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    Home > Cookies

    Published: Dec 19, 2022 · Modified: May 16, 2025 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    Dulce de Leche Cookies - Your Way

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Dulce de Leche is an easily made filling of sweetened condensed milk that has been heated in the oven until thick, creamy, and deeply browned. It is perfect for these buttery pecan shortbread sandwich cookies.

    Dulche de leche cookies with the five finishes - pecan, pecan and sugar, plain chocolate, plain cookie, with sanding sugar.

    These melt in your mouth cookies don't even have to be rolled out. While looking like they might be a challenge, they are easily made.I've provided several ways to finish the cookies from simple to extravagant - all elegant looking as if they came from a bakery.

    I am using the recipe from David Lebovitz Dulce de Leche. I tested several methods and this seems to be the fastest and the best.

    how to bake better custard
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    Baking gets better when you subscribe to receive this PDF on getting the most out of baking including information on equipment, ingredients and baking equipment.

    Want more sandwich cookies? Try the Milano cookies, Langue de Chat, Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, Mexican Chocolate Brownwies or the Viennese Whirls.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Variations
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Expert Tips
    • Other Delicious Cookies to Consider
    • Dulce de Leche Cookies - Your Way

    Recipe Ingredients

    Pecan Cookies

    Ingredients for the pecan shortbread cookies arranged on a marbletop.

    Left to Right.

    Back Row: Flour, Toasted Pecans. Middle Row: Butter, Powdered Sugar. Front Row: salt, vanilla.

    Cookie Finishes

    Bowls of chocolate, sanding sugar, shortening and chopped, toasted pecans to finish the cookies

    Left to Right:

    Back Row: Chocolate, Sanding sugar. Front Row: Shortening and Toasted Pecans.

    • Pecans are toasted to bring out their maximum flavor. Be sure to cool them before processing.
    • Unsalted butter is used for the purest flavor.
    • Powdered sugar gives a softer texture to the cookie than would granulated sugar. Cookies made with powdered sugar have that melt-in-your-mouth quality.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Variations

    A salted version can be made by adding sea salt to taste to the sanding sugar and pecans. Salt can also be added to the plain cookie finished with sanding sugar.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Dulce de Leche

    There are differences between sweetened condensed milk. Some are thicker, some thinner so the time it takes to caramelize the milk may take longer or shorter. You'll judge when it's done by the color and thickness. The really neat thing is if it isn't thick enough to use as a filling after it's cooled just put it back in the oven with the waterbath and bake it some more.

    A can of Eagle Brand condensed milk

    Step 1. Different brands of condensed milk have different thicknesses. Eagle brand is consistently thicker than most so I use it for this. If a thinner condensed milk is used, the baking time will increase.

    A 12 ounce can of sweetened condense milk is poured into an ovenproof bowl.

    Step 2. Pour a 12 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk into an oven-proof bowl.

    The bowl of condensed milk is placed in a larger oven proof container in order to water bath it.

    Step 3. Place the bowl with the condensed milk into a larger, ovenproof container to make a waterbath.

    For the sake of safety, the bowls are placed on a rimmed baking sheet to make it easier to move into the oven.

    Step 4. The water bath will get very hot. For ease of moving and for safety, place the water bath on a rimmed baking sheet.

    The bowl of condensed milk is tightly covered with aluminum foil.

    Step 5. Cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil to keep the condensed milk creamy while it thickens. Fill the bottom container with hot water at least halfway up the bowl. Bake for 2 hours or more until dark and very thick.

    Dark brown Dulce-de-leche cooked down to a thick consistency.

    Step 6. Dark brown Dulce-de-leche cooked down to a thick consistency.. Cool completely before using. If it is at all lumpy when you stir it, smooth it out by whisking.

    Pecan Shortbread Cookies

    The toasted pecans and flour are placed in the bowl of a food processor.

    Step 1. Place the toasted pecans and flour in the bowl of the food processor.

