Why it’s so good!
If you can melt chocolate, you can make this rocky road recipe. It’s that simple. This post is all about giving you the best tips to customise your very own treats by using my (not so) secret ultimate rocky road candy recipe formula!
- Made with 5 ingredients in 10 minutes
- No-bake dessert
- Kid-friendly recipe
- Infinitely customisable
- Makes for amazing gifts
This is one of those classic and nostalgic sweets that we all grew up with. It’s so fun to make with kids too, since it’s literally a throw-everything-in-a-bowl-and-mix style recipe. No cooking at all, just melt and mix, and takes just 10 minutes. It’s such a great way to get kids to be creative in the kitchen.
You’ll also love this 5 ingredient no bake marshmallow slice, and be sure to check out my latest rocky road addition — Biscoff Rocky Road. Also, this coconut ice is fun and easy for kids to make too.
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What is rocky road?
In some parts of the world, rocky road is a flavour of ice cream, but the same name is also given to no-bake chocolate candy bars comprised largely of marshmallows and chocolate.
A very classic rocky road recipe is chocolate, marshmallows, peanuts, coconut, and either Turkish delight or glace cherries. My ultimate rocky road recipe is quite similar and contains chocolate, nuts, shortbread cookies, and marshmallows and often, but not always, coconut.
Ingredients
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
- Milk and dark chocolate: Always make sure to use good quality chocolate that you like eating. Don’t use compound chocolate – it just doesn’t taste right in my rocky road candy recipe – and only use baking chocolate if you know it tastes good.
- Marshmallows: The second most important ingredient. Use bite-sized (like walnut-in-it’s-shell size) or mini marshmallows for the best results. You can also change it up and use a different flavour — if you want to make this rocky road candy recipe even more special, why not try making your own orange marshmallows to put in it?
- Nuts: Essential for a good crunch. Peanuts are a classic, but pick your favourite.
- Raspberry candy: I use Allen’s Ripe Raspberries candy, but you can use your preference. Any chewy jelly candy will work.
- Shortbread cookies: For more added crunch and sweet flavour.
How to make my recipe for rocky road candy
This rocky road recipe is so easy to make. And, once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll be able to customise it with your favorite extras, add-ons, and mix-ins. But first, let’s learn how to make the traditional version.
You’ll start by melting the chocolate. There are a few methods to do it:
- In the microwave: My favourite method, but you need to be very careful not to overheat it, or it doesn’t set quite so firm. Make sure to zap it in 30-second increments and stir it really well between each one. It shouldn’t take any longer than 1 ½ to 2 minutes.
- On the stovetop: Fill a small saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer. Place a heat-safe bowl on top without it touching the water and put your chocolate in. Stir it well the entire time until it’s about 90% melted, then remove it from the heat and stir until fully melted. While more fool-proof, this method takes a little longer, and if any water gets into the chocolate it can seize.
The rest of the recipe only takes minutes to make.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Melt the chocolate
Start by lining a loaf tin with baking paper, then chop the jellies, marshmallows, and cookies. Chop the milk and dark chocolate and place in a bowl to melt. I do mine in the microwave, but it’s very important not to let it get too hot. See my notes above.
Add your marshmallows, shortbread pieces, peanuts, and raspberry candy to the bowl.
2. Mix in the add-ons
Use a spatula to mix the marshmallows, shortbread, peanuts, and raspberry candy with the melted chocolate until well combined.
3. Add to loaf pan & chill
Tip the chocolate mixture into a lined loaf tin and use your spatula to smooth it out. Place in the fridge to chill for about an hour to set.
Cut into slices and serve, or wrap to give as gifts. Enjoy!
