The perfect bake for Afternoon Tea or a sweet after-school snack, these easy Empire biscuits are an absolute dream to make!
Buttery vanilla biscuits are sandwiched together with sweet raspberry jam, decorated with a simple white icing glaze, and finished with a halved glacé cherry! They are truly irresistible, and ever so moreish!
Originating in Scotland, these jammy Empire biscuits (also known as Imperial cookies, German biscuits, Deutsch biscuits, Belgian biscuits, Linzer biscuits, and even Double biscuits (phew!)) are still a popular bakery treat north of the border.
They're a great bake to make with the kids too, just watch they don't eat all of the glace cherries behind your back!
👩🍳 Love cookies? Try my easy Ginger Cookies next!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
Here's why this is the best Empire biscuit recipe!
- Easy biscuit recipe to make with kids.
- Simple store-cupboard ingredients.
- Makes a large batch (around 22 biscuits in total).
- Buttery crisp shortbread style biscuits contrast beautifully with the sweet raspberry jam and white glace icing.
- Striking and pretty.
- Perfect with a nice cup of tea.
🛒 Ingredient notes
- Butter - unsalted and softened.
- Caster Sugar - I like to use golden caster sugar, but white caster sugar can also be used.
- Egg - 1 large free-range egg which has been stored at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract - use a good quality extract and not vanilla essence.
- Flour - plain flour (without a raising agent).
- Jam - I like to use raspberry jam to sandwich the biscuits together, but you could use strawberry jam, or even cherry jam if you like.
- Icing Sugar - mixed with warm water to create the spreadable thick white icing for the tops of the biscuits.
- Glace Cherry - halved, or use jelly tots instead!
🔪 How to make classic Empire biscuits
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Two: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
Three: Sift in the flour and mix together with a wooden spoon.
Four: Use your hands to bring the dough together, kneading it in the bowl until you get a smooth biscuit dough. Take it out of the bowl and place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a large disc (about 3cm thick). Cut the dough disc in half with a knife and wrap each half in cling film. Chill the dough for 20 minutes in the fridge.
💡 Top Tip: If the dough seems a bit crumbly and dry, add a tablespoon of cold water and knead again. Continue until you get a smooth biscuit dough.
Five: Remove the dough from the fridge and cut each half-disc of dough in half again to make 4 quarters of dough. Roll each piece of biscuit dough out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface (don't forget to flour the rolling pin too!). Keep turning the dough a quarter of a turn after each roll to prevent it from sticking to the worktop (add a little more flour if necessary). The dough needs to be rolled to a thickness of around 2.5mm.
Six: Use a 5-6cm fluted biscuit cutter and stamp out as many biscuits as you can (you'll get roughly 44). Bring the offcuts of dough back together with your hands and re-roll until you have used all of the dough up. Carefully place the biscuits on a lined baking sheet (you'll need 2 large ones) using a palette knife. Bake in a preheated oven for 14-16 minutes until very lightly golden (dark golden and you've baked them too long!). Cool on a wire cooling rack.
Seven: Once the biscuits have cooled, spread the jam evenly over the underside of half of the biscuits (about half a teaspoon on each biscuit), before placing another biscuit on top. Gently press the biscuits together (some of the jam might ooze out but don't worry).
Eight: Make the white icing by adding recently boiled warm water to the sieved icing sugar, ½ tablespoon at a time, and mixing with a small whisk. You won't need much water, 2 tablespoons should give you a nice spreadable consistency. Spread the top of each biscuit with the white icing (I use a teaspoon to carefully spread it on, which helps prevent too many drips) and top with a halved glace cherry.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the Empire biscuits for Afternoon tea, alongside mini sausage rolls, cucumber sandwiches, and Malteser tiffin.
They're also great for birthday parties, picnics, and after-school snacks!
📖 Variations
- Use almond extract instead of vanilla extract and top the icing with flaked almonds.
- Use strawberry or cherry jam instead of raspberry jam.
- Make a chocolate version and sandwich the biscuits together with chocolate spread or Nutella.