    The nuts and flour are processed until the nuts are finely chopped

    Step 2. Process the nuts and flour until the nuts are very finely chopped.

    The powdered sugar and salt are added to the processor bowl.

    Step 3. Add the powdered sugar and salt to the processor.

    The powdered sugar and salt are processed into the flour/pecan mixture.

    Step 4. Process to mix the powdered sugar and salt into the flour/pecan mix.

    Step 5. Place the softened butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl.

    The butter and vanilla are beaten until very creamy.

    Step 6. The butter and vanilla are beaten until very creamy and smooth.

    The flour mixture is added to the butter in the mixing bowl

    Step 7. Add the flour mixture to the butter in the mixing bowl.

    The mixture is beaten and the dough is finished.

    Step 8. Mix until the dough comes together.

    The dough is divided in half.

    Step 9. Divide the dough in half.

    Each half of the dough is rolled into a log.

    Step 10. Roll each half of the dough into a log.

    The logs are wrapped in plastic wrap and placed o a tray to be refrigerated.

    Step 11. The logs are wrapped in plastic wrap and placed on a tray to be refrigerated or frozen.

    Marking the dough with  a finger.

    Step 12. To more evenly cut the rolls, place your finger where you want the cut and cut straight down.

    A tray of unbaked cookies ready for the oven.

    Step 13. A Tray of unbaked cookies ready for the oven.

    Finishing the Cookies

    The sanding sugar and chopped pecans are combined in a bowl.

    Step 1. Combine the sugar and chopped pecans in a small bowl. Set aside.

    Milk chocolate in a bowl and shortening in a bowl.

    Step 2. Combine the milk chocolate and shortening. Microwave on half power to melt together or place over simmering water. Stir to blend together.

    Milk chocolate and shortening are melted in a small bowl.

    Step 3. Melt the chocolate and shortening in a small bowl to maximize the depth

    The Pecan cookies are dipped in chocolate and left plain, topped with a pecan and with the sugar-pecan mix

    Step 4. Pair the cookies for size. Dip the tops in chocolate. Leave plain, top with a pecan half or with the sugar-pecan mix.

    Dulche de leche pipied on the bottom of the cookies

    Step 5. Pipe the dulche de leche on the bottom of the cookies. Place the tops on and press down lightly to evenly distribute the filling.

    Tray of cookies finished with a pecan on top, pecan sugar, plain chocolate, plain cookies or topped with sanding sugar.

    Step 6. Tray of all the finished cookies. Left to right: With sanding sugar, plain, chocolate and pecan, plain chocolate and with the sugar-pecans.

    Recipe FAQs

    What are the storage requirements for leftovers?

    These may be held at room temperature for several days.

    What do you do if the dulce de leche is not thick enough to stay put between the cookies?

    Bake it some more following the original instructions. Make this several days ahead so it is ready when you need it.

    How can I make bigger cookies if they are too small?

    I have made them the cookies are small because they are so rich. If you want bigger cookies, just make the cookie roll larger in size. The cookies don't spread much in the oven so they will be just a bit bigger than the size of roll.

    Expert Tips

    Piping the dulce de leche onto the cookie makes it much easier. I used a #3 plain tip. Lacking a pastry bag, cut the corner off of a heavy plastic bag and use that.

    When dipping the top of the cookies, make sure the bowl of chocolate is small and narrow so the chocolate remains deep and not spread out.

    Other Delicious Cookies to Consider

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    • Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies is huge and loaded with chips.
      Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Love this recipe or any other on my site? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card & consider leaving a review in the comments further down.  Star ratings help people discover my recipes online. Your support means a great deal to me. Thank you.

