Tinginys Recipe (Lithuanian Lazy Cake)

Tinginys is a Lithuanian no-bake biscuit cake made by coating broken biscuits in a cocoa, butter and sweetened condensed milk mixture, then chilling it until firm enough to slice. It is often called Lithuanian lazy cake or lazy cookies in English.

This is my own richer variation, with peanuts and chocolate chips for extra crunch and chocolate. Those additions are not meant to represent every Lithuanian family recipe; some versions are much plainer, while others include nuts or dried fruit.

It takes about 10 minutes to put together, then the fridge does the rest. The finished loaf is dense, fudgy and studded with crisp biscuit pieces, and it slices best after an overnight chill.

You can listen to the Lithuanian pronunciation of tinginys on HowToPronounce.com.

Updated in July 2026 with clearer notes on this variation, improved method cues, troubleshooting and revised storage advice.

Ingredient notes

You'll find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Plain biscuits

Digestive biscuits are what I use for this recipe. They give the tinginys a slightly crumbly texture and a richer flavour than plainer tea biscuits.

In Lithuania, tinginys is often made with Gaidelis, a classic Lithuanian biscuit. Rich Tea or Marie biscuits are good alternatives if you prefer a plainer, less sweet result.

Break the biscuits into rough pieces rather than fine crumbs so you still get clear biscuit pieces in every slice.

Peanuts and chocolate chips

These are the deliberate twist in my version. Tinginys recipes vary from family to family, with some kept plain and others made with nuts or dried fruit. Peanuts and chocolate chips add extra crunch and chocolate to mine.

If you swap them, keep the combined add-ins at roughly 200g so the biscuit-to-sauce balance stays similar. Chopped hazelnuts, dried cranberries, raisins or dried cherries are good alternatives.

Sweetened condensed milk

Use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk. One standard 397g UK tin or 14oz US can is close enough to 400g and does not need adjusting.

Cocoa powder

Use unsweetened cocoa powder. Drinking chocolate and sweetened cocoa mixes will make the finished loaf much sweeter.

How to make tinginys

Step 1: Line a standard 2lb loaf tin, approximately 21cm x 11cm x 7cm, with cling film. Leave enough overhang to cover the top later. Baking parchment can be used instead.

Step 2: Break the biscuits by hand into rough 1-2cm pieces. Do not crush them into fine crumbs; the visible biscuit pieces create the mosaic-like pattern when the tinginys is sliced.

Step 3: Stir the peanuts and chocolate chips through the biscuit pieces until evenly distributed.

Step 4: Add the butter and sugar to a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Do not allow it to boil.

Step 5: Add the sweetened condensed milk and sift in the cocoa powder. Stir continuously over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth, glossy and slightly thickened, with no dry cocoa lumps.

A few small bubbles around the edge are fine, but remove it from the heat before it reaches a full boil.

Step 6: Pour the warm cocoa mixture over the biscuits, peanuts and chocolate chips. Stir thoroughly until every biscuit piece is coated and there are no dry pockets or pools of liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

Step 7: Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Press it down firmly and work it into the corners to remove air pockets, then smooth the top.

Step 8: Leave it to cool for about 10 minutes, then fold the cling-film overhang across the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, although overnight gives the cleanest slices.

Step 9: Lift the tinginys from the tin and remove the cling film. Cut it into slices with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts. For smaller portions, cut each slice in half.

Troubleshooting

My tinginys is too soft to slice

Chill it for longer first. Four hours is the minimum, but an overnight chill gives a much firmer loaf.

If it is still soft, check that you used block butter rather than a spreadable butter or margarine, and that the condensed milk, butter and biscuits were measured accurately. Too much condensed milk or too few biscuits will leave the mixture loose.

For a quick fix, place it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before slicing.

It crumbles when I cut it

Make sure all the biscuit pieces are thoroughly coated and press the mixture firmly into the tin to remove air gaps. If it is breaking because it is extremely cold and hard, leave it at room temperature for five minutes before slicing.

The cocoa mixture looks oily or split

The heat was probably too high. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir firmly until the mixture comes back together.

Keep the mixture over low heat and do not let it reach a full boil, as boiling can cause the butter and condensed milk mixture to separate.

Prefer it less sweet?

Tinginys is a rich, sweet treat, especially in this version with condensed milk and chocolate chips. If you would prefer a less sweet result next time, use plainer biscuits such as Rich Tea, Marie or Petit Beurre, choose dark chocolate chips and make sure your cocoa powder is unsweetened.

Variations

Keep the combined add-ins at roughly 200g so the amount of biscuit and chocolate mixture remains balanced.

• Replace the peanuts and chocolate chips with 100g chopped hazelnuts and 100g dried cranberries.
• Use a mixture of raisins, dried cherries and chopped nuts.
• Shape the mixture into a log inside cling film rather than pressing it into a loaf tin. Once chilled, it can be sliced into rounds like chocolate salami.
• Dust the finished loaf lightly with cocoa powder before serving.

How to serve tinginys

Serve tinginys chilled in small slices with tea or coffee. It is rich, so 24 small pieces from one loaf is a realistic yield.

If it feels very firm straight from the fridge, leave it at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving. Do not leave the whole loaf sitting out for an extended period; return any leftovers to the fridge.

More no-bake chocolate and biscuit desserts

For another fridge-set biscuit dessert, try my chocolate tiffin, chocolate biscuit cake, rocky road fudge, Argentinian chocotorta or no-bake Biscoff slices.