Bourbon Biscuit Recipe, Homemade Classic British Biscuits
Want a proper Bourbon biscuits recipe? I’ve got the best one for you right below! Sorry, there’s no liquor in this classic British biscuit, but it won’t matter because you’ll fall in love these chocolate cookies anyway.
If you go to the UK, there’s a good chance that you’ll cross paths with the classic British Bourbon biscuits.
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What are Bourbon Biscuits?
Along with Digestives, custard creams, and shortbread, Bourbon creams are some of the most popular biscuits which are frequently enjoyed across the pond. Despite their name, there is no alcohol involved. Bourbon biscuits are simply chocolate sandwich biscuits with a chocolate cream filling.
Like their custard cream cousin, this Bourbon Biscuit recipe requires custard powder to give them their unique flavor. This is not just another chocolate biscuit.
For Christmas last year, my daughter gifted me with something she knew I had wanted, these biscuit cutters! They include Bourbon biscuits, Party Rings, Jammy Dodgers and Custard Creams cutters!
This will explain how I was able to make the Bourbon biscuits look like a store-bought biscuit. No worries if you don’t have them, though; you can just cut the chocolate biscuit dough into fingers and use a fork to prick them. If you use this Bourbon biscuit recipe, they will taste the same with or without the cutters. You can purchase the biscuit cutters here.
NB: according to Wikipedia, these biscuits are called Bourbon biscuits after the European house of Bourbon (nothing to do with the liquor). They also note that Bourbons are apparently the 5th most popular biscuit in the UK for tea dunking!
Classic Bourbon Biscuit Recipe
recipe slightly adapted from Lofty Peak Recipe Book makes about 18 sandwich biscuits
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- flour
- custard powder
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- butter
- sugar
- egg
- confectioner’s sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Sift flour, custard powder and good quality cocoa into a large bowl.
Cream butter and sugar, then stir in the egg. Next, add the sifted ingredients from the other bowl and mix to an even dough.
Put the dough onto worktop and using flour, roll out to about 1/8″ thickness and cut into fingers.
Then, place on lined baking tray.
Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning half way through baking time to assure even results.
Finally, place on cooling rack and let cool before filling them.
Bourbon Biscuit Cream Filling
recipe by Christina Conte
Mix all the ingredients together to form a stiff buttercream. Adjust with a few drops of liquid; just don’t make the filling too soft.
Next, match up two biscuits at a time (they won’t all be exactly the same size, believe it or not) and sandwich together with the filling.
Continue until all the biscuits and filling are used. Finally, enjoy with a steaming hot, cup of tea!
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More classic English recipes can be found here.
Homemade Bourbon Biscuit Recipe
Ingredients
Biscuit Dough
- 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup custard powder Bird’s Custard Powder-available on Amazon and in British shops
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa I use Barry cocoa
- 1 stick butter
- ½ cup caster sugar (Baker's)
- 1 egg
Filling
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered)
- ¼ stick butter
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
- milk or water add a few drops at at time until a good consistency is reached
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Sift flour, custard powder and cocoa into a large bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar, then stir in the egg. Add the sifted ingredients from the other bowl and mix to an even dough.
- Place onto worktop and using flour, roll out to about 1/8" thickness and cut into fingers.
- Place on lined baking tray.
- Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning half way through baking time to assure even results.
- Place on cooling rack and let cool before filling them.
Bourbon Biscuit Cream Filling
- Mix all the ingredients together to form a stiff buttercream. Adjust with a few drops of liquid; just don't make the filling too soft.
- Match up two biscuits at a time (they won't all be exactly the same size, believe it or not) and sandwich together with the filling.
- Continue until all the biscuits and filling are used. Enjoy with a steaming hot, cup of tea!
Notes
- If you love Bourbon biscuits, try custard creams, too!
Nutrition
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This is a fantastic gluten-free vegan recipe! The step-by-step instructions make it easy to follow, and the final biscuits look absolutely delicious. I appreciate how you’ve recreated the classic flavor while keeping the recipe suitable for different dietary needs. Bourbon biscuits have always been a favorite with tea or coffee, and this homemade version looks even better. Thanks for sharing such a detailed and helpful recipe. Looking forward to trying it soon and experimenting with different fillings as well!
If you made it using gf and vegan ingredients, that’s great, but mine isn’t either one.
Use the grams measurements, the recipe is perfect as is. I was able to get 30 biscuits, I rolled between two bamboo skewers to get nice thin biscuits. I’ve done many of your ‘bakery’ recipes in my little business and they are all wonderful. Thank you for sharing them.
Thanks, Selina! Please share where we can find the goodies! :)