these cookies aren’t as sweet as you might think. Surprising… I know. I added a bit of sea salt on top of the dulce de leche I spread into the sandwich cookies. Amazing!
The one small downside to these cookies? They sure aren’t as pretty as I wanted them to be…. but oooh so delicious.
Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies
recipe from Baking: from my home to yours
makes 30 sandwich cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup store-bought dulce de leche, plus more for filling
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until just softened and broken up a bit. Add the 3/4 cup dulce de leche, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix only until the flour is just incorporated. You may need to finish off the mixing with a big spatula.
Spoon the dough onto the lined baking sheets using a heaping teaspoon of dough for each cookie. The dough will be soft and this might be a bit messy. Leave 2 inches of space between each cookie for the baking spread.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies will be honey brown with a light crust, but still very soft when they come out of the oven. Let them rest on the cookie sheet for a minute or two before removing to cool.
Once the cookies are cooled completely, spread them with dulce de leche and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt if you like. Keep well wrapped for up to four days.
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Have you ever taken a can of sweetened condensed milk and cooked it under hot water? Amazing. I need to find those directions and do it again.
Now, as for a couch, it is a must for a book writer. I, too, am writing a book, of about all things, eating a balanced diet for a balanced life. I love to sit on my couch in the corner (it is a sectional) and stretch out with my laptop, and my future, ahead of me.
Just think of it this way – the right couch is like a soaking tub without the water!
couch and soaking tub! that’s totally a great way to look at it Kel!
Is it so bad that I don’t think 30 cookies is too many?
Buy the couch. Buy a couch exactly the size of your body, head to toe, plus two more inches for when you stretch. Make sure it is exactly the right amount of softness so that some day, you can simmer a pot of bolognese, and play the soundtrack from “The Godfather” and stretch out on a glass of wine. Make sure the fabric is dark and/or patterned enough that it looks elegant, butyou won’t freak out if you splash a bit of wine on it.
It’s your life. Make it comfortable!
Dear Joy: You bring the dulce de leche cookies, I’ll bring the hot tea (or hot chocolate, if you prefer).
I just bought my first couch a few months ago. It’s squishy, comfortable and off-white (not the smartest choice of color). Although it was time to get a couch, I sometimes miss the years of big pillows and bean-bag chairs dotting my apartment. I, too, thought I’d have things figured out by this grand old age of 25. I was so wrong. However, today I figured out one thing: I got a great recipe for dulce de leche cookies. It’s a start, right?
~Laura
totally a start! thanks laura! :)
I would go to Craig’s list and find someone with your taste who’s moving away. Bill and I just purchased our first couch after being together 20 years! (I’m not proud of that btw) I say: make the couch a priority and do what other posters have said–make it comfy!
my word! your first couch after 20 years! i just can’t believe it’s been that long! i remember my pretty floral dress for you wedding!
Aww Joy I just love reading what you write – it’s so cute, it’s so personal, it so full of warmth! These cookies have been on my list to try from Ms. Greenspan’s book for a while. Thanks for the push!
Definitely a couch.
AND just where did you find a jar of Dulce de Leche topping?
Thanks!
cube marketplace online for the dulce de leche!
these look yummy!
I know the feeling about the couch…it’s just kinda hard to buy “real” furniture. I have a lot of hand-me-downs b/c I can’t commit so something in order to spend that much money on it!
Buy a couch you love..whether it is new or used…then sit down and eat some of these cookies. :)
YUM!
My vote is for a couch you won’t be afraid to jump up and down on. A dancable couch for the adult who thinks being grown up is a bore.
a dancable couch! i like the way you think marina!
Absolutely buy the couch! My couch ranks high, maybe at the top, on my list of “things I would save if my house caught fire.” If you have a little extra money, invest in a higher-quality ultra comfy couch. I’ve had mine for 13 years and it’s still going strong with the help of new slipcovers. Or…. go cheap with an Ikea couch which will also give you the fun of putting it together!
I know how you feel regarding real furniture. My husband and I spent so many years hopping from one apartment to the next that we always bought furniture based on how difficult it would be to move. We bought our condo four years ago, and just last year bought a real substantial couch. And it’s so much more comfortable than anything we had before, which is definitely worth feeling a little more grown up!
