Dulce de Leche Puff Pastry Cookies

 

So this is more of a guide than a recipe per se but regardless, either way, whoa.  Puff pastry cookies with dulce de leche?!  I mean, holy ____ people, omg.  Right?!  Right.

Therefore, head's up, the quantities listed in the recipe card are flexible and pretty much only listed as they are because that's what I had on hand, to fit the format requirements, and for the nutritional figuring requirements.

So I've only recently discovered the joys of dulce de leche* and I do not know what took me so damn long to delve into the wonders of these little cans.

Have you tried it?

Oh my word.  It's soooo, oh, wow.

Like gooey sticky spreadable caramel heaven that is highly compulsion-worthy.

Like open a can, grab a spoon, sit on couch, that's it worthy.

I hear you can make your own on the stove or in a slow cooker but, eh, I also hear cans explode during the process so I can't say I'm keen on making that attempt.

Hours of cleaning up exploded sticky goo or spending four bucks on a can....I think you'd agree.

Granted, the sweet little cans can be tricky to find, even in a major city such as ours.  When I do, I stock up.  Even when I have a bunch, I'm loathe to use them lest I struggle finding more.  Like a little dulce de leche hoarder I am.

For good reason though.  So. Good.

Ultimately this recipe was a result of a test for a larger project I'm attempting, a by-product if you will, which is a terrible way to refer to these puff pastry cookies.  Because.  Mind-blowing.

Mike, upon tasting, eyes popping out of his head in rapture mind-blowing.

I did follow a recipe I came across on Allrecipes, sort of.  That version is weirdly unclear though so I've cleaned it up with this version.

Let's talk about simplicity.  Oh my word.  Just roll out some puff pastry.*  Slice it up.  Bake it.  What's easier than that?

Now, I typically purchase the uh what is it, oh the oil-based Pepperidge Farm boxes which contain two sheets totaling 17.3 ounces, or 8.65 ounces each.  I point out the weight as again, this is more of a guide than a recipe.

It's good.  It serves its purpose for sure.  It's the only puff pastry I can find without going on a field trip or to high-end stores, dishing out an arm and a leg for the swanky all-butter stuff like Dufour which near me runs about twelve to sixteen bucks per fourteen ounces.

Ok, if I'm going all the heck out for entertaining, I could possibly maybe maybe justify that, but that is not an everyday purchase.

My point here is that if all you can find is the Pepperidge Farm stuff, don't be sad, it will absolutely work and still be maddeningly delicious.

Then let's talk about elegance.  Puuuuffff pastry.  Everything is elegant about puff pastry.  And these dulce de leche puff pastry cookies?  Elegant as _____ (you know the word).  El. Ah. Gant.

They're beautiful.  They're light.  Crispy.  Creamy.  Caramel-y.  Modest yet complex.  Sweet but not too sweet.  Demure yet robust.  Sticky and fancy and buttery one-bite elegant _____'s (more swear words).

So they're perfect for say, you've got a sheet of puff pastry on hand, an open (or not) can of dulce de leche, it's Tuesday night cookie time.  Or, they're gorgeous for your multi-course, black tie, use-the-china dinner party.

Pop the oven on.  Yank out a baking sheet.*  Tear off some parchment paper* to line the sheet or use a silicone baking mat.*

You will have defrosted your puff pastry dough in the fridge ahead of time or you can defrost it on the counter.  Just keep an eye on it if the latter and refrigerate before using.

Here I had an 8.6 ounce blob of puff pastry dough.

Roll* it out and cut squares.

Or any shape really.  These are 1 1/2" square, aka tiny.  Bite size.

In my possession are some square cookie cutters* which if you want, you can buy.  Just as easily, you can use a pizza cutter* or a sharp knife.  Don't twist -- straight up and down cuts.  Perfection is not key here, nor will anyone be able to tell.

Bake. 

Oh, hot tip, cut out all the squares at once and refrigerate before baking.  Then bake.  You can cut any size you like; again, don't forget, this is a guide.

You can set the squares closer together.  They go up, not out.

I am a one-sheet-at-a-time-in-the-oven person as that practically ensures success despite adding time.  So, I, I laid out several squares then left the rest in the fridge.

Baked!

Mmk.  Cool your squares.  It won't take long, mere moments.  Luckily.  Because you're getting anxious to stuff these in your face like I was at this point.

Grab a serrated knife* and caaarreeefully and gently, slice the extremely delicate squares in half.  Like sandwiches.  Open your can of dulce de leche or whip out your partially filled can. 

Scoop up some glorious dulce de leche and smear it on one half of your puff pastry cookie, gently!, then lightly smush the other half on.

Stuff in face.  Repeat slicing and filling and tryyyy to save some for others.

These of course are best day-of but you can store them in a container loosely covered.  If you get that far.

Elegant and simple as ____, holy ____, voila, Dulce de Leche Puff Pastry Cookies. 
 

Mic drop, curtsy, I'm out.

*The dulce de leche, puff pastry, baking sheets, parchment paper, silicone baking mats, square cookie cutters, pizza cutter, and serrated knives are Amazon affiliate links.  Happy baking, thanks!  Please see the "info" tab for more, well, info.