By: Author Bron Maxabella
Categories Eat
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Ooh, this is such a good one! Who wouldn’t want to devour a batch of homemade chocolate digestives bickies for afternoon tea? Me, that’s who!
I first started tinkering around with this recipe when I discovered that our beloved McVities chocolate digestives contained palm oil in their list of ingredients. Not the sustainable kind, either*. Just regular orangutan habit-destroying palm oil. There’s no way am I buying them anymore!
Which is a great shame as those chocolate digestives have been a go-to biscuit option for us for years. When I think about all those years all I can think it how very sorry I am, orangutans. to try to make up for it, we made a donation to Orangutan Foundation International as a small but heartfelt apology.
* EDITED: A few weeks after this recipe was published, I was contacted by the PR company for McVities who said: ”
We don’t speak about it often, but want to make it clear, we’ve been a member of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) organisation since 2007 and have been sourcing 100% RSPO certified palm oil since 2009. We recognise as a responsible business we need to continue to support the industry on its transformation journey; in addition to purchasing RSPO-certified palm oil, in 2018 pladis UK and Ireland became members of The Forest Trust.
Would it be possible if you could please amend the above note in bold to reflect the correct information? As we believe everyone has the right to be informed correctly, rather than hearsay.
I have no idea why they wouldn’t “speak about this often” or why they don’t mention that their palm oil is sustainable on their packaging. Back to the recipe…
Our favourite biscuits are back
Then I created this homemade chocolate digestives recipe. After all, we could hardly be expected to make it through a winter without our favourite biscuits! Nothing beats a digestive dunked in your afternoon cuppa.
10 more biscuits that are brilliant for dunking: healthy-ish lunchbox biscuits to pack
My own version is packed with so much good stuff it’s practically a vegetable. Well, as vegetable-like as a chocolate biscuit could ever hope to be. The ingredients are simply:
- Wholemeal flour
- Rolled oats
- Seeds like pepitas, flaxseeds and sunflower seeds – you could mix this up with crushed nuts here, if you like
- Butter
- A little brown sugar (you can leave it out if you’re a saint)
- Milk – I use almond milk as I think it adds just that little extra nutty flavour, but regular whole milk is fine if that’s more your thing
Put it all together
Turns out they are dead-easy to make, so that’s another win. It literally takes minutes to throw the dry ingredients together, mix the two wet ingredients together and stir the lot together. Then you dollop, squash and bake.
The recipe makes plenty of biscuits, especially as one biscuit is enough to fill you up nicely at afternoon tea. (This may be because I make my biscuits extra large. Ha!) And don’t hesitate to double the quantities and make an extra batch as they keep really well on the bench. Or you can freeze them for laters.
I hope you love our homemade chocolate digestives as much as we do. Make them, then leave us a comment to let me know what you think!
Homemade chocolate digestives
Yield: 16 biscuits
Homemade chocolate digestives
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
A healthier wholegrain version of store-bought chocolate digestives. We added a few extra seed to up the nutrition and general yumminess.
Ingredients
- 1 cup wholemeal flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup mixed seeds (such as flax, pepita and sunflower)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 100 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- 150g dark chocolate
Instructions
Preheat oven to 170ºC and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine the cooled melted butter with the nut milk then add to the dry ingredients.
Roll tablespoons of the mix into balls and place on the baking tray in batches of eight. Squash the balls using the back of a large metal spoon.
Bake for 15 minutes then switch off oven and allow biscuits to cool completely.
Melt the chocolate (short spurts in the microwave followed by a stir is easiest) and spread over the biscuits. You can use a fork to make the traditional digestives pattern in the chocolate, but I prefer a swirl. Allow chocolate to cool and harden, then dig in!
Notes
The biscuits will keep in an airtight container on the bench for about a week, or freeze for up to one month.
Pop one into the lunchbox as a treat for the kids.
You can substitute regular milk if almond milk isn't your thing.
FAQs
Thus, digestive biscuits are not as healthy as they sound! According to experts, digestive biscuits may contain a good amount of fiber depending on the type of flour used. However, refined flour like Maida mixed with sugar and high fats may not be a great choice and it is best to stick to healthy homemade munchies.
