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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.

British bourbon biscuits on a plate

If you go to the UK, 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, 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.

photo of a handheld, half eaten homemade Custard Cream biscuit
click photo for recipe

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!

British biscuit cookie cutters by Dexam
She gave me the personalized tea towel, too!

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.

Homemade party rings on a plate
Homemade party rings (the packaged ones are on the right).

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

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)

Sift flour, custard powder and good quality cocoa into a large bowl.

sifting flour and cocoa powder to make Bourbon biscuits

Cream butter and sugar, then stir in the egg. Next, add the sifted ingredients from the other bowl and mix to an even dough.

Bourbon Biscuit recipe dough

Put the dough onto worktop and using flour, roll out to about 1/8″ thickness and cut into fingers.

using cutter to make Bourbon Biscuits

cutting Bourbon Biscuits

unbaked Bourbon Biscuit on a hand

Then, place on lined baking tray.

unbaked Bourbon Biscuits on a tray

Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning half way through baking time to assure even results.

unbaked Bourbon Biscuits on a tray

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.

filling Bourbon Biscuits

Continue until all the biscuits and filling are used. Finally, enjoy with a steaming hot, cup of tea!

Bourbon Biscuits on a plate

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More classic English recipes can be found here.

Pimm's cup and strawberries and cream

bourbon biscuits recipe British classic

Homemade Bourbon Biscuit Recipe

Yield: 18 biscuits
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

A classic British chocolate biscuit.

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)

  1. Sift flour, custard powder and cocoa into a large bowl.
  2. Cream butter and sugar, then stir in the egg. Add the sifted ingredients from the other bowl and mix to an even dough.
  3. Place onto worktop and using flour, roll out to about 1/8" thickness and cut into fingers.
  4. Place on lined baking tray.
  5. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning half way through baking time to assure even results.
  6. Place on cooling rack and let cool before filling them.

Bourbon Biscuit Cream Filling

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Continue until all the biscuits and filling are used. Enjoy with a steaming hot, cup of tea!

Notes

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 Serving Size: 2
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 13gCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

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112 Comments

  1. Just made these biscuits. Did half the quantity. I rolled my dough to ¹/6″ as I don’t have 1/8″ roller disc. I used the same cutters from Amazon. Somehow I managed to get 14 biscuits from the half quantity!
    They’re a lovely biscuit. Will certainly be doing them again.
    Thanks for the recipe.

    1. That’s wonderful! Good job, Sue and don’t they taste lovely!? Could you click the 5 stars above the PRINT button, since this comment doesn’t help with google (they want stars!) Thanks so much!!

      1. When the recipe says to turn the biscuits half way through baking do you mean rotate the tray or actually flipping the biscuits over?

  2. Did you even look at the ingredients for the custard powder? It’s literally just cornstarch, salt, annatto (to give it a yellow/orange color), and “flavoring”. Why anyone would buy such a product, let alone use it as an ingredient in a recipe, boggles the mind. Replace the custard powder with cornstarch and add a little bit of vanilla extract.

    1. This is simply ignorance on your part, and I do not mean that in an insulting manner. I simply mean it literally: you do not know about custard powder and its inherent history in the UK, but most of all, its unique flavor. If you don’t believe me, make the custard creams using Bird’s and using your cornstarch/vanilla extract and taste both. I rest my case.

      And why the fake email address and no name?

      1. I think original birds custard powder in the UK was invented by man who’s wife loved custard but was allergic to eggs..

          1. While the user “x” has a point, I would like to point out two things
            1.) Labels on Bird’s Custard powder tin/container indicate “Maize Starch” instead of Cornstarch. Hence the distinct flavour difference. Elsewhere, in US and, here in India, such “custard powders” seem to be manufactured from Cornstarch.
            2.) Although we are familiar with the ingredients, the proportion is unknown. The ratio plays a key role – a pinch of salt more, the taste might become horrible.

            PS:- (Putting my cards on table, my baking skills are near appalling. Hence, I prefer to do a test batch) If, I were to half the quantity, do I still add 1 egg?

  3. I had never heard of Bourbon Biscuits and now I can’t wait to try them! Trying cookies from around the world is so much fun. These look delicious and the cookie cutters make such cute cookies. I need to get a set of the cutters and give these a try!

  4. Just made these! I’m based in the UK and they were PERFECT! Found chilling the dough after rolling it made it easier to cut out the biscuits!

      1. I don’t suppose you have any tips for using the cutters? I followed the instructions on the box, but I found that the dough generally got stuck in the gaps in the letters which distorted the biscuit a little when freeing it…

        Can’t wait to try the custard cream recipe!!

        1. I found that chilling the dough helped when cutting the cookies. Dipping the cutter in flour then tapping it every few cookies kept them clean cut. I had a couple get stuck in the cutter but pushed them out with the stamp part and they were fine.

        1. Oh don’t do that! I agree they are a bit of a pain as the dough gets stuck in the little spaces (especially custard creams). However, try to clean them right after using them by soaking in water and using a little brush to work out the dough. Be sure to let them dry all the way before putting them away, too. Good luck, Nicola!