These custard creams are a re-creation of classic British biscuits by the same name and childhood favourite. Sweet, dainty custard flavoured biscuits (aka cookies) that are perfect as an afternoon tea treat.

They have an intense sweet buttery vanilla flavour and are totally scrumptious. This recipe has been on the blog for years and I’m so glad since they’re now discontinued in Australia.

Aussies will also love these Kingston biscuits while Brits will love these copycat M&S buttery sultana cookies.

This recipe was first published here on September 5th, 2019 and has been updated with new photos, clearer step by step images and a very slight change to the cookie recipe.

Top down view of a batch of custard cream biscuits in metal trays.

❤️ Why you’ll love them

This is the absolute best custard creams biscuits recipe becuase they’re;

  • Super yummy,
  • Crisp with a soft filling, just like the originals,
  • Ridiculously easy to make,
  • Taste better than store-bought,
  • No chilling in the fridge reqiured,
  • No fancy equipement,
  • Freezer-friendly (so they’re great for making ahead and gifting or saving for another time).

What are custard creams?

Traditionally, custard cream biscuits are a crunchy British sandwich biscuit (cookie) with a soft creamy buttercream centre that have the flavour of runny custard (aka creme anglaise).

Originating in the UK, custard creams are a classic in Australia too. Unfortunately for Aussies, the maker, Arnotts, has now discontinued custard creams and the supermarket version don’t even come close for flavour. Now, though, you can make your own.

While the commercial variety don’t contain custard powder, the easiest way to get the same flavour in a home kitchen is with custard powder. Don’t worry, if you can’t get it, you can get a close flavour with a little twist, in the recipe below.

Ingredients

Most of the ingredients for these custard creams biscuits are self-explanatory but it’s worth elaborating on some of them.

Top down view of ingredients for custard cream biscuits on a marble surface.

Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.

  • Sugar: I use caster sugar (superfine sugar) in all my baking but regular white granulated sugar will work. Icing sugar (aka powdered sugar or confectioners sugar) is used in the buttercream filling.
  • Plain flour is also known as all purpose flour.
  • Cornflour is also known as corn starch. It’s the very fine powder often used for thickening sauces. Whilst also not in the classic, this gives these homemade cookies a slightly meltier texture.
  • Butter: Use unsalted butter.
  • Pure vanilla extract: If possible, use vanilla extract and not vanilla essence. Although the names are very similar, the former is natural while the latter is a synthetic flavouring.
  • Custard powder is basically a runny custard sauce (aka creme anglaise) in powdered form. While commercial custard creams don’t contain custard powder, they do have a distinct custard flavour. The easiest way to get that flavour in a home kitchen is using custard powder. You can buy it online (like the classic Bird’s custard powder) or try making your own. However, you can swap it out for some milk powder and additional vanilla.
A batch of custard creams biscuits in a metal tray.

How to make Custard Creams

Homemade custard creams are super easy to make. A handheld mixer will suffice, though with some elbow grease, you could make them by hand. The dough takes just minutes to make and there is no chilling required. The buttercream filling is even quicker.

I have an embossed custard creams biscuits cookie cutter but you can use just a regular round cookie cutter or rectangular (the traditional shape for these cookies). I’ve also previously made these with an rolling (embossed) pin with a pretty design.

Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.

Start by beating together butter and sugar until light and creamy, then add milk, vanilla and egg yolk and mix it through.

The egg, milk and vanilla added to the butter and sugar mixture in a bowl.

Add the dry ingredients and beat until you have a crumbly dough with no dry pockets of flour left. At this point it will easily clump together in your hand.

The custard creams biscuits cookie dough.

Pull the dough together, then roll it out on a very lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick. Use a cookie cutter (either use the iconic embossed custard creams cookie cutter or just a 5cm / 2 inch square, round or rectangular cookie cutter).

The cookie dough rolled out with cookie dough cut out using a custard cream biscuits embossed cutter.
Closeup of the custard cream biscuits cookie cutter.

Place the cut biscuit dough shapes onto baking sheets lined with baking paper and bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

The raw cookies on a baking sheet ready to bake.
The baked cookies ready for filling.

2. Make the buttercream and fill

The custard buttercream is a simple case of beating together icing sugar, butter, custard powder and milk. That’s it. Pipe it onto half the cookies and top them with their other halves and they’re done and ready to serve.

I use a piping bag to pipe the filling on but you can certainly just spread it if you prefer.

30 cookies on a baking sheet, 15 topped with buttercream.

