Chocolate Covered Hobnob Oat Cookies are crisp, lightly sweet oat biscuits with a satisfying crunch. Hobnobs are among the most beloved cookies in the United Kingdom, simple enough for everyday snacking yet full of warm, nutty oat flavor. They are the kind of biscuit many people grow up eating, much like graham crackers in the United States.
Just as Americans often dress up graham crackers with chocolate, British biscuit lovers enjoy chocolate covered Hobnobs. A thin layer of chocolate turns a humble oat cookie into a special treat, and making Chocolate Covered Hobnob Oat Cookies at home makes them even better.
This recipe comes with both good chocolate news and serious chocolate news. The good news is the cookie itself: crunchy, buttery, oaty, and finished with a smooth chocolate topping. The serious news is the concern surrounding cocoa production and the labor practices that have been reported in parts of the cocoa industry.
Warning: ignorance can feel easier. Reports about human trafficking, child labor, and abusive working conditions in West African cocoa harvesting have circulated for many years. For many home bakers, learning more about where chocolate comes from can change the way we look at the cocoa, chocolate chips, and baking bars in our cupboards.
That is why fair trade and ethically sourced chocolate labels matter. These labels can help shoppers choose chocolate that is connected to better labor standards and more responsible farming practices. Each person has to decide how to respond to this information, but making a conscious and informed choice is important.
Major chocolate companies, including Nestle, Mars, Hershey, and Ferrero, have publicly pledged to work toward improvements in cocoa sourcing, human rights standards, and sustainable agricultural practices. At the time this article was first written, several companies had announced goals for certified cocoa sourcing by 2020. Those commitments show that consumer awareness can influence large industries.
Ethically produced chocolate is sometimes more expensive than familiar supermarket brands, especially when it comes from small bean-to-bar or organic producers. However, responsible chocolate does not always have to be out of reach. For everyday baking, it is worth looking for cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and melting chocolate with sourcing information that matches your values.
These Chocolate Covered Hobnob Oat Cookies are a delicious place to start. The oat biscuit has excellent flavor even before the chocolate is added. Quick oats give the cookies their signature texture, while brown sugar and golden syrup add a gentle caramel sweetness. The result is crisp, hearty, and lightly sweet rather than overly rich.
The recipe uses Lyle’s Golden Syrup as the sweetener. If you are not familiar with golden syrup, it is a classic British ingredient with the consistency of honey and a buttery caramel flavor. Honey or corn syrup can be used as substitutes, but golden syrup gives these oat cookies a more traditional taste.
A simple chocolate coating makes the cookies feel special. Spread melted dark chocolate over the cooled biscuits, then add a lighter chocolate drizzle if you like a decorative finish. The contrast between the crisp oat cookie and smooth chocolate topping is what makes homemade chocolate covered Hobnobs so satisfying.
In the UK, these biscuits would be right at home beside a hot cup of tea. In the United States, you might serve them with coffee or a cold glass of milk. However you enjoy them, Chocolate Covered Hobnob Oat Cookies are a crunchy, flavorful treat for cookie trays, afternoon snacks, or care packages during cool weather.
More British cookies
Shrewsbury Biscuits are crisp lemon cookies that make a lovely tea time treat.
Scottish Shortbread is simple, buttery, and wonderfully tender, made with just a few basic ingredients.
Garibaldi Biscuits, also known in the United States as Sunshine Raisin Biscuits, are lightly sweet cookies filled with a layer of golden raisins.
If you enjoy eggless cookie recipes like this one, you can find more ideas in 23 Egg Free Cookie Recipes.
Chocolate Covered Hobnob Oat Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Lyle’s Golden Syrup, or substitute honey or corn syrup
- 1 cup quick cook oats
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 1 cup dark chocolate melting discs
- 2 tablespoons white chocolate melting discs
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until combined. Mix in the golden syrup.
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Gradually beat the oat mixture into the butter mixture until a dough forms.
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Using a small 1 tablespoon scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.
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Press each dough ball into a ¼ inch thick disc, about 2 inches in diameter.
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Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.
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Cool completely on the baking sheet before adding the chocolate topping.
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Chocolate topping: Melt the dark chocolate discs in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir well. If needed, continue heating in 10 to 15 second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth.
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For the best shiny finish, work in small batches of about 4 cookies. Spread 1 to 2 teaspoons of melted chocolate thinly over the top of each cookie. Refrigerate until set.
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For a lighter chocolate drizzle, add the white chocolate discs to the remaining melted dark chocolate. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until melted, then stir until smooth.
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Use a spoon to drizzle the lighter chocolate over the set dark chocolate. Refrigerate again until the drizzle is firm.
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Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for at least 2 weeks, placing wax paper between layers.
Notes
- Hobnobs without chocolate topping are excellent care package cookies year round.
- Use the chocolate topping only during cool weather, when melting is less likely.
- Wrap pairs of cookies, bottoms together, in plastic wrap before packing them in columns inside an airtight container or zip-top bag.
- You can also layer the cookies with wax paper in an airtight container. Add crinkled wax paper at the top so the cookies do not move around, then wrap the container in plastic wrap.