Lucila’s Homemade Alfajores

I really don’t mean to write a negative review about what seems to be a mom & pop bakery, but I just need to be honest about this. I think that the cookies themselves had a lovely buttery taste, but the middle portion of dulce de leche was way too sweet without any complementary flavors, no complexity. Essentially, the guava dulce de leche did not have any guava taste to it. And shouldn’t dulce de leche have some toasty, caramel-​y flavor to it? Like slowly and lovingly caramelized whole milk? These from Lucila’s did not have that. These taste very mass-​produced. I’m super surprised that these cost $ 15 for four.

Okay. Have you had these cookies yet? You haven’t? Well what are you waiting for??? These Alfajores (Alfies as they are affectionately called) are AMAZING!
I had tasted Alfajores during a trip to Buenos Aires a number of years ago, but while they were good with my morning coffee, nothing prepared me for the tasty treats that Lucila and her team prepare!
And until a friend told me about them being made locally here in Chicago, I didn’t even know what I was missing out on! While you can find them at various farmers markets and local coffee shops, for this suburban girl, I found them at my local Whole Foods (you can also order them on Lucila’s website)
I took a bunch of them as a hostess gift to a dinner I was at the other night, and everyone thought it was the best part of the dinner (sorry to my friend who spent all day cooking!)
What is an alfajore to the uninitiated? Well it’s sad to have to call these things cookies as they are more decadent than that. Think two buttery cookies filled with dolce de leche and then rolled in coconut or chocolate. Think heaven. .. .think more time at the gym! But worth every bite!
The cookies run around $ 3 a piece and you can buy gift sets on line but they are worth every penny as they make quite the impression.
Love buying local and helping to support a local business. Lucila and her team make an amazing treat and I’m just thrilled to have discovered them! You gotta check them out!

I was hooked on this little cookie (not little) when I first bit into one after purchasing it at Whole foods. Went online to see Lucila’s web page and realized, I needed to email MS. Lucila to obtain some from her personally. My God, she is super nice, great customer service and was willing to accommodate me when I placed an order. The cookies are pricey but goodness you get high quality cookies sandwiching a thick delicious dulce de leche. Its high quality goodness. I ordered a dozen cookies. My favorite at this time is the Dulce de Leche with Guava. I cannot explain how delicious and tender this delicate cookie was when I took a bite. The mix of guava and dulce de leche combination certainly is impeccable. It really hits the spot.
Meeting Lucila personally was a treat. Again her lovely attitude and accommodating service to make sure her customers have a good experience is a royal plus! I am so fortunate Lucila is not too far away from me, as I will order again when I have a party or something. Delicious with a great Café con leche/​cappuchino/​latte what have you. Get some!!!
Picture to follow if I can slow down to get my camera out! :-)

These Alfajores are really the perfect snack or companion to your morning/​afternoon/​evening coffee, latte, cappuccino, or americano. Whichever gets you going!
I’ve previously only had the off the shelf mass produced versions and this is clearly in a different league. Its like when you have your first slice of Hoosier Mama pie after eating Marie Callender’s version.
For me, it hits both a literal and figurative sweet spot — more fulfilling and a much better value than french macroons, less dense and overwhelming than the über popular cupcakes around here.
Let’s hope the Alfies catch on as an alternative to those — our Whole Foods has them now, so that’s a good sign…

Simply delicious! I met Lucila and her husband at an event at Morton Arboretum a few weeks ago, and her cookies (they’re more like a yummy cookie sandwich!) are amazing! I don’t like overly sweet desserts, and prefer fresh, quality ingredients — so these cookies are perfect for me! I’m telling everyone I know to try them :)

Its a real treat!!! Amazing! Your tastebuds will be jumping from joy! The whole foods on peterson n cicero has them too!!! Our fave is the one covered in white chocolate! Nice and juicy!!!

I first met Lucila and her husband at Dose Market. They’re honestly the only vendor I remember from that day. Lucila has such a passion for her «alfies» and I loved hearing the history of the treat. Cookies, dulce de leche and then perhaps chocolate or guava? Sweet baby Jesus, amazing.
So I’ve continued to stalk the business and was pleased to see them around the city at various stores… Fast forward to tonight when I took a class with Lucila (through SideTour/​Groupon) and learned to make alfies. Very fun and laid back. Took a bunch home that we made and she also had a bunch for purchasing (Alfies for all the mamas in my life with Mother’s Day around the corner!!). Find a store that carries them, call her up and order some, or get your a$$ to a class. You can thank me with dulce de leche.

Love love LOVE Lucila’s alfajores. They are delicious.
They have become my default hostess gift. Their gift boxes beautifully present her delicious treats. After offering them I always get calls about how great they are and so many compliments.

Lucila makes the best alfajores I’ve found in Chicago. My family is Argentine and whenever I’m feeling a bit homesick for my dad’s custom cookie recipe, it’s comforting to know I can always get a Lucila alfajor at the Logan Square Farmer’s Market right outside my apartment. The only grip I have is the price — they’re currently $ 3 a cookie (I normally get a 4pack for $ 12 — clearly no discount for buying in bulk). «Traditional» alfajores at traditional Argentine bakeries are around $ 1.50, maybe $ 2. Again, Lucila’s are delicious, and probably a bit larger than the alfajores I’m used to, but sometimes I want just a cheap-​o dollar cookie to enjoy with my coffee. I feel like I have to ration Lucila’s $ 3 cookies for special occasions.

I came across Lucila’s at a festival and nearly fell over when I had a sample and then later to my surprise I won the raffle with her cookies wrapped in a gorgeous box! I was so thrilled.
My family in NM fell in love with the cookies and has since ordered them for the family for the holidays and to know one’s surprise they love them. Lucila has been fantastic to my family and the service has been just tops.
I dream of these cookies. Seriously. I ordered a box for me that will be just mine. Not even loved one’s get one. :)

I picked up a few of these at a farmers market. I must say they are significantly better than most of the Alfajores that I had in Argentina (you can count on that being a high number of cookies over the period of few years).
They do not skimp on the dulce de leche, that is a wonderful surprise! Many of the bakeries in Buenos Aires are not generous– to the point that we used to back fill the cookies (we lived in Palermo near very good bakeries).
I was a bit disappointed with the pricing. These are currently priced at 3 $ a cookie, it just seems incredibly high. Even though they are better (and larger) than many that I had while my family lived in South America, the price does not seem worth it to me. I will happily pay for luxury items, however, twelve dollars for four cookies just seems like it is too much.
With that said-​I wish them the very best!

Here’s my idea of Buenos Aires night at mi casa: A little tango music (like Carlos Gardel) playing, a bottle of malbec, a grass-​fed steak (muy auténtico!) and for dessert? Lucila’s Homemade Alfajores. Oh yeah, they’re the real thing. I love the traditional coconut cookie, but a close second is the dark chocolate covered one (she also makes white chocolate). Soft, crumbly cookie, sweet — but not too sweet– dulce du leche filling. I can close my eyes and think I’m in San Telmo. Not only are they tasty, but she doesn’t scrimp on the dulce filling. Some places just pipe around the outside of the cookie and leave the center empty, Lucila spreads it across so every bite is a marriage of cookie and dulce. Can a cookie be sexy? Oh yes, it can.