Buenos Aires: Empanada & Alfajor Cooking Class Palermo

Summary

Cook empanadas in Buenos Aires, sip mate, laugh with locals

You’ll roll dough for empanadas in a sunny Palermo kitchen, taste homemade alfajores dripping with dulce de leche, and share mate tea while your host tells stories about Buenos Aires life. Expect floury hands, laughter with locals, and a sense you’ve stepped inside Argentina’s family kitchens for an afternoon.

What’s the experience like?

I’d never tried folding an empanada before — not properly anyway. In Palermo, our host (Sofi — she had this gentle way of correcting my clumsy crimping) welcomed us like old friends. The kitchen smelled like onions and warm dough. My daughter got flour on her nose almost immediately, which made everyone laugh, including the other family from Córdoba. We were supposed to choose between meat or veggie filling but ended up making both because Sofi said “why not?” I liked that.

While the empanadas baked, we learned how to make alfajores. The dulce de leche was stickier than I expected — it got everywhere, honestly — but nobody seemed to mind. My son kept sneaking bits when he thought no one was looking (he’s not subtle). There was mate tea too; bitter at first sip but it grew on me. Sofi explained how sharing mate is kind of a ritual here, and I realized how much food means in Argentina, not just eating but the whole thing: talking, sharing stories, hands busy with dough.

By the end I felt like I’d been let in on something quietly special — not just recipes but little pieces of daily life in Buenos Aires. Even now I can almost smell that sweet steam from the oven and hear Sofi’s laugh when I tried to pronounce “alfajor” right (I still can’t). If you’re thinking about a cooking class in Buenos Aires with kids or just for yourself, this one felt real.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Cook empanadas and alfajores

• Meet professional native guide
• Learn to prepare empanadas
• Choose meat or vegan empanadas
• Make dulce de leche alfajores
• Mix, bake, and assemble treats
• Enjoy mate tea and cultural insights

Top questions

Is this Buenos Aires cooking class good for kids?

Yes, it’s designed for families and children are welcome to join both empanada and alfajor making.

Are vegetarian options available during the class?

Yes, you can choose between meat or vegetarian empanada fillings.

Where does the cooking experience take place?

The class is held in Palermo, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires.

Is everything provided or do I need to bring ingredients?

All ingredients and cooking tools are included in the experience.

Will we get to try traditional drinks?

Yes, you’ll be offered Argentina’s famous mate infusion during the class.

Is the location wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the experience is wheelchair accessible.

Can infants or small children participate?

Infants and small children can join; prams or strollers are allowed and specialized infant seats are available.

How long does the class last?

The exact duration isn’t specified but includes time for preparing both empanadas and alfajores plus tasting them together.

What’s included

Your afternoon includes all ingredients for both meat or vegetarian empanadas and dulce de leche alfajores, use of every cooking tool you’ll need, plenty of mate tea to share around the table, plus guidance from a professional local host throughout your time in Palermo.