Tips and tricks

  • Weigh the flour for best results. The way you scoop flour from a container can give varying weights of flour and too much flour can make your biscuits dry and hard. Always weigh flour to get the very best result.
  • All ovens vary – mine may cook quicker than yours or vice versa so keep an eye on them. Check them at the 10 minute mark. You want the cookies to get a nice golden edge around them as they should be crisp once cooled.
  • Don’t add too much flour when you roll. Start with just a little flour, only as much as you need for the dough not to stick to the work surface. When you re-roll the dough (which you should do as little as possible), try to add less flour each time.
  • Get as many cookies cut from each roll as possible to save re-rolling too many times which can toughen up the dough.

Storage

These custard cream biscuits will keep well in an airtight container in the pantry for 7-10 days. They will soften up over time though.

They’re freezer-friendly too. Both the unbaked dough and the finished cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months, in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

A batch of custard creams biscuits in a glass jar.

With a batch of Homemade Custard Creams in the oven, your home will begin to fill with their wonderful aroma. So pop the kettle on and brew up a cup of tea to go with them.

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A batch of custard cream cookies in a metal tray.

Custard Cream Biscuits Recipe

Yield: 28 biscuits
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
5 from 5 ratings
This custard creams recipe is a homemade version of the iconic British biscuits. Delightful custard-flavoured cookies, perfect with a cuppa.
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Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES

  • 165 g plain flour (all purp flour) (1 ¼ cups /~5 ¾oz)
  • 35 g cornflour (US cornstarch) (¼cup /1 ¼oz)
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 100 g caster sugar (or white granulated sugar) (½ cup / 3 ½oz)
  • 113 g unsalted butter, softened (½ cup / 1 stick / 4oz)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons milk or water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE CUSTARD CREAM FILLING

  • 115 g icing sugar (powdered sugar) (4oz)
  • 2 tablespoons custard powder (8tsp/notes 1 & 2)
  • 75 g unsalted butter softened (2½ oz)
  • 3 teaspoons milk

For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • FOR THE BISCUITS/COOKIES:
    Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan forced)/ 350F. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper.
  • Whisk together the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt in a bowl so that it’s all well dispersed.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar (using a stand mixer or handheld beater) on medium-high speed until light and creamy. Add the egg yolk, milk and vanilla and beat on low speed until just combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients and and beat on low just until it starts forming large clumps and you don’t see anymore flour.
  • Pull the dough together with your hands and turn it out onto a very lightly floured surface. Dust just a little flour over the top and roll it out to about 3mm / ⅛ inch thick.
  • Use a 5cm (2 inch) ccircle cookie cutter or custard cream cookie cutter to cut shapes from the dough. Transfer them to the baking sheets at least 1/2 inch apart.
    Tip: If using the custard cream cutter, press down firmly on the top button press which imprints the dough with the custard cream pattern. Then use your fingers to press down firmly on the square corners to cut right through the cookie dough.
    You can re-roll the dough but try to get as many cookies as possible from each roll as the dough will get drier and tougher the more it is re-rolled. Try not to add too much flour for subsequent rolls.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes until turning golden brown around the edges. These cookies should be crisp once cool. Let them cool before filling.
    Tips: It’s best to bake in 2 batches so the air circulates around the baking sheet evenly. You can also freeze half the dough for another time.
  • FOR THE BUTTERCREAM FILLING:
    Once the cookies have cooled, combine the butter and icing sugar in a medium bowl. Beat with a handheld mixer until the two are combined but in a crumbly mixture.
  • Add the custard powder and milk (or milk powder and vanilla, notes 2) and beat for 30-60 seconds until the mixture is soft and creamy.
  • Pipe or spread a generous amount frosting onto the flat side of half of cookies, then gently press another cookie down on top.
  • Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.

Notes

  1. Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
  2. Custard powder: If you can’t get hold of custard powder or would prefer not to use it, swap it for 1 ½ tablespoons of whole milk powder and 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract.
  3. Patterned cookies: I use a custard cream cookie cutter. You can also use a rolling (embossed) pin for a different look. Roll the dough first with a standard roller to about 4-5 mm thick, then swap to the patterned roller. Dust it well with flour, then in just one smooth, firm roll, roll over the top of the dough to create the pattern.
  4. For best results, you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
  5. All ovens vary – test for doneness 1-2 minutes before the recipe suggests.
  6. Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES!
Calories: 111kcal
Author: Marie Roffey
Course: Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Snack, Sweets
Cuisine: Australian, British
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Nutrition information is approximate only and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use and any changes you make may cause variations.

Nutrition Facts
Custard Cream Biscuits Recipe
Amount Per Serving (21 g)
Calories 111 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 24mg8%
Sodium 26mg1%
Potassium 20mg1%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 181IU4%
Vitamin C 0.004mg0%
Calcium 9mg1%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.