Obleas and Fresas con Crema Join the Dulce de Leche Cookies at Aloha Alfajores’ New Wahiawā Kitchen

Photo: Robin Bae

In late October, off Mango Place in Wahiawā, a commercial kitchen with a storefront opened, and with it, a big dream came true. For five years, Andrea Smith nurtured her Aloha Alfajores cookie business through the pandemic, business setbacks and burnout from 14-to 18-hour baking days on top of a part-time restaurant job. Now, she has a space of her own.

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Smith’s signature alfajores cookies are here, as well as freshly baked dulce de leche cheesecake brownies, arroz con leche, her own crème brûlée and other treats. All are popular in Latin America, including Colombia, where Smith is from, and made with her own touches.

Crème brûlée. Photo: Robin Bae

“Aloha Alfajores is my baby,” she says. The realization stopped her when she came close to selling the business in May. Smith also realized that the main source of her stress was working around the restrictions of a rented restaurant kitchen space. In her new Wahiawā kitchen, she can bake in 1.5 days what used to take her a week.

This is key because alfajores are extremely delicate. “The dough is so sticky and soft that it can be difficult to make due to the texture,” Smith says. “Anything can change the dough.” In her kitchen, I pick up some uncooked dough—its softness is like fine wet sand.

Alfajores cookies. Photo: Robin Bae

She experimented with streamlined processes that others use to make alfajores, including using a dough sheeter, but found it wasn’t the same. So her cookies are rolled out, baked, cut, filled, assembled and powdered by exacting, patient hands.

The end result is an alfajores sandwich cookie with ethereal lightness. To eat one is to bite into soft clouds as the back of your palate meets the sweet, rich dulce de leche filling. The cookie is not too sweet, with perfect balance. These same alfajores are tucked in Smith’s other desserts, including my personal other favorite, the crème brûlée, whose base is made with alfajor cookie dough.

Smith with her signature cookies. Photo: Robin Bae

Smith, who moved to Hawai‘i eight years ago, created Aloha Alfajores to connect with her culture and make “something more authentic” to herself. Hence the dulce de leche, a taste memory of her roots. On a visit home for research, she gave her family a blind taste test of her alfajor against the most popular brand in Medellin. Smith’s was the unanimous winner.

Here’s what you’ll find at Aloha Alfajores’ new production kitchen:

Alfajores cookies, crème brûlée tarts, dulce de leche brownies and arroz con leche. Photo: Robin Bae

• Alfajores (14 cookies), $17
• Brownies (pack of 4), $11—a tart cheesecake swirl provides a contrast in a brownie dough replete with dulce de leche
• Arroz con leche (8 ounces), $8—a creamy rice dessert that Smith says reminds Latinos of grandma’s cooking
• Crème brûlée (pack of 4), $11—pillowy alfajores cookie dough base, caramelized sugar on top and a hidden taste of dulce de leche in the custard
• Fresas con crema, $13—classic Latin American dessert with house-made cream, strawberries, whipped cream, condensed milk, optional chocolate, cherry and an alfajor cookie inside
• Obleas, $13—another traditional Latin American dessert: thin waffles sandwich dulce de leche, strawberry, condensed milk, whipped cream and optional chocolate with a cherry on top
• Dulce de leche alfajores ice cream, $13—Smith says this ice cream “reminds me of a Colombian Creamsicle called Don Jeronimo;” hers is made with heavy cream, condensed milk, 2% milk, dulce de leche and alfajores cookies

Smith’s dulce de leche ice cream hides alfajores cookies inside. Photo: Robin Bae

Except for things like the obleas and ice cream, many of these are available on Aloha Alfajores’ website and at Honolulu Maker’s Market at Ala Moana Center on Saturdays, Hawai‘i’s Shop Local events, Mercado de la Raza, Mari’s Gardens in Mililani, Teaspresso in ‘Ewa Beach and Ke‘eaumoku, both Taqueria El Ranchero locations, Zucchi Pizza and through Farm Link, both online and at its new Hō‘ili‘ili storefront in Mō‘ili‘ili.

Open Tuesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 52 Mango Place, Wahiawā, alohalfajoresllc.com, @alohalfajores

Robin Bae is a contributor to Frolic Hawai‘i.