Want a Bourbon biscuit recipe? I’ve got the best Bourbon biscuit recipe 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 Britain, there’s a good chance that you’ll cross paths with the classic British Bourbon biscuit.
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What are Bourbon Biscuits?
Along with Digestives, Custard Creams, and shortbread, Bourbons 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. If you want to buy the cutters, you can click the link above or at the bottom of the post to go to Amazon.com.
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
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup (6 oz) all purpose (plain) flour
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) Bird’s Custard Powder
- 1/4 cup (1 oz) unsweetened cocoa (I use Barry cocoa)
- 1 stick (4 oz) butter
- 1/2 cup (4 oz) Baker’s sugar (US) or caster sugar (UK)
- 1 egg
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. 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
- 1 cup (4 oz) confectioner’s/powdered sugar
- 1/4 stick (1 oz) butter
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
- a few drops of milk or water
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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Homemade Bourbon Biscuit Recipe
Ingredients
Biscuit Dough
- 1 1/3 cup (6 oz) all purpose (plain) flour
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) custard powder (Bird’s Custard Powder-available on Amazon and in British shops)
- 1/4 cup (1 oz) unsweetened cocoa (I use Barry cocoa)
- 1 stick (4 oz) butter
- 1/2 cup (4 oz)Baker's/caster sugar
- 1 egg
Filling
- 1 cup (4 oz) confectioner's/powdered sugar
- 1/4 stick (1 oz) butter
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
- a few drops of milk or water
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!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
2 biscuitsAmount Per Serving:Calories: 290 Total Fat: 13g Carbohydrates: 55g Protein: 1g
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I can’t wait to try this recipe. It looks good. Do you have a recipe for ginger crisp. If so’ please share. Thank you.
You’ll love them, Jackie! I don’t have one for Ginger Crisps, but would these fit the bill? From my friend Cynthia at What a Girl Eats.
Bought the cutters and made your recipe, following the instructions exactly. These are FANTASTIC! So easy to make, and so perfect. The reviewer who said the dough didn’t come together in the mixer just needed to be more patient. Still agog that the filling tastes just like the factory-made, only better and there’s more of it! Love the more sturdy texture of the biscuits, too. Looking forward to trying your custard creams. and hoping you plan recipes for the other cutters!
Oh that’s just wonderful, Annette! So happy you tried them and loved them. I think you’ll be even happier with the Custard Creams, to be honest! As for the other cutters, I’ve already done the Party Rings, but have yet to do the Jammy Dodgers. If you want to make those though, make the dough for my Snow Cookies and just put jam in the middle! :) Enjoy!
Thanks, Christina! Love your site! I’m an expat Scot (via England and California–even taught briefly at SDSU while finishing up my PhD) and I appreciate your cosmopolitan tastes. But if you have a foolproof tablet recipe, don’t hesitate to post it. That’s one thing I can seldom get right, which is probably a good thing . . . . :)
That’s so cool, Annette! Would you believe with my super sweet tooth, that I don’t actually like tablet? Even as a little girl in Scotland, I just never was smitten with it. However, my friend (who is also from Scotland) over at London Eats has such impeccable recipes, I’m sure his tablet is spot on! Good luck and let me know how you get on! :)
Can I substitute the egg with something?
Thanks,
Sharon
How many calories are in one of these?
Hi Quinn, I honestly don’t know, but if you follow me you’ll know that I’m not about counting calories or doing points. Eating healthy everyday allows for a Bourbon Biscuit with a cup of tea now and then. No harm done. Sorry I can’t answer your question. CC
I have just been reading the recipe and it says 290 calories at the bottom.
Thanks, Elizabeth. I’ve since updated the nutrition information, but it’s just a guide. It’s difficult to get a perfect number of calories.
