Christmas Rocky Road
A no-bake traybake of chocolate, crushed biscuits, marshmallows and cherries: the easiest Christmas treat, and a favourite in Northern Irish traybake tins.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 2 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 16 squares
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Snack
- Cuisine
- Northern Irish
The total includes at least 2 hours chilling in the fridge.
Traybakes are a big part of home baking in Northern Ireland, and rocky road is one of the simplest: melt, stir, press into a tin and chill.
Glacé cherries and a dusting of icing sugar "snow" make this version Christmassy. No oven needed, so it is a good one to make with children.
Ingredients
Cups use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Weighing is more accurate.
- 200 g dark chocolate, or half dark, half milk, broken up
- 125 g butter
- 3 tbsp golden syrup
- 200 g digestive biscuits
- 100 g mini marshmallows
- 100 g glacé cherries, halved
- icing sugar, to dust (US: powdered sugar)
Equipment
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- 20 cm square cake tinHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Small saucepanHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Large mixing bowlHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Rolling pinHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Line a 20 cm square tin with baking paper.
- 2
Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Leave to cool for 10 minutes so it does not melt the marshmallows.
- 3
Put the biscuits in a food bag and bash with a rolling pin into a mix of crumbs and small pieces.
- 4
Stir the biscuits, marshmallows and glacé cherries into the chocolate until everything is coated.
- 5
Press into the tin and level the top. Chill for at least 2 hours, until firm.
- 6
Dust with icing sugar and cut into 16 squares.
Tips
A deep square tin gives neat squares. For gifts, pack them in a biscuit tin with baking paper between the layers (see gifts from the kitchen). For another Northern Irish traybake, try fifteens.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Marshmallows melted | Chocolate too hot | Let the melted chocolate cool for 10 minutes first |
| Crumbly when cut | Biscuits crushed too fine, or not chilled enough | Keep some larger pieces and chill until fully firm |
| Hard to cut | Cut straight from the fridge | Leave at room temperature for 10 minutes and use a hot, dry knife |
Frequently asked questions
Is rocky road suitable for vegetarians?
Not usually: most marshmallows contain gelatine. Use gelatine-free marshmallows and check the other labels.
How long does rocky road keep?
About a week in an airtight tin in a cool place or the fridge.
Can I freeze rocky road?
Yes. Freeze the squares in a container with baking paper between the layers, and defrost in the fridge.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
Buying guide
How to Choose Sandwich Tins for Victoria Sponge
How-to
Essential Equipment for British Baking
Buying guide
Rolling Pins: Which Type Is Best for Pastry?
Buying guide
Mixing Bowls: Glass, Steel or Ceramic?
Kitchen design
Copper Pans in the Kitchen: Cooking, Display and Care
Buying guide
Saucepans: Stainless, Non-Stick or Copper?
Buying guide
Baking Trays and Bun Tins: What You Need
Buying guide
Springform and Deep Cake Tins: A Guide
More Northern Irish Food recipes
Recipe · 1 hr 40 min
Apple Tart (Plate Pie)
Sharp Bramley apples between two layers of sweet shortcrust on a pie plate: the apple tart of every Northern Irish kitchen.
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Champ
Creamy mashed potato beaten with scallions and milk, served with a pool of melting butter.
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Fifteens
Northern Ireland's no-bake traybake: digestives, marshmallows and glacé cherries rolled in coconut and sliced.
Card photos: A round, deep cake tin, Douglas P Perkins via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0, cropped; Small cakes cooling on a wire rack, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; A wooden rolling pin with handles, Peter Kammer via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Copper pans and a kettle on an old kitchen range, Silar via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A small stainless steel saucepan with a lid, Cooks & Kitchens from Darlington, UK via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; Mince pies baked in a bun tray, Jeremy Keith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A strawberry pie in a springform tin, W.carter via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped; A slice of apple pie served with custard, Acabashi via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Champ: mashed potato with chopped spring onions, in a pan, Glane23 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Slices of fifteens with marshmallows and cherries, rolled in coconut, Keithawilliamson via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.