Dulce de leche makes my heart soar. Maybe it’s because so many of my sweetest memories are wrapped up in it—memories shaped by my Argentine exchange sister, Natu, and later by my Argentine exchange daughter, Juli. Dulce de leche has been a constant thread between us: making chocotorta together, attempting (and completely ruining) our first batch by boiling milk and sugar the wrong way, trying again and getting it right, and carefully strategizing how to fit as much dulce de leche as humanly possible into my suitcase after visiting Natu in Argentina.

While dulce de leche isn’t exactly new to American desserts, it’s not everywhere, either. In South America—especially in Argentina—it’s truly a way of life. It’s layered into cakes, sandwiched between cookies like alfajores, swirled into ice cream, and unapologetically eaten straight from the jar. I can personally confirm that the last option is extremely common. When Juli lived with us, a jar of dulce de leche never lasted long enough to be forgotten in the pantry.

Like so many beloved national foods, dulce de leche is more than just something sweet—it’s deeply emotional. I’m not even Argentine, and it still gets me every time. In a world that moves fast and demands shortcuts, dulce de leche asks us to slow down. It reminds us that some of the best things take time, patience, and care.

So if you bake these cookies—or the next time you encounter dulce de leche—pause for a moment. Notice its color, its aroma, the way it clings to the spoon. You’re not just tasting milk and sugar. You’re tasting tradition, memory, and a little bit of magic.

Cinnamon and Orange Scented Dulce de Leche Cookie

Recipe by Sarah

0.0 from 0 votes

These tender cookies blend luscious dulce de leche with hints of cinnamon and orange, creating a melt-in-your-mouth treat with warm spice, citrus lift, and deep caramel richness.

Difficulty: Easy

Yield

2.5

dozen

Prep time

15

minutes

Baking time

minutes

Total time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sugar

• 1/2 cup Butter

• 1/2 cup Dulce de leche

• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

• 1 Egg

• 1 Egg yolk

• 1 tablespoon Milk, if needed. (see note)

• Zest of one navel orange

• 2 1/2 cups Flour

• 3 teaspoons Baking powder

• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon (see note)

• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

• Flaked sea salt for topping the cookies

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a regular bowl with a wooden spoon, cream together the butter, sugar, and dulce de leche until smooth and fully combined.
• Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and orange zest and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
• Add to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
• Shape dough into one tablespoon-sized balls. Place them approximately 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and flatten with the palm of your hand.
• Take a pinch of flaked salt and sprinkle on top of the unbaked cookies.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to rest on the cookie sheet for 2-3 and then remove to a cooling rack.

Notes

• Dulce de leche can be thicker or thinner depending on the brand used. If the dough seems too thick when mixing in the flour (i.e. it is not coming together), add milk a tablespoon at a time.
• Notice how I called these cinnamon scented? That’s because even with two teaspoons of cinnamon, I thought it was more aromatic than a strong flavor. If you’re a cinnamon lover, you can experiment with more.