The ultimate rocky road recipe formula
To me, an easy rocky road recipe is comprised of 5 parts. Part 1 is chocolate, and the other 4 parts are all textures — soft, chewy, crunchy, and crispy. With those 5 parts in mind, you can go crazy creating all kinds of rocky road variations to suit whatever you feel like or whatever you have on hand. Here’s what I mean:
- Chocolate: You can use white, milk, dark, caramelised white chocolate, or ruby chocolate. Or a combination of them. You can even use a different coloured chocolate to drizzle over the top as contrast too.
- Soft: Marshmallows! With this sweet treat, you really can’t use anything else. However, you use the ones you like. From vanilla to multi-flavoured, twisty marshmallows, mini marshmallows, marshmallow ropes — use whatever you have or like.
- Chewy: For this component think of things like Turkish delight, jelly candies, gummies, dried fruits, or glace cherries. Coconut also fits into this category and while it’s often used in rocky road recipes, I prefer not to add it. Shredded coconut is best if you do want to add it.
- Crunchy: What I mean by crunchy is something hard and crunchy like nuts. Pick the ones you love — almonds, peanuts, macadamias, cashews, pecans — there are so many to choose from. You could even try candied nuts like these candied walnuts.
- Crispy: For this component, you want a dry crispy texture like cookies, digestive biscuits or things like Maltesers (whoppers), honeycomb, or clinkers. While a traditional rocky road doesn’t really have the crispy component and you can certainly leave it out, I love the addition of a little crisp texture.
For this ultimate rocky road recipe, the ingredients look like this:
- Chocolate: Milk chocolate and a little dark
- Soft: Vanilla and raspberry marshmallows
- Chewy: Raspberry gummy candies
- Crunchy: Peanuts
- Crispy: Shortbread pieces
Make an Easter rocky road recipe
I’ve also made Easter rocky road candy bars with flavoured twisty marshmallows, jelly tots, Maltesers, hazelnuts, and coconut — the whole thing is topped with Cadbury mini eggs.
Ingredients
The real brilliance of rocky road at Easter time is you can use up all those excess chocolate Easter eggs to make it, then regift it. But it’s not just perfect for Easter; Imagine giving your mum a homemade batch of rocky road for Mother’s Day or making up multiple batches to give away at Christmas. It really is synonymous with gift giving.
Follow the same instructions as above using your Easter mix-ins instead. And if you’re looking for another option, this Malteser rocky road is just as easy to make and is filled with crispy Maltesers.
@sugarsaltmagic Easy Rocky Road RECIPE: https://www.sugarsaltmagic.com/raspberry-rocky-road/ #recipe #viralrecipe #chocolate #recipevideo #rockyroad ♬ original sound – Marie – Sugar Salt Magic
FAQs
It all depends on what you put into your rocky road candy recipe. Generally, most chocolate is gluten-free, as are coconut and nuts. Not all marshmallows are created equally — some are GF and some are not. The important thing here is to check the packaging of every mix in, but it’s very easy to make a gluten-free rocky road.
Yes, you can. Make sure it’s in an airtight container, and it will keep in the freezer for a couple of months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Store your rocky road in the fridge in an airtight container.
This easy rocky road recipe will keep probably longer than you’ll take to eat it. It lasts well for many weeks and as long as all the mix-ins you’ve added. Have a look at the expiry dates on your ingredients, and as long as you store it correctly, your rocky road will keep as long as the shortest expiration date.
Chocolate seizing is what happens when water is added to chocolate and it firms up and goes lumpy. Water is the enemy of chocolate, so don’t let any get in or the chocolate will become unusable.
To get nice clean slices, use a heated knife. Heat it in hot water, then dry it off before cutting — or my favourite way is to use my kitchen torch and run it along the blade.
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Did you try this recipe for rocky road candy? Show it some love in the comments below.
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Video
Ingredients
- 200 g milk chocolate (7oz)
- 50 g dark (50%) chocolate (1.8oz)
- ⅓ cup Allen's Ripe Raspberries candy (or similar) (notes)
- ¾ cup, packed marshmallows (15 medium)
- ¼ cup peanuts
- 5 small shortbread cookies
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
Instructions
- Line a loaf tin, roughly 10x20cm / 4×8 inch, with baking paper.
