Koffiekoekies, or coffee biscuits, are a delightful dessert from South Africa. These treats are typically enjoyed with a steaming cup of tea or coffee, serving as the perfect balance of sweetness and crunch that complements the drinks.
The recipe for Koffiekoekies uses a simple list of ingredients. It includes flour, sugar, butter, and most importantly, coffee! This gives the biscuits their unique, robust flavor that coffee lovers find irresistible.
In terms of texture, Koffiekoekies are typically soft and crumbly, melting effortlessly in the mouth.
I followed Rainbow Cooking’s recipe with a few modifications of my own. Be sure to read what I have to say about whipping the filling!
How do you make Koffiekoekis
The process for making Koffiekoekis is simple but does take some technique. In general, you make crunchy biscuits then sandwich filling between two. Don’t forget the coffee in both! I do advise you chill the dough overnight and let the filling cool overnight. Full ingredients list and recipe is below.
Mix the wet ingredients plus sugar over heat
Then add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix until a dough is formed! Chill in the fridge overnight
For the filling, mix together all the ingredients. Stir while heating and then let cool overnight
The next day, beat the filling. I had to let my filling rest between beatings to get the right texture. I am not sure why but the only difference between the next two photos is time.
Look for the following texture for your filling
Roll, shape, and bake the cookies
When done baking and cooling, pipe the filling to create the final cookie!
Recipe
Koffiekoekis
Ingredients
For the Cookie
- 200 grams butter
- ¾ cup (150g) white sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) golden syrup or honey
- ¼ cup (62.5ml) strong black coffee
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ⅓ cup (500g) cake flour
- ½ tablespoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee
- 1 tablespoon boiling water
- ⅔ cup (142g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (75g) butter
- 3 tablespoons (50ml) milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Making the Cookie
- In a medium saucepan, heat and melt the butter, sugar, and golden syrup together. Be sure to stir constantly over medium heat to make sure nothing burns.
- Add the coffee and vanilla extract. Continue heating and mixing until thoroughly mixed
- In a large mixing bowl pour the cookie's dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda
- Then pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and mix this all up until your cookie dough is formed. It should be one color a consistent texture throughout.
- Chill the cookie dough in the fridge overnight
Make the Filling
- In a small bowl, mix together the instant coffee and small bit of hot (boiling) water. You should end up with a very sticky substance.
- In a medium sauce pan, heat the butter, milk, vanilla extract, and newly created coffee. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid burning.
- Once all these ingredients are combined, add in the brown sugar and continue heating and stirring
- Set aside and let cool. This can be overnight to match the cookie dough but as long as you get a stiff mixture, you're good.
- Transfer your cooled filling into a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until it become well aerated and forms a soft paste, almost like a thick nut butter. Feel free to let it rest between mixing sessions. I thought mine was not going to work after beating for 5 minutes but I let it sit and it settle a bit. After that I was able to beat into the perfect texture (see photos in blog post)
Bake and Assemble
- Preheat oven to 400℉
- Roll out your chilled cookie dough and form into oval/long shapes about ¾" wide and 1½" long and ½" tall. The cookies are supposed to be a little bit thin but feel free to adjust it however you wish
- Bake at 400℉ for 12 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and place cookies on cooling racks.
- Pipe the filling onto one cookie and sandwich another on top
- Serve and enjoy!