These Homemade Tim Tams are an Australian specialty consisting of two chocolate cookies, sandwiched around chocolate-malt frosting, dipped in chocolate. Sounds pretty good doesn’t it?
Today is a verrrrrry exciting day, because I get to share a recipe from my new favorite dessert cookbook, The Sugar Hit! If you’re not already familiar with The Sugar Hit blog, head over there immediately—I’ll wait. *files nails* *eats a cookie*
Now that your eyeballs have exploded from all of the delicious desserts Sarah posts on the regular, you can understand why I was so anxious to get my hands on her cookbook, which just came out a few weeks ago. It’s just like Sarah’s blog—fun, colorful, cheeky, loaded with personality, full of whimsical desserts with big ideas and even bigger flavors.
So when Sarah offered me the opportunity to share a recipe from her book on SugarHero, she hadn’t even finished her sentence before I type-shouted, “YES YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES.” (Emailed conversations make it so much harder to enthusiastically interrupt people these days, am I right?) It was hard to decide what to make, and for a while I was leaning toward the dulce de leche crepes (om nom nom nom) but in the end, these ultra-chocolatey Homemade Tim Tams won out.
Sarah’s Australian, so she has access to all sorts of fun junk food this poor American doesn’t have. Tim Tams are an Australian national treasure specialty, consisting of two chocolate cookies, sandwiched around chocolate-malt frosting, dipped in chocolate. If you’re thinking it sounds like chocolate overload—and thus, totally up my alley—you are absolutely right.
I’ve never had a Tim Tam, and despite making a special trip to Cost Plus World Market last week, I haven’t been able to track one down yet. So I can’t do a direct comparison. But these cookies are so gosh-darn-dagnabit-rootin-tootin good (pardon my language), I can’t believe there’s any mass marketed treat that can even come close. No way do commercial Tim Tams have the deep chocolate flavor, rich frosting filling, and crispy-creamy textural interplay that these homemade cookie sandwiches do. It’s just not possible. So even without tasting the original, I have no qualms about calling these The Best Tim Tams Ever.
The problem with these cookies, if there is one, is that they’re kind of petite. Just a few inches long. Small enough so that you think you’re not really having a whole dessert serving if you have one. And, you know how if you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll always ask for a glass of milk? Well, if you give this girl a Tim Tam, she’ll always ask for a second…and then a third. Because I’m powerless in the face of triple chocolate sandwich cookies, and I’m blaming it all on The Sugar Hit.
So, the recipe is down below if you want to tempt your own sweet teeth, and please go check out Sarah’s blog and her book if you want more great desserts. She is all about being fearless and having fun in the kitchen, and her blog’s bold colors and punchy graphic style really convey this. (I busted out my loudest, most colorfully patterned cups and plates as a little shout-out to her style.)
Speaking of punchy style, SugarHero is about to get a MAJOR facelift! Like, within a week! Hang on to your measuring cups, ladies and gents, because this will be a huge change. It should be a pretty seamless transition to the new design, but please bear with me if there are any hiccups or downtime along the way. This has been a LONG time coming and I am so excited for you all to see the new and greatly improved site. Sooooooon!
Where Can I Find Tim Tams?
In the United States, I have found Tim Tams at my local Target stores and at Cost Plus World Market.
What Is A Tim Tam Slam?
A Tim Tam slam is when you bite off two corners of the cookie, place it in a drink, and slurp the drink through the cookie!
💙More Delicious Dessert Recipes
- Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate-Dipped Pound Cake
- Chocolate-Covered Raspberries
- Fudge-Striped Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate-Dipped Frozen Bananas
- Root Beer Float Pieces (Copycat Recipe)
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Cupcakes
Homemade Tim Tams
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 4 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature (115 g)
- 4 oz granulated sugar, (1/2 cup or 115 g)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 oz unsweetened cocoa powder, (1/3 cup or 30 g)
- 5.5 oz all-purpose flour, (1 cup or 150 g)
- Pinch of salt
For the Filling:
- 4 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature (115 g)
- 4 oz powdered sugar, (1 cup or 115 g)
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp chocolate malted milk powder, like Ovaltine or Horlicks
For the Coating:
- 10 oz milk chocolate, or dark chocolate (280 g)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
To Make the Cookies:
- Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and cream until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl, and add the egg and continue beating until the egg is incorporate and the mixture lightens in color. Add the cocoa powder and beat until there are no lumps. Finally, fold through the flour and salt until it is all incorporated. The dough will be very soft.
- Scrape the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Add a second sheet of paper on top, and roll out the dough between the two sheets until it is a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Place the dough on a tray and freeze it for 30 minutes, or refrigerate it for 1-2 hours, until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Cut the chilled dough into 28 small 1 1/4 in x 2 1/2 in rectangles. Place them in evenly spaced intervals on the baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely at room temperature.
