No-Bake Rocky Road!
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This classic no-bake rocky road is a chocolatey traybake that we all know and love. Melting together golden syrup and butter, mixing with milk chocolate for a smooth but easy to cut texture.
Adding in mini marshmallows, chopped biscuits, and chocolates, this recipe takes 20 minutes to prep, two hours to set and makes 16 delicious pieces.
Notes from The Patisserie
Now, I know for a fact you guys love a rocky road recipes, with my Biscoff rocky road, and my Mint Aero rocky road regularly being the top of my searches. As you can tell, I also love myself a rocky road recipe.
If you are after a classic and simple rocky road, that covers all bases, this delicious milk chocolate rocky road is sweet, delightful yet still with a crunch. I have made and tested dozens of no-bake traybake now in my career, and this is definitely my go-to recipe for an easy no-bake rocky road.
This particular recipe is my favourite recipe to make when I have a party to go to, a picnic, or want something chocolatey in my fridge. Customise and adapt it to however you want (notes below)
The base mixture of a Rocky Road
So when it comes to the base mixture of a rocky road, it can go a few different ways. A lot of people, understandably, make a rocky road with just melted chocolate. It’s the basic way, and I get it, but it makes it absolutely solid and harder to cut up and eat, and I also think it means you need to use more chocolate.
I make mine a little differently as I want to change the texture and flavour slightly, and this is my favourite way to do it:
- Chocolate – for this recipe, I use milk chocolate, but a mixture of milk and dark would work well, or all dark. I would avoid white chocolate
- Syrup – golden syrup is such a key ingredient for my rocky road, and I adore it. It’s always in my cupboard as I use it so much in baking – it helps cut through the chocolate sweetness
- Butter – it’s important to use a block butter for rocky road, as a baking spread or margarine may make the mixture split
What chocolate is best to use?
As the chocolate for the base mixture is so important, it’s good to make sure you have the correct type of chocolate, not just whether it’s milk or dark.
I would personally recommend avoiding using big brands names when making the base chocolate mixture – any confectionary chocolate that is more expensive, added flavour (think dairy milk, galaxy), have lots of other additional ingredients that can cause problems (a split mixture).
I use basic supermarket own cheap chocolate, or I use cooking chocolate. Dark chocolate should always be 70% if you are going to switch to it – but generally, a milk chocolate with a cocoa solids of 25-33% is best.
The mix-in options
This recipe is so easy and amazingly customisable, you can include your favourite dried fruit, biscuits, chocolate bars, even mix up the chocolate. You can really have fun with this recipe and make it your own – perfect for any cravings you have and perfect for the whole family.
- Something squishy = marshmallows – I tend to use mini marshmallows in my rocky road as I love a mini marshmallow, but using a regular sized marshmallow does also work. The only thing is you’ll use less as the weight is different per marshmallow
- Something crunchy = biscuits – you can use any biscuit, but I love using a digestive. I love the super crunchy and ever so slightly salty flavour of a digestive
- Something extra = chocolate bars – this is where I am slightly different to most rocky roads… I add some chopped up honeycomb crunchie bars. You can switch this to a classic glacé cherry if you want, however.
Choosing other flavour options
If you want to swap up different biscuits – you can use basically any biscuit you want. A hobnob, a custard cream, an oreo, a biscoff biscuit. The crunchy texture is what you are after, but it’s also worth using your favourites – stick to 200g worth for an even quantity throughout. If you want it extra crunchy though, add up to 300g, and have less chocolate to biscuit.
If you want to jazz it up more, or adapt to include other dried fruits and nuts, you definitely can. I would say it’s best to include 100-200g of something fun or different. Any chopped nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, or even hazelnuts work wonders for extra flavour, and texture. You can also use dried fruits such as cherries, raisins, or even sultanas.
How to make the best rocky road
A delicious no-bake recipe like this is super easy to make, but there are certain steps that could help guarantee the best version. (Full method in the recipe card below)
- If using a pan to melt the butter and syrup, make sure to do this until the butter has melted and the mixture is starting to bubble slightly, but not boiling.
- Make sure the chocolate you are using is finely chopped before adding into the pan (off the heat) as over mixing the chocolate can cause it to split. A finely chopped piece of chocolate melts quicker = less mixing.
- Prep the mix-ins you are using, BEFORE you make the chocolate mixture. Leaving the butter/syrup/chocolate to sit in the pan can cause it to heat more, and then cause a split mixture.
- If you mixture does however split, you can bring it back
FAQs
I would say no – it doesn’t mix well with the golden syrup and butter.
As this is a no-bake recipe, the tin size can be changed. A smaller tin will make deeper pieces so might take a little longer to set
The mixture typically splits because it is too hot, or it has been over mixed. Chocolate melts at a low temperature so too hot will cause the fat to separate
Take the pan off the heat, and stir through 1-2tbsp of boiling water, or hot full-fat milk. Beat very well to bring it back together, before pouring into the mix-ins.
