White Christmas
The Australian no-bake Christmas slice: puffed rice, coconut, milk powder, glacé cherries and sultanas bound with melted white coconut fat and set in the fridge.
White Christmas is the sweet that sits on almost every Australian Christmas table, next to the pavlova and the trifle, and it is nothing like the snowy weather that the name suggests, since it appears in the middle of the southern summer. It is a no-bake slice, made from puffed rice cereal, desiccated coconut, milk powder, icing sugar and dried fruit, glacé cherries and sultanas, all bound with melted Copha. Copha is a solid white fat made from coconut oil, sold in blocks in Australia and New Zealand, and it sets firm in the fridge but softens easily at room temperature, which is why the slice is often served straight from the cool. It is not a subtle dish. It is sweet, chewy and pale, with the red of the cherries showing through the white, and the milk powder gives it a creamy, slightly caramel flavour. It is cut into squares and packed into tins and given as presents, and it is one of the first things that Australian children learn to make, since there is nothing to bake and nothing that can go wrong. The recipe is very forgiving. The only rules are to melt the fat gently over a low heat, as it is very hot when it boils and can spit, to stir until every dry piece is coated, to press the mixture firmly into the tin, and to cool it for long enough that it is firm before you try to cut it.
Quick Answers
How long does White Christmas take to make?
About 25 minutes of hands-on work — 20 minutes of preparation and 5 minutes of cooking — plus 2 hours of Setting, so allow 2 hours 25 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 24.
What are the key tips for making White Christmas?
Melt the fat over the lowest heat and take it off as soon as it turns liquid. Overheated fat is too hot for the cherries and it spits. Press the mixture down very firmly. Loose packing gives a slice that crumbles when it is cut. Keep the squares in the fridge in hot weather. Copha softens quickly in a warm room, and the slice loses its shape.
What should I serve with White Christmas?
Pavlova; Trifle; Iced tea.
Can White Christmas be made ahead or frozen?
Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Freezes for 3 months.
Is White Christmas suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian and low-carb. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in White Christmas?
About 198 kcal per serving, with 2 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate and 14 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
White Christmas: Step by Step
Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.
-
Line a 20 x 30 cm tin with greaseproof paper, leaving some overhanging at the sides.
-
Mix the puffed rice, milk powder, icing sugar, coconut, glacé cherries and sultanas in a large bowl.
-
Melt the Copha in a small saucepan over low heat until just liquid, without letting it boil. Take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
-
Pour the melted fat over the dry mixture and stir well until everything is coated and there are no dry patches.
-
Press the mixture firmly into the tin with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 2 hours, until firm, then lift out and cut into 24 squares.
Tips That Matter
- Melt the fat over the lowest heat and take it off as soon as it turns liquid. Overheated fat is too hot for the cherries and it spits.
- Press the mixture down very firmly. Loose packing gives a slice that crumbles when it is cut.
- Keep the squares in the fridge in hot weather. Copha softens quickly in a warm room, and the slice loses its shape.
Serve It With
Pavlova · Trifle · Iced tea
Leftovers and Storage
Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Freezes for 3 months.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
Cooked this? Leave a review
Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
Related Recipes
More Australian cooking and holiday specials ideas from Weekly Delight.
Pavlova
A meringue with a crisp shell and a soft marshmallow middle, baked low, cooled slowly in the oven, and topped with…
Anzac Biscuits
Oats, coconut, golden syrup and bicarbonate of soda bloomed in melted butter, baked chewy or crisp depending on how…
Lamingtons
Squares of day-old butter sponge dipped in thin chocolate icing and rolled in desiccated coconut, sometimes split…
Beetroot, Orange and Feta Salad
Beetroot roasted in foil so it steams in its own juice, dressed while warm, and served against orange, feta and…