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.
Crystal
Hi Joy,
SO excited to try this recipe! Are these cookies chewy or chrunchy??
Catalina
In Chile we call these ‘alfajores’ and they are really delicious!!! I love dulce de leche!! Here we also call it manjar :)
michelle
Took these to a ladie’s lumpia-making party for our dessert- everyone loved them! One of my friends is from Spain and she was really excited about the Dulce de Leche. Thank you so much for wonderful recipes that always turn out! I love your cookbook too.
Jessica
These are fantastic, and a perfect way to use up the dulce de leche I brought back from Argentina. I definitely recommend sprinkling the sea salt with a heavy hand. It adds a nice contrast to the syrupy sweet dulce de leche.
Ginger
Joy, these are UH-MAZING!
Marina
Hi Joy!
Thank you for the recipe, I baked the cookies last night and my family and co-workers loved it. This recipe is definetly a keeper :)
Maggie
HOLA again Joy!
how are you?
im baking right now these cookies, i got some out of the oven, but since im a big nutella fan, i was wondering could i top some nutella on these cookies? do yoou think it will still taste good? haha, i’ll tell you how everything turns out!!!
have a nice week :D:D
RC6pack
Yummy, yummy, yummy. The family went nuts for these. I used nutella and dulce leche for the filling and a touch of sea salt.
Missy McClure
You can get Dulce de Leche at Wal-Mart. I know – I’m not a fan either but it is the only place in our part of the world that I can find it. It is on the aisle with Mexican food – not with the sweetened condensed milk. I can just eat it out of the can – the whole can – which probably explains why I NEED to use P90X! :)
Kelci Smith
I just got a ridiculously rad 70’s retro-modern couch at Goodwill for $30. It’s big and goldenrod and I love it. I suggest you check out a thrift store. They always have the coolest vintage furniture for cheap. As long as you have a steam cleaner or know of someone who has a steam cleaner. :)
Jyoti
Hi Joy!
I made these for my sister’s volleyball game – they were such a hit that we made them for our christmas cookie party…and they continue to be a hit! Thanks for the great recipe.
http://homnom.blogspot.com/2010/10/dulce-de-leche-cookies.html
yum yum yum!
Connie
Hi Joy,
I’ve been following your blog and I found this recipe today… it’s almost a year after it was published but I liked the couch discussion… My husband and I were living in our house for more than A YEAR before buying our two couches… and that was after I got pregnant. I was 7 months pregnant when the couches arrived and our internal jokes for years to come is: We have the house, the baby and the COUCHES!
BTW, I’m from Argentina and dulce de leche is like our national sweet (and we tend to say that we invented it). =)
Nice recipe!
Kimberly
I’m definitely making this. Question is whether I’m brave enough to make the dulce de leche too!
Mae @ Passionatemae
i’m making this lovelies now in my oven…i can smell the sweet sweet smell of Dulce de Leche.
Katie @ The Well-Fed Newlyweds
I made these this weekend for a party, and my friends went crazy over them! One of the guests was even walking around holding one in each hand, going back and forth between them! (If that’s not high praise, I don’t know what is.) In addition to being insanely delicious, they were a breeze to make, stayed fresh and soft for a few days, and made my friends think I’m a baking genius. Thanks for the stellar recipe Joy!
Stiffler
I made these last weekend.
They were very good and the co-workers liked them.
Abby
Hi Joy,
My friend and I made these cookies this weekend and they were delicious! They were so easy to make and the recipe actually made 50+ cookies total.
Thanks for this wonderful treat!
Abby
w
You should try with chocolate cookies. Chocolate + dulce de leche= heaven. Believe me.
Chocolate cakes are also great! And pancakes!! OMG
I’d really recommend using our dulce de leche for your (talking to all americans) recipes! It’s delicious and much more healthier and lighter than all those fillings and frostings you make out of butter and cream. You can find easy recipes as the one rachel says, or the real dulce de leche recipe which is, of course, the best in the world..
