Homemade British Biscuits Recipe
Biscuits are greatly loved by the British people. Regardless of whether you dunk them in your tea, add clotted cream or have them after lunch, these babies are just as calming as anything you could ask for! Since biscuits are referred to as cookies in some parts of the world and sweets elsewhere, this recipe uses a classic UK approach for biscuits.
Here, I’ll provide a step-by-step recipe for biscuits that you can change to suit chocolate, ginger or shortbread flavours. In addition, you will get ideas for storage, information about nutrition, advanced methods from experts and examples used by families.
What Kinds of Biscuit Are Found in Britain?
In the UK, biscuits are small and flat crisp sweet cakes. They vary from American “biscuits,” which are much like savoury scones. Among the well-known biscuits in the UK are:
- Digestives
- Custard creams
- Shortbread
- Rich teas
Ingredients
- 250g plain flour
- Cubed unsalted butter (chilled)
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 medium egg
- ½ tsp baking powder
- Salt (sprinkle)
It is very easy to find all ingredients at local supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and others in the UK.
Other Ideas & Adjustments
- 6 tablespoons of chocolate chips
- 1 tsp ground ginger or cinnamon
- Zest of 1 lemon or orange
- 50g ground almonds or desiccated coconut
- 100g dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries
- Shortbread version: Skip egg, add 50g extra butter
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer or wooden spoon
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters (optional)
- Wire rack
Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dough
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and sift them together. Blend butter with flour using fingers until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add sugar. Mix egg and vanilla separately, then combine to form dough. If dry, add milk; if sticky, add more flour.
Step 2: Chill the dough
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes to make shaping easier.
Step 3: Roll and cut the dough
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Roll dough to 5mm thick. Cut with cutters or knife. Place on tray with space in between.
Step 4: Bake
Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden at edges. Rotate tray midway if needed.
Step 5: Cool and Store
Cool on wire rack. Store in airtight tin for up to 7 days.
In Real Life: Families Have Certain Traditions
Every Saturday, I make biscuits with my daughter. We take them and make different shapes and now it’s become a special family event. I often share a couple with my mum and she swears they are preferable to the ones you can buy here. All of Nina H.’s lessons are taught from a cheerful and supportive standpoint.
How to Make Perfection Biscuits
- If butter is cold, biscuits stay crisp.
- Do not over-knead the dough.
- Use a precise scale.
- Decorate with fork or stamp.
- Dip in melted chocolate (100g), bottom half only.
Nutrition Information (Per Plain Biscuit)
- Calories: 90
- Fat: 4.5g
- Saturated fat: 2.7g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Sugars: 4.5g
- Protein: 1.2g
- Fibre: 0.3g
Adding nuts or oats can improve nutrition.
Things to Know About Storage & Frozen Food
Store
Keep in airtight container in a cool, dry place for 7 days.
Freeze
Unbaked dough can be frozen for 3 months. Thaw in fridge before baking. Roll dough into log and slice for quick baking.
Biscuit Flavours You Can Try
- Lemon zest + 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Step 3: add cocoa powder + chocolate chips
- Ginger Snap: 1.5 tsp ginger + 0.5 tsp cinnamon
- Replace 50g flour with wood flour
- Add 50g desiccated coconut
Serving Suggestions
- Pair with English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea
- Crumbled on ice cream or pudding
- Layer in jars as DIY Christmas gifts
- Add to lunchbox for a sweet treat
Common Questions
- Gluten-free option? Yes, use gluten-free flour + ½ tsp xanthan gum
- Without cookie cutters? Use glass edge, knife or hands
- Double batch? Yes, freeze leftovers
- Caster sugar must? Preferred, but granulated is okay. Avoid icing sugar unless specified
Homemade biscuits have a special quality. Using few ingredients, you can make something better than store-bought. It’s fun, nostalgic, and perfect for sharing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q.My biscuits spread out too much in the oven and lost their shape. What went wrong?
A.That is a most common trouble, indeed, with us, in warm weather! It normally occurs when the butter in your dough becomes overly soft. Anyway the best trick ever is to give the cut-out biscuit dough a chill on the baking tray in the fridge 10-15mins before you bake them off. This hardens the butter so your biscuits keep their shape extremely well in the oven.
Q. How do I make sure my biscuits are properly crispy and not soft or chewy?
A.The magic trick to nice, crunchy biscuit is baked sufficient and allowed to cool. There is no harm in allowing them to get a beautiful golden-brown colour all around the edges in the oven. When they have baked, allow to cool on a wire rack. This will enable air to circulate under it and it is essential in getting that ideal crunchy bite of dipping it in your chai.
Q.Can I make these biscuits without an oven?
A.You certainly can! They may be simply baked in a very large and well-bottomed copper pot (pateela or degchi). And then simply put a wire stand inside, cover the pot and preheat it on medium flame of 10 minutes approximately. Thereafter, you can put your biscuit tray on the stand, turn your flame to low and cook it with the lid closed until they are golden and crunchy.
Q.Can I add other flavours like zeera (cumin) to this recipe?
A.Of course! This simple biscuit dough is an ideal background into which to put your cherished flavours. In order to turn regular zeera biscuits into classic ones, just add a teaspoon of roasted cumin seeds to your dry ingredients. It is also delicious with a pinch of ground cardamom (elaichi) in it as a sweet, aromatic touch. Try any way you like and make them yours!
Q.How should I store these biscuits so they stay crispy for a few days?
A.Biscuits become dry when they are exposed to moisture and thus the secret is to ensure biscuits are handled with care to ensure they are not exposed to moisture. After cooling them, keep them in a total airtight jar/ container at room temperature. When you see your biscuits beginning to go a bit soft, you may re-place them in an already heated oven and re-crisp them in 3-4 minutes time.
Q.My biscuit dough is very sticky and hard to work with. What should I do?
A.In case you find the dough overly sticky, it is probably just cold. Your hands may be hot enough to melt the butter which will render the dough much harder to work. All one does is cover the dough with plastic wrapping and storing it in a refrigerator 30 minutes. This makes it solid so it is far easier to roll out and cut shapes.