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Bourbon biscuits (a.k.a. bourbon creams) are a British teatime staple. This homemade version features a pair of chocolate biscuits, with a smooth chocolate buttercream filling sandwiched in between.
What Are Bourbon Biscuits?
Bourbon biscuits are a teatime staple in the UK, along with other classics such as custard creams, pink wafers, Jammie Dodgers, nice biscuits, digestives, malted milk, and ginger biscuits. I pretty much always have a sleeve or two of bourbon biscuits in my kitchen cabinet, for enjoying alongside my afternoon cup of tea or coffee.
The traditional bourbon biscuit (sometimes also known as a bourbon cream) consists of two rectangular, chocolate-flavored biscuits (cookies, for my American readers!) with a smooth chocolate buttercream icing in the middle. The crumbly, slightly crisp texture of the biscuits pairs perfectly with the creamy sweetness of the filling, making these sandwich-style biscuits a popular choice for tea breaks.

Bourbon Creams Then and Now
The bourbon biscuit dates back to 1910, but wasn’t rebranded as “bourbon” until the 1930s. (Surprisingly, the name has no direct connection to bourbon whiskey.) Over the decades it’s become a staple in British culture, recognized for its distinctive chocolate flavor and cream filling. The enduring popularity is a testament to the bourbon biscuit’s classic design, which has remained largely unchanged despite being adopted by various manufacturers across the United Kingdom.
Store-bought bourbon biscuits are highly affordable (a sleeve or packet usually runs no more than 50p, or about 60 cents) and come in a variety of flavors. In addition to classic chocolate, you’ll find seasonal versions (this year, I picked up some black forest bourbon creams at Christmastime), flavor twists (Sainsbury’s sells a caramel bourbon biscuit), and fancy biscuits, like the “double stuffed” and milk chocolate-coated bourbon biscuits sold at Marks & Spencer.

While supermarket versions are cheap and convenient, making bourbon biscuits from scratch allows you to customize the flavor and sweetness to taste. With the homemade kind, you can also use higher-quality ingredients, or cut the biscuits into shapes other than rectangles. (That said, it’s really fun to make them look as much like the “real thing” as possible—see my notes below!) It’s also nice to have a recipe in your back pocket if you live (or are traveling) somewhere other than the UK, where bourbon biscuits might be hard to find, or where pricy imported brands are the only option. I like to make this homemade version when I’m home in the US.
Ingredients for Making Bourbon Biscuits
To make homemade bourbon biscuits, start by gathering the following:
- All Purpose Flour – All purpose flour, a.k.a. plain flour, forms the base for the biscuit dough.
- Cocoa Powder – For the biscuit dough and filling. Be sure you’re using unsweetened cocoa powder, not the kind you’d use for making hot chocolate.
- Kosher Salt – Adding a small amount of kosher salt to the dough and filling helps to balance out the sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter – You’ll need softened unsalted butter for the biscuit dough as well as the buttercream.

- Caster Sugar – Caster sugar (or superfine sugar) helps to give the biscuit its sweetness, plus its slightly crumbly texture.
- Egg – You’ll need one large egg, lightly beaten, to act as a binder in the dough.
- Vanilla Bean Paste – Although extract will work in a pinch, it’s worth using the good stuff here. Nielsen-Massey makes my go-to brand of vanilla bean paste.
- Confectioner’s Sugar – Also known as icing sugar or powdered sugar, confectioner’s sugar makes a sweet and creamy filling for your sandwich biscuits.
- Whole Milk – To adjust the consistency of the buttercream. If desired, you can substitute whipping cream, half-and-half, or a creamy plant milk such as coconut or oat.

Special Tools
- Biscuit Cutters – To make authentic-looking bourbon creams, I purchased this set of British biscuit cutters. In a pinch, you can substitute a plain rectangular cutter (about 1 x 2 1/2 inches in size) or square cutter instead. Keep in mind that if you use a larger or smaller cutter, the recipe yield may vary.
- Piping Bag – You’ll need a disposable piping bag to pipe the filling, along with a 1/2-inch round metal piping tip.
- Silicone Baking Mat – While you can bake on parchment, I had better luck using a silicone baking mat for this recipe. The baked biscuits will lift easily from the silicone mat, no tools required.
- Rolling Pin and Rolling Mat – For rolling the bourbon biscuit dough. I suggest lightly flouring the pin and mat to prevent the dough from sticking.
How to Make Bourbon Biscuits
Making these homemade bourbon biscuits is fun and rewarding, especially with the lookalike cutter!
After mixing up the chocolate-flavored dough, wrap it in clingfilm/plastic wrap and chill until it’s easy to roll. (I refrigerated mine for about an hour, but you can also chill the dough overnight.) Then, roll the dough on a silicone mat and cut it into the iconic biscuit’s signature rectangular shape.
After a quick bake (just 10 minutes or so, and don’t overbake or the biscuits will taste burnt) divide the cookies into pairs and pipe full of creamy chocolate buttercream.. These homemade biscuits not only capture the nostalgic charm of the original but also allow you to enjoy them fresh and tailored to your taste.
Four Tips for Making the Best Homemade Bourbon Biscuits
- Don’t overbake the biscuits or the cocoa will taste bitter and burnt.
- Gradually drizzle the milk into the buttercream, rather than adding all of it at once. You might have a little bit left over.
- If chilling the disc of dough overnight, let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before rolling. This makes it easier to roll without cracking or breaking.
- To make cutting easier, dip the biscuit cutter in flour periodically, and keep the dough very cold.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
You can prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance, flatten into a disc, wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Store bourbon biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Filled or unfilled bourbon biscuits can also be layered between sheets of parchment and frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature.
Other British recipes you might enjoy:
Eton Mess
Lemon Posset
Clotted Cream Fudge
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
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Bourbon Biscuits
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 18-20 sandwich biscuits 1x
Description
Bourbon biscuits are a British teatime staple. This homemade version features a pair of chocolate biscuits, with a smooth chocolate buttercream filling sandwiched in between.
Ingredients
Biscuits:
160 grams all purpose flour (1 1/4 cups)
50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
113 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup/1 stick)
105 grams caster sugar (1/2 cup)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Chocolate Cream:
85 grams unsalted butter, softened (5 tablespoons)
180 grams confectioner’s sugar (1 1/3 cups)
25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (1/4 cup)
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
15-30 milliliters whole milk (1-2 tablespoons), plus more to adjust consistency
Instructions
Line 1 large tray, or 2-3 smaller trays, with parchment or silicone baking mats.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whip butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the caster sugar and mix on medium-high speed until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla bean paste and mix until fully incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until a clumpy dough forms, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Use your hands to finish bringing the mixture together to form a smooth, slightly sticky dough.
Form dough into a 7-inch disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll.
On a lightly floured countertop or silicone rolling mat, roll chilled dough to about 5 millimeters thick.
With a 1-inch x 2 1/2-inch rectangular cutter, cut into rectangles. Re-roll scraps and cut remaining biscuits. (You should have about 36-40 rectangles total.)
Transfer to prepared trays, allowing about 1/2-inch space between the biscuits.
Refrigerate trays for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 355° F /180° C. Bake in preheated oven, on tray at a time, for 10-11 minutes. Do not overbake.
Cool 5 minutes on trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate cream.
In a large mixing bowl, whip butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and kosher salt, and mix until smooth and creamy, gradually drizzling in the milk (you might not use all of it). Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.
Divide biscuits into pairs. Pipe cream on the flat side of half of the biscuits. Sandwich with the second biscuit.
Store bourbon biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 1/2 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven