How long will they keep?

They'll keep well for at least one week, stored in an airtight container at room temperature (though you'll probably get through them quicker than that!)

Can I use something other than walnuts?

You could use almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts or pecans in place of walnuts if you like, or leave them off completely for a nut-free version. A sprinkle of toasted desiccated coconut, or coconut flakes, would be lovely too.

Classic Chocolate Afghan Biscuits

Name: Classic Chocolate Afghan Biscuits
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: new zealand
Ingredients: 200g/7oz softened butter; ½ cup caster sugar (118g); 1 1/4 cups flour (190g); ¼ cup cocoa powder (30g); ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 ½ cups cornflakes, lightly crushed (52g); ¾ cup icing sugar; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature; 18 walnut halves

Description

Chocolate Afghan biscuits are a New Zealand classic. Crunchy, ultra-buttery, chocolatey, cornflake-stuffed and slathered with gooey chocolate icing, they’re an incredibly easy, FAST, all-in-one bowl biscuit recipe that needs no special equipment.

Ingredients

Scale

For the biscuits –

200g/7oz softened butter
½ cup caster sugar (118g)
1 1/4 cups flour (190g)
¼ cup cocoa powder (30g)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups cornflakes, lightly crushed (52g)

For the chocolate icing –

¾ cup icing sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature
18 walnut halves

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Instructions

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Heat your oven to 180C/356F fan and line two oven trays with baking paper. Add 200g butter, 1/2 cup of caster sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a whisk (or electric whisk) until pale and creamy. PRO TIP: You can also do with this with the paddle attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer if you like.
Add the dry ingredients. Set a sieve over the bowl with the butter, sugar and vanilla, then add 1 1/4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Sift them into the bowl, then mix to combine. It’s quite a dry, crumbly mix, but don’t worry, this is correct. Once mixed, add 1 1/2 cups of cornflakes and mix again, so that the cornflakes are mixed through evenly.
Bake the biscuits. Scoop up a heaped tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a rough ball in your hands. Place on the prepared tray, then repeat with the rest of the mixture, leaving a small space in between each ball to allow for spreading in the oven. Use the back of a fork to lightly press down on and slightly flatten the balls, then transfer to the oven for 12 – 15 minutes, or until they’re just set to the touch. Remove from the oven, let cool for about 10 minutes on the trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing them.
Ice the biscuits. Sift 3/4 cup of icing sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder into a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of just boiled water, and whisk until a thick, pourable icing forms. PRO TIP: If it’s too thick, add a little more hot water, and if it’s too runny, add more icing sugar. Once the biscuits have cooled, spoon a heaped tablespoon of icing on top of each biscuit, then press a walnut half on top into the icing. PRO TIP: I find it easier to ice all the biscuits first, then put the walnuts on top, so you can make sure each biscuit has enough icing.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: You’re going to think it’s a lot of icing sugar and icing, but trust the process, you’ll use it all. You want good big dollops of icing on the biscuits. The biscuits themselves aren’t super sweet, so the sweetness comes from the icing. The walnuts are the classic topper, but you could swap them with another nut (almonds, pistachios or pecans would be great).

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: They’ll keep really well in an airtight container at room temperature for a good few weeks.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 15
Category: baking
Method: oven
Cuisine: new zealand