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Andalusian Honey Nut No-Bake Cookies (Alfajores) Recipe

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3.9 from 6 reviews

Andalusian Alfajores are traditional no-bake holiday cookies from Spain, made with toasted almonds, hazelnuts, sesame seeds, honey, and warm spices. These cylindrical cookies are coated in a sweet syrup and powdered sugar, creating a crisp sugar crust. They require no baking of the dough itself, relying on toasting and setting to develop their unique texture and flavor.

  • Author: Zara
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: Spanish

Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 3/4 cup blanched almonds (107g)
  • 1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts (71g)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (18g)
  • 1 cup fine breadcrumbs (168g)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup honey (340g)

For the Coating

  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar (133g)
  • 1/2 cup water (120ml)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (113g)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and toast nuts. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread almonds and hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 6 minutes. Add sesame seeds and roast for another 4 minutes until fragrant. Set nuts aside to cool slightly.
  2. Make the sugar syrup. Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat without stirring, cooking until the syrup reaches 225°F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and allow to cool while preparing the dough.
  3. Grind the nuts. Pulse the toasted almonds and hazelnuts in a food processor until coarse meal forms, similar to sand but not a paste.
  4. Mix dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine ground nuts, sesame seeds, breadcrumbs, flour, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to blend all ingredients.
  5. Prepare the dough. Heat honey to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Immediately add the dry ingredients and mix with a heat-proof spatula until the mixture is evenly combined and forms a thick dough. Remove from heat.
  6. Cool the dough. Transfer the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spreading it 1/2 to 1 inch thick to cool quickly. Let it cool 5 to 10 minutes until warm but handleable.
  7. Shape the cookies. Divide the dough into 20 to 24 pieces, about 30g each. Roll each piece by hand into a cylinder roughly 2 1/2 inches long on a clean surface.
  8. Coat the cookies. Set up a dredging station with the cooled syrup, powdered sugar in a wide shallow bowl, and parchment paper. Dip each cookie into the syrup coating it fully, then roll it in powdered sugar to cover. Place coated cookies on parchment paper to set.
  9. Set and serve. Allow the cookies to dry uncovered for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until the sugar coating hardens into a crisp crust.

Notes

  • Use a candy thermometer to ensure syrup reaches the precise temperature (225°F) for proper coating consistency.
  • Do not over-process the nuts; a coarse meal texture is essential for the right cookie texture.
  • The cookies require a drying period to set the sugar crust, so plan ahead.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container once fully dried to maintain crispness.
  • Breadcrumbs and flour provide structure and absorb honey moisture, making no-bake dough manageable.

Find it online: https://zaracooking.com/andalusian-honey-nut-no-bake-cookies-alfajores-recipe/