Lots of love from an argentinean girl :)
Rachel
The next time you do a recipe with dulce de leche, you should tell your readers about this way of making dulce de leche: http://www.thecookinginn.com/tcirecipes/canmilkb.html
michelle
trick for making them prettier –
use a cookie cutter (any shape as long as it’s smaller than the cookie) and on half of the baked cookies. spread the DDL on the other cookies (duh) (at this point you can also sprinkle them with icing sugar) then when you put them together the dulce de leche shows through! neato!
Liz
I tried this recipe today and it was beyond fantastic! We also happened to have Nutella on hand, which brought these cookies to a whole new thigh expanding level. Thanks for all of the fantastic recipes and many many laughs.
http://www.lizdidit.com/2010/06/amazing-cookies-fantastic-girlfriends.html.
Ruby
Liz! Great minds do think alike. I also wanted to try a little nutella on these…(wait, I want to try nutella on pretty much EVERYTHING)…
QUESTION: What did you actually do with the nutella? On top or inside with the dulce de leche???
Thanks!
Ruby
Maggie
Hi Joy,
I made these last night as a “I’m sorry” gift to my boyfriend for being a bit of a spaz last weekend. I think baking cookies is the female equivalent of giving flowers to make up for a wrong. Anyways, huge hit. Thanks for the recipe!!
Maggie
joythebaker
nice job maggie!
Laura
My dear Joy,
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am always checking up on your blog while at work, and my co-workers are always peeking over my shoulder and directing me what to make next. I made these last week for a co-workers birthday and they were AMAZING (but what isn’t from your blog…)
Thanks again!
Laura
Indianapolis, IN
tristan
joy, dulce de leche reminds me of my home. argentina. i have yet to make these little bits but i appreciate the photos and good words. <3
Kathy
Hi Joy! I love your recipes! I bought my first couch at 24 (right out of college for my second apartment) 6 years later I still have it. It was my first big grown up purchase all by myself and I sat and sprawled out my 5’10” frame on every single couch in the furniture store to the shock of all the sales people. It was the best purchase I have made-I love it! :) So-I say go for it and get one you like-really like so that you can love it. (I wish I would have bought the matching love seat as well-I’m still kicking myself!) Good luck!
DivaDivine
Nomnomnom! These look divine. I bet even if I swapped out a nut butter or Nutella these would still be divine.
Thanks Joy!
The Courteous Chihuahua
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or in this case, the taster.
chelsea
Hello Joy,
I just stumbled upon your blog today. I love trying new recipes and this website seems to be the perfect place to pick some yummy ones up. Thank you for your blogging and recipe sharing!
About your couch, I would go sit on every single one of the pretty couches in the store and figure out which one your butt feels best on, then by that one.
Christine
Printing NOW. Too delicious for coherency. Drooling.
Jennifer
I made these last night and thought that they were beyond amazing but they were even better today! It was the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Thank you so much for this recipe. It is going on my list of favorites!
CookiePie
Lovely cookies! You could spread dulce de leche on shoelaces and I’d eat them :) Buy the couch and don’t worry about it – you’ll be more comfortable! And you need a place to relax and enjoy these yummy cookies…
Audrey
Dear joyfull joy,
Buy the couch and don’t take life too seriously.
Your friend Audrey 12 years old in Cincinnati
Hannah
When I saw those photos I immediately knew I had to get the recipe and will be using it very soon!
Autumn
Yum, dulce de leche. This makes me think of alfajores when I was studying abroad in Argentina and Uruguay: delicious little butter cookies with dulce de leche in the middle, rolled in coconut and drizzled with chocolate. Yum. I love the honey color of these cookies.
Reagan
You definitely need a couch! A patterned, whimsical one!
Yael
Hi Joy,
Love your blog! i have a practical and not very professional question – i’m abroad for some time and don’t have my kitchen equipment. i’m looking for reciepes which don’t requiere a mixer. is it possible to make those cookies by hand?
