Quandong Shortbread
Buttery quandong shortbread biscuits + native desert peach icing
Prep time: 15 minutes
(+ 30-45 minutes chilling)
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: ~ 1 hour
Makes: 16-20 biscuits
Shortbread feels iconically Aussie – simple, buttery, and made for sharing with a cuppa. Adding quandong (also known as desert peach) gives this classic biscuit a uniquely Australian twist.
Quandong’s complex, tart flavour cuts beautifully through the richness of butter, lifting these biscuits from familiar to quietly special. Finished with a light drizzle of tangy quandong icing, they’re the kind of treat that feels nostalgic and new all at once. Perfect for afternoon tea, gifting, or sneaking one straight off the cooling rack.
This is an easy, no-fuss recipe that comes together with pantry staples and a little native magic.
Ingredients
Quandong Icing
½ cup icing sugar
1–2 tsp powdered quandong (see note below)
1 tsp lemon or lime juice
1 tsp water (added gradually)
Shortbread Biscuits
200 g unsalted butter, softened
75 g icing sugar
2–3 tsp powdered quandong (see note below)
1 tsp vanilla extract
225 g plain flour
¼ tsp sea salt
Method
Quandong Shortbread Biscuits
1. Cream the butter and sugar
- Beat the butter and icing sugar until pale and soft, but not fluffy.
- You can use a hand beater or stand mixer — low to medium speed is perfect.
2. Add the flavour
- Gently mix in the quandong powder and vanilla extract until just combined.
3. Fold in the dry ingredients
- Sift the flour and salt into the bowl.
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix gently until the dough just comes together. Avoid over-mixing.
4. Rest the dough
- Shape the dough into a log about 4–5 cm in diameter.
- Wrap in baking paper or cling wrap and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes.
5. Slice
- Slice the chilled dough into rounds roughly 1 cm thick and place on a lined baking tray.
6. Bake
- Preheat oven to 160 °C fan-forced or 170 °C conventional
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are pale golden but not browned.
Over-baking will make the biscuits dry and crumbly.
7. Cool completely
Allow biscuits to cool fully on the tray — they’ll firm up as they cool.
Quandong Icing
In a small bowl, mix icing sugar and quandong powder with a fork.
Add the lemon or lime juice first.
Slowly add water ¼ teaspoon at a time until the icing is drizzle-thick — runny, but not watery.
Drizzle over completely cooled biscuits using a spoon, piping bag, or a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off.
Serve:
With a cuppa, for arvo tea, as a gift for loved ones, or straight off the cooling rack.
Quandong Powder Notes
We won’t begin selling quandong powder until late 2026.
In the meantime, dried quandong halves can be finely ground using a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or high-speed blender.
Quandong flavour is personal. If you love that tart punch, feel free to increase the amount slightly. Taste, adjust, and make it yours.
