Lithuanian tinginys is an easy no-bake chocolate dessert made with crushed tea biscuits, sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, and butter. The mixture is shaped into a log, chilled until firm, and sliced into cookies with pieces of crunchy biscuit throughout.
I learned about tinginys from two young women from Lithuania, Giedrė and Gerda, whom I met while they were working at a guest house at Chautauqua Institution. When I asked them to recommend an easy Lithuanian dessert, they both laughed and said "tinginys" almost in unison. The name means "lazy one," which is fitting because this traditional dessert is incredibly simple to make.
- 🍪 What is it? Tinginys, Lithuania's beloved "lazy man" cookie, is a no-bake chocolate treat of crumbled tea biscuits bound in a cocoa and sweetened condensed milk fudge, shaped into a log and sliced.
- ❤️ Why you'll love it? With just 20 minutes of hands-on time and no oven needed, it's rich and fudgy with crunchy biscuit pieces, a hint of warm cinnamon, and tart dried cherries.
- 👩🍳 How do you make it? Melt the butter into the sweetened condensed milk, whisk in the cocoa, and cook until the mixture thickens to the ribbon stage. Fold in the biscuit pieces and dried cherries, shape into a log, and chill for 3-4 hours before slicing.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- No oven required
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Rich chocolate flavor with crunchy biscuit pieces
- Can be made ahead and kept refrigerated until you're ready to slice it
- Perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday parties, and cookie exchanges
- An authentic Lithuanian recipe shared with me by two women from Lithuania
What is tinginys?
Tinginys is a traditional Lithuanian no-bake dessert made by combining broken biscuits or cookies with a chocolate mixture typically made from cocoa, butter, and sweetened condensed milk. The mixture is shaped into a log or loaf, chilled until firm, and sliced before serving.
The Lithuanian word "tinginys" means "lazy one," a playful reference to how little work is required to make the dessert. No baking is necessary, which makes it an especially easy dessert to prepare ahead for holidays, parties, and family gatherings.!
How to make Lithuanian tinginys
Make the chocolate mixture
- Step 1: In a saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter into the sweetened condensed milk. (While the butter is melting, break the cookies into large chunks and place in a large bowl.)
- Step 2: Whisk the cocoa powder into the sauce pan after the butter has melted. Continue to stir while the mixture bubbles and thickens. It will form a ribbon on the surface when thick enough.
Combine the biscuits and chocolate
- Step 3: Crumble the digestive cookies into chunks that are approximately ½ inch and place in a large bowl. Pour the hot chocolate mixture over the cookies and work quickly.
- Step 4: Fold the mixture into the cookies until thoroughly coated and add in the chopped cherries.
Pack and shape the tinginys, then chill
- Step 5: Line a 5"x9" loaf pan with plastic wrap and pour in the mixture. Thoroughly distribute the mixture in the pan.
- Step 6: Pull the plastic wrap together to form a round loaf and chill for 3-4 hours. If the plastic wants to unwrap use some binder clips to hold in place. Slice, serve and enjoy! Keep refrigerated.
How to make tinginys firm enough to slice
The chocolate mixture needs to be cooked until it is thick enough to reach the ribbon stage before it is poured over the biscuits. When you lift the whisk or spoon, the mixture should fall back into the pan in a thick ribbon that briefly remains visible on the surface before disappearing.
I discovered how important this step is while retesting the recipe after a reader had trouble getting the tinginys firm enough to slice cleanly. I removed the milk from the original recipe and cooked the chocolate mixture longer before coating the biscuits. Once thoroughly chilled, the revised tinginys was firm and easy to slice without compressing the loaf.
Key Ingredients for tinginys
- Tea biscuits: Plain tea or digestive biscuits provide the distinctive crunchy pieces throughout the tinginys. McVitie's work well, and Gaidelis are an excellent choice if you can find them.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This provides sweetness and helps bind the chocolate mixture together. Be sure to use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk.
- European-style butter: I recommend European-style butter because its higher butterfat content adds richness and helps the tinginys become firm when chilled.
- Cocoa powder: Cocoa gives the dessert its rich chocolate flavor without adding extra liquid.
- Cinnamon: Just a small amount adds warmth to the chocolate.
- Dried cherries: These add small pockets of fruity sweetness and are an optional addition to the basic tinginys.