Thanks!
Nicole
Your cookies look delicious! This is the latest of many treats I’ve seen here and thought about how I really must make those soon. Then I look closer at the recipe, and realize I have that book. Then I wonder, “Why haven’t I made this yet?”
Good luck on your couch. We happen to be looking for a new couch.
ErinsFoodFiles
I have that book and I CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE THESE!
Laura Sauter
Hi,
I am friends with your Grandpa Bill at the gym that I go to. He is really pretty awesome. He has really adorable workout outfits. Hah. But, your website is amazing! I am really glad to see that other people (like me) have an active interest in baking. I really felt alone for a while. It is always foodnetwork around here, but I do not see much baking, and it pleases me that you are also a baker. I am only 19, so my baking skills are not quite as adept as yours, but I am slowly working on it. Your cookies look amazing. And I think you should buy a big, fluffy couch. I know what you mean though about not knowing anything about the world. I thought that I had it all figured out when I turned 18. I was going to go away to school, open a cupcake store, and become rich and successful, but it hasn’t really worked out that way. I am more interested now in photography, but they maybe might both (the cupcakes and photography) become a career, who knows? But definitely know that I feel for you and your grandpa talks about you constantly, it is adorable. He brought in your aprons and everything and was like, the cutest. He even gave me a cute little paper with your website on it :]. Hence, why I am here. Anyways, good luck!
Best wishes, Laura
Megan Gordon
Joy! These look awesome. And I have some words on couches. When I lived in Boston going to graduate school, I was obsessing about a “big girl” couch. I wanted a real piece of furniture so badly, and ended up saving for a sweet, baby blue couch from Crate and Barrel. I loved it. Then, 8 months later, I decided to move across the country and financially id didn’t make sense to bring her along :) So if you’re staying put for awhile and you’re sure that you don’t want to pick up and travel South America for an entire year anytime soon, go for it. But if you want to keep your backpack light (did you see Up in the Air??), I’d hold off. Good luck!
(LOVE. YOUR. BLOG. by the way).
my spatula
i dream of dulce de leche. on a spoon. in ice cream. any which way. these sandwiches will do me in for good. happy new year, joy!!
Nicki
Joy,
Don’t worry about having your life figured out. Nobody ever really gets their life figured out. Live now. Enjoy yourself. Dream big. Buy the couch.
Evie
Buy the couch. I’ve been without a dresser for four years, and I recently took the plunge and a bought a really, cute vintage mahogany dresser. I was giddy like a schoolgirl after the purchase.
Emily
I love your “tree” plate…where did you get it?
sarah (syrupandhoney)
I know what you’re saying…I felt so adult when I bought my first couch several years ago. It was only $550 and I couldn’t even believe I could afford it. Good luck with your search!
Jessi
So I checked at the grocery store yesterday, but no dice… I looked on the baking aisle, but maybe a diff area? “Ethnic” foods? Must. Have. Dulce de leche….
Catherine
I haven’t seen the kind in a jar. What I buy is in a can and is usually with the condensed milk/sweetened condensed milk, in the same kind of can. If your market has an aisle for Mexican food it might be there also.
marisol
williams sonoma has the best dulce de leche
MG
I can’t find it in the stores in my neighborhood either. I looked online and found it at http://www.amigofoods.com. They delivered really fast and it tasted great. Good luck…
Chrisgelica
You should get a nice couch if you have the room. We had a cheap, barely cushioned ikea couch in our apt that was not comfortable at all and I thought my friend was so lucky having a real, soft, cushioned couch in her studio. It makes it more home-y i think.
Clara
Hi Joy,
I’ve followed your blog ever since I found your Pan Dulce recipe (as I’m a homesick Texan in NY in need of a sweet fix that reminds me of home!)
Just wanted to say these cookies would most certainly make us best buds…I remember watching my great-grandmother make dulce de leche on her stove..mmm..