Now, you can send my cookie payment to…
The couch is the heart of a home. Joy has a big heart. She should get a big couch. A big couch has more room for nice boyfriends, xmas kitties, and cookbooks (and other things that might come along).
One piece of advice — lie on it every which way before you decide. Bring a book, slouch, and read for a while. Make sure it’s actually comfortable instead of just appearing comfortable. Big and fluffy might not really be what you need. Firm and supportive with nice fluffy throw pillows might be better!
a couch big enough for a nice boyfriend, a kitty and lots of cookbooks. you know my style!
I have had sofa envy for at least the past 10 years. I too, thought it was something you purchased when one was a grown-up. Now that I’m finally done with grad school and residency, my sofa envy is only growing stronger. I hope you find one you love — good for watching movies, reading books and taking naps (all things I long to do when we finally purchase the sofa of our dreams)
Just noticed my double post….*sigh* I do love it when the net goes kablooey on you and freezes, so you think it didn’t post the first time.
I’m sorry. :)
Those cookies look amazing! I’ve had a hard time finding the jars of dulche de leche though…any suggestions?
And definitley go for the couch. I just bout my first couch about a year ago…I’ll warn ya, it’s hard to stop there. I’ve ended up adding a matching overstuffed comfy chair, leather-like storage ottoman (which btw is the perfect place to store wrapping paper) and super cute side table. I’m trying to ‘grow up’ my living space piece by piece.
My friend got something like one of these: http://www.simplicitysofas.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=apartment+couches&utm_campaign=Simplicity+Sofas&gclid=CMGb84vKhp8CFQuenAodSX27KA
(sorry for the long link) and she’s very petite (like 5ft tall) and she put it together all on her own in like a half hour or so. They can come apart and go back together. Just a thought on the not wanting to haul one into an apartment thought.
Either that or if you’re not sure on the couch idea at all, get a couch or love seat for free off of freecycle, or for cheap off craigslist. Then if you hate it (or want to get a new one that’s more your style) just freecycle, or post it back up on craigslist. Stuff on those sites goes so fast it’s crazy. And if the couch you get is hideous you can always get a big blanket to drape over it so you don’t have to look at it, lol.
And those cookies look very yummy, they sound like the perfect thing for munching this next week :)
crazy! who knew you could actually put a couch together! thanks for the link San!
My couch may still be the only really grownup thing I’ve ever bought, and it wasn’t cheap, but I can’t imagine it ever not fitting into my life. So, go all the way and be in love – or go cheap and cheerful.
Comment #2 – I make a LOT of Banoffi Pie in my current life, and so know a thing or two about boiling sweetened condensed milk to get a dulce de leche-like product. If you’re spending a chunk of time at home, it’s worth doing – put a few cans in a big pot, cover with water (not a lid) and boil. For 3 1/2 hours. The only thing to do is to make sure to top up the water once in a while. (This is a great substitute for heat if it’s a chilly day) If you let the pot boil dry you will never make that mistake again. Take this from someone who made this mistake once. There may still be toffee somewhere on a ceiling tile. The now boiled cans keep for a long time, just on the shelf, waiting for the dulce de leche urge to strike.
LOVE this cookie idea! Dulce de leche is VERY popular here in Texas. We boil sweetened condensed milk cans (sealed) and it makes the perfect dulce de leche without the high price. ;)
Love it…love you….just feelin’ the love! HEHE.
Hello, I can not find dulce de leche ANYWHERE where I live, so I am going to try the condensed milk suggestion you have. How long do I boil it for? You have never hda any sort of explosion making it have you?
The cookies look delish and you should buy the couch:)
Buy the couch! I find it is a great play to digest when you have had too many yummy things – like these cookies.
Yes. Buy a couch, but not your dream couch. Not your perfect, must-have couch. Only your adequate, moderately priced, on-sale-at-Ikea couch. You can buy that other couch later. When you feel it’s time to move on. But by the time you’ve gone to your high school reunion, you’re officially adult enough to offer your guests some place else to sit than a milk crate or bean bag chair.
