When it comes to biscuits, every country has their own national treasure, but here in the UK we're lucky enough to have dozens of them. From classic chocolate digestives to fiery ginger nuts or the understated English classics like custard creams and bourbons, we've all got a favourite, the top spot of which can incite many a heated debate.
Fancy shaking up the contents of your biscuit tin? Our guide covers which are the most dunkable and which taste heavenly paired with tea, coffee, cheeseboards and after-dinner drinks. We cover both family favourites and twists on the classics as well as vegan, gluten-free, low-calorie, and diabetic options to ensure no one has to go without. We want to deliver the best information to our users, so we have also partnered with Nutritionist Tara Corbett for reviewing and fact-checking the article.
Quick List - Top Biscuits
McVitie's
Digestive Biscuit Royalty That's Decadent Enough for Dessert
mybest UK specialist Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through their nutrition. Tara specialises in helping busy parents specifically improve their eating with ease and without overwhelm, and get back on track so the whole family can benefit.
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Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients to lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through better nutrition. She specialises in helping busy parents improve their diets without overwhelming them with information, and get them back on track so that the whole family can benefit.
When choosing a flavour, think about not only what you already like, but what each occasion may call for. For instance, a kids' birthday requires something sweet, simple and familiar with a wide mass appeal, like a chocolate digestive, and a Christmas or autumnal tea would befit a warming spiced biscuit.
You may also want to consider the flavour of the biscuit alongside what you'll be enjoying it with. Vanilla, chocolate, and cinnamon will perfectly complement the rich bitterness of coffee, whereas citrus pairs nicely with Earl Grey tea and fruity biscuits are a delectable addition to a wine and cheese board.
Pair your biscuits with a nice mug of hot chocolate for a cosy night in!
Sadly, there's no escaping the fact that biscuits are an indulgence, and are best enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. The main culprits that raise the calorie content are fat and sugar, which we must be mindful of in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
It's up to you how many calories you want to dedicate to your biscuits, but generally, 200 calories per serving or less is a sensible figure to aim for. In terms of fat, it's mainly advised to note the saturated fat, which is the type that raises cholesterol levels and can lead to heart problems, and to keep it under 5 grams.
As for sugar, it's recommended that your portion does not exceed 10 grams, which, depending on the decadence of the biscuit, could be one, two, or more, so choose carefully if you're buying for children or watching your own blood pressure and diet.
Potentially the most important factor that can make or break (sometimes literally) your enjoyment of a biscuit is the dunkability. But how do you know which will stand strong when faced with a steaming mug of tea, and which will crumble and fall before it reaches your mouth?
To find out, we advise noting the firmness and thickness. While this cannot be measured on any official scale, there are in fact online guides dedicated to the testing of various biscuit types. Each person's tastes do vary, so if it's just for devouring or you simply prefer something softer, by all means, go for it.
Try dunking your biccies in your morning coffee for a treat!
Not just a delicious accompaniment to a hot drink, choosing a biscuit for baking or desserts will also require some thought. The best biscuits for cheesecake bases are also firm, and fairly plain without cream-filled centres, which is why digestives, oat biscuits and spiced cookies are often used.
These attributes also suit the making of s'mores, as well as serving with ice cream, blending into milkshakes, and crumbled onto other decadent puddings. Biscuits can be surprisingly versatile, so don't hesitate to add some to your recipes for added texture!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lotus Biscoff Caramelised Biscuits | ![]() | The New British Number One | |
2 | McVitie's V.I.Bs Classic Caramel Bliss Milk Chocolate Digestive | ![]() | Digestive Biscuit Royalty That's Decadent Enough for Dessert | |
3 | Fox's Chocolatey Milk Chocolate Rounds | ![]() | The Ultimate Choclate Treat for Shortbread Lovers | |
4 | McVitie's Hobnobs | ![]() | An Oaty Stalwart to Fulfil Any Biscuit Requirement | |
5 | Nairn's Gluten Free Biscuit Breaks Chocolate Chip | ![]() | Semi-Healthy Biscuits With 30% Less Sugar | |
6 | Tesco Bourbon Creams | ![]() | A Quintessential Family Favourite Perfect for Tea and Coffee | |
7 | Asda Free From: Cranberry & Orange Oaty Cookies | ![]() | A Zesty and Chunky Treat Everyone Can Devour | |
8 | Mrs Crimble's Gluten Free Chocolate Macaroons | ![]() | A Gluten-Free Option With Healthy Fats | |
9 | Gullòn Sugar-Free 3 Biscuit Selection | ![]() | Classic Biscuits for Coffee, Minus the Sugar | |
10 | Cartwright & Butler Salted Caramel Biscuits With Tin | ![]() | All-Butter Luxury for a Special Occasion |
A Belgian biscuit that has won the nation over with its unique spiced cinnamon-caramel flavour, the Lotus Biscoff craze shows no sign of slowing down. They're positively addictive, plus they're vegan-friendly and not too sinful either.
One of the most versatile biccies you can buy, the possibilities are endless with these beauties. Outstanding with coffee and tea, mouth-watering crumbled over ice cream, as s'mores or in milkshakes, perfect as a baking ingredient, or even just as a