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What to eat in the United Kingdom? Top 11 British Cookies

Last update: Fri Feb 14 2025
Top 11 British Cookies
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01
Petticoat Tails
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The dainty petticoat tails gained their peculiar name and distinctive shape by resembling the pieces of fabric used to create the elaborate 16th-century petticoats, including that of Mary Queen of Scots, who was reputed to have been particularly fond of these sweet, buttery shortbread biscuits.


However, another less romantic theory claims their name could've been derived from petits cotés, the old French term for little biscuits. Regardless of their real origins, petticoat tails remain a Scottish favorite until this day. 
02

Cookie

GRASMERE, England
3.9
Grasmere gingerbread
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Grasmere gingerbread is a traditional biscuit originating from Cumbria. This thin and chewy cookie (although some say it's more like a cake than a biscuit) is the best-known gingerbread in the country, and it dates back to 1854, when Sarah Nelson started to bake the gingerbread in her little cottage.


This unique chewy gingerbread is nowadays freshly baked each day according to a secret recipe. However, it’s believed that the cookies are made with a mixture of flour, brown sugar, ground ginger and nutmeg, baking soda, sea salt, and butter.


Grasmere gingerbread also makes for a great gift, as the biscuits are sold wrapped in parchment and can be bought at the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, located in the heart of the village.

03

Cookie

CORNWALL, England
3.9
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Cornish fairing is a traditional cookie originating from Cornwall. The cookies have been made for many years by a baker's firm called Furniss, founded in 1886 in Truro, and the recipe is a trade secret. The ingredients for these biscuits include sugar, flour, butter, syrup, spices such as ginger and cinnamon, and raising agents.


The ingredients are formed into a dough, which is then cut with a wire futter before baking to give the cookies a rough surface. These dark brown, circular, spicy biscuits have long been associated with fairs in the South West, where they were bought and given as gifts to friends or relatives, hence the name Cornish fairing.

04
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One of Scotland’s teatime staples, melting moments are traditional vanilla-flavored oat biscuits or cookies that are typically made by combining butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, and oatmeal. The mixture is shaped into small, slightly flattened balls, which are then coated with either rolled oats (which is the traditional way) or desiccated coconut, and garnished with glacé cherries or other candied fruit before they are baked until nicely colored.


Apart from being an all-time favorite tea treat, these scrumptious, buttery biscuits are also commonly prepared for parties and are the perfect accompaniment to a glass of milk.

05
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Rock cakes are traditional English cookies with a crumbly and light consistency, often served as a part of afternoon tea. The cookies are usually made with a combination of flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and dried fruits such as raisins or sultanas.


The thick and lumpy dough is placed onto a baking tray, and rock cakes are then baked until golden brown. It's recommended to eat them while they are still warm. Although the rock cakes look similar to scones, the dough for the rock cake is stiffer, and the size is smaller. 

MOST ICONIC Rock cakes

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06

Cookie

GOOSNARGH, England
n/a
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Goosnargh cake is a traditional cookie originating from a village north of Preston, Lancashire. The cookies are made with a combination of flour, sugar, local butter, and flavorings such as ground coriander and whole caraway seeds. The dough is rolled out, cut into rounds, sprinkled with caster sugar, and baked until firm, but very pale.


The texture should be similar to shortbread. These cookies were popular in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries. If stored properly, these cookies can keep for several months.

07

Cookie

DERBYSHIRE, England
n/a
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Langley wakes are traditional English cookies that are often baked for annual wakes or fairs in Derbyshire villages during the summer months of July and August. They are usually made with a combination of flour, butter, sugar, baking powder, eggs, and dried fruits and nuts such as sultanas, currants, and hazelnuts.


The dough is rolled out and cut into rounds, then baked in the oven until golden brown. Once done, the cookies are typically sprinkled with caster sugar and left to cool before they're served. Langley wakes can also be stored in airtight containers where they will keep for a few days.

08

Cookie

SHREWSBURY, England
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This classic English shortbread biscuit takes its name after its place of origin, although different versions can be found in many other parts of England. While some use lemon, cinnamon, or even caraway seeds, the earliest recorded recipe goes back to 1621 when these brittle, buttery cookies were typically flavored with nutmeg and rosewater.


Thanks to several literary references—including William Congreve's play The Way of the World in which he uses the expression as short as a Shrewsbury cake—by the end of the 18th century, these crispy English biscuits became known even beyond the borders of their homeland, and are especially popular in India.

09
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Empire biscuit is a traditional treat consisting of two shortbread-style biscuits sandwiched together with a layer of raspberry jam. The top biscuit is coated with a smooth layer of white icing and typically decorated with a small piece of candied cherry or a jelly sweet.


The combination of buttery, crumbly shortbread, sweet jam, and sugary icing makes Empire biscuits a popular bakery item, often enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee. Originally known as the "Linzer biscuit" or "Deutsch biscuit," the treat was renamed "Empire biscuit" around the time of World War I, reflecting the patriotic sentiment of the era and the British Empire's influence. 
10

Cookie

ABERFFRAW, Wales
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MAIN INGREDIENTS

Aberffraw biscuit is a traditional shortbread that’s believed to be Britain’s oldest biscuit. These cookies are made with a simple combination of high-quality butter, flour, and sugar. The rich and sweet shortbread is instantly recognizable due to its visual appearance – it’s shaped like a scallop shell.


It is believed that the origin of the scallop shape dates back to the 13th century, when Welsh pilgrims went on their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and they began pressing shortbread with scallop shells as an homage to their journey.

11
Cookie
EDINBURGH, Scotland
n/a

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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British Cookies