C'mon...I'm English...It was only a matter of time before I came up with a recipe for vegan digestive biscuits! With their distinctive crunchy, crumbly texture & not too sweet, almost nutty flavour, these British favourites make the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea......I'm totally conforming to the typical English stereotype here, aren't I?
This recipe is tried and true and has been a real reader favourite for nearly a decade! I've recently retested the recipe to check it's still perfect and up to today's standards, and I've added directions for how to top them with chocolate. I prefer a plain digestive, but I've been asked how to make chocolate digestives so many times over the years, I thought I should add some official directions!
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FEATURED COMMENT:
"After searching high and low for a digestive recipe that was vegan, I found this one. I had everything on hand and threw these in the oven in under 20 minutes. The result was perfectly balanced and nearly identical to what I remember of the real thing! Absolutely Divine!" - Alex ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
It's time to bake some Vegan Digestive Biscuits, put the kettle on, make some tea and relax! Who's with me?
I thought long and hard about what to call this recipe. Should I stick to my roots and call them 'Digestive Biscuits' or, as I now live in Canada, and most of you are from the USA and Canada, should I call them 'Digestive Cookies'?
My roots won! The English name seems like the right choice. After all, they are English biscuits and 'digestive cookie' just doesn't sound right to me!
These simple but very delicous biscuits are perfectly crunchy. The wholegrain spelt flour (or wholewheat) gives them a delicious nuttiness, and the oatmeal gives them a lovely, slightly nubbly texture.
I love them with a cup of tea (dipping is compulsory!). They are also great for making a cheesecake crust, and because they are similar to the iconic American graham cracker, they work well for s'mores too. I must also admit to being quite partial to them spread thickly with vegan butter and topped with strong cheddar-style vegan cheese!
Mel x
P.S. When you make these, be sure to use a couple in my Emergency Strawberry Cheesecake Bowl and my Cheat's Banoffee Bowl!
What Are Digestive Biscuits?
Digestive biscuits are pretty similar in taste and texture to the iconic American graham cracker and are one of the most popular biscuits sold in the UK. According to Wikipedia, more than 80 million packs are sold annually. That's a whole lot of biscuits, and it just goes to show how great they are!
They were originally created by two doctors in 1839 as a digestive aid. Bicarbonate of soda (or baking soda, as my Canadian and American friends know it) was added to them to act as an antacid, hence the name. This doesn't make them sound too appealing, but honestly, they are extremely delicious, so please stick with me!
You'll notice that my recipe does not include the traditional bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, so I am afraid they won't act as an antacid! I tried them with and without, and to be honest, it didn't make any difference to their appearance or taste, so why bother? 🤷♀️
No. The fat is necessary to make a good-textured, crunchy biscuit.
This recipe needs a hard fat to work. Refined coconut oil works best. Using refined coconut oil means that you don't get any coconut smell or taste. Vegan butter does not give as good a texture.
This recipe has only been tested with spelt flour and wholewheat flour, and that's because without them, the biscuits would not taste anything like digestive biscuits. I don't recommend making them with anything else.
Only if you have a blender. If so, put the oats in your blender and pulse them a few times to get a very coarse flour consistency. Then mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and rub/cut the fat into it with the tips of your fingers or a pastry cutter before adding the liquid. Just like making pie crust. Once it's like coarse breadcrumbs, start adding the milk and stir with a dinner knife to combine, then bring together into a ball with your hands before rolling and cutting.
Recipe
Vegan Digestive Biscuits
Author:Ingredients
- heaping ½ cup (60 grams) rolled, old fashioned or quick oats
- 2 cups (230 grams) wholegrain spelt flour or wholewheat flour (plus a little more for rolling)
- ½ cup (100 grams) sugar , cane sugar, light brown sugar, or turbinado/demerara sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt , not table salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- packed ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (80 grams) refined coconut oil , hard not melted
- about 6 tablespoons dairy-free milk , unsweetened & unflavoured
OPTIONAL FOR CHOCOLATE-TOPPED DIGESTIVES
- 5oz / 150 grams dairy-free chocolate bar , or chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons refined coconut oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 380°F (190°C) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- Add the oats to a food processor and process until they have a course flour like consistency.
- Then add the spelt flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder and pulse a couple of times to combine.
- Add the coconut oil. Pulse until combined and sandy looking.
- Gradually add the milk a little at a time until the dough looks like wet sand and will come together when you squeeze it in your hand. I usually use 6 tablespoons, but this will vary slightly depending on the brand of flour used and humidity.
- Dust a clean, dry work surface with some flour then transfer the dough to the floured surface. Pat into a ball with your hands then lightly sprinkle the top with a bit more flour.
- Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick, sprinkling with a little more flour as needed, and use cookie cutters to cut into rounds. If you don't have cookie cutters, the top of a mason jar does a great job. Keep rerolling and cutting the offcuts until it's all used up. I get 18 with a 3-inch round cookie cutter.