As for the couch dilemma…well, Carolyn above gives you most of the practical advice I thought of too…and I would just add, pick out some cute pillows and maybe a great throw to go with the couch and I’m not sure how tall you are, but make sure when you sit on it, you’re feet reach comfortably (I’m very short, this is a big issue for me!). :)
Good luck on the hunt for a couch, and thanks for sharing all your baking genius with the rest of us. I can cook…not so great at baking. But, you inspire me to try more things!
Rose
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!
Carolyn
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…
jen
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”…
Anna
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 :)
Melissa
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.
Nancy
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
Erika from The Pastry Chef At Home
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! :)
Carolina
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.
Carolina
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!
sugarplum fairy
They are sooooo delicious! I’ve made other cookies with dulce de leche, hazelnut cookies. So i have to try this recipe too!
Kimberly
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!
Kay
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!
Martine
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.
Shannon
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. :)
Annie Ozsarac
Could you use Nutella instead? I can’t get dulce de leche over here in Turkey, but there is tons of Nutella!
Sherri
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.
Mother of Pearl
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.
Holly
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!
Kathryn
I just made these, and they are incredible.
Thanks for posting exactly what I needed today!
joythebaker
i’m so glad you like them!
treehouse Chef
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.
Stiffler
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)
Terresa Wellborn
These look fabulous, so fabulous!
PS: The best dulce de leche is from Uruguay or Argentina. All others pale in comparison, imo. :)
joythebaker
argentina. yes. yum!
Colette Swan
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.
Lisa
Buy a purple couch. :)
The cookies look delicious!!!
Dosh
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!
joythebaker
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.
Louise Shoemaker
Life is NOW! Couches are essential! Go for it!
Dani H
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!
Karen
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!
Jeannie
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!
Yolanda
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.
Belinda
Buy the couch! I find it is a great play to digest when you have had too many yummy things – like these cookies.
Melanie
The cookies look delish and you should buy the couch:)
Jen-
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.
chelsea
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?
Molly
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.
San
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 :)
joythebaker
crazy! who knew you could actually put a couch together! thanks for the link San!
Heather
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.
Vicki Schmidt
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. :)
Mel
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)
Kate D
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!
joythebaker
a couch big enough for a nice boyfriend, a kitty and lots of cookbooks. you know my style!
Misty
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…
Hollie
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!
Marina
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.
joythebaker
a dancable couch! i like the way you think marina!
marye
Buy a couch you love..whether it is new or used…then sit down and eat some of these cookies. :)
YUM!
sarah
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!
SusanSW
Definitely a couch.
AND just where did you find a jar of Dulce de Leche topping?
Thanks!
joythebaker
cube marketplace online for the dulce de leche!
The Purple Foodie
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!
Janet
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!
joythebaker
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!
Laura
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
joythebaker
totally a start! thanks laura! :)
Julie
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!
Kel
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!
joythebaker
couch and soaking tub! that’s totally a great way to look at it Kel!
Peggy Anderson
Definitely buy the couch. You can stretch out in it and write all the wonderful, future recipes we will all enjoy reading and baking. Go for it!!!
Melanie
Future Joy would want you to have a couch now and to enjoy it.
Fantastic looking cookies..yum!
everyAUGUST
Hi Joy,
Love the blog. Call it a sofa, it fits you better. Because you live in LA you should check out the Zgallery outlet. We bought a sofa there for half off. Why not find something you love and save money….
wendy
Any woman who owns a Kitchen Aid mixer should also have a couch. People make memories on couches. Your exquisite taste will guarantee that you will buy a lovely couch, and you will make great memories on it. It is a wonderful rite of passage and you are ready for it.
sandra
Evil, evil, woman! Just when I am trying to get fit (an uphill battle when you love baking)!
There is no excuse not to make these, since Dulce is in every supermarket here in Spain.
Re couch, get a nice comfy snuggly one that you can stretch out or curl up on. Couches are mandatory for cold days, coffee and cookies!
