This easy chocolate tiffin recipe uses just five common ingredients. Rich, crunchy and indulgent, it’s a no-bake fridge cake that comes together in minutes — ideal for kids’ parties, afternoon tea or any time you want a quick crowd-pleaser.
If you enjoy tiffin, you might also like other flavour variations such as Malteser, Biscoff, dark chocolate and ginger, chocolate orange, white chocolate, honeycomb, mini egg or creme egg tiffin. This post shares my basic chocolate tiffin recipe — a simple, reliable version made from pantry staples that I’ve been making since I was young.
If you love no-bake desserts, try an easy chocolate hedgehog slice next.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- A rich, decadent, chocolatey no-bake treat that satisfies any sweet tooth.
- Made with simple pantry ingredients and minimal equipment — quick and convenient.
- Perfect for parties, bake sales and crowd-pleasing events.
- Great make-ahead dessert: prepare in advance and serve when needed.
- Easy and fun for kids to help assemble, and versatile for family-friendly variations.
Ingredient notes
Digestive biscuits: Place in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin, leaving some larger pieces for texture. Swap for rich tea biscuits, graham crackers (US) or ginger biscuits.
Butter: Unsalted is preferred.
Golden syrup: Use clear runny honey if you can’t get golden syrup.
Chocolate: Use a mix of dark and milk chocolate for the base, and milk chocolate for the topping.
Cocoa powder: Adds an extra chocolate boost to the base.
How to make tiffin
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and the full method is below.
One: Line a 20cm (8″) square tin with non-stick baking paper or clingfilm.
Two: Place the butter, golden syrup, and broken pieces of dark and milk chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until fully melted and combined.
Three: Fold in the crushed digestive biscuits and cocoa powder until the biscuits are fully coated in chocolate.
Four: Press the mixture firmly into the lined tin — use the back of a heavy spoon to compact the mixture tightly.
Five: For the topping, melt milk chocolate with a few drops of vegetable oil in the microwave in short bursts to keep it smooth. Spread the melted chocolate over the base, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Six: Remove from the fridge 10–15 minutes before cutting to avoid the topping cracking when sliced.
Top tips
- Use good quality chocolate — it makes a big difference.
- Add a few drops of vegetable or coconut oil to the melted milk chocolate topping to reduce cracking.
- Let the tiffin sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts.
- Use a long, sharp knife and wipe it between cuts for neat bars.
- For a more adult flavour, use all dark chocolate in the base.
Variations
- Add 75g chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch.
- Stir a few tablespoons of smooth peanut butter into the melted chocolate for a peanut butter twist.
- Fold in 100g dried fruit like raisins, chopped apricots, glace cherries or cranberries.
- Swap the biscuits for ginger biscuits, shortbread, Oreos, hobnobs or jammie dodgers.
- Stir in crushed honeycomb, Smarties, mini eggs, chopped chocolate bars or other sweets.
- Add peppermint extract and top with crushed candy canes for a festive version.
- Use white chocolate in the base and add dried cranberries or pistachios for colour and contrast.
- Add a splash of Baileys for a boozy chocolate tiffin.
Storage
Make-ahead: Prepare up to 3 days in advance.
Store: Keep tiffin bars in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. In hot weather, refrigerate to prevent melting. They’ll keep up to 5 days.
Freeze: Tiffin freezes well — place cut bars in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, or wrap the whole slab in two layers of foil and freeze as one piece.
Frequently asked questions
Is tiffin the same as rocky road?
They are very similar no-bake chocolate treats, but rocky road traditionally contains marshmallows while tiffin usually does not.
Where did chocolate tiffin originate?
No-bake chocolate tiffin is thought to have originated in Troon, Scotland in the early 1900s.
Can I make chocolate tiffin without butter?
Yes — coconut oil or margarine can replace butter in equal amounts.
What can I use instead of golden syrup?
Honey or light corn syrup are suitable substitutes, though they will slightly change the flavour.
More no-bake treats and desserts
- Chocolate Biscuit Cake
- Oreo Tiffin
- Kinder Bueno Tiffin
- No-Bake Chocolate Nutella Biscuit Slices
- No-Bake Flapjacks
- Easter Rocky Road
- No-Bake Chocolate Orange Tarts
- Chocolate Cornflake Cakes
- Biscoff Rocky Road
- Christmas Tiffin
- No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- Chocolate Cracknell
Recipe
Easy Chocolate Tiffin Recipe
A rich, decadent, chocolatey no-bake treat that’s perfect for parties and bake sales.
Ingredients
- 250g Digestive biscuits, crushed (leave some larger pieces)
- 200g Dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 100g Milk chocolate, broken into pieces
- 100g Butter, cubed
- 150g Golden syrup
- 2 tsp Cocoa powder
For the topping
- 200g Milk chocolate, broken into pieces
- 1/4 tsp Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Line a 20cm square baking tin with non-stick baking paper or clingfilm.
- Put the butter, golden syrup and broken dark and milk chocolate pieces in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until melted and smooth.
- Fold in the crushed digestives and cocoa powder, ensuring the biscuits are coated in the chocolate mixture.
- Press the mixture firmly into the lined tin, compacting it well with the back of a spoon.
- Melt the milk chocolate with a few drops of vegetable oil in short microwave bursts, stir until smooth, then spread over the base. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Remove from the fridge 10–15 minutes before slicing to reduce cracking, then cut into bars.
Notes
Variations:
- Add chopped nuts, peanut butter, dried fruit, crushed candies, peppermint or switch chocolates as desired.
- Add a splash of Baileys for an adult version.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutritional information (approximate)
Calories: 303 kcal | Carbohydrates: 38 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 16 g | Sugar: 24 g (values approximate)