Can you eat alfajores while pregnant?
Check firstYes, packaged alfajores are fine. Check only two things on homemade or bakery ones: that the dulce de leche is made with pasteurized milk, and that any meringue topping is not raw egg white.
Why
Dulce de leche is milk simmered with sugar for a long time, and the cookie layers are baked, so a shop-bought alfajor carries no Listeria risk from unpasteurized dairy. The two versions worth a question are artisanal ones made with raw farm milk, which NHS pregnancy guidance says to avoid because unpasteurized dairy can carry Listeria, and alfajores finished with an uncooked meringue, where raw egg white brings a Salmonella risk the CDC flags for pregnancy. A sealed pack from the supermarket meets both conditions already.
Safer alternatives
- Havanna or Jorgito packaged alfajores from the supermarket
- Guaymallén or Bimbo chocolate-coated alfajores
- A sealed jar of dulce de leche (La Serenisima, Nestle) spread on plain shortbread
- Chocolate-coated digestive biscuits or Milka Choco Biscuit
- Supermarket maicena cookies filled from a jar of dulce de leche at home
Sources
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
- CDC https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/foods/pregnant-women.html
Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.
Last reviewed by the pregAI editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
Is dulce de leche safe during pregnancy?
Yes. It is made by cooking milk with sugar for a long time at high heat, which removes the Listeria risk that comes with unpasteurized dairy. Jarred and canned dulce de leche from a supermarket is pasteurized twice over, once as milk and again in the cooking.
Can I eat alfajores with meringue on top?
Only if the meringue was baked or made with pasteurized egg white. An uncooked Italian or Swiss meringue left soft on top can carry Salmonella from raw egg, so ask the bakery how it is made. Chocolate-coated and coconut-rolled alfajores avoid the question entirely.
Are homemade alfajores from a family recipe okay?
Usually yes, as long as the dulce de leche came from a jar or was made with pasteurized milk. The cookie dough is baked, so the egg in it is cooked through. The one recipe to skip is dulce de leche boiled from raw farm milk.
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Get instant verdicts on any foodpregAI is informational only and is not medical advice. Always check with your doctor or midwife about anything specific to your pregnancy.