An epicurean adventure to: Lithuania
Today, we're making Tinginys, also known as Lithuanian Lazy Cookies.
This classic Lithuanian treat is both easy to prepare and exceptionally delicious!
With no baking required, it's also quite economical and uses only seven ingredients - perfect!
Jump to:
- Fast facts - Lithuania
- What's to love about this recipe
- What is Tinginys?
- How do you pronounce it?
- Key ingredient notes and substitutions
- How to make Tinginys: Step-by-step
- Variations
- How to make vegan Tinginys
- Storage
- Can you freeze Tinginys?
- More easy no-bake recipes
- Recipe
- Variations:
- More easy recipes using condensed milk
- More recipes with chocolate
In just 10 minutes, you can have a batch ready with minimal effort. We’re tweaking the traditional tinginys recipe by adding peanuts and chocolate chips for a nutty crunch and an extra chocolatey kick.
These cookies are perfect for tea time, lunch boxes and picnics.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these popular Mars bar slices.
Fast facts - Lithuania
| Location | Lithuania is a country located in Northern Europe. It is situated on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea and shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) to the southwest. |
| Language | The official language of Lithuania is Lithuanian. It is a Baltic language and is considered one of the oldest living languages in the world. |
| Population | Circa 2.7 million people. |
| Trivia | Lithuania has its very own signature scent called "The Scent of Lithuania". This fragrance combines notes of sandalwood, ginger, raspberry, musk, wildflowers and more. It's a symphony of scents that aims to capture the essence of the country and its rich history. |
What's to love about this recipe
- No-bake recipe, 10 minutes of prep time, perfect for cooking with kids.
- Rich, creamy texture with the delightful crunch of biscuits and peanuts.
- Personalise with extras like raisins, dried cherries or toffee pieces.
- Tinginys is a great introduction to the vastly underrated Lithuanian cuisine.
What is Tinginys?
Tinginys, also known as "lazy cake" or "lazy cookies," is a hugely popular no-bake Lithuanian dessert. Made from sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder and crushed biscuits. It's simple yet utterly delicious.
Lithuanians living abroad often make Tinginys to reconnect with their heritage. So, treat an expat Lithie near you and make their day!
Served chilled or at room temperature, Tinginys can be customised with dried fruits or nuts, although the traditional version uses just plain biscuits.
The name "Tinginys" translates to 'lazy' in Lithuanian, highlighting just how easy it is to make!
Though its exact origins are unclear, Tinginys likely comes from Lithuania or nearby Eastern European countries. It's especially popular during holiday celebrations.
How do you pronounce it?
Have a listen here on how to pronounce Tinginys the right way. Always good to get it right!
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.
Plain biscuits
Any plain biscuits without a filling or additions like chocolate chips will work for this recipe.
We use digestive biscuits, but you can also use Graham crackers, Tea biscuits, shortbreads etc. Just something with a neutral flavour and a texture that will hold up when drenched in liquid.
Peanuts
We add them whole, no need for chopping them smaller.
Chocolate chips
Use either milk, dark or white chocolate chips. Butterscotch would be lovely too!
Butter
We highly recommend using unsalted butter, as the salt in the biscuits should be enough. However, regular salted butter will also work fine if that’s what you have.
If you can find European butter, definitely use it. Its higher fat content (usually 82% or higher) will make the Tinginys extra rich and delicious.
Sugar
You only need a small amount of sugar. We add a tablespoon to balance the unsweetened cocoa powder.
If you're using sweetened cocoa powder, you can skip the extra sugar.
Sweetened condensed milk
A can of condensed milk in the UK weighs around 397g, which is what we use in this recipe.
The weight may vary slightly in other countries, but as long as you're using around the ±400g mark, a few grams over or under won't affect the outcome.
Cocoa powder
We highly recommend using a good quality Dutch-processed, 100% unsweetened cocoa powder like Valrhona, Callebaut or Ghirardelli.
Otherwise, use the cocoa powder available to you.
How to make Tinginys: Step-by-step
- Line a standard 2lb loaf tin (21cm x 11cm x 7cm) with plastic wrap, or cling film. Make sure you have a generous overhang of wrap. We will use the excess wrap to cover the top of the Tinginys later.
- In a large mixing bowl, crush the biscuits with your hands. You will need pieces of about 1-2cm (0.4"-0.8").
- Add the peanuts and the chocolate chips to the bowl of biscuits.
- Mix the peanuts and chocolate chips with the crushed biscuits.
- Dice the butter into slightly smaller pieces and add it to a small saucepan along with the sugar.
- Over a low heat, whilst stirring, heat until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Don't allow it to boil.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and the cocoa powder. Keep stirring for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Again, don't allow the mixture to boil, a very gentle simmer towards the end of the time is ok, and expected. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the crushed biscuits.