Jessi
You are my hero! Caramel is my all-time fave sweet, so these cookies are perfect. I’ve never seen jars of dulce de leche, but then again I’ve never looked… would I find them in the baking aisle?
Judith
It is a big decision! I don’t have a couch. I figure it’s just me, and I do not have $500+ to spend on a non-essential piece of furniture. Going on seven years without a couch, I would say if you can justify the expense, though, it might be worth it. Sitting in a folding chair or lying in bed all day gets old! Couches let you recline, which is a really underappreciated thing. You don’t know that you miss reclining until it’s gone. Good luck with your couch decisions :-)
Samantha
ps: I totally agree with Shannon too. Buy what you love!
Samantha
Joy, I went through the exact same thing when I bought a couch! It would be my first piece of “real” furniture, meaning I could never live with roommates again (without some sort of discussion in advance), would have to hire movers if I ever moved…and what if I bought it and hated it?? I’d be saddled with this huge piece of furniture that I couldn’t get rid of. Add to that that my apartment is seriously miniature, and only about five couches in the country would even fit through the door, and I was stymied for MONTHS.
Finally, I just bought a couch. I’m a grown up, I love to have people over, and they need a place to sit. Also, I love reality television like it’s going out of style and, what am I going to do, watch it while sitting on some janky chair? Please. I’m glad I bought it, and wish I hadn’t agonized so much about it. In the end, I don’t actually like the one I bought (the two cushion couches always tend to look a little sloppy after awhile), but it works just fine, and now I know exactly what I want next time.
Good luck and, yes, buy the couch!
Love your blog,
Sam
ps: I really liked Room and Board couches; some were really affordable and they do “fit calls,” which are key for tiny, or even just oddly shaped, apartments.
Shannon
You need a couch. You can sit and enjoy these cookies on your new cushy grown up couch! You can lounge and read a magazine, surf the net, work on your cookbook, take a nap on your cushy grown up couch!
If we all waited for everything to be perfect, we would be waiting a llooooong time.
I wasnt’ sure when I was buying my first couch, what type of fabric to choose. I was single, loving every minute of it and loved the cottage/floral/plaid look. I said to my dad “but if I buy a couch with the cottage/floral/plaid look, what if my boyfriend/husband (which I did not have yet) doesn’t like it”? Dad said, “hon’, first of all, dont’ worry about this mystery man, he should like you, not the couch. Second, get whatever you want, it’s yours to enjoy”! So I did, I bought a floral chair and a half with huge pink cabbage roses all over it on a green background and a “matching” plaid couch. Loved that set and met a man…dad was right, he didn’t care. We got married and sat on the couch and chair and a half for 2 years…I sold the set to someone in my town via Ebay. And it all ended happily ever after.
Buy the couch Joy, you deserve it.
P.S. cookies look great, but how can you stay fit and eat all this good stuff? I can’t find that balance :(
yse
I always make my own dulce de leche! It’s so easy!
You just take some (sealed) cans condensed milk (sweetened) cans, remove the labels, immerse in A LOT of water in a deep pot and let it boil, covered for 3 hours (from boiling) checking periodically that the water level isn’t too low and adding more boiling water if needed.
I usually boil 3 or 4 cans a at a time and then you can just put the cans back in your pantry (I label mine with the date) as is until you need to use them!
Easy and cheap!
-YSE
Chaitali
Oh..that’s a pretty big deal! I’m still at that stage in life in which the most expensive piece of furniture I own is my $30 futon.
I’m so excited for you! You should definitely buy a new couch. Get a big, comfy couch which can double up as a spare bed and a place to have TV dinners and snuggle.
And then buy a couple of pretty throw pillows, a rug and a coffee table. It’ll totally complete the home-y look.
Sonya
Buy a couch. Get a good one and enjoy before you have kids that will jump on it and spill on it and puke on it. Not that any of my precious children would ever do any of those things.
