Almond Biscuits Recipe uses ground whole almonds, eggs, self-rising flour, and sugar to yield a slightly crunchy outer crust with a soft interior. I created this recipe based on British rock cakes that are generally softer without a defined shape. These biscuits, on the other hand, are firmer and are garnished with raw almonds on top!
This recipe is a wonderful, sweet almond biscuit used in the traditional British definition of a biscuit. Depending on where you are reading this recipe, you will have a different reaction. If you are used to the American vernacular, you should read this recipe as an Almond cookie, if, on the other hand, you are from Europe or Asia, then this is exactly what you’re used to – a biscuit.
Difference between a biscuit and a cookie:
Let me explain. To most Americans, a biscuit is the equivalent of an English scone. They are quick bread that is fluffy because they are leavened with baking powder or buttermilk. They are usually served as a carbohydrate complement to a savory protein dish accompanied by some sort of gravy.
In other parts of the world, a biscuit is a thinner, crispier version of an American cookie. The cookie itself is from the Dutch koekje, which were small bits of cake batter used to test an oven’s temperature. It’s generally made from wheat but nowadays you can make cookies from virtually any flour. Because of its history, cookies tend to be chunky and have several ingredients including chocolate chips and dried fruit. This makes for a longer baking period. A biscuit, on the other hand, tends be thin, crisp, and not so ingredient heavy as the cookie. That means that it cooks faster.
Origin:
Some observers have indicated that cookies tend to have more flavor than biscuits. But let me assure you that this is certainly not true. While cookies tend to have whole ingredients in them which makes for a heavier flavor profile, a traditional biscuit tends to have a more delicate flavor because we either use ground or liquified spices. The modern biscuits also have a much longer history, tracing back to 7th century AD to Persia. Persian cookies were light biscuits that were sweetened with fruit and honey. Would it surprise you to read that one of the earliest biscuits was gingerbread?
I certainly hope you enjoyed this brief tour of the history of cookies and biscuits. But as we, in the Northern hemisphere, transition from glorious summer to a golden fall, baking treats (for Halloween or Thanksgiving, etc.,) will become a staple in many households.
British-Inspired Almond Biscuits Recipe:
The recipe for these Almond Biscuits is British-Inspired, taken from almond rock cakes and modified to my kids’ liking. As we all know, children are fond of cookies or biscuits and other sweet baked goods. I made it a point to bake twice a week for my kids so that they enjoyed homemade goodies that are fresh and not as sweet as the mass-produced ones. The British rock cake, of course, became incredibly popular in war rationed Britain during the 2nd World War because they required less ingredients, such as eggs, sugar, and butter.
I was making rock cakes that called for a more pliable and soft dough that used more eggs. I added whole ground almonds. I was initially making the rock cakes that were too sticky to handle for my children, whenever they would help me bake sometimes. I wanted to make something that was sturdy for them to make into balls with their hands and not call for rolling and cutting.
Over time, my kids liked a crunchier and sturdier texture to the Almond Biscuits, so I modified the recipe to include less eggs and added more milk and ground almond. The crusty exterior and slightly softer interior was met with more cravings and has since then, become one of my kids’ favorites. Even as adults now, they seem to be very fond of these biscuits. I bake these for them every time they visit us.
But what I have discovered progressively is that the genius behind the recipe is that it is incredibly adaptive. You can use a whole host of ingredients in making these hearty biscuits (that’s what they actually are) to give a myriad of flavors. I have been baking these tea-time treats for my children for almost 20 years. Thankfully, I have fresh homegrown almonds, and the freshness makes a world of a difference in the flavor. But equally, you can use ingredients to alter the flavor profile of this versatile recipe.
Difference between almond flour and almond meal:
Almond flour: Almond flour is made from blanched or peeled almonds that is blitzed fine. This results in a lighter colored and softer textured baked good.
Almond meal: Almond meal is made from whole raw unsalted almonds that is blitzed coarsely. Using it in baked goods makes them crunchier. I ground whole raw almonds and used them in the Almond Biscuits. A coarse texture adds character to the biscuits.
How to make self-rising flour:
Self-rising flour is common in many British baked goods such as scones or Victoria Sandwich Cake.
You only need three ingredients : all-purpose flour, salt and baking powder. For every cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix the three ingredients together in a bowl and use in the recipe.
As we begin to get into the holiday season, I hope that you will take the opportunity to try this recipe and as always, please experiment with it. I look forward to hearing your feedback!
How to make Almond Biscuits using my recipe:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flour in a stand mixer and add the butter cut into pieces. Use the dough hook to mix for a minute or until the flour resembles bread crumbs.
- Add the sugar and the ground almonds to the flour mixture. Add the egg that is lightly beaten with the essence and milk to flour mixture.
3. Mix until combined or until the mixture comes together as a ball of dough.
4. Divide the dough into 32 small balls. Place each ball on a greased baking tray and press lightly to flatten to your desired thickness. Press down an almond on top of each biscuit and brush with cream or whole milk. Bake for 13 minutes.
5. Allow the biscuits to cool on the tray and gently lift each biscuit using a butter knife.
1. For more consistency in the shape and size of the Almond Biscuits, use an ice cream scoop and level the dough on top for this recipe.
2. Please allow at least half an inch between biscuits so they do not stick to each other.
3. I would recommend sifting homemade ground almonds to avoid chunks of almonds in the Almond Biscuits.
4. My kids like the biscuits on the crunchier side, so after I turn off the oven, I leave the trays in there for 3 extra minutes.
5. Do not overbrush the biscuits with milk or egg wash. Instead, lightly brush the biscuits without leaving a residue on the baking trays which will later be otherwise hard to clean.
6. If the balls are too sticky, add some more ground almonds to make a firm dough.
Serving and Storage:
Enjoy these Almond Biscuits at teatime with hot black tea or coffee. My kids have enjoyed them with Hot Chocolate or just milk. You could store these biscuits in an airtight container for a week or refrigerate for three weeks.
Other nut biscuits or cookies that you might like:
Almond Biscuits Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer, oven
Ingredients
- 12 ounces self-rising flour
- 6 ounces unsalted butter
- 8 ounces whole ground almonds (or almond meal)
- 6 ounces caster sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon almond essence
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flour in a stand mixer and the butter cut into pieces. Use the dough hook to mix for a minute or until the flour resembles bread crumbs.
- Add the sugar and the ground almonds to the flour mixture. Add egg lightly beaten with the essence and milk to flour mixture in the stand mixer.
- Mix until combined or until the mixture comes together as a ball of dough.
- Divide the dough into 32 small balls. Place each ball on a greased baking tray and press lightly to flatten with your palm to your desired thickness. Press down an almond on top of each biscuit and brush with cream or whole milk. Bake for 13 minutes.
- Allow the biscuits to cool on the tray and gently lift each biscuit using a butter knife.
Notes
- Allow the biscuits to cool on the tray before lifting them.
- Adjust the thickness of the biscuits to your liking.
- You could brush the biscuits with egg wash or egg yolk mixed with a teaspoon of water.
Nutrition
These are perfect for gift-giving!
these are so cute!!
Thanks!
Great recipe! Love how it was inspired by the British rock cakes!
Thanks a lot!