Classic Gypsy Creams Recipe – Crunchy Oat Biscuits

Some speculate that it might be due to the potential sensitivity surrounding the name. However, a simple rebranding could have potentially spared these beloved biscuits from extinction, surely?

Gypsy Creams and South Africa’s Romany Creams are closely related biscuits (clue’s in the name), with subtle differences in ingredients and flavour.

While Romany biscuits feature cocoa powder and coconut with a milk chocolate filling, Gypsy Creams opts for oats and a creamy vanilla filling.

Intriguingly, both biscuits also share a likeness with the oh-so-popular oaty Anzac biscuit popular in Australia and New Zealand.

But fear not! No need to lament the loss of Gypsy Creams – this recipe brings these nostalgic oaty cookies back to life!

And why stop there? Consider trying your hand at Romany Creams too for a slight twist on the familiar.

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.

Oats

Stick to regular rolled oats. Quick-cook oats are too fine. You want some bite and texture.

Unsalted butter

Feel free to use salted butter. Just skip the added salt in the recipe.

Ensure the butter is softened at room temperature for a light and fluffy texture when creamed with sugar.

Caster sugar

Let caster sugar always be your first choice. Golden caster sugar works great too!

We haven’t tried it with granulated sugar, but it should still work fine.

Golden syrup

Opt for Lyle’s Golden Syrup or a store-brand alternative. Coating your tablespoon measuring spoon with a bit of oil helps the syrup slide out effortlessly.

In chilly UK winters, golden syrup can be stubborn in a squeezy bottle. Pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen it up.

Step-by-step instructions:

Make the biscuits

1. Prepare a couple of baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, add the room-temperature, soft butter and caster sugar.

3. Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter mixture until light and creamy, around 2-3 minutes.

4. Combine the vanilla extract, golden syrup and hot water with the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat for approximately 1 minute until well combined.

5. In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour (plain flour), baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Use a fork to mix them together, then add them to the creamed mixture.

6. Next, add the oats on top of the dry ingredients.

7. Mix all the ingredients on a low speed until they come together into a cohesive ball of dough. If you prefer, you can also mix the dough by hand to avoid overworking your electric mixer.

8. Divide the dough into equal-sized portions, aiming for around 24g for large biscuits and 20g for smaller ones. You can use a scale for precision if desired.
   
   Note: You can eyeball the portions instead of using a scale if you prefer. However, having them all the same size is beneficial, especially since these are sandwiched biscuits.

9. Roll the portions of dough into small balls and arrange them on lined baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced about 5cm/2″ apart to allow for spreading. No need to flatten the balls.

10. Chill the baking tray(s) in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
    
    Note: If fridge space is limited, initially place all dough balls on one tray, then redistribute them onto separate trays after chilling.

11. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

12. Bake the biscuits for 14-15 minutes or until they turn golden brown on top.

13. Allow the biscuits to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
    
    Note: If you notice variations in biscuit sizes, use a round cookie cutter right after baking, while they are still warm, to gently recut the biscuits into uniform rounds, ideal for sandwiching.

Icing and sandwiching

14. As the biscuits cool, prepare the icing. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and vanilla essence and sift in the icing sugar.

15. To prevent a cloud of sugar dust, start by roughly combining the icing sugar with the butter using a spatula to help contain the sugar.

16. Using an electric mixer, beat the icing for 3-4 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy. If the icing appears too stiff, add one teaspoon of milk or two if necessary. The icing should be relatively stiff to ensure the cookies hold together without sliding apart.

17. Once the biscuits have cooled down, spread a dollop of icing on half of them.
    
    Note: Use the icing while it’s still soft, as it spreads more easily. If it dries and hardens, it may be challenging to get a good spread on the biscuits.

18. Finally, top each iced biscuit with another biscuit. Gently wiggle the two biscuits to ensure an even spread of icing between them.

19. Let the icing harden before handling the biscuits extensively or storing them in a cookie tin. Speed up the process by chilling them in the fridge for a while. We find they are perfect the following day.
    
    Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee!

Variations

• Add a white, milk or dark chocolate drizzle over the biscuits.

• Incorporate a little orange or lemon zest into the cookie dough.

• Use chocolate buttercream instead of vanilla buttercream.

• Use melted white chocolate for the filling instead of icing.

• For a festive twist, add half a teaspoon of mixed spice to the flour mixture.

• Incorporate finely chopped nuts into the dough.

• Add a few drops of almond extract.

• Have the cookies plain and don’t sandwich them.

• Instead of sandwiching, dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate.

Storage and freezing

Storage

Store Gypsy Creams in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three weeks. To maintain their freshness and crunch, place a piece of parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.

Freezing

Gypsy Creams can be successfully frozen for longer storage. Ensure they are fully cooled before freezing.

Place the biscuits in a single layer in a freezer-safe container or bag, separated by parchment paper. Freeze for up to two months. When ready to enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature and they’ll retain their delicious taste and texture.

Avoid freezing with icing if possible, add it fresh before serving.

More sandwiched cookie recipes

Condensed milk cookies

Romany Creams

Casadinhos