Carolyn
I always thought that buying a couch (a *real* couch, not a futon or an Ikea do-it-yourself couch or an old hand-me-down from your mother’s basement) was a really big deal. Buying real furniture was a sign that you were a real adult with a real apartment with a real life and could have real people over for wine and cheese parties. It was scary as hell!
But you know what? I bought that damn couch, and it really did make me feel like an adult. And then I bought a coffee table and a dresser and a kitchen table. It makes a big difference. Go for it, Joy! You won’t regret it, I promise. : )
Jennifer
I own this book and haven’t made these delicious cookies yet! They look divine…I also *GASP* have not ever had dulce de leche-I may have to change my ways really soon!
Sofas are nice things to have. You could get a sleeper sofa, that way you’d have extra room for guests. LA-Z Boy supposedly has newer sleeper sofas that have an air chamber in them-supposedly more comfortable. I don’t have one, so, I can’t say if they are-but just a thought.:)
BethT @ Pretty By The Bay
How can you say those aren’t pretty? Beautiful!
As someone who loves her couch right behind her husband and dog, I say go for it. There is nothing better than a soft, squishy couch for yourself OR guests.
Joy
These look amazing! so does everything else on this site…haha
I totally think you should get the couch…but get a nice soft, comfortable one that u could fall asleep on whilst watching tv and eating these cookies. but at the same time, nice enough that you could entertain guests on without worrying about them thinking that this is where u spend your nights watching tv and eating cookies. haha ;) good luck!
Anna
Hi Joy, I understand your panic; a couch is never just a couch. When I was 25 I bought a fridge and at that time I had a similar crises to buy or not to buy. My boyfriend was all for it and my free spirit went with it punching and screaming. Six months later I was married and I blame all to that fridge. :-)
Those cookies look absolutely delish I love dulce de leche.
mike
Joy, I love my sofa (couch, davenport). It’s a love seat. They are cute, cozy, just big enough to nap on if you can’t make it to your bed. But a small commitment and an even smaller dent in your pocketbook, so you can buy more dulce de leche cookies (which look irresistible).
Elizabeth
Definitely get a couch – something to sink into after eating these yummy cookies…
Jan C.
I’m shopping for a couch right now, too, and frankly, even though I’m 50 now and have bought some couches in my day, it does feel like a big deal every time I do it. That said, my advice would be to go for it. Take someone along who’s done it a few times before, to help you with the practical aspects of finding a couch that will be comfy. Pick a fairly classic style so that it doesn’t look dated in a few years, and go with a neutral color so that you can use pillows and throws to dress it up in whatever color schemes you fancy over time. Think of it as a piece of furniture to sit on, period. Because that’s really all it is. It needs to fit your rear end, not your head! :-)
Deborah
I highly recommended you buy a couch. Much needed piece of furniture. Having it be a pull out couch as well is very nice. But they are a pain to move. Pull out couches are very heavy. Real pain to get up and down stairs as well. Take your time in finding the perfect couch for you. Go and sit on many couches in the store to find one you like. I have had couches that you sink right into and can never get out of. You don’t want one of those. Then every time certain people come over they talk about how they can’t stand this couch. Happy couch shopping!
Joanne Bartone
Couches are pretty big commitments, Joy. It sounds like you are wanting to be sure you are making the best decision for yourself. It can be a bit overwhelming… what type, what color, what if i don’t like it
…questions pop up. But you’ve got a really good head on your shoulders – we see that here all the time – and you deserve the luxury of lounging and dreaming as Sharon said above. Nothing like curling up on a couch w/a cup of cocoa and some of Joy’s delicious cookies, right gang?!
Love your spirit. Love your blog. Buy the couch then take a well-deserved nap on it after baking.
Happy New Year!
janelle
I say buy the couch. I love my couch, so much in fact, I have picked it over baking a few times this holiday season. You can curl up to read a book (cookbook) watch a little tv, or just lay and think about life. I love Dorie by the way and will be making these cookies.