These look amazing! I’m going to try them for an upcoming potluck, looking forward to it!
Buy the couch. Even if you’re not ready to call yourself an adult (which I’m not sure I’ll ever be), you will love your new couch!
This recipe looks wonderful. I have got to make these. I would say, buy the couch or a loveseat or maybe one of those chairs for 2 (they are a little smaller than a loveseat). You gotta have a good place to sit!
Buy a comfy couch or a loveseat & overstuffed chair. New or really cheap if used. Ikea has them with extra slip covers which saves the original upholstery and lets you change your decor. You can make it a sofa bed if your sister ever sleeps over. Please stay off Craig’s list. At least where I live, people get mugged & even killed. Love the cookies. Happy 2010!
Life is NOW! Couches are essential! Go for it!
Hello Joy,
I just made the mocha coffee cake and it turned out fabulous, I am a fan! I have been wanting to ask a question and found out that posting a comment here would probably get your attention. I want to make a fairly huge batch of cookies that will stay for atleast 3 weeks,which ones could I make? I would trust your say on this :).
Good day!
cookies that stay good for 3 weeks!? wooow! maybe chocolate dipped macaroons? i don’t yet have a recipe for those on here… but they might stay good for a long time.
Buy a purple couch. :)
The cookies look delicious!!!
You are so funny. When they say at the start of a movie or tv show that it contains themes of an adult nature, I used to say, what does that involve?…buying a washing machine, couch or paying bills, thats what adults get up to. I’m 41 and I still hate buying all that boring adult crap. Go ahead buy the best, comfiest couch you can and have a great time blogging on it.
These look fabulous, so fabulous!
PS: The best dulce de leche is from Uruguay or Argentina. All others pale in comparison, imo. :)
argentina. yes. yum!
get a couch. but, shop around to find something you absolutely love when you buy and will love for a long time. i got mine in a break up. it was okay then, but i don’t like it now. i would love to replace it, but just bought my first house, so there are other priorities.
if or when you buy, please be sure to share a photo of your couch. (stay away from the chair and a half’s)
I am not a big cookie person but I think these look delicious. I will plan on making them soon. I also like the idea of boiling sweetened condensed milk for the dulche de leche.
I just made these, and they are incredible.
Thanks for posting exactly what I needed today!
i’m so glad you like them!
As long as you can afford the couch, I say buy the couch! If you wait, you’ll only have less time to enjoy it!
Oh – the joy of buying your own furniture for the first time! As my friend put it once, “Aunt Matilda was long dead and we had her furniture.” And then you get your own furniture and you look around so glad you have something in your living room that is really your own style and you want to show it off to everyone who comes down the street. It’s great fun.
The cookies look great! Thanks.
I haven’t been following you long & I don’t know how your place is laid out. But two thoughts. 1. Sleeper sofa, or 2. Chaise. I say go chaise. That’s the romantic side of me. The practical side says go for sleeper sofa in case of company…unless you already have a guest room/area. But for Heavens sake! Who says you have to be grown up to play house!? LOL! Have fun! It won’t be the LAST couch you purchase, I promise! (Especially if you get the kitten!:-)
hugs,
sher p.s…Since it’s a “little” apt, do NOT go “big”. You will feel crowded for space.
Could you use Nutella instead? I can’t get dulce de leche over here in Turkey, but there is tons of Nutella!
Buy the couch. Know why? Cause the best thing of your adult life ever is falling asleep on that couch on a Friday or Saturday night, knowing that you don’t have to move to your bed if you don’t want to. It’s the weekend and you’re allowed to pass out, mascara still on, glass of wine creating rings on the coffee table with a juicy book in hand. And you don’t have to move if you don’t want to because there’s no work to be done tomorrow. And when you wake up with a crik in your neck from sleeping face down into the corner seams of your comfy couch, cushions askew and slipping to the floor, it will remind you that it’s your day off and you just got to sleep on your couch no where near your alarm clock and no where near a ‘grown up’ or ‘responsible’ place to sleep. And that, my dear Joy, is why you should buy the couch. :)
Ditto – I love falling asleep on the couch not having to go to my real bed – although I love my real bed.