To Make the Filling:
- Cream the butter until soft, then sift in the remaining ingredients and beat until light and fluffy. Spread a heaping teaspoon of filling on half of the cookies, or transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe an even layer of filling on half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies, then put in the refrigerator to chill while you make the coating.
To Assemble:
- For the coating, place the chocolate and coconut oil in a heat-proof bowl and melt them together in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating. Once the chocolate is mostly melted, remove and stir gently until smooth.
- Using a fork or dipping tools, dip a chilled cookie in the melted chocolate and place it back on the baking sheet. If you want to create a wavy pattern on top of the cookies, lightly press the tines of the fork or dipping tool to the top while the chocolate is still wet. Repeat until all of the cookies are dipped. Chill in the refrigerator, then devour!
Recipe Notes
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?
I went to Australia a few months ago and ate a few (boxes) of these. They were so good and I miss them, so I am definitely trying this recipe! Can’t wait to see your new website. 🙂
Let me know what you think if you give them a try! Bonus: no empty boxes to judge you and make you realize how many cookies you’ve eaten. 😉
So excited about your new look, ladyfriend! And YAY SARAH, that talented minx.
Also, I saw Tim Tams at a Target once. Someone told me they weren’t the real-deal Tim Tams and I got real mad at Target for like three seconds. (They make some fun patterned tights, you know!)
Oh, I could never be mad at Target. They could rob me blind and I would be like, “Dang it!…now show me to your clearance makeup section.”
I have never had a Tim Tam. They don’t sell them around here; well, at least not that I’ve seen. These look wonderful. Love your new site design and layout.
Thanks so much, Jennie! After posting this, a bunch of people told me that Target carries them! So if you have a Target nearby, maybe you can search there for a Tim Tams? I’m going to give that a try as well!
Wow, great website – I love all the new features! *thumbs up* Tim Tams!! Years ago an Australian friend of my mom’s introduced her to these and well, it was a joyous day when we were able to start buying them here (even Target carries the original brand now which is great!). She also taught her the proper way to eat a them so that it is even a 100 x better experience. These look like a close replica, I can’t wait to try them sometime! (Why go to the store and be embarrassed going through the checkout line with a couple of packages when you can make them at home and no one has to know how many you eat, right?? ;^P )
Thanks so much, Lexi! We’re still making little tweaks here and there, but in general it feels great to have a blog makeover. 🙂 And yes, I love that I can now enjoy as many as I want without feeling judged by checkout clerks!
As your unofficial Aussie recipe tester, these are high on my “Fun Things to Do in the Holidays!” list!! Rather fittingly, my NY-dwelling sister is coming home for a couple of weeks, and I think she needs to experience the home-made version too. Will report back 🙂
Yay! There definitely needs to be a family taste-test! Let me know what you think! And do check out Sarah’s blog if you haven’t already, she has some other fun Aussie favorites you might like. 🙂
They were so yummy!! Loved by all three generations of the family that sampled them! I might have to double the batch next time. They looked great too – I’ll have to put a photo on your Facebook page or something.
The biscuit was a bit more shortbread-like than the commercial, but it all made a richer, more special finished product, I thought. Though perhaps I should go and eat the commercial ones now and mull over that some more 😉
YES, definitely share a pic on FB–I’d love to see it! Glad to hear that they were a hit, and I do think some comparison taste-testing is probably in order. 🙂
Oh. My. Goodness … anyone who knows me knows what I nut I am about Tim Tams … but the best thing is doing a TIM TAM SLAM!!!! bit off opposite corners, then suck coffee or another hot beverage up through the cookie until soggy, then slam it all into your mouth … it’s better than oreos and milk!!!!!
I have got to try this!!!
Yes. Yes you do. It’s amazing.
Do you have a recipe for the white tim tams? I found the chocolate and caramel ones at Target but no white ones.
Hi Gayle! I haven’t attempted a white Tim Tam yet…sorry! You can try asking Sarah from TheSugarHit.com (where this recipe originally came from) if she has any ideas!
just made them… turned out great!! thanks for the recipe, will be used again
Wonderful, I’m so glad you liked them! Thanks for the feedback. 🙂
I totally agree with the slamming Tim tam comment! can these be slammed?- can you suck liquid into the cookie? I found Tim Tams at Kroger-they even had a digital coupon for BOGO!
Score!! BOGO for the win! I confess that I ate them all before trying a slam–I might need to make them again to give it a try!
Seriously, you have got to do the Tim Tam Slam. You’ll never go back to eating these cookies plain again.
can I substitute coconut oil with iolive oil?
You can, but I would recommend vegetable oil or canola oil or another more neutral oil if you can!