Homemade Romany Creams

My favorite South African cookie, recreated in my American kitchen.

Romany Creams are my very favorite cookie in the entire universe (not an exaggeration). They were a treasured treat during my childhood, especially during afternoon tea with a cup of rooibos. When I moved to the States, they quickly became one of the most-missed foods from home. For years, whenever someone was visiting South Africa, I’d ask them to bring me a box — but once I had my own kids and started our own tea time tradition, the occasional imported treat just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

So, I got to work in the kitchen.

After scouring the ingredient list on the back of the box and testing a slew of online recipes, I began tweaking and adapting until I had a version I could be proud of. The first few batches were… underwhelming. Some too bland, others too dark (not that I minded, as a “darker-the-better” chocolate person). But eventually, I struck gold — the flavor and texture I had been chasing all along.

Here’s what made the difference:

• Flavor: I use a 2:1 mix of natural cocoa powder and Dutch-processed cocoa powder. The result? That deep chocolate flavor that’s just right.

• Texture: I pulse the desiccated coconut in the food processor to make the crumbs slightly finer, helping achieve that authentic biscuit crunch.

Ingredient Notes

A few standout ingredients you’ll want to get right:

• Cocoa Powder: You’ll need both natural and Dutch-process cocoa. I explain more about their differences in this post about hot chocolate, but just know that the blend brings balance to both taste and color.

• Desiccated Coconut: Also sold as “shredded coconut.” It can be hard to find, so I usually order mine online. If you’re checking in-store, try the health food aisle (look for Bob’s Red Mill).

• Milk Chocolate: This is for sandwiching the cookies, so quality matters. Choose chocolate made for baking — something that melts smoothly and doesn’t seize. I like Ghirardelli’s milk chocolate chips, though I’ll swap them for bittersweet chips when I’m craving something extra rich.

You’ll also need all-purpose flour, baking powder, butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vegetable oil, an egg, and vanilla extract.

Method

I typically use a stand mixer for these cookies, but a hand mixer will work too — just make sure to use a deep bowl, as cocoa powder tends to puff up and make a mess.

Start by creaming the butter and granulated sugar together. Add the egg, oil, and vanilla, beating until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, both cocoas, baking powder, and powdered sugar. Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the coconut and mix until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a ball. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and roll out to about ¼-inch thick. (The wrap helps avoid flouring your rolling pin — since this dough is dark, any flour on top will show in the finished cookies.)

Using a fork, gently scrape the surface of the dough in multiple directions to create that signature rough texture. Then, cut out shapes using an oval cutter (mine is about 1½ inches long) and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Cut shapes with an oval cookie cutter (mine is about an inch and a half lengthwise) and transfer to a baking sheet.

Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes and remove from the oven, letting it cool for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between. Let the melted chocolate cool slightly (about 3 minutes), then spoon a little onto the flat side of one cookie. Top with a second cookie, gently pressing to form a sandwich. Let the cookies sit until the chocolate has set.

These chocolate sandwich cookies are perfect with rooibos tea or a cold glass of milk. I make them year-round but especially love adding them to my Christmas cookie boxes — most of my American friends have never heard of them, and they’re always a hit!

Romany Creams

Decadent milk chocolate sandwiched between two crisp chocolate coconut cookies — just like the South African classic.

4.41 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Baking, Dessert

Cuisine: South African

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Assembly & Cooling Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 5 dozen (approx.)

Author: Southern Protea

Equipment

• 1 electric mixer (stand mixer or hand mixer)
• 1 oval cookie cutter (about 1½ inches lengthwise)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• ½ cup natural cocoa powder
• ¼ cup dutched cocoa powder
• 1½ cup cessicated Coconut pulse a couple times in a food processor to create a finer consistency
• 6 oz milk chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350℉.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy.
• Add the egg, oil, and vanilla extract and beat until well incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, both cocoa powders, baking powder, and powdered sugar. Add to the wet mixture and beat until just combined.
• Stir in the coconut and mix until a soft dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form into a ball. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the dough and roll it out to about ¼ inch thickness.
• Use a fork to gently scrape the surface of the dough in multiple directions to create a rough texture.
• Cut shapes with an oval cookie cutter and transfer to a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 15–17 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once cookies are completely cool, place the milk chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted.
• Let the chocolate cool for about 3 minutes, then spoon a small amount onto the flat side of one cookie. Top with another cookie and gently press to sandwich, letting the chocolate ooze slightly.
• Place sandwiched cookies back on the rack and let the chocolate set completely before serving.

Notes

• To avoid flour marks on top of your cookies, use plastic wrap to roll out the dough.
• For a more intense chocolate flavor, you can swap the milk chocolate chips with bittersweet chocolate.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.