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A classic easy biscuit recipe using just five simple ingredients to make tender and crisp biscuits that hold their shape well, perfect for cutting shapes and decorating.

  • Total Time: 1 hour (including chilling time)
  • Yield: Approximately 20 biscuits (using 7 cm cutters) 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 125g unsalted butter, softened (not greasy or melting)
  • 100g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 250g plain white flour (all-purpose flour), sifted
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Put softened unsalted butter and caster sugar into a large bowl.
  2. Beat butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon until pale and fluffy.
  3. Add room-temperature egg and vanilla extract; beat until just combined.
  4. Sift plain white flour into the bowl.
  5. Stir gently, then use your hands to bring the mixture together; stop mixing as soon as a dough forms.
  6. Flatten the dough into a thick disc, wrap tightly in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
  8. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about 0.5 cm thickness.
  9. Use biscuit cutters (about 7 cm recommended) to cut shapes from the dough.
  10. Arrange the cut biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  11. Bake for 12–15 minutes, checking from around 10 minutes, until the biscuits are soft golden.
  12. Cool the baked biscuits on a wire rack until firm.

Notes

Do not skip the chilling step to prevent spreading and help biscuits keep shape., Use minimal flour on the surface to prevent drying out the dough., Ensure even thickness when rolling out dough for uniform baking; rolling pin spacer rings are helpful., Check biscuits around 10 minutes as baking times may vary by oven., Variations include adding lemon or orange zest, cinnamon or ginger to flour, dipping cooled biscuits in melted dark chocolate, or swapping vanilla extract for almond extract., To store, keep biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature; best within 2-3 days, good up to 5 days., Dough can be frozen up to 2 months; thaw overnight in fridge before rolling and cutting., Baked biscuits can be frozen with parchment layers to prevent sticking and defrost quickly., For a glossy decorative finish, use glacé icing or royal icing.

  • Author: Laura
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 to 15 minutes
  • Category: Baking / Snack
  • Cuisine: British / American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 biscuit
  • Calories: Approximately 90 kcal per biscuit
  • Fat: Approximately 4.5 g per biscuit
  • Carbohydrates: Approximately 13 g per biscuit
  • Protein: Approximately 2 g per biscuit