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Earl Grey Custard Cream Biscuits

By • Updated September 2026
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These Earl Grey custard cream biscuits are a proper afternoon tea showstopper: delicate shortbread rounds infused with Earl Grey tea, sandwiched with bergamot buttercream that echoes the tea's signature citrus note. The biscuit itself has a tender, melt-in-the-mouth crumb thanks to the addition of custard powder—a nostalgic nod to the corner-shop classic—while loose-leaf Earl Grey brings a floral, aromatic backbone. A good biscuit cutter set is essential here; uniform thickness and clean edges mean your biscuits bake evenly and look smart enough for any tea table.

Rolling the dough to an exact 3–4 mm ensures the biscuits stay crisp but not brittle, and a fluted or plain round cutter (about 5 cm) gives that iconic custard cream shape. The buttercream filling benefits from the fat solubility of bergamot oils in butter, so every bite carries the Earl Grey flavour forward. If you've ever wondered which blend to choose, stick with a robust Earl Grey rather than Lady Grey; you want bold bergamot that won't disappear into the sweet filling.

Earl Grey Custard Cream Biscuits
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time12 mins
ServingsMakes 18 sandwich biscuits
DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

  • 175 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 75 g caster sugar
  • 200 g plain flour
  • 50 g custard powder
  • 2 tbsp Earl Grey loose-leaf tea, finely ground
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • For the filling: 100 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 200 g icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 tbsp Earl Grey tea, finely ground, plus 1 tbsp hot water
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 145
Fat: 8g
Sugar: 10g
Protein: 1g

Instructions

1
Make the dough: Cream the softened butter and caster sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Sift together the plain flour, custard powder and ground Earl Grey tea, then fold into the butter mixture along with the vanilla extract. Bring together into a smooth dough; if it feels sticky, chill for 10 minutes.
2
Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 3–4 mm thick—use rolling-pin guides or stack lolly sticks either side if you have them. Use a 5 cm round biscuit cutter (fluted or plain) to stamp out rounds, dipping the cutter in flour between cuts to prevent sticking. Re-roll scraps once to maximise yield. Transfer rounds to lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 cm apart.
3
Emboss: Use a fork or a smaller cutter (about 2 cm) to gently press a decorative pattern into the top of each biscuit—this mimics the classic custard cream look and helps them bake evenly. Chill the trays for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 170 °C fan / 190 °C / gas 5.
4
Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn golden; the centres should still look pale. Let the biscuits firm up on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5
Infuse the buttercream: Steep 1 tablespoon of finely ground Earl Grey in 1 tablespoon of just-boiled water for 3 minutes, then press through a fine sieve to extract a concentrated tea liquor; discard the leaves. Beat the softened butter until creamy, then gradually add the sifted icing sugar. Stir in the Earl Grey liquor and beat until pale and fluffy.
6
Assemble: Pair up your cooled biscuits by size. Pipe or spread a teaspoon of buttercream onto the flat side of one biscuit, then sandwich with its partner, embossed side up. Press gently so the filling reaches the edges. Store in an airtight tin for up to 5 days—the flavour actually deepens after a day or two as the bergamot oils mingle with the butter.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

A sharp, well-made biscuit cutter set is the secret to uniform, professional-looking sandwich biscuits. Clean edges and consistent diameter mean every pair matches perfectly, and even thickness ensures they all bake at the same rate—no burnt edges or doughy centres. Look for cutters with a rolled or reinforced rim for comfort and precision when you're stamping out three dozen rounds.

See our biscuit cutter set picks →

Expert Tip: Grind Your Tea Fine

Use a spice grinder or pestle and mortar to pulverise the Earl Grey leaves into a powder—coarse bits will create a gritty texture in both the biscuit and the buttercream. Sift the ground tea if you want an ultra-smooth finish, especially in the filling.

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