Tips for perfect tinginys
- Break the biscuits into chunks rather than fine crumbs so you can see pieces in every slice.
- Use European-style butter for its higher butterfat content.
- Cook the chocolate mixture to the ribbon stage before pouring it over the biscuits.
- Fold the biscuits into the chocolate gently so you don't crush them.
- Pack the mixture firmly when shaping the log to eliminate large air pockets.
- Chill the tinginys thoroughly before slicing.
- Keep it refrigerated and slice it while cold for the cleanest pieces.
Tinginys for Christmas and holiday cookie trays
Tinginys is especially convenient during the Christmas season because there's no baking and it can be prepared ahead of time. Keep the finished log refrigerated, then slice it when you're ready to assemble a cookie tray or dessert platter. The chocolate slices with their mosaic-like pieces of biscuit also look distinctive alongside traditional Christmas cookies, making tinginys a fun addition to holiday parties and cookie exchanges.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, and keeps them very firm for slicing cleanly.
Cook until the ribbon stage for the proper thickness before removing from the stove and chill until firm.
McVitie's or Gaidelis work well.
More holiday cookies and desserts to try
If you're putting together a Christmas cookie tray or looking for more holiday desserts from around the world, try Greek melomakarona, honey-soaked Christmas cookies flavored with orange, cinnamon, and cloves. German lebkuchen are another traditional Christmas favorite packed with warm spices, while Spanish polvorones de limón are buttery shortbread cookies with a bright hint of lime. For something beyond cookies, Italian panforte is a rich Christmas dessert filled with nuts, dried fruit, and spices. You might also enjoy traditional Irish butter cookies or make a colorful batch of old-fashioned hard candy for gifting during the holidays.
📖 Recipe
Lithuanian Tinginys (No-Bake Chocolate Cookies)
Ingredients
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 oz unsalted butter European style butter is best.
- 360 g tea cookies McVities plain or chocolate coated work great
- 2 tablespoon dried cherries chopped
Instructions
- Crumble tea biscuits into medium size chunks, and place in a bowl.
- In a saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk, and melt in the butter. Add in the cocoa powder.
- Cook, stirring often, until the mixture bubbles, thickens, and reaches the ribbon stage, about 3-5 minutes.
- Pour chocolate mixture over the cookies and stir to coat evenly. Mix in the dried fruit.
- Line a 5"x9" loaf pan with plastic wrap, and pour the mixture. Try to evenly distribute throughout.
- Remove from loaf pan, and try to form a cylinder. Place in the refrigerator and cool for about 3-4 hours.
- Slice thinly, and serve with fruit if desired.
Notes
- Break the biscuits into roughly ½-inch chunks rather than crushing them into fine crumbs.
- Use European-style butter for its higher butterfat content and rich flavor.
- Cook the chocolate mixture until it reaches the ribbon stage before pouring it over the biscuits.
- Work quickly when coating the biscuits because the chocolate mixture will begin to firm as it cools.
- Pack the mixture firmly into the loaf pan to eliminate large air pockets.
- Chill the tinginys thoroughly before slicing.
- Keep it refrigerated and slice it while cold for the cleanest pieces.
Sarah says
What a cool story! You'll have to find more exchange students if you get low on ideas hehe. I love that! And I've never heard of either brand of cookie here 🙁 But I'll keep an eye out for them!
Analida says
Hi Sarah! Yes, it's a cool story. Those girls were so nice. I still have another recipe from them that I will publish in the next month or so. As a matter of fact, I am going to Chautauqua Institution again this summer. I will be staying at the same guest house, so I know I will meet other exchange students. You can find Digestive cookies online if your grocery store doesn't carry them. 🙂
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
Mmmm. How fun is this recipe! These are right up my alley and I can't wait to find the cookies and make this!!
Analida says
Thanks Elaine! Yes, it's a fun and easy recipe. If you can't find the Digestive cookies at the store, they have them online. 🙂
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
What an unusual cookie! I bet it goes quickly on a dessert tray. I would love to try to make some. I love unusual desserts.
Analida says
Hi Marisa, yes it is kind of unusual, and it does go quick. I took a batch to my office and they gobbled them up. I hope you get to make them.
