Prep Time : 15 Minutes | Cook Time : 15 Minutes | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy
Hello my lovelies. When I first made these I failed my countrymen. A true afghan should be topped with half a walnut but I realised too late that I didn’t have any when making these classic chocolatey cookies to share with you all. I improvised with pecans and begged for forgiveness. This time around I made a better fist of it.
These cookies are a kiwi favourite and a breeze to make. Dark and chocolatey with crunchy cornflakes inside and a lick of icing outside. If you prefer you can top them with melted chocolate instead – but don’t forget the walnut! Citizenship has been revoked for less I’m sure…
First preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and line cookie sheets with baking paper.
Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
Crush the cornflakes lightly with your hands then mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture to form a soft-ish dough. You may need to use your hands to distribute the cornflakes evenly if they’re being stubborn.
Scoop tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet. You can place them quite close together as they won’t spread much.
Flatten the cookies with a fork dipped in flour – they should be about half and inch high.
Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through. Because they’re dark with cocoa you’ll smell when they’re done more than you’ll see it, but they will look dry on the outside and the bottoms should have browned slightly. If you want to make sure they’re crisp right through like I do then bake generously.
Cool the cookies on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing just beat all the ingredients together until smooth – it doesn’t need to be fluffy.
When the afghans are cold, spread with chocolate icing and top with half a walnut.
Enjoy with tea and friends like all good things.
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Afghans
Prep Time : 15 mins | Cook Time : 15 mins | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy
Makes : Approx. 20 to 25 cookies
Crisp cookies packed with rich cocoa flavour and the crunch of cornflakes – a true kiwi classic.
Ingredients:
- 14 tablespoons (200 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- 1 + 1/2 cups less 1 tablespoon (200 grams) all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (35 grams) cornflakes, gently crushed
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 + 1/2 cups (250 grams) icing sugar
- 3 tablespoons dutch processed cocoa
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 20 to 25 walnut halves
– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients –
Equipment:
- Standing or hand-held electric mixer
- Cookie sheets lined with baking paper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line cookie sheets with baking paper and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy – about 3-5 minutes.
Crush the cornflakes lightly with your hands and mix with the dry ingredients. Add to the creamed mixture and mix to make a soft-ish dough. You may need to use your hands to distribute the cornflakes more evenly.
Scoop tablespoons of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets and flatten with a fork – they should be about half an inch high.
Dip the fork in flour every few cookies to prevent it sticking to the top of the cookies. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, rotating the trays halfway though baking. To ensure crisp middles go for the slightly longer baking time.
Cool the cookies on the sheets for a few minutes to firm up before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the afghans are cooling make the icing. Beat the icing sugar, butter, water, cocoa and vanilla together with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth – it doesn’t want to be fluffy.
When the cookies are cold, spread or pipe the chocolate icing onto them and top with half a walnut each. The icing will settle a bit onto the cookies so only pipe to make your life easier – not for fancy shapes.
Adapted from The Edmonds Cookery Book.
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Morning, morning . I am enjoying looking through all your recipes… Afghans are one of my fav cookies… along with Anzacs… I too like a dark cocoa.. Moore Wilson Premium Cocoa is great .. I like to use crushed up weet bix in my afghans….. When making gluten free baking for work… I turn it into effectively weetbix slice with GF flour & GF weetbix .
Hi Becks – so glad you’re enjoying it here 😀 my dutch cocoa is the MW one! It is my favourite. My mum was telling me at Christmas she uses weetbix in afghans too – you’re both nutty haha