These afghan biscuits are creamy, chocolatey and crunchy - they could almost be the definition of perfection! Always a big hit with the kids and, of course, grown-ups too. A a classic Kiwi treat!
½ cup Chelsea Caster Sugar or Chelsea Organic Raw Sugar (113g)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 ¼ cups Edmonds Standard Grade Flour (188g)
¼ cup cocoa powder (20g)
1 ½ cups cornflakes (or crushed Weetbix)
Icing
1 ½ cups Chelsea Icing Sugar (225g)
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp butter, softened
2-3 Tbsp boiling water
Walnut halves, to decorate (optional)
Additional tips
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
To freeze the Afghan Biscuits, wrap in clingfilm and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature before eating.
Can I make Afghan Biscuits without walnuts? Yes! The walnuts on top are traditional but optional. You can leave them off or swap them for another topping like coconut or extra chocolate icing.
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Reviews
353
What did you think of this recipe?
Mary Ngakoti
My kids and gran babies love this recipe always a good treat for everyone ..especially with the extra cocoa added for a richer texture YummyThanks chelsea
5
James
I followed the instructions precisely, yet they tasted more like brownies rather than Afghans. Where did i go wrong?.
3
Bob
Good food
5
Bernadette Wooding
Love this recipe, enough icing to make a lovely dollop on each crunchy yummy chocolatey ball of yum, with its walnut on top. Have used this recipe several times.Five stars
5
Alisia c
Obsessed with these afghans! They are my party dish. It took me a few batches to perfect it. I was completely melting the butter and using the hand mixer the whole process which which is wrong. Soften the butter, use hand mixer for butter sugar and vanilla only and then for the rest use a wooden spoon to hand mix. After I mix I put the mixture in the fridge to harden a bit for 5 mins then I roll them up in balls then press down on tray for oven. I love making these. So easy and fast.
5
Whitney
So easy to achieve perfect results for a complete novice. Super easy. Great recipe!!
5
Sarah Richardson
I don't know about the others, but mine was horrible. The mixture was crumbly and smelt of somewhat disgusting scent. I tried to add more butter to the recipe, but it ended in a total disaster. Good luck if you want to experiment with it!
1
leo
it tastes very good
5
Layton
Awesome!! Easy and straightforward awesome turnout!!
5
Helen
Cookies are yum..but after my husband attempted the recipe he got very flat cookies. I then made a batch but only had the temp at 160 and they turned out perfect. I baked another batch later the same day at 180 and I too got flat cookies..for anyone else who fails, I think the temp is too high. Cook low and slow. At 160 I had to leave in about 18 mins.
Preheat oven to 180°C bake. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
In a large bowl, beat butter, Chelsea Caster Sugar or Chelsea Organic Raw Sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Sift in the flour and cocoa. Stir until mostly combined, then add the cornflakes and mix well.
Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on prepared trays. Press down lightly with a fork.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until biscuits are just firm to the touch. Leave on trays for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Icing Sift Chelsea Icing Sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add butter and 1 tablespoon boiling water at a time, mixing well and adding more hot water as required until icing is a spreadable consistency. Ice cooled biscuits and decorate with walnut halves, if desired.
Additional tips
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
To freeze the Afghan Biscuits, wrap in clingfilm and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature before eating.
Can I make Afghan Biscuits without walnuts? Yes! The walnuts on top are traditional but optional. You can leave them off or swap them for another topping like coconut or extra chocolate icing.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Afghan biscuit dough crumbly?
The butter may be too cold. Make sure it is nice and soft before beating.
How can I tell when the Afghan biscuits are cooked?
Visually, it can be quite hard to tell when Afghan biscuits are cooked due to the dark
cocoa. You can usually smell more than see when they are cooked, though the biscuits
should look dry on the outside and be firm to the touch.
How do I ensure a smooth icing on my Afghan biscuits?
Make sure you sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder before mixing. Boiling or hot water will help to dissolve any remaining lumps.
Can I make Afghan biscuits gluten free?
Yes! Swap the flour for gluten-free flour and use gluten-free cornflakes.
My kids and gran babies love this recipe always a good treat for everyone ..especially with the extra cocoa added for a richer texture YummyThanks chelsea
5
James
I followed the instructions precisely, yet they tasted more like brownies rather than Afghans. Where did i go wrong?.
3
Bob
Good food
5
Bernadette Wooding
Love this recipe, enough icing to make a lovely dollop on each crunchy yummy chocolatey ball of yum, with its walnut on top. Have used this recipe several times.Five stars
5
Alisia c
Obsessed with these afghans! They are my party dish. It took me a few batches to perfect it. I was completely melting the butter and using the hand mixer the whole process which which is wrong. Soften the butter, use hand mixer for butter sugar and vanilla only and then for the rest use a wooden spoon to hand mix. After I mix I put the mixture in the fridge to harden a bit for 5 mins then I roll them up in balls then press down on tray for oven. I love making these. So easy and fast.
5
Whitney
So easy to achieve perfect results for a complete novice. Super easy. Great recipe!!
5
Sarah Richardson
I don't know about the others, but mine was horrible. The mixture was crumbly and smelt of somewhat disgusting scent. I tried to add more butter to the recipe, but it ended in a total disaster. Good luck if you want to experiment with it!
1
leo
it tastes very good
5
Layton
Awesome!! Easy and straightforward awesome turnout!!
5
Helen
Cookies are yum..but after my husband attempted the recipe he got very flat cookies. I then made a batch but only had the temp at 160 and they turned out perfect. I baked another batch later the same day at 180 and I too got flat cookies..for anyone else who fails, I think the temp is too high. Cook low and slow. At 160 I had to leave in about 18 mins.