Chewy Quandong Choc-Chip Cookies
Soft, chewy chocolate chip biscuits with tart Australian quandong
Prep time: 25 minutes (plus resting)
Cook time: 12 minutes
Total time: ~ 45-50 minutes
Makes: Approx 14-16 biscuits
Perfectly moist and chewy, with crisp edges and a fudgy centre.
The tart brightness of quandong pairs beautifully with rich dark chocolate. Two bold flavours destined to be together, that balance and amplify each other.
These biscuits are simple to make, forgiving, and best enjoyed slightly warm, when the centres are still soft and gooey. Be careful though! They are incredibly moreish.
Ingredients
½ cup dried quandong halves
1 cup water
125 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup caster sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1¼ cups plain flour (see note)
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips (see note)
Method
1. Soften the quandong
- Place the dried quandong halves and water in a saucepan.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce to a brisk simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the quandongs are soft and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Transfer to a chopping board, allow to cool until comfortable to handle, then roughly chop into pea/blueberry sized pieces. Set aside.
2. Mix the wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and caster sugar until smooth and glossy.
(The brown sugar won’t form peaks — you’re just looking for a cohesive mixture.)
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt over the bowl.
- Fold gently until just combined – avoid over-mixing.
4. Fold through additions
- Fold in the chopped quandong and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
5. Rest the dough
- Cover and rest the dough for 20–30 minutes. (See note).
- This helps hydrate the flour and improves chew and structure.
6. Shape and bake
- Preheat oven to: 170°C fan-forced or 180°C conventional
- Roll dough into balls and gently squash into biscuit shapes, leaving space for spreading.
- Place on lined baking trays.
- Bake for 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centres still look soft.
7. Cool
- Allow biscuits to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
- They’ll firm up slightly as they cool, while staying gooey inside.
Pro tips
Brown sugar > white sugar = better chew
Melted butter (not creamed) = fudgier centres
Slightly underbake – trust the carryover heat
If dough feels wet from the quandong, add 1–2 tbsp flour only
(Aim for all water to be absorbed during the softening stage.)
Flavour variations
Quandong + dark chocolate + wattleseed
Quandong + macadamia (optional white chocolate)
Notes
Quandong Note
Our dried quandong halves won’t be available until late 2026. In the meantime, dried quandong can sometimes be sourced through specialty suppliers. As with all native ingredients, tartness varies – always taste and adjust sugar as you go.
Flour note
Plain flour can be swapped for wholemeal flour for a slightly denser, more wholesome chew.
Chocolate note
Use any chocolate chips you like. We often use Noshu sugar-free chocolate chips, but standard dark chocolate works beautifully too.
Resting note
On hot days, rest the dough in the fridge for half of the resting time to prevent it becoming too soft.
On cold days, avoid chilling for too long – rest for 10–20 minutes only, and don’t let the dough become firm before baking.
