Chocolate Afghan Cookies/Biscuits! Crunchy, buttery chocolate cookies studded with cornflakes and topped with chocolate icing and a single walnut! Perfect eggless Christmas treat!
Christmas or for that matter any occasion/festival is about baking, cooking, friends, family and lots of happiness, love and cheer around! Sweets/desserts, cookies and cakes are a quintessential part of that celebration.
With lots of preparations and running around shopping, sometimes, there is not enough time to spend on cooking/baking. These Afghan cookies are a perfect treat that is ready in under an hour! Just mix, bake and ice/frost! What more could you want in a festive cookie?
WHAT ARE AFGHAN COOKIES/BISCUITS?
These decadent bites are crunchy, eggless, decadent chocolate cookies with crunchy cornflakes in every buttery bite! Topped with a beautiful, smooth and glossy chocolate icing and a single whole/halved walnut, it is the quintessential “Kiwi” (from New Zealand) export to the cookie world!
When you mention New Zealand and cookies, these Afghan cookies are the first that is on everyone’s lips! The history of why they were named “Afghan" Cookies is still a mystery! (Edmonds Cookery Book is one of the first to chronicle this amazing easy recipe with no mention of its origins).
There are many suggestions or theories around but any which way, they are easy to make, delicious and super tasting!
EASY TO MAKE AND FUN TO EAT
These decadent and crunchy cookies are so easy to make, they are ready to indulge in under an hour!
Just mix flour (I have used whole wheat flour for a healthy treat), crushed (unsweetened) cornflakes and cocoa powder with creamed room temperature unsalted butter and sugar. Gather small pieces of crumbly dough into small balls and flatten slightly. If you find it hard to make balls, just press well or sprinkle some water or even milk to make it easy.
Bake in hot oven for 12 to 15 minutes and once cool, spread some quick chocolate icing (icing sugar, cocoa powder and butter with some hot water) on top.
Before the icing starts to set, crown each cookie with a single walnut (whole or halved depending upon size of cookie). That is it! Now, how easy is that!!
If your kids (or even some adults) do not like walnuts, top with anything they want; some colored sprinkles (after all it is Christmas season right now!), dessicated coconut, chopped cashew, peanuts, pistachios etc.
These scrumptious and divine cookies actually taste best the next day, but please let me not stop you from biting into a couple or two when freshly baked; I have!
Merry Christmas and A Very Happy, Happy New Year!
Enjoy and Happy Cooking Foodie Friends!
You can find more decadent eggless and healthy treats here:
20+ Eggless Cookies and Cakes to bake and enjoy any time!
Now, let's bake up a storm with these easy-peasy Chocolate Afghan Cookies!
CHOCOLATE AFGHAN COOKIES/BISCUITS
A crunchy, buttery chocolate cookie studded with cornflakes and topped with chocolate icing and a single walnut; a New Zealand treat!
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIES:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups cornflakes
- Pinch of salt
FOR THE CHOCOLATE ICING:
- 1 ¼ cups icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Dash of vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoons of hot water
- Whole or halved walnuts
- Colored sugar sprinkles optional
Instructions
BAKING THE COOKIES:
-
Preheat oven to 180 C or 350 F.
-
Line two baking trays/sheets with parchment paper/aluminum foil or just grease with melted butter/oil/ghee; set aside.
-
Crush cornflakes with your hands to a coarse mixture.
-
In a large mixing bowl, cream softened, room temperature butter and sugar with an electric beater until light and fluffy.
-
Add whole wheat flour, cocoa powder and pinch salt to the creamed butter-sugar mixture. Beat until well mixed.
Add crushed cornflakes and mix with your hands or with a spatula until fully combined.
-
Form small lemon sized balls of the dough by pressing a handful of dough crumbs together and flatten slightly. If you feel the dough is too crumbly, just splash a few drops of water or milk.
-
Place them on greased or lined baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies.
-
Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are baked and firm.
-
Remove, let cool on pan for about a minute and then transfer gently with a flat spatula to a cookie rack to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE ICING:
-
While the cookies are cooling, in a small bowl, mix icing sugar, butter, cocoa powder, vanilla and hot water.
-
Gently mix with a spoon until the mixture is smooth and slightly thick but flowing.
FINISHING THE CHOCOLATE AFHAN COOKIES:
-
Once the baked cookies are cool, using a spatula/knife, spread the chocolate icing over the cookies and top with a single walnut or sprinkle colored sugar sprinkles.
-
Keep aside the cookies to allow the icing to set completely; about an hour.
Enjoy crispy, crunchy and decadent Afghan cookies with a cup of milk or hot coffee!
Store leftovers in an airtight container.
HAPPY BAKING!
Recipe Notes
- If you like, you can use all-purpose flour/maida instead of whole wheat flour.
- Do not crush the cornflakes too fine; you need the crunchy bite in each cookie!
- If you do not like or have walnuts, use any topping you like; cashew, pistachios, peanuts, colored sugar sprinkles, dessicated coconut etc.
- If you are on a low-sugar diet, then just avoid the icing; the cookies taste great nevertheless!
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE AFGHAN COOKIES:
BAKING THE COOKIES:
Preheat oven to 180 C or 350 F.
Line two baking trays/sheets with parchment paper/aluminum foil or just grease with melted butter/oil/ghee; set aside.
Crush cornflakes with your hands to a coarse mixture.
In a large mixing bowl, cream softened, room temperature butter and sugar with an electric beater until light and fluffy.
Add whole wheat flour, cocoa powder and pinch salt to the creamed butter-sugar mixture. Beat until combined.
Stir in crushed cornflakes and mix with your hands or a spatula until fully combined.
Form small lemon sized balls of the dough by pressing a handful of dough crumbs together and flatten slightly. If you feel the dough is too crumbly, just splash a few drops of water or milk.
Place them on greased or lined baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies.
Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are baked and firm.
Remove, let cool on pan for about a minute and then transfer gently with a flat spatula to a cookie rack to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE ICING:
While the cookies are cooling, in a small bowl, sift icing sugar and cocoa powder through a sieve to remove all lumps.
Add butter, a dash of vanilla essence and hot water.
Gently mix with a spoon until the mixture is smooth and slightly thick but flowing.
FINISHING THE CHOCOLATE AFGHAN COOKIES:
Once the baked cookies are cool, using a spatula/knife, spread the chocolate icing over the cookies and top with a single walnut or sprinkle colored sugar sprinkles.
Keep aside the cookies to allow the icing to set completely; about an hour.
Enjoy crispy, crunchy and decadent chocolate Afghan cookies with a tall glass of milk or hot coffee!
Happy Baking!
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Have fun cooking, eating and sharing!!!!
These cookies look so perfect for tea time. 😀 Thanks for joining this week's Fiesta Friday.
Thanks so much dear 🙂 Always exciting to be part of Fiesta Friday!
THis looks tasty and chocolate-y... I'd likely replace the walnuts with almonds, but yes this is versatile. Have a happy holiday season and a great New Year! And of course, thank you for bringing this cookie over to Fiesta Friday!
Thank you so much 🙂 Almonds sound lovely too! Always exciting to be part of FF!