Helene says
Oh we have friend from Lithuania who come every year to Goa. They will be coming in jan or feb so I will ask them about these cookies, I didn't think of asking them about their Christmas food tradition. Love how easy these cookies are made from scratch. 😀
Analida says
Hi Helene! Yes, ask them about the cookies. The girls who told me about them were very excited to share the recipe.
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says
It resembles so much our Italian chocolate salami, another no-bake dessert with very similar ingredients, shape, and preparation. So easy and so good!
Analida says
Hi Nicoletta! That is really cool. It always amazes me how some recipes from different countries and cultures resemble each other. I will check out your Italian chocolate salami; I am intrigued. 🙂
Ben Myhre says
These look like some really good cookies!
Analida says
They're really good, and super easy to make. Thanks for commenting Ben.
Julie says
These are so pretty with the crumbled pieces of tea biscuits inside! I haven't heard of them before but they look stunning.
Analida says
Thanks so much Julie. I had never heard of them until I met the two Lithuanian girls.
Monica | Nourish & Fete says
What a great, simple recipe - and I love the story of how you acquired it! I also second the exhortation to use European butter - in this recipe certainly, and also in general. I'm so spoiled now, having lived in Belgium for 2+ years. I think I'm going to miss the butter in a major way when we move back to the U.S.!
Analida says
What a wonderful experience to live in Belgium. As a teen I lived in London for 4 years and loved it. Isn't European butter wonderful? The great thing is that we can get some of it in the US. If you get to make these let me know how you like them.
Leslie Haasch says
I love slice and bake cookies, so if I don't even have to bake them - that's a win for me!
Analida says
Hi Leslie! yes, not having to bake them is awesome especially in the summertime.
prasanna hede says
This is so easy and fun recipe to try! How cool is to freeze ad the slice into cookies!
Analida says
Yes, Prasanna, it's fun. I like this recipe especially in the summertime when using the oven is out of the question for me. 🙂
Stacey says
These look scrumptious, I love that there's only a few ingredients too!
Analida says
Hi Stacey, yes few ingredients is always awesome. These authentic Lithuanian cookies were a real find.
Lois. O says
I haven't encountered many Lithuanian dishes. These look like the chocolate rocky roads I had growing up. Thanks for sharing.
Analida says
Hi Lois, how cool that these Lithuanian cookies reminded you of a similar food you had growing up. It's amazing how food stirs up memories. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Wendy says
What a unique cookie! I'm sure they'll be a good addition to a cookie exchange too!
Dawn says
I've never heard of these before, but from the looks of the ingredients, they sound delicious! Would love to try 🙂
Sara says
Love recipes that have a short list of ingredients and look delicious, as well! Look forward to trying this out!
Analida says
Slice and serve works best. Enjoy!
Sara says
What gorgeous cookies! I love making a variety of cookies during the holidays, and will definitely have to add these to my list!
Analida says
You can save the "log" of cookies in the refrigerator and then slice them when you are ready to serve too. So good!
Kiki Johnson says
This reminds me of a German recipe my granny used to make! It was called "cold dog" in German, haha, not really the most appetizing name but sooo delicious! I love that your version has cinnamon in it! Will definitely give it a try!
David says
no bake cookies sounds like a great option during the busy holiday season!
Wynn says
Someone I work with (- he’s Lithuanian - says he uses cookies called “Scotch Fingers as the cookies. In Australia.
Wynn says
Someone I work with - he’s Lithuanian – says he uses cookies called “Scotch Fingers” as the cookies. In Australia. They are a type of shortbread cookie (we call them biscuits).
Eliza says
Any suggestions for a biscuit to use that is gluten free? I would love to try these but have a gluten-free eater in the house.
Analida says
Hi Eliza, There is a brand of gluten free digestive biscuits by Schar. I believe you can get them on Amazon. Enjoy!
Simona says
I found that shortbread cookies are better for this than Gaidelis or McVities and I've been making this for years
Analida says
Thanks for the tip! I will give those a try next time!
Evelina says
We do it a bit different in my family: no fresh milk, melt the butter and add cocoa (and you can also add a bit of coffee too - that adds a wonderful flavor to it), only then add condensed milk. Still our favorite dessert for any kind of holidays and celebrations 😋🥰
Ben says
Does it need to be kept in the fridge after it has set? Will it just.. melt if not?
Analida says
Yes, and it is easier to slice cold. Enjoy!