    Dulche de leche cookies with the five finishes - pecan, pecan and sugar, plain chocolate, plain cookie, with sanding sugar

    Dulce de Leche Cookies - Your Way

    Helen S Fletcher
    The dulce de leche filling is as easy as pouring a can of condensed milk in a bowl and baking it for a couple of hours. I've provided several ways to finish the cookies, from simple to extravagant - all elegant and looking like they came from a bakery.  While this recipe looks like it might be a challenge, it is really quite easy and very much worthwhile.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Inactive Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins
    Course Cookies
    Cuisine American
    Servings 40 sandwich cookies
    Calories 117 kcal

    Ingredients

    Dulce de Leche

    • 1- 12 ounce sweetened condensed milk

    Pecan Shortbread Cookies

    • 1 cup toasted pecans (114 grams or 4 ounces)
    • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (210 grams or 6 ounces)
    • ⅓ cup powdered sugar + 1 tablespoon (45 grams or 1 ½ ounces)
    • ⅓ teaspoon salt
    • 10 tablespoons butter (140 grams, 5 ounces or 1 ¼ sticks)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    Finishes for the Cookies

    • 4 ounces milk chocolate good quality
    • 1 tablespoon shortening such as crisco or food grade cocoa butter
    • ¼ cup toasted pecans finely chopped
    • 2 to 3 tablespoons sanding sugar
    • Pecan halves

    Instructions
     

    Dulce de Leche

    • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
    • Pour the condensed milk into an oven proof dish.  Cover it tightly with foil.
    • Place it in a large dish or pan and fill the bottom pan with hot water at least half way up the dulce de leche dish.
    • Bake it for 1 ½ hours.  Remove the foil (be careful of the steam - take the foil off pointing away from you.)  Check the color and the thickness.  If it isn't thick enough, recover, add more water and bake for another 15 minutes.  Check it, repeat if necessary.
    • Cool completely.  If it is at all lumpy when you stir it, smooth it out by whisking. 

    Pecan Shortbread Cookies

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Place the pecans on a baking tray and toast for 5 to 9 minutes depending upon if  the pecans are cut or whole.  They will be come fragrant and pick up a little color.
    • Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
    • Combine the flour and pecans in the bowl of a processor.  Process  until the nuts are very finely cut in.  
    • Add the powdered sugar and salt and pulse several times to mix.
    • Beat the butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl until creamy.  Add the flour/pecan mixture and mix until it comes together. 
    • Divide the dough in half (about 255 grams or about 9 ounces each).  Roll each piece into a 12" log.  This will make baked cookies about 1 ½ inches.  If you want larger cookies, roll into a 10" log.  The cookies don't spread much so they are a little bigger than unbaked. 
    • Wrap in plastic wrap refrigerate to firm up or freeze for longer storage.
    • If using sanding sugar to finish the tops or sanding sugar with salt mix the sea salt to taste with the sugar.  Set aside.
    • Cut the cookies about ⅓" thick.  At the bakery, this was easiest to do by putting our fingernail where we wanted to cut, placing the knife next to it and slicing straight down.  Place on parchment paper lined baking sheets.  Sprinkle liberally with the sanding sugar or sanding sugar with salt.
    • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges begin to color.  

    Finishing the Cookies

    • Combine the chocolate and shortening or cocoa butter and melt it over hot water or microwave at half power until melted.  Stir well.  Do not whisk as it is too easy to incorporate air bubbles, which you definitely do not want.  
    • Place the glaze in a narrow container as it will be easier to dip the cookies.   Dip the top of each cookie and set on parchment or waxed paper.  Immediately, top the cookie with a pecan half or the sugar/pecan or sugar/pecan/salt mixture.  
    • Allow to set for several  hours or refrigerate briefly to set.
    • Pair the cookies for size and shape.
    • Turn the bottom cookie upside down with its mate above it right side up.  Fit a piping bag with a #3 plain tip.  Pipe a mound of dulce de leche  on the bottom cookie.  Immediately place the top cookie on, pressing down lightly to move the filling to the edges.
    • After the glaze is set, the cookies can be stored at room temperature.  If you are in a hurry, refrigerate them briefly.  This may dull the glaze somewhat.  They can be stored at room temperature for several days. 