Kathleen
These cookies remind me of the “older” version of girl scout cookies…I’m talking like 40 plus years ago…! And they were awesome!! When you purchase the couch, we’ll all come over and sit awhile and sample your cookies..:)) Have a great new year….enjoy reading your blog!
K
KimC
Hi Joy! How are you? I think you should go for it and buy the couch, but I also think you should only get it if you really truly want it. It is just a couch and most likely returnable if you change your mind so don’t worry so much and have fun looking for an awesome couch. And if you do get one you can sit, relax and eat those cookies that look absolutely delicious. :~)
Colleen
take your time in picking out the right couch, shop at several stores, think about function (do you want it do double as a guest bed?) and make sure you can fit it through all the doors/hallways you need it to! Lazyboy couches are great because the backs actually come off so you can pretty much fit them in any room, but they are pricey. good luck!
Anna
A couch? Of course buy a couch! Make sure it fits you perfectly for napping, and get some cute yet comfortable throw pillows and blankets to aid in the napping.
Kimberly
Go for the couch, Joy. Splurge… you’re worth it. Get one that works for naps and dreams and also for cuddling with your future Mr. HusbandofJoythebaker. Awesome couches lead to awesome throw pillows and afghans and such.
yolanda
the cookies look sinful!
buy the couch! make sure it’s overstuffed and comfy…. once you get it you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it…you deserve the luxury!
linda
i don’t think anyone truly “figures it out”…i think we want to have a plan but sometimes life gets in the way of life …so… be positive…no stress…
go with your instincts!!
get a comfy couch where you can have fantasies & wonderful dreams…& eat all the extraordinary goodies you entice us with!
Libby
These look gooooood! I will need to try them soon. And I’m with the previous posters about the couch. Go ahead and do it :) It’ll be a good investment :)
risa
what are you talking about, these are adorable!! Go for the couch, a good comfy couch is what makes a house (or apt) a home. It took me and my hubby months to pick out the perfect couch and it didn’t arrive for a whole week after we moved in!
Casey
Buy the couch. Just do it. Jump into it head first. :)
peachkins
buy a couch!then give me the cookies…
Mandie
I can understand the stress of buying a couch. Or any furniture for that matter….my husband and I have been together for 3 years now, and even added a child into the mix…and we have yet to buy a dining table! We had a couch a recliner from my college apartment living days, and we got rid of those when he deployed, because I moved home to be closer to my family. So now we are faced with buying furniture, and we’re both freaking out, unsure where to start!
Just get a nice a sofa. It should be comfy, durable (because you’ll want to be able to get out the milk that spilled while you were eating it with those cookies), and in a style that totally reflects you.
ps: Those cookies look awesome!
the domestic mama
hmmm….get the couch, and eat a cookie with a spot of tea on it. Then, get a dog…(a pound mutt about to be put down, preferably) and let him/her sleep on it. And share the cookies. That’s how ya start the new year with a new couch. Gotta break it in, ya know! :)
Akinaj
Go for the couch, Joy! A couch rocks. Best place to lose yourself in cookery books or watch DVDs…
And if it doubles as a bed for guests even better, then you can share all your cooking without having to worry about people having to drive home afterwards. ;-)
Now, buying a proper, leather comfy chair, that’s a whole different level of scariness! ;-)
Ria
OMG!I am so tempted to try these!Will make a batch asap! :) The cookies look too yummmm!
Lisa P
Joy. I say go for it- buy that couch! We were antiquing the other day and found an awesome piece of history called a Mimeoscope. Basically, it’s a glorified lighted table. But, it was made in 1916 and was part of the printing press that was used before photocopying in the 1960’s. That’s one reason why I love antiques- so much history. Long story short- get the couch! And what’s even more fun is you can try to find an antique couch, for the story, and you can get it refinished and stuffed full of cushiony goodness so it’s comfy. What can be better?
