This Afghan Biscuit Slice has all the familiar flavours of a classic Afghan biscuit in an easy-to-make slice. Cocoa gives the base its rich chocolate flavour, while cornflakes add that distinctive crunch throughout.
Made with simple pantry staples including flour, butter and sugar, it comes together easily before being topped with chocolate icing. Once set and sliced, it’s a lovely chocolate treat for sharing.
Why make Afghan biscuits as a slice?
Many biscuit recipes are great made into slices, they become like one big cookie and are delicious. These are no exception. The best bit of course is that there is no rolling!
Biscuits and cookies are so easy to make, but the rolling time can be tedious. This takes that out of the equation!
Where did Afghan biscuits get their name?
People often wonder where the name came from for these biscuits, they are a Kiwi staple!
There are several theories… Some that it looks like the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, others that it was created during a time of an Afghan war and some in reference to the colour. But one thing is for sure, this is a well loved and much made biscuit in New Zealand which has been around for 80 years!
What are Afghan biscuits like?
My Afghan biscuit recipe comes from my Grandma. I love these hand-me-down recipes. They are always the best, tried and trusted. You can find the recipe here.
They are a lovely soft chocolate biscuit with crunchy cornflakes within. However, with a much lower sugar content than you expect in a normal cookie. This is however made up with the icing, a lovely chocolate icing and of course a walnut on the top! I love this version as it is not crumbly like some you find, but light and delicious.
Grandma’s Afghan Biscuits Recipe
How to make Afghan biscuits into a slice
Making these biscuits into a slice is very easy, the process is exactly the same as the original, but you simply spread it into a slice tin and bake for a little longer, ice and decorate with walnuts.
The original is made with cornflakes but you can substitute weetbix if you have that on hand. You will find using a food mixer or electric beater best to be able to cream the butter and sugar.
What you need for the chocolate icing
I use my basic chocolate icing for this and so many slice recipes, it is so lovely and super simple to make using just the following ingredients:
- Icing Sugar
- Cocoa
- Melted Butter
- Vanilla Essence
- Water
More biscuit recipes made into slices
I have begun to share recipes that originated as much-loved cookies and I have changed into a slice. These are HUGE hits on the blog so be sure to check them out too, I have a few more ideas so watch this space.
Let me know in the comments below if you have a cookie recipe that you think would go just as well as a slice!
Afghan Biscuit Slice recipe
Afghan Biscuit Slice
This Afghan Biscuit Slice combines a rich cocoa base with crunchy cornflakes and chocolate icing for an easy take on a classic favourite.
Ingredients
SLICE
- 200 grams Butter - softened
- 1/2 Cup White Sugar (100 grams)
- 1 1/4 Cups Plain White Flour (185 grams)
- 1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder (22 grams)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence (5 mls)
- 2 Cups Cornflakes (60g), or you can use two weetbix.
ICING
- 1 1/2 Cups Icing Sugar (210 grams)
- 1 heaped Tablespoon Cocoa Powder (6 grams)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence (5 mls)
- 1 teaspoon Butter, melted (5 mls)
- 1-2 Tablespoons Water (15-30 mls)
- Walnut Halves
Instructions
- BASE
- Preheat oven to 180ºC Bake (355ºF).
- Prepare a 23 or 25 cm square slice tin by greasing - or as I do - lightly spraying with cooking spray and covering in baking paper.
- Using a food mixer or electric beater, cream butter & sugar for 4-5 minutes until creamy.
- Add flour, cocoa & vanilla and mix well.
- Add cornflakes and lightly combine.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25 minutes, will be soft when removed from the oven.
- Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before preparing the icing.
ICING - To prepare your icing - in a medium bowl sift and combine icing sugar, cocoa,then add the vanilla & melted butter and mix.
- Slowly add the water a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If you accidentally add too much water just add a little icing sugar.
- Spread the icing over the cooled slice, sprinkle with walnut halves and allow to fully cool and set.
- Slice & store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 20 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 267Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 22mgSodium 66mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 2gSugar 26gProtein 3g
JustAMumNZ.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although justamumnz.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
I really hope you love this Afghan Biscuit Slice as much as we do. It is such an easy take on a classic Kiwi favourite, and a lovely slice to have on hand for sharing.
If you give this recipe a go, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you in the comments. You can also leave a ⭐ rating in the recipe card above, it really helps others find and enjoy this recipe too.
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Happy baking,
Anna x
Liz Hunt says
does the slice need to be kept in the fridge?
justamumnz says
No, room temperature is fine. In an airtight container
Alice says
Delicious slice … this batch held together better by storing it in the fridge. I’ve got young kids so halved the icing recipe and did it thinner – still good!
Tracey says
Hi Anna,
Is this suitable to freeze?
Looks delicious!
Maria Kember says
Hi, I have a query. Your recipe says 2 cups Cornflakes (60g).
One cup of cornflakes measures 58g so I’m a bit confused! Was wondering if you could please clarify. Many thanks
Fran says
Love your recipes, have made so many . And also the fact that it has the grams measurement in the recipes as well cuts my time down so thank you
bev mckay says
this was a hit in my house, so much easier than fiddling around with little afghans, thought it was a lot finer recipe using weetbix, next time I will use cornflakes for more crunch. I also made the mix half again
Suzanne Dixon says
Making this today. It would make a great base for cheesecake.
Lynley Barclay says
Love this recipe. Just a query about the 2020gms icing sugar in icing. I used 1 1/2 cups and this was ok.
justamumnz says
Whoops! That was an unfortunate typo! Thank you, I have updated it now.
Andrea Bungard says
Mine turnt our very crumbly ! Tastes lovely though – recipe followed so wondering whEre I went wrong, possibly too thin .
justamumnz says
Being both undercooked and overcooked can cause it to be crumbly or as you say too thin. Hard to know though sorry.
Maria Kember says
Hi Anna, I made the Afghan Slice today. It tastes delicious!! Do you freeze this Slice?
justamumnz says
Yes you can, possibly better to freeze uniced, this icing doesn’t thaw as well as fresh.
Rowena Taylor says
I use this as the base for caramel square.
justamumnz says
What a great idea!