- Stir through until all the biscuits are covered.
- Spoon the Tinginys mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
- Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before covering the top of the tin with the plastic wrap overhang.
- Place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Lift the block of Tinginys from the tin. Turn it upside down on a chopping board and remove the plastic wrap. Cut into slices. You can half the slices again for smaller portions.
Variations
- Add extras like raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries or any dried fruit chopped into small pieces.
- Add any nuts of your liking.
- Add a splash of rum or whisky to enhance the flavour.
- Add pieces of toffee, fudge or honeycomb.
- Instead of making this in a tin, you can also roll the mixture into a log shape, inside plastic wrap, and cut it into circles, like a chocolate salami.
- Drizzle melted chocolate over the 'loaf' or dust with cocoa powder.
How to make vegan Tinginys
- Replace the biscuits with vegan biscuits.
- Replace the chocolate chips with vegan chocolate chips, or chop up a slab of vegan chocolate.
- Replace the butter with a plant-based butter.
- Replace the sweetened condensed milk with coconut milk condensed milk.
Storage
Tinginys can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Keep them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, as they can become soft and lose their texture if they are exposed to heat and moisture.
They will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Can you freeze Tinginys?
Yes, you can. It can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to a month. However, keep in mind that the texture may change slightly after freezing and thawing.
More easy no-bake recipes
Recipe
Tinginys - Lithuanian Lazy Cookies
Equipment
- 1 1 standard 2lb loaf tin (21cm x 11cm x 7cm)
- 1 small saucepan
Ingredients
- 400 grams plain biscuits - like digestives, Graham crackers, shortbread etc
- 100 grams peanuts - whole, not chopped up
- 100 grams chocolate chips
- 200 grams unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tin sweetened condensed milk - circa 400g
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Line a standard 2lb loaf tin (21cm x 11cm x 7cm) with plastic wrap. Make sure you have a generous overhang of wrap. We will use the excess wrap to cover the top of the Tinginys.
- In a large mixing bowl, crush the biscuits with your hands. You will need pieces of about 1-2cm (0.4"-0.8"). See blog post for photo reference.400 grams plain biscuits
- Add the peanuts and the chocolate chips to the bowl of biscuits and mix through.100 grams peanuts, 100 grams chocolate chips
- Dice the butter into slightly smaller pieces and add it to a small saucepan along with the sugar. Over a low heat, whilst stirring, heat until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolved. Don't allow it to boil.200 grams unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon sugar
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and the cocoa powder. Keep stirring for a further 2-3 minutes. Again, don't allow the mixture to boil, a very gentle simmer towards the end of the time is ok, and expected. Remove from the heat.1 tin sweetened condensed milk, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the crushed biscuits. Stir through until all the biscuits are covered.
- Spoon the Tinginys mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before covering the top of the tin with the plastic wrap overhang.
- Place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Lift the block of Tinginys from the tin. Turn it upside down on a chopping board and remove the plastic wrap. Cut into slices. You can half the slices again for smaller portions.
Notes
Variations:
- Add extras like raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries or any dried fruit chopped into small pieces.
- Add any nuts of your liking.
- Add a splash of rum or whisky to enhance the flavour.
- Add pieces of toffee, fudge or honeycomb.
- Instead of making this in a tin, you can also roll the mixture into a log shape, inside plastic wrap, and cut it into circles, like a chocolate salami.
- Drizzle melted chocolate over the 'loaf' or dust with cocoa powder.
**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
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More recipes with chocolate
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Condensed milk chocolate cookies
stefanija says
Good to see our recipe gets recognition i grew up with tinginys and it is still my favorite!! My grandma always made this for me i will share recipe with you friends !! The steps you did are good very important it doesn’t boil. I see you add suger to the mix, its too much friend. Condensed milk sweetened is already very sweet. I will share my grandma’s recipe here . 400 grams cookies, those what are not very sweet. 380 grams of sweet condensed milk, that is one can. 180 grams of butter. And then 2 eating? spoons of cocoa powder(not the one with suger). No more suger! It will make the melt differently and weird. Also dont add peanut or chocolate!! I think personally it ruins the dish and it is distracting. I love sharing recipes with silly amerikans!! Lets learn from each others! This way is the traditional way. Have fun making this dish and sharing with friends!!
Maretha Corbett says
Hi Stefanija,
Many thanks for generously sharing your grandmother's Tinginys recipe! It sounds delicious and truly traditional. While researching, we noticed quite a few Lithuanian bakers using peanuts, which inspired our twist on the recipe. We admit it's not the original Tinginys and we don't claim it to be. Also, a small correction - I'm a 'silly South African,' not 'a silly American'. Silly none the less 😊 Thanks for the tips and let's keep learning from each other!
Maretha.