Hi .. I grew up in a Canadian household ( with strong Scotish & English influences ) so proper tea and biscuits ( usually shortbread, digestives, a square of some kind ( usually coconut) however the Bourbon Biscuits were super popular ( a brand called Peak Freens they had an assorted mix that my grandma preferred ) however they changed the recipe so they are not what I remember can’t wait to try these out
I loved Peak Freans! That’s so sad that they changed the recipe! I’m sure you’ll love these, Aliza! Let me know how it goes!
they just came out of the oven and couldn’t wait for them to cool ( made 1 spare lol) and they tasted just like when I was a kid yummy ( my dough had to be kneaded by hand it just wouldn’t come together with my mixer)
Haha! Glad you liked them. Wonder why the mixer didn’t work. Did you weigh the ingredients? That makes a big difference!
I will try that next time
Peek Freans I believe it was spelt. They were lovely biscuits, we always had a tin at Christmas. These sound delicious though.
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They look delish. An idea of my perfect day would be cool fall weather, coffee, a good book, and a side of tasty treats to go with everything. These look like they’d be the perfect accompaniment.
Absolutely! Me too, except switch out the coffee for tea! ;)
Can’t wait to try this, sounds delicious. Should I use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe? I’m new to baking so unsure which to use
Hi there, good question! Truly, you should always use unsalted butter in baking, but since I’m trying to encourage anyone and everyone to bake, I try to make it as easy as possible. I don’t want someone deciding not to make this recipe because they don’t have unsalted butter, so I’m assuming most people will use salted. You can use either one, but if you use unsalted, please add a good pinch of salt. :) Enjoy!
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[…] enjoy with a biscuit or two, and delight in the fact that you know how to make a proper cup of […]
I suppose most people think it would be too much to have these with your cocoa in the morning… I am not one of those people. I am however, considering getting the bourbon stamp! Yes, I do need one more kitchen gadget.
And that’s why we see eye to eye on most things, David! Haha! Good for you on both points! :)
Gosh, that takes me back to Scotland as a youngster. I’d completely forgotten about Bourbon biscuits! Yours look better than the real thing – and adore these cutters!
Aren’t they unbelievably good? I can’t wait to try the party rings and jammy dodger cutters next! ;)
Love the cookie cutters! They make these cookies look so perfect!
They absolutely do, Diana! They work perfectly! I love them!
I adore bourbon biscuits but I have never thought of making them at home. Thanks for the recipe!! Can’t wait to try it :-)
Ooh yes, you’ll love them!
Ok fair enough, this makes you an official biscuit black belt, they look fantastic! Love that stamp, superb!
Haha! I have to say, I like the sound of being a “biscuit black belt”! Too funny! Thank you, Brian!
I have to say, I have never tried a Bourbon biscuit! That sound similar to chocolatey Shortbread. Those cutters are pretty cool. They make them look very professional! I have a set of cookie cutters that you can pull out the letters and personalize.
Those look delicious, and so festive! I’m sure they taste amazing! Perfect for the holidays :)
Yes they are, Liz! I forgot to mention that they stay fresh for a long time! Truly perfect for the holidays!
These look so delicious and will be a unique treat when the American Christmas cookie swaps come along! I’ll make them with vegan butter so they fit my dairy free diet.
Oh yes, absolutely on both counts! Enjoy, Amy!
Holy Cannoli I cannot wait to make these!
Haha! I like these better than cannoli, truth be told! Enjoy, Julie! :)
I have everyone of these ingredients in my kitchen. So I guess I should walk away from the computer and get baking!
I should have brought you a couple to try the other night!
Christina, these look positively divine and so great for gift giving coming up to Christmas. I look forward to making these for ‘trial’ purposes first – you know, for personal quality control testing!
As with all of your recipes, they’ve always been a hit with my family. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve made your perfect donut recipe. Many family members and my kids friends actually expect them whenever they visit. Fancy that! I’m now known as the donut mum!!!!
Hi Anastasia!
I LOVE that you’re the Doughnut Mum! I had to capitalize your “title”! :) I bet that comes in handy for leverage when you want something from a doughnut lover, right?
I’m glad you’re going to do a test batch of Bourbons first, as you never know what could happen and you wouldn’t want to give THOSE away, right? ;) Haha! Yes! They are actually perfect for gifts as they stay fresh for well over a week. The Custard Creams are great for that, too! Happy baking!
Christina