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Hedgehog Slice Recipe

I love easy slice recipes and an old fashioned Hedgehog Slice Recipe is one of my favorites. This hedgehog slice without condensed milk is cooked lightly on the stovetop.

You’ll love it for it’s morish fudge-like texture with crunchy biscuits throughout!

Close up image of the hedgehog slice

Hedgehog Slice

I have been making this hedgehog slice recipe for over 15 years and I can say with confidence that it’s my favorite easy slice recipe, ever!

It’s made without condensed milk which makes it less sickly-sweet. The hedgehog is lightly cooked on your stovetop because it uses eggs which contributes to its delicious fudgy texture. 

What Is Hedgehog Slice?

Hedgehog slice is a no-bake chocolate slice with a fudge-like consistency that has crunchy biscuits throughout.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

A full and detailed recipe card with all the ingredients to make this lemon slice is at the bottom of this post.

Individual ingredients needed to make this hedgehog slice recipe

Plain sweet biscuits: Use plain Marie Biscuits or Arrowroot Biscuits. I like to use arrowroot biscuits for a gluten-free hedgehog option.  

Eggs: Must be at room temperature and beaten/lightly whisked before adding them to your mixture. 

How To Make Old Fashioned Hedgehog Slice (with photos)

A full and detailed recipe card is at the bottom of this post.

Step one: Place a medium-large flat-based saucepan over low heat, and add butter and sugar. Gently melt butter with the sugar whilst stirring then allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes. 

Step two: Once cooled, stir through beaten eggs until well combined. 

Melting the butter and combining it with the sugar
Mixing through the beaten egg

Step three: Add cocoa powder and stir until well combined. Return to stovetop and place over low heat. Stir through the vanilla and continue to heat through and stir over low heat until the mixture is warm and some small bubbles begin to appear in the middle.

Step four: Turn off the heat and stir through the desiccated coconut and crushed biscuits. Gently mix through until well combined. 

Step five: Pour the mixture into the lined pan and smooth out the top. Transfer the hedgehog to the refrigerator and allow it to sit for 3-4 hours or overnight until it’s firm. Cut into squares and enjoy! 

Mixing through the cocoa powder
Mixing through the desiccated coconut and crushed biscuits
Pressing the hedgehog mixture into the pan and setting it in the refrigerator

Expert Tips

  • Crush the biscuits: Until they turn to mostly crumbs but leave some large chunks for texture and crunch. 
  • Mixture must be cooled: After the butter and sugar have been melted, set it aside until it’s slightly warm or at room temperature before adding the eggs, otherwise, the eggs will curdle. 
  • Eggs must be at room temperature: Not fridge cold. Lightly beat them before adding them to the mixture. 

Does this hedgehog recipe use condensed milk? 

No, this hedgehog slice recipe is made without condensed milk. 

Is this a traditional hedgehog recipe?

It’s more of an old fashioned hedgehog recipe. You will find most hedgehog recipes that use condensed milk use the melt, pour and mix method. This recipe however is gently melted and heated through on the stovetop because it uses eggs. 

Close up image of sliced hedgehog to show the texture and crunchy biscuits

Storage Instructions

Store the hedgehog in an airtight container, refrigerated, for 1 week – 10 days. 

Freeze sliced hedgehog in a freezer-friendly container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the hedgehog at room temperature until defrosted. 

If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x

Hedgehog Slice Recipe Featured Image

Hedgehog Slice Recipe

Samantha Pickthall
A no-bake Hedgehog Slice Recipe made without condensed milk. This stove-top chocolate hedgehog has a fudge-like texture with crunchy biscuits throughout.
4.53 from 17 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert, Slice, Snack
Cuisine Australian
Servings 30 squares
Calories 130 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 400 g 2 packets (400g) store-bought plain sweet biscuits, use Marie Biscuits or Arrowroot Biscuits for a gluten-free hedgehog slice
  • 150 g unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups coconut sugar
  • 2 large eggs, beaten and at room temperature, (each egg weighing approx. 55g-60g in shell)
  • 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup desiccated coconut

Instructions
 

  • Line a 9 x 9 inch (22cm x 22cm) square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a food processor or high-speed blender, add both packets of biscuits and pulse to a medium crumb, leaving some bigger chunks. Crush one packet at a time if your processor/blender is smaller. Set biscuits aside.
  • Place a medium-large flat-based saucepan over low heat, and add butter and sugar. Gently melt butter down whilst stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until it’s completely melted and sugar has begun to dissolve, it won’t dissolve completely. Turn off the heat once all of the butter has melted. Allow it to cool down for 15-20 minutes.
  • This cooling step ensures your eggs won’t cook when you add them next. To test if it’s cooled enough, dip in your finger and it should feel slightly warm/at room temperature, it should not be hot. Refer to notes.
  • Once cooled, stir through beaten eggs until well combined.
  • Add cocoa powder and stir until well combined. Return to stovetop and place over low heat. Continue stirring through the cocoa until it’s well blended and break up any pockets of cocoa.
  • Stir through vanilla.
  • Continue to heat through and stir over low heat until the mixture is warm and some small bubbles begin to appear in the middle. This process will take about 3 minutes.
  • Turn off heat and stir through desiccated coconut.
  • Add crushed biscuits and gently mix through until well combined.
  • Pour the mixture into the lined pan and smooth out the top. Be careful handling the pan and mixture as it will still be hot.
  • Transfer the hedgehog to the refrigerator and allow it to sit for 3-4 hours or overnight until it’s firm.
  • Remove slice from pan and cut into squares.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Crush the biscuits until mostly crumb but leave some large chunks for texture and crunch.
After the butter and sugar has melted together, this mixture must be cooled down until it’s slightly warm or at room temperature before adding the eggs, otherwise they will curdle.
The eggs must be at room temperature (not fridge cold) and beaten/lightly whisked before adding them to the mixture.
You can omit the desiccated coconut if you wish but it does add bulk and texture. Without it, your hedgehog will be softer and fudgier.
Store hedgehog in an airtight container, refrigerated, for 1 week – 10 days. 
Freeze sliced hedgehog in a freezer-friendly container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw hedgehog at room temperature until defrosted. 

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 87mgPotassium: 47mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 141IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chocolate slice, hedgehog, no bake, slice
Tried this recipe? Let us know how it was!

First published in June 2021, this recipe was updated in January 2024 to include new step-by-step images, expert recommendations, storage guidelines and more.

If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x

4 Comments

    1. So happy to hear you loved this hedgehog slice recipe! Thanks so much! It’s a family favourite and a crowd pleaser, glad to know you made and enjoyed it just as much 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Sam x

  1. 5 stars
    My aunt Betty made this and added walnuts which makes it even more delicious. Much nicer and healthier than the hedgehog made with condensed milk. Thankyou for this recipe as my “favourite recipes” book ( handwritten and 50 years old) is missing.

    1. Hi Jill, that is wonderful to hear! So glad your aunt Betty made this hedgehog and with the addition of walnuts sounds delicious, I’ll have to try that myself next time! I agree, that this one is better than those created with condensed milk ;). You’re most welcome, I hope you can add this recipe to your new collection of favourite recipes, fingers crossed you find your one that’s missing. Thanks for sharing, Sam x

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