- Top the Empire biscuits with jelly tots, other jelly sweets, or maraschino cherries instead of glace cherries.
🥡 Storage
Store: The biscuits can be stored in an airtight container or biscuit tin for up to 3 days.
Freeze: The un-iced biscuits can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before sandwiching them together with jam and icing the tops.
❓ Frequently asked questions
The empire biscuit was a popular snack, especially in Scotland, since at least the early 1900s. During WW1 Britain was at war with both Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so the original names of Deutsch biscuits, German biscuits, and Linzer Biscuits all suddenly felt very unpatriotic. Because of this, the more patriotic British name of Empire Biscuit was born!
Yes, Empire biscuits are an iconic Scottish treat and are found in all good Scottish bakeries (and they're even the regional Scottish Greggs menu!).
Unfortunately, as they contain both egg and butter it is not possible to make these biscuits vegan.
😋 More easy cookies and biscuits
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Recipe
Easy Empire Biscuits
Ingredients
- 125 g Golden Caster Sugar
- 225 g Butter softened
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 450 g Plain Flour
- 6 tablespoon Raspberry Jam
- 200 g Icing Sugar sifted
- 12 Glace Cherries halved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c (160 fan/ Gas 4/ 350F) and line two large baking sheets with non stick baking paper or parchment.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.125 g Golden Caster Sugar, 225 g Butter
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.1 Egg, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Sift in the flour and mix together with a wooden spoon.450 g Plain Flour
- Use your hands to bring the dough together, kneading it in the bowl until you get a smooth biscuit dough. Take it out of the bowl and place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a large disc (about 3cm thick). Cut the dough disc in half with a knife and wrap each half in cling film. Chill the dough for 20 minutes in the fridge.Top Tip: If the dough seems a bit crumbly and dry, add a tablespoon of cold water and knead again. Continue until you get a smooth biscuit dough.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and cut each half-disc of dough in half again to make 4 quarters of dough. Roll each piece of biscuit dough out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface (don't forget to flour the rolling pin too!). Keep turning the dough a quarter of a turn after each roll to prevent it from sticking to the worktop (add a little more flour if necessary). The dough needs to be rolled to a thickness of around 2.5mm.
- Use a 5-6cm fluted biscuit cutter and stamp out as many biscuits as you can (you'll get roughly 44). Bring the offcuts of dough back together with your hands and re-roll until you have used all of the dough up. Carefully place the biscuits on a lined baking sheet (you'll need 2 large ones) using a palette knife. Bake in a preheated oven for 14-16 minutes until very lightly golden (dark golden and you've baked them too long!). Cool on a wire cooling rack.
- Once the biscuits have cooled, spread the jam evenly over the underside of half of the biscuits (about half a teaspoon on each biscuit), before placing another biscuit on top. Gently press the biscuits together (some of the jam might ooze out but don't worry).6 tablespoon Raspberry Jam
- Make the white icing by adding recently boiled warm water to the sieved icing sugar, ½ tablespoon at a time, and mixing with a small whisk. You won't need much water, 2 tablespoons should give you a nice spreadable consistency. Spread the top of each biscuit with the white icing (I use a teaspoon to carefully spread it on, which helps prevent too many drips) and top with a halved glace cherry.200 g Icing Sugar, 12 Glace Cherries
Notes
- Use almond extract instead of vanilla extract and top the icing with flaked almonds.
- Use strawberry or cherry jam instead of raspberry jam.
- Make a chocolate version and sandwich the biscuits together with chocolate spread or Nutella.
- Top the Empire biscuits with jelly tots, other jelly sweets, or maraschino cherries instead of glace cherries.
Anjali
These biscuits are so adorable!! I can't wait to make them with my kids this weekend - I know they will love them!
April
As a huge fan of cute cookies to serve with tea, these will be amazing for our mothers day tea party.
Sharon
These totally brought me back to my childhood birthday parties. My mom used to make these for birthday parties growing up. This recipe tasted delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Mirlene
These biscuits sounds delicious with the raspberry jam. They would be great for my kids to have as a treat right after school!