Yes! The recipe can be halved and set in a 7″ square tin.
Let it sit briefly at room temperature before slicing and use a sharp knife – you can also lightly score the cut you are going to make, before cutting downwards.
Rocky Road Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g milk chocolate
- 125 g golden syrup
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 100 g mini marshmallows
- 200 g digestive biscuits (chopped)
- 200 g honeycomb bar (chopped) (I used crunchie)
Instructions
- Line a 9" square tin with parchment paper and leave to the side.
- In a large bowl, add in the chocolate, golden syrup, unsalted butter and melt on a low heat over a double boiler, or in the microwave on short bursts until fully melted then stir until smooth!
- Once its melted and combined, add in the mini marshmallows, chopped digestive biscuits, and chopped Crunchie bars and fold together evenly.
- Pour your mixture into the tin and spread until it’s even.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set, chop up, and enjoy!
Notes
- This rocky road will last for up to one week in the fridge, or at room temperature on a cool day
- You can freeze the rocky road for 3+ months
- I used this 9″ square tin
- I used this dark chocolate
- I used this milk chocolate
Storage and Freezing
This recipe is great for a longer lasting no-bake treat. It can last for up to one week in a container such as Tupperware, or a cake box. I store mine in the fridge as I like it to stay firmer, but it can be kept at room temperature on a cooler day
This recipe can be frozen for 3+ months. I would portion the pieces first, and then freeze with layers of parchment paper in-between pieces to prevent them sticking to each other.
What other flavours of rocky road can I make?
There are countless different options of rocky road, once you can crack the basic.
- Toblerone – using a classic and iconic chocolate for that nutty nougat flavour for your rocky road
- Baileys – for a boozy hit with a crunch of biscuit, the baileys rocky road carries a delicious punch of Irish cream
- Cornflake and Malteser – for a fun delicious twist on the classic with cereal and biscuity chocolates throughout adding new texture dimensions
- Gingerbread – for a festive twist, adding the warming spices of gingerbread to every bite
I’m making this for a school fundraiser later this week. As much as my family would like to trough it now I need to store it for a few days. Would you keep it in the fridge. Just worried about crunchies as it says not to refrigerate
I think crunchie’s can’t go in the fridge as it can affect the honeycomb structure if that makes sense – but otherwise if its just for me, I still shove it in if its a hot day! You can leave it somewhere cool outside of the fridge though x
Delicious! Can one perhaps freeze them?
Yes!
I’ve tried to make this twice now, but my chocolate just keeps splitting ? Not sure what I’m doing wrong. I’m melting it in a double boiler on the lowest heat, stirring constantly. Last time, the chocolate started to split before it had even melted fully. It’s very frustrating!
Ohh no! Sometimes it depends on the brand of chocolate. A different way of doing it is to melt the butter and syrup together and take it off the heat, and then add in the chocolate after. However, you can often still use the split chocolate as it should still set.
This is such a fabulous recipe!! Thank you for sharing. So quick & easy to make.
I made this vegan using Bournville, Vitalite, vegan marshmallows and vegan crunchie, and McVities light digestives. Superb! Thank you!
What can I say, Perfect as usual! The addition of crunchie bar is genuis. I did swap digestive for shortbread (Had a bit of an excess) but the taste is amazing, not too sweet like some recipes. 10/10.
This sounds so yummy! I cannot wait to make them for Easter! I’m just wondering what do you exactly mean by golden syrup? I know maple syrup, corn syrup and the syrup to be added on Arabic sweets. What’s the golden one? Thanks!
In the UK we have ‘golden syrup’ which is golden syrup. It’s worth googling it to see if you have a suitable alternative.
Rawan, try the ethnic aisle in your supermarket. I believe Publix carries it. Alternatively you may find it on eBay or Amazon from a 3rd party seller.
These look great, will be making these with my granddaughter tomorrow for her Girl Guides ? Thanks
Aww I hope they all love them! X
Does it make any difference whether you use milk or dark chocolate?
No, as I say in the post you can use Milk or Dark – its taste preference, it just won’t work with White.
Ah I see that now! I clearly looked straight past that part. Thanks for responding ?
Hehe its okay! ?
Can i replace the golden syrup with light corn syrup? Thank you. I hope you can answer Im excited to try this recipe. Thanks again.
I don’t see why not, but be careful – I would melt the mix in a double boiler not the microwave as I have no idea how corn syrup behaves.
I’ll have some mini marshmallows left over this weekend so I know what to do with them now ☺️
Ooh yes! Perfect plan!! ?
OMG! And Crunchies? Yum!
Yesss, gives it the perfect taste!!
I have just tried this for the first time using diary milk chocolate and the mixture went all thick and hard to mix. What would of caused this?
Hiya! Unfortunately, because of the ingredients, dairy milk tends to split or sieze a lot easier – I find it best to use supermarket’s own or basic! Hope this helps! x