Chocolate Crackles are small, chocolate-flavoured cakes made from Rice Bubbles, coconut and Copha. The earliest Chocolate Crackles recipe so far discovered was printed in an advertisement in the Australian Women’s Weekly on Saturday 18 December 1937. The advertisement was placed by Edible Oil Industries, a subsidiary of Unilever, who made Copha – a uniquely Australian ingredient made from solidified coconut oil.

Few Australians need an introduction to Chocolate Crackles. They’ve been a favourite for children’s parties and cake stalls for more than 80 years. It’s probably because they’re chocolate flavoured and easy to make – you just melt and mix.

That first Chocolate Crackles recipe seemed to be the property of Unilever. Although it calls for Rice Bubbles, there’s no mention of the Kellogg name. However, Kellogg subsequently asserted their rights to the recipe. In 1953, they gained a trademark over the term Chocolate Crackles – a trademark the company still owns. For the record, the original recipe reads as follows:

5 ozs. Rice Bubbles (4 cups)
8 ozs. Icing Sugar
2 1/2 ozs. Fine Cocoanut
2 1/2 ozs. Cocoa (2 tablespoons)
8 ozs. COPHA

Mix dry ingredients, melt COPHA and pour over same. Thoroughly mix and spoon into paper cup containers and allow to set. The above quantity makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen.

Here’s the official Kellogg’s® version, with metric measurements:

Ingredients:
4 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Bubbles®
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup desiccated coconut
250g cophaTM*

Method:
Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl
Melt copha gently
Cool slightly
Pour into dry ingredients and mix well
Spoon into paper patty cases
Chill until set
Makes about 24.

Because COPHA is hydrogenated coconut oil, it’s officially bad for you. So a diet consisting largely of Chocolate Crackles is not recommended.