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
Ohmigosh those open mouth cookies without the tops on yet look AMAZING. I can just taste that caramel-y goodness.
Ginny
As always, amazing cookies. And photography :)
When my husband and I first got married and bought our house, we got a couch from Ikea. It served its purpose, but our little home didn’t look like a home – it looked like a dorm room. After Thanksgiving, my mom convinced me to go furniture shopping with her. It was a good decision – I ended up buying a new couch and a loveseat (!) to make what my mother calls a “conversational grouping”. My little house looks like a house now.
Yes it was expensive, but these pieces will last a lot longer than that old blue thing from Ikea. Get something that is moderately priced, classic and well made and you can take it with you wherever you go, even when you’re wrestling toddlers into carseats :)
Anna
A couch… Find a couch you can snuggle into a corner, tuck your feet underneath, and read a good book, dream of future recipes, and enjoy a delicious treat.
You can always try craigslist (only looking for postings with pics and selecting ones in good condition) and that can make this cozy couch seem more obtainable.
Jeanie
Joy, I am ready to try thses cookies. You need a soft, sink into type couch. Don’t get a firm sit up on top of sofa. Thanks for your wonderful recipes.
Vicki Schmidt
Hey Joy
First of all: Thank you for this blog. I am on the venture of becoming a baker of goodies at home, and your delicious recipes and pictures are just the thing to inspire me. For those I can even forgive you for measuring in cups! *smile*
Second: Buy the couch. Now. Like right now! A couch is a safe haven almost as good as your bed. It’s the perfect place for a good cup of tea or a cocktail, while putting your feet up. For reading a book or magazine, or snuggling up to the hubby/boyfriend while watching a movie.
I love my couch. It’s second hand, and in burgundy velvet. It gives my living room a burlesque touch, and my behind a nice spot to rest.
Join us coychowners Joy. You will not regret it.
Third: These cookies look delicious! Why oh why is Dulche Leche so hard to come by here!? *sigh* Oh well. Keep on rocking the kitchen and this blog!
Vicki Schmidt
First of all: Thank you for this blog. I am in the venture of becoming a baker of all sorts of goods at home, and your delicious recipes and pictures, are just the thing to inspire me. For those I can even forgive you for measuring in cups! *smile*
Second: Buy the couch. Now. Like right now! A couch is a safe haven almost as much as a bed. It’s the perfect place for a good cup of tea, or a refreshing drink. It’s nice to sit there and read or snuggle with the hubby while watching a movie.
A couch is a pleasant and homey thing to have. I love my secondhand one. It’s in burgundy velvet. It gives my living room a burlesque touch. It says something about me, and gives my behind a nice spot to rest. It’s fab.
Join us Joy. Be a couch owner!
Third: Keep on rocking this blog!
Vicki
Sharon Summers
Joy … buy the couch. A couch is a raft on which you can float all your dreams. But it’s a really pretty raft and an amazingly luxurious one and you need to be able to sink into the plush fabric that your raft provides so that you continue to magic up all the thoughts and words you do – to make the deliriously good food you do. So which fabric will it be and what colour are you leaning towards at the moment ;)
JamTown
well said Sharon.
Shauna
I completely agree with everything Sharon said (mostly because she said it far better than I ever could!). Just get the couch – and then post pictures! :)
tara zeitoun
those look soooo delic! i must try them very very soon! i’m making one of the cupcake recipes this week yay! keep us updated joy!
Joanna
Hi Joy!
I love love love you!!! I love your blog I love your humor and I love your baked goodies.
Thank you for being wonderful inspiration and bringing smiles to everybody that reads your blog!!! Reading your blog is actually one of the highlight of my day! How lucky your future husband and children will be and im sure you will have a lovely mothers hand in the future!!! Lots of love from the Philippines!!! ;)
Carmen Henesy
I could just sit and eat dulce de leche – or plain sweetened condensed milk!!! I MUST try these cookies!