- Place on the lined baking tray. They don't spread much, so you don't need to leave a lot of room around each one.
- Bake for about 15 to 16 minutes or until just starting to turn golden brown on the edges and bottom. They will still have a very slight give in the middle if you push with a finger. As they cool, they will crisp up.
- Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Digestives aren't at their best when warm, in fact their texture and flavour improves from the second day onwards.
If topping with chocolate
- Once the biscuits are completely cool, very gently melt the chocolate with the coconut oil in a small bowl over simmering hot water, or in very short bursts in a microwave. Stir really well to combine.
- Working with just one biscuit at a time, put a small dollop of melted chocolate on the top of the biscuit and spread carefully with the back of a spoon or a spatula to cover the top surface area. Leave to set before enjoying.
NOTES
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Kelly says
Oh thank you for such a great recipe- made with whole wheat flour and came out great! Also just cut them with a knife instead of cookie cutter- so much easier. My toddler enjoyed helping and I will dip some in chocolate for me now that she's asleep ;)
Melanie McDonald says
Love that you’re treating yourself after bedtime! Thanks for your review, Kelly!
Kathy says
Hi Mel,
Can this recipe be made without a food processor? I have a stand mixer or a blender but sadly no food processor. I’d like to make these biscuits for my soon to be 3 yrs old grandbaby that doesn’t really get to eat sweets, I think these would be perfect.
Thanks so much.
Melanie McDonald says
You can yes. Put the oats in your blender and pulse them a few times to get a coarse flour consistency. Then mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and rub/cut the fat into it with the tips of your fingers or a pastry cutter before adding the liquid. Just like making pie crust. Once it's like coarse breadcrumbs add the milk. I hope your grandbaby enjoys them!
Kathy says
Thank you kindly Mel, Im so happy I get to make these! Also making your delicious blueberry muffins and apple cake…it’s going to be a Virtual Vegan recipe baking day! 😊
Wen says
Mel, I'm making your New York Cheesecake the third time now, and it'll be for a farewell party for a dear friend of ours. I'd like to make your digestive biscuits for the base too, just wondering could I just spread the biscuit dough directly onto the springform pan and bake it raw together with the cheesecake ingredients?
Or do I bake the cookie crust till it's done in the springform pan first; let it cool, then pour the cheesecake ingredients on top of it and bake the whole cake?
Thank you so much, your recipe is really genius (who'd have thought chickpeas could masquerade in a cheesecake so well!)
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you're enjoying the cheesecake!
If making these digestive cookies for the base you will need to make them as per the recipe, cool completely, then bash them up into crumbs and mix with the butter to make the base (as per the cheesecake recipe) before pouring in the filling and baking it.
One big giant cookie won't work. You won't get that lovely crumbly texture and buttery taste and it would be super hard to cut into portions. Hope that helps.
Wen says
Thank you so much for your prompt reply! I'm so glad I asked you, I was going to do the one big giant cookie approach - now I know it's a bad idea :)
Really grateful for all your awesome work. I can see your sincerity in all that you do here. Thank you, Mel!
Clare says
Hey Mel, just wondering if you think coconut sugar will sub well for the brown sugar in this? Thanks, Clare :-)
Melanie McDonald says
I've never tried it but I'm pretty sure it will be fine!
Clare says
Thanks Mel, love your recipes!
Sylvia W says
Yay! I just followed the link from today's emergency cheesecake bowl recipe, and woohoo! Way back in the summer of '74, between my junior and senior years of college, I spent 45 days riding around England and Scotland on a ten-speed bicycle, and eating every local food I could. Even then I was adventurous, and quickly developed a passion for haggis, fish & chips, black sausage and - yes - digestive biscuits!
I am still not vegan (yet, anyway), but I am more plant based than not. Recently my local grocery import section actually had digestives with the dark chocolate tops - my original favorites! Now I don't have to pay inflated prices - just make them at home - thank you!
Melanie McDonald says
Sounds like a fun adventure! These are so good dipped in melted dark chocolate. Enjoy!
Genevieve says
Yes. Extremely yes. Thank you! Eating my first one now fresh out of the oven. These cookies are the best ….great flavor and not too sweet. Will be my middle of the night snack as well as lunchbox treat.
Melanie McDonald says
I'm so pleased you're enjoying them, Genevieve, and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's much appreciated!
Laura says
How long do these keep and do you store them in the fridge please?
Melanie McDonald says
Store in an airtight container at room temp. Don't put them in the fridge. They keep for months as long as the container is properly air tight.
Susan says
Hi Mel,
I’m wondering if I can make these gluten-free. What flour would you recommend? One to one or almond or something totally different?
Melanie McDonald says
I wouldn't recommend making these with gluten-free flour. Sorry, Susan! Their distinctive texture and flavour relies on the wholewheat or spelt flavour. They would have no flavour without it and just wouldn't be digestive biscuits.