I recently started a new job. Trying to adjust to my new schedule, while also keeping weekend shifts as a barista, means that I’ve had to squeeze in my baking at odd times of the night. I’m sure that I’ll get used to the schedule the more I work it, which means I’ll finally be able to continue working on new, non-cookie recipes to share! For now, though, it means that when I want to bake, I want to make something quick, easy, and satisfying.
These Chocolate Coconut Digestive Biscuits hit all three of those qualifiers. They’re so simple that I walked my seven-year-old nephew through making a batch of these with me late Friday night. He might have been afraid to get his hands dirty cutting the butter into the dry ingredients, but he had fun mixing the dough, tossing the butter into the dry ingredients, and cutting out the circles. Drizzling the chocolate might have also been a bit of a highlight, though that might have had more to do with the fact that he was able to pour the remaining chocolate straight from the piping bag into his mouth!
These Chocolate Coconut Digestive Biscuits have just a hint of sweetness for them. Every once in a while, I find that it’s nice to have a baked good that doesn’t put you straight into a sugar coma.
Let’s talk for a minute about why I decided to make these biscuits in the first place–chocolate digestive biscuits remind me of Scotland. I used to buy packs of milk-chocolate McVitie’s Digestive Biscuits, brew a cup of tea, and enjoy half of the pack for dinner. Honestly, I still love going to World Market and picking up a sleeve of these. There is just something irresistible about them: they’re crumbly with a snap, have that slightly nutty, whole wheat flavor, and they’re covered in chocolate on one side. What’s not to love? Plus, they’re the perfect tea-time or coffee-break treat.
Digestives have been around since 1839 and were created to aid digestion. People used to think that the sodium bicarbonate had similar properties to an antacid, thus bringing about the name “digestive biscuit.” There is no actual proof that this is so, but these biscuits are chock full of whole wheat and rolled oats, giving them a bit of a nutty flavor. Once you add the subtle sweetness of the toasted coconut and the bittersweet chocolate, you have a snack that you can enjoy without any guilt.
I just love things you can eat in harmony with coffee or tea, and these Chocolate Coconut Digestive Biscuits are the best accompaniment to a warm, satisfying drink, a book, or whatever series you’re currently binge-watching (that’d be Episodes over here!–and I’m loving non-Joey Matt LeBlanc!).
(Yes, that is a Parks and Recreation mug!).
| Cook Time | 9-12 minutes |
| Servings |
biscuits
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- 1/2 cup butter cold and cubed
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup toasted coconut
- 2-4 Tbsp milk (any kind will work but I prefer to use unsweetened almond milk)
- 3/4 cup bittersweet or dark chocolate chips
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
- In a medium or large bowl, mix together the wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oats, toasted coconut, salt, brown sugar, and baking soda.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and throw it into the bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it begins to resemble breadcrumbs.
- Add the milk 1 Tbsp at a time. Using a wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to come together. Once you have large clumps of dough, use your hands to bring it into a large ball.
- Either between two sheets of parchment paper or on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it's about 1/4" thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles and line the biscuits on the prepared baking sheets. Dock with a fork and bake about 9-12 minutes, until the bottom and edged turn golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Melt 3/4 cup bittersweet or dark chocolate chips. (In a microwavable bowl, heat them on high 30 seconds at a time, occasionally stirring, until melted). Drizzle chocolate over the biscuits.
To toast the coconut: preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Spread the shredded coconut on baking sheet and bake for about 7-9 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes as it starts to darken. This can also be done in a skillet if you prefer to toast your coconut on the stove top.
* If you don't want to use your hands to cut the butter into the dry ingredients, you can always use a pastry blender or two knives--either should do the trick.
* You can use any milk you'd like in these. My personal preference is Almond Milk but that might not be for everyone! Feel free to make them your own!