Sectionals are great – like a bed in the living room.
Seriously, I fall asleep on my couch (sectional actually, well back in the day we called sectionals pit groups) quite often. I don’t know what I would do w/o it :)
The cookies look great!
Well, if we waited until we had life all figured out to do stuff…not much would get done. A comfy couch is a beautiful thing. Don’t deny yourself the pleasure. Get one!
They are sooooo delicious! I’ve made other cookies with dulce de leche, hazelnut cookies. So i have to try this recipe too!
I have a batch of these cookies in the oven right now. Dulce de Leche is one of my favorite things in the world (and my cat’s, too). I had two cans of cooked condensed milk in the fridge just waiting for the perfect recipe.
The smell is absolutely fantastic! Thanks Joy!
Is is bad that I just had three of these for breakfast? It’s the new year already, I should be dieting!
But mmmmmm omnomnom.
They look cute to me! Mmm dulce de leche brings back amaaazing memories from my childhood vacations in Mexico.
ps: I’ve been avoiding shelling out the $ for a couch for years… when people come over they sit on $15 fold up Ikea chairs! :)
Really,really love the couch. Take your time. We spent a lot of dough on a couch and our lives changed so much in 2 yrs that our ideal couch was no longer so ideal. I never thought there would be that much change but it happens
Buy the couch. It’s scary and adult, but goes so far in making you feeling settled, like even though you don’t have things all worked out, you have something stable….even if it’s only a couch. And the joys of Sunday afternoon naps on your very own couch outweigh nearly any reason not to buy it.
When I moved out of my parent’s house, I had been stockpiling kitchen accessories in their basement like a squirrel for three years and when I moved into my small condo, the kitchen looked like I’ve lived there for years. The rest of the house was completely empty. Every piece of furniture I bought was bought after months of deliberation and anxious shopping sprees where I’d shop for hours and not buy a single thing. It took me 5 months to find the right couch for the living room, and another 4 months before the beast was built and shipped to me (when I picked it I didn’t realize that it was not in stock). That year my couch traveled more than I had, but I’m curled up on it now with the laptop and I couldn’t be happier with my choice. Just make sure not to be shy in the store. Take off your shoes and stretch out on the floor model. If you find yourself not wanting to leave, you found your couch :)
thankfully i have yet to have that particular adult moment of buying “real” furniture, as my parents changed houses and all new furniture when i was moving out–hand me downs were wonderful! i have, however, had that moment at a dinner party where i realized it was exactly the kind of thing i called “boring adult stuff” when i was growing up–and i was loving the “boring adult stuff.”
you buy a couch, i’ll do my “boring adult stuff” and we’ll tip-toe into that “real adult world”…
Hello Joy, and Happy New Year
I’ve followed your blog for some time & tried & loved some of your recipes: the Apple Spice Bundt Cake & Chocolate PB Gelato rank HIGH!
The least I can do now is give you feedback on buying a couch. Being practical, I suggest buying one that suits your lifestyle – if it is to accomodate guests, it should fit more than 2 people. Otherwise, a love seat might be more suitable. Maybe a sofa bed is the way to go: a sofa + a bed for guests who stay over.
Also, consider how supportive & firm you want it, or if so-cushy-you-get-lost-in-it is more important!
With color, choose classic ones like taupe, beige, black, brown, grey – depending on the colors of your room right now – & solid colors (vs patterns) because it’s easier to match up to other furniture &/or fabrics.
Maybe it’s easier to buy that sofa if you think of it as “furnishing” or “accessorizing” rather than an “adult” move.
As for “figuring things out”, heck I’m still doing that at 44. But with each thing I do, that’s one more thing I start to figure out!
Keep up the great work on your blog – the great recipes, the fantastic photos, the stories – & we’ll wait to hear what you decide about a sofa…
Go for something fun like a Love Sac— Its still a couch but you can do so much with them!! And they are super comfy! I love ours!!!! Your cookies look so yummy I’ll have to try them tomorrow!! Thanks for the wonderful recipes!