    Notes

    • If, after the dulce de leche cools, it is not thick enough to stay put between the cookies, just bake it some more following the original instructions. Make this several days ahead so it is ready when you need it.
    • As I have made them, the cookies are small because they are so rich. If you want bigger cookies, just make the cookie roll larger in size. The cookies don't spread much in the oven, so they will be just a bit bigger than the size of roll. 
    • Piping the dulce de leche onto the cookie makes it much easier. I used a #3 plain tip. Lacking a pastry bag, cut the corner off of a heavy plastic bag and use that. 
    • When dipping the top of the cookies, make sure the bowl the chocolate on the small and narrow side so the chocolate remains deep and not spread out. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 117kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 54mgPotassium: 61mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 114IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 0.4mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @helensfletcher or tag #pastrieslikeapro!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes

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    1. Betsy Rumely says

      February 16, 2023 at 11:10 pm

      5 stars
      I wonder if the weight or the measured amount for the flour is off; I both weighed and measured the flour; at the given weight, I had about 1-3/4 cups flour. My dough was very dry; I had to knead it to get it to form a roll, although the cookies did not seem dry.
      They were delicious.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        February 20, 2023 at 11:26 am

        Hi Betsy, I'm not sure why you had a problem. If the the butter was not soft enough that would definitely cause a problem. Some recipes suggest 68°F as the optimum temperature for creaming butter. At that temperature the mixture is sandy. I recommend 72° to 75°F as it is soft enough to mix well with sugar or egg yolks. Also, 140 grams or 5 ounces for 1 cup of of unsifted, all-purpose flour is what most professionals that bake for a living use. Did you sift your flour first or stir it really well? That will give you a different weight. Also, how did you measure your pecans? Pecan halves will give you a different measurement than pecan pieces because the pieces fit tighter in a measuring cup. As you can see from the photos, all went together smoothly. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    2. Betsy R says

      February 14, 2023 at 1:47 pm

      Made these yesterday; delicious and I have never had anything like them. My dulce de leech was too thin; I didn't go back to the picture, but I did bake at 425 for 75 min. It needed more time.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        February 20, 2023 at 11:53 am

        Hi Betsy - It does some time. You can always put it back in the oven, even if cold, and keep baking it. The true test for this recipe is the thickness.

        Reply
    3. Elizabeth says

      December 24, 2022 at 4:12 pm

      So fun to see you profiled in the New York Times!

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        December 27, 2022 at 10:38 pm

        Thanks Elizabeth - it's fun to be in there

        Reply
    4. Kathleen says

      December 19, 2022 at 6:11 pm

      I love this method for making Dulce de Leche! What a great idea. ( I always hated heating the milk in the can, which seems to be the most common method…)

      And these cookies look amazing, I can’t wait to bake some. Thank you Helen, as always!

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        December 19, 2022 at 6:33 pm

        Hi Kathleen - and the most dangerous if the can isn't kept under the water. This was fast and easy. Enjoy the holidays.

        Reply
    5. Moira says

      December 19, 2022 at 2:07 pm

      Two hours in a 425 degree oven seems a remarkably expensive way to caramelize one can of condensed milk.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        December 19, 2022 at 2:41 pm

        No more so than roasting meat at high temperatures I would imagine. Or you could do it as some do for 3 or 4 hours at 350°F.

        Reply
    6. vera parker says

      December 19, 2022 at 10:39 am

      5 stars
      Your recipe did not tell me what temperature to set the oven for the Eagle Brand milk.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        December 19, 2022 at 12:40 pm

        Hi Vera, thanks for this. It's funny because the whole time I was typing the recipe in, I kept thinking I can't forget the dulce de leche. I did! It is corrected now. The temperature is 425°F. Happy Holidays to your and yours.

        Reply

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