Are chocolate digestive biscuits healthy? ›
Thus, digestive biscuits are not as healthy as they sound! According to experts, digestive biscuits may contain a good amount of fiber depending on the type of flour used. However, refined flour like Maida mixed with sugar and high fats may not be a great choice and it is best to stick to healthy homemade munchies.
Do digestives actually help with digestion? ›
Despite the name “digestive,” these biscuits don't help digestion much. While they do contain some fiber, they are unlikely to provide much relief for digestive issues.
Do digestive biscuits help with constipation? ›
These biscuits are prepared with whole wheat flour which is known to be a good source of dietary fibre. This nutrient is considered essential for digestive health and promotes regular bowel movements while preventing constipation.
Is digestive biscuit junk food? ›
UNHEALTHY CALORIES: A digestive biscuit typically consists of a minimum of 50 calories. These are not healthy calories which will accelerate your weight loss. Rather these are calories which will hamper your weight loss and you wouldn't even know why!
Why are digestive biscuits so addictive? ›
Sweet, fatty biscuits trigger our brain's reward circuit, flooding it with dopamine and making us feel good. We also tend to find crunchy foods satisfying to eat, from a sensory perspective. So, it's easy to see why we soon reach for another biscuit seconds after the first.
Are digestives actually laxatives? ›
The first-ever digestives were developed as Meikle said, in 1839 by two Scottish doctors and they were reportedly intended to aid digestion. But can the biscuits really help you poop? It's unlikely, according to a registered dietician.
Are digestives bad for IBS? ›
They may also pose risks, especially if you have IBS, IBD, gluten intolerance, or certain food sensitivities. If you experience bloating, gas, and abdominal pain after eating a few pieces of digestives, it's highly likely that they contain certain ingredients that trigger your symptoms. What ingredients are those?
Are digestives good for bad stomach? ›
As far as actual digestive aids go, there are two key ingredients that could, possibly, maybe be helpful: sodium bicarbonate and wholemeal wheat flour. Sodium bicarb is a known antacid, though exact doses for efficacy are unknown, and the mystery-shrouded recipe of digestive biscuits make this one a bit of a stretch.
What is a good substitute for digestive biscuits? ›
Graham crackers, BelVitas, or Marie biscuits are all useful substitutes for digestive biscuits. Keep reading to get more alternatives for your dessert making.
The digestive was first developed in 1839 by two Scottish doctors to aid digestion. The term digestive is derived from the belief that they had antacid properties around the time the biscuit was first introduced due to the use of sodium bicarbonate as an ingredient.
What is the American equivalent of digestive biscuits? ›
Probably the closest thing you'll find in the USA, in terms of being made with whole grain, is graham crackers. They're made from graham flour, which is rather similar. Also, they're less sweet than cookies. Like digestive biscuits, they were originally developed for their supposed health benefits.
What are the side effects of digestive biscuits? ›
Digestive biscuits use Sodium bicarbonate, an over-the-counter antacid that relieves heartburn and stomach upset. However, too much of it makes you feel thirsty, and have bad stomach cramps, and gas.
What are the healthiest biscuits to eat? ›
- Maryland Cookies Chocolate Chip Minis x6. ...
- Go Ahead Apple Fruit & Oat Bakes Snack Bars Multipack 6x35g. ...
- Jammie Dodgers Biscuits Minis x6. ...
- Fox's Biscuits Party Rings Minis x6. ...
- Nairn's Dark Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuit 200g. ...
- Nairn's Chocolate Biscuit Breaks 160g. ...
- Nairn's Wheat Free, Ginger Biscuits 200g.
Some examples of junk food include: cakes and biscuits. fast foods (such as hot chips, burgers and pizzas) chocolate and sweets.
Are chocolate digestives good? ›
I was pleasantly surprised. The texture was way softer than Co-Op's and the biscuit crumbled more politely than Aldi's. The digestive-to-chocolate ratio made for an almost perfect biscuit in my opinion.
Are digestive biscuits full of sugar? ›
Digestive or diabetic-friendly biscuits are not calorie-free or necessarily healthy. They may contain just 15-20 per cent fewer calories than the regular variety and may encourage you to consume large portions, thinking that they are safe. Many of them are loaded with sugar.