- Cut the jellies and marshmallows in half. Roughly cut the cookies to a small bite size. Set aside.
- Finely chop the milk chocolate and dark chocolate then combine in a large bowl.
- Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir well and repeat another 2-3 times – stirring really well between each until it’s just melted. Don’t overheat.
- Add the raspberries, marshmallows, peanuts and cookie pieces to the chocolate and mix well.
- Tip into the prepared tin and nudge it into the corners.
- Place in the fridge to set for about 2 hours to set firm again. Cut into slices and serve or wrap to give away.
- Please take a minute to rate this recipe below. We truly appreciate it and it helps us create more recipes.
Notes
- Allen’s Ripe Raspberries are a jelly candy, similar to jubes or gummies. Anything similar will work.
- You can also swap the candy for Turkish delight or glace cherries
More Information
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31 Comments on “Easy Rocky Road”
BEST ROCKY ROAD EVER MADE!!
So happy you love it, Yve! Truly appreciate you dropping back to review as well 🙂
worked well ig you need a lot more chocolate
Hi Lily. So happy you enjoyed it. Keep in mind, different brands of chocolate will melt differently – some will be quite fluid while others are runny but still thick. The thicker type will take a little more work to mix through and coat everything than a more fluid brand. And, if you just love a higher chocolate ratio, have at it – that’s the wonderful thing about rocky road, it can be adjusted to suit your tastes very easily 🙂
Love this recipe. So easy and you can create your very own signature Rocky Road.
I’m so happy you love it, Anne. Thanks for trying my recipe 🙂
Love it, made it many times always works well.
So happy you love it, Debbie.
Haven’t tried it yet but it looks super easy and delicious. Can’t wait to get the ingredients and make it. Thanks.
Have fun, Jean 🙂
am an Aussie living in Tennessee, USA. for Christmas I wanted to do all Aussie slice treats! I LOVE rocky road with raspberries – the only way to hve it. Unfortunately we don’t have them here, so I opted for some gummy bears! Sooooo easy, and the best tasting rocky road so much flavour and texture! Thank you 🙂
I’m so happy to hear this, Rachel. It’s such a versatile treat – gummy bears sounds brilliant!
Very easy and delicious
So happy you love it, Jen 🙂
Best rocky road recipe! I made it for all my family for Christmas & they loved it
So happy you love it, Phillipa. Thanks so much for trying my recipe 🙂
No cherries or Allen’s or shortbread here in Bali but lots of coconut peanuts and cranberry. Toasted peanuts and coconut before adding the cranberries. Delicious and quick to make. Thank you 🙏🏼
Those are all fantastic swaps, Pity. Sounds delicious!
Hello,
Thank you for this very extensive post about rocky road. I am from Europe and it is not something we make, but in Australia a friend suggested I should make them with my son for Xmas. So, I looked into it and found your website. I am having so much fun with this. It’s very easy, requires no cooking which is perfect in the Australian summer.
I have been very creative with my rocky roads, and my favourite experiences is the Amaretti/black Forest one and the white chocolate with chocolate pretzel and dried apricot and honeyed macademia nuts.
Thank you again!
Yes! I love this Virginie and all the creative ideas you’ve come up with.
Very easy to prepare and hope it tastes as good as it looks!
So happy you love it Anne.
Great
i made this recipe and it is so delicious and easy! everybody loved it!
So so happy to hear this Abbey 🙂
just finished making it and it’s perfect rocky road just the way I like it
So happy you love it Marilyn
So simple but so delicious. The best way to use your spare chocolate 😀
Thanks so much
These cuties are so yummy looking! Also your new year resolutions sound just like mine hahaha Have you started sourdough yet? I’ve been thinking about getting the starter started.
My sourdough is still in the planning phase ?