Biscuits III

Introduction

These crisp, delicate biscuits come together in under 30 minutes with just six basic ingredients and no special equipment beyond a round cookie cutter. The high oven temperature and thin 5 mm cut produce biscuits that bake golden in 6 minutes, giving you a light, snappy texture perfect for serving with tea or coffee.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 12 minutes
• Cook Time: 6 minutes
• Total Time: 18 minutes
• Servings: 24 biscuits

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups (175 g/6.2 oz) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (55 g) caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220 C. Grease a baking pan.
2. Beat the egg and milk together in a bowl.
3. Mix the other ingredients into the egg mixture to form a soft dough.
4. Roll out the dough to 5 mm and cut out into very thin biscuits with a round cookie cutter.
5. Place the biscuits on the baking pan.
6. Bake for 6 minutes until golden.
7. Take the biscuits out of the oven and leave them to cool.

Variations

Lemon biscuits: Add 1 tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest to the dry ingredients before mixing. This brightens the butter-sugar base without changing texture.

Thicker biscuits: Roll the dough to 8 mm instead of 5 mm and bake for 8–9 minutes. You’ll get a softer, more cake-like crumb.

Brown sugar version: Swap caster sugar for an equal amount of light brown sugar. This adds a subtle molasses note and makes the biscuits slightly chewier.

Vanilla biscuits: Add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla powder to the dry ingredients. Stir it in with the flour and sugar.

Whole wheat blend: Replace half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. The biscuits will be slightly denser and nuttier; bake time remains 6 minutes.

Tips for Success

Don’t overwork the dough. Mix just until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the egg and milk. Overmixing develops gluten and produces tough biscuits instead of crisp ones.

Roll to a consistent thickness. Use a ruler or measuring tape against your rolling pin to keep the dough at 5 mm throughout. Uneven thickness causes some biscuits to brown faster than others.

Watch the oven closely during the final 2 minutes. At 220 C, the difference between golden and overdone is seconds. They should be pale gold, not deep brown.

Cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring. The biscuits firm up as they cool and are less likely to break if you move them after a brief rest.

Storage and Reheating

To refresh biscuits that have softened, place them on a baking sheet and warm in a 160 C oven for 3–4 minutes until they crisp up again. Let them cool for 1 minute before eating.

FAQ

Can I make the dough ahead? Yes. Cover the mixed dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Roll and bake directly from the fridge; you may need an extra 1–2 minutes in the oven.

Why did my biscuits spread and flatten during baking? The oven temperature may have been too low, or the dough was too warm. Use an oven thermometer to verify 220 C, and chill the rolled biscuits on the pan for 5 minutes before baking if your kitchen is very warm.

Can I use a different shape? Yes. Square, oval, or fluted cutters all work fine. Keep the thickness at 5 mm for consistent baking time.

What’s the difference between these biscuits and cookies? These are biscuits—thin, crisp, and lightly sweetened. They rely on a simple egg and milk binder rather than fat-heavy dough, which gives them their delicate snap.