To make this Aussie classic you take two melt in your mouth vanilla cookies and sandwich them together with a light buttercream filling. They are the perfect bite sized treat – not too big, not too small but just right. Make them for your next afternoon tea party or to enjoy solo with a cup of tea or coffee!
You would be hard-pressed to find a bakery here in Australia that doesn’t sell Yo Yo Biscuits (or Melting Moments which are very similar in taste and appearance but are made using cornflour instead of custard powder). The same goes with cafes – you will usually see large glass jars on the cafe’s counter top filled with Yo Yos. There is a good reason for this – they are perfect when you feel like something sweet but don’t fancy something too heavy or filling.
The cookie part of the Yo Yo is almost shortbread like in texture thanks to a high butter content and the addition of icing sugar and custard powder. The contrast with the sweet and creamy buttercream filling is so moreish you will find it hard stop at one!
Why you will LOVE these Yo Yo Biscuits
- They are really easy to make: Yes, there are two parts to this recipe (the cookies and the buttercream) but both are very simple to make. To make the cookies you simply combine the ingredients until a cookie dough is formed. You then roll, flatten slightly and bake. Similarly with the filling, you combine all the ingredients in a stand-mixer/bowl and then mix until light and fluffy. Finally, you sandwich two cookies together with the filling.
- You can change the flavour of the filling: This recipe uses a vanilla buttercream as the filling but you are by no means limited to that flavour! A fruit flavoured buttercream works beautifully with the vanilla cookies – try folding through some passionfruit pulp or finely grated lemon zest and lemon juice. If fruit flavours aren’t your thing then a chocolate buttercream filling, whilst not traditional, would still taste amazing!
- This recipe is egg-free: Even if you don’t have an egg allergy, I think it is always handy to have few allergy-friendly recipes up your sleeve in case you do have to cater for someone with an allergy. This recipe is also great when you feel like baking something and then realise you have run out of eggs!
What you will need
Equipment
- You will need a stand mixer or electric beaters.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: You will need unsalted butter for the cookie dough and the buttercream filling. For both, the butter should be at room temperature before you begin.
- Icing (confectioner’s) sugar: You will need icing sugar for the cookie dough and the buttercream filling. I like to use soft icing mixture (as opposed to pure icing sugar) as it results in a softer texture in the both the cookie and buttercream.
- Custard powder: The is the hero ingredient of the Yo Yo as not only does it impart a lovely vanilla custard flavour it also helps give the cookies that melt in your mouth texture. If you don’t have any custard powder then you can substitute with cornflour (cornstarch) in equal quantities and an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract. It must be said that they won’t have quite the same flavour and will be paler in colour when baked. So if you can, I recommend getting your hands on some custard powder!
- Plain (all-purpose) flour: The flour gives all important structure to the cookies. This recipe does not require any raising agents.
- Vanilla extract: You will need vanilla extract for the cookie dough and the buttercream filling. The vanilla extract enhances the overall flavour of the cookies and gives it an extra vanilla boost.
- Salt: A touch of salt balances out the sweetness of the cookies.
How to make these Yo Yo Biscuits
- Sift the icing sugar, custard powder, flour and salt into a stand mixer or bowl and beat on low to combine.
- Continue mixing on low speed and gradually add the butter.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix until the dough comes together.
- Roll into balls, flatten slightly with a fork and then bake.
- Make buttercream filling.
- Once cooled, sandwich two cookies together with the buttercream filling.
- Enjoy!
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Yo Yo Biscuits
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes (plus cooling and assembling)
- Yield: 15 1x
- Category: Cookies
Description
To make this Aussie classic you take two melt in your mouth vanilla cookies and sandwich them together with a light buttercream filling. They are the perfect bite sized treat – not too big, not too small but just right. Make them for your next afternoon tea party or to enjoy solo with a cup of tea or coffee!
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie dough:
- 1 & 1/4 cups (185g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1/2 cup (65g) icing (confectioner’s) sugar
- 1/2 cup (65g) custard powder (vanilla flavoured)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 180g unsalted butter, cut into cubes and at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 quantity of My Favourite Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C conventional or 160C fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking (greaseproof) paper.
- Into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or into a large mixing bowl if using electric beaters), sift together the flour, icing sugar, custard powder and salt. Mix on low speed to combine.
- Whilst mixing on low speed, gradually add the butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Add the vanilla extract and continue mixing until the mixture comes together into a cookie dough.
- Roll heaped teaspoons of the cookie dough into balls (see note 2) and place on the lined baking trays leaving space in between (approximately 3cm) to allow for spreading. Using a fork, flatten the balls slightly – you should be able to see indentations from the fork prongs.
- Bake for 18 to 20 mins (swapping the trays halfway through the baking time if using two shelves in the oven). The cookies should look dry and only just starting to colour (start checking at the 18 minute mark).
- Cool on the trays for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the buttercream filling – link to recipe is above (see note 1).
Assembling the Yo Yo Biscuits
- On a clean surface, place half of the cookies flat-side up. Using a piping bag or small offset spatula, pipe/spread the buttercream filling onto the cookies. I like to be generous with the frosting so I tend to use about a tablespoon of the filling for each cookie sandwich. Sandwich with the remaining cookies.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Buttercream Frosting: You will have leftover frosting. You can store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
- Portioning the cookie dough: I like to use a small cookie scoop (2 teaspoon capacity) to portion out the cookie dough as it results in more even sized cookies. You can of course just use a teaspoon – just make sure you use a heaped teaspoon of the cookie dough for each cookie.
- Storage: Store the assembled Yo Yo Biscuits in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Keywords: Yo-Yo Biscuits, Vanilla, Buttercream, Egg-free, Custard Powder
I just made these Yo Yo Biscuits ! Two light buttery biscuits embedded with a smooth creamy filling …such a delicious afternoon delight!
It may look complicated but in fact was quite easy to make !
Great recipe !
★★★★★