Name: Classic Tea Biscuits
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour; ¼ teaspoon salt*; 3 teaspoons baking powder; ½ cup butter (room temperature); ½ cup milk (I use 2%); ¼ cup cream (heavy/whole or whipping cream) 30% fat; ¼-½ cup raisins**

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Flaky, fluffy Tea Biscuits are the perfect treat to go with your cup of tea or coffee. These biscuits are easy to make with just a few staple ingredients and delicious served warm from the oven with a pat of butter.

Whether you make a batch for breakfast, brunch, or a snack, these tea biscuits are delicious any time. Warm from the oven they’re so hard to resist!

I love biscuits, donuts, and scones for breakfast – it’s so wonderful to pull something delicious warm from the oven for a special treat. These classic tea biscuits are always a favorite.

They’re flaky from butter cut into the dry ingredients and a little fluffy from baking powder to help them puff up while they bake. I also like to add raisins for a sweet flavor in every bite.

If you’ve ever made homemade scones or buttermilk biscuits, you can make these tea biscuits. The process is very similar – they’re so easy you can make a batch first thing in the morning to enjoy for breakfast.

Split them in half, spread on some butter, and add a spoonful of jam. Oh, and don’t forget the tea or coffee!

A cut tea biscuit on a black plate with butter and biscuits on a wire rack.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Salt
Baking powder
Room temperature butter
2% milk
Heavy cream
Raisins

Recipe Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Mixing the butter with dry ingredients to form coarse crumbs in a glass bowl.

Stir in the raisins and then add the milk and cream. Mix the dough with a fork just until combined.

Adding the liquid just until combined in a glass bowl.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead it about eight times. Gently flatten so it is 1″ thick.

Use a small or medium cookie cutter to cut out dough rounds. Place them on the prepared baking sheet spaced about an inch apart.

The biscuits before baking on a cookie sheet.

Brush the tops with a little milk and then bake the biscuits for about 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool them for five minutes or so before serving.

Recipe Tips

When you cut in the butter, use a pastry cutter to make it easy. The more evenly you cut the butter in the flakier your biscuits will be.

When you mix, only mix until the dough forms. If you overmix, the gluten in the flour will develop too much and your biscuits won’t be as soft.

This recipe calls for raisins which add a nice texture and sweetness. I like to soak them first so they are nice and plump when you add them to the dough. They’re optional, so feel free to leave them out if you prefer.

2 biscuits on top of each other with a bowl of strawberries.

What is the difference between scones and tea biscuits?

They have similar ingredients, but scones have eggs while tea biscuits don’t. Also, the textures are different. Scones are more crumbly while biscuits are flakier and fluffier.

How long do they keep?

Store your biscuits in an airtight container and they will keep them at room temperature for two days or so. You can also freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.

Ready to dunk a tea biscuit or two in your coffee or tea? That’s what we love to do! They’re so easy, you can treat yourself to this tea biscuit recipe any day. Enjoy!

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