New Zealand Afghan Biscuits: Chocolate Cornflake Cookies with Walnut Tops for Lunchboxes

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.

Serves 16 (16 biscuits)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 cups (50 g) cornflakes
• For the icing: 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 to 3 tbsp boiling water
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 16 walnut halves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla with a mixer for 3 minutes until pale and creamy.
3. Sift in the flour, cocoa and salt and mix on low just until a soft dough forms.
4. Add the cornflakes and fold them in gently with a spatula so they stay mostly whole; the craggy texture is the whole point.
5. Scoop heaped tablespoons of dough, roll loosely into balls and place 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press each one down slightly with your fingers into a rough mound.
6. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes until set and dry on top. They will not spread much. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
7. For the icing, whisk the powdered sugar and cocoa with the melted butter and 2 tablespoons boiling water until thick and glossy, adding more water a teaspoon at a time to reach a spreadable consistency.
8. Spoon a generous dollop of icing onto each cooled biscuit and press a walnut half into the center. Let set for 30 minutes.
9. Storage tip: keep in an airtight tin for up to a week. The biscuits are sturdy, do not crumble in a lunchbox and taste even better on day two once the icing has firmed.
10. Afghan biscuits are a New Zealand classic found in every school bake sale and grandmother's tin, first printed in the Edmonds Cookery Book in the 1930s. The origin of the name remains a friendly Kiwi mystery, but the cornflake crunch under dark chocolate icing has made them the country's most beloved lunchbox treat for nearly a century.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 250 kcal
• Protein: 3g
• Fat: 15g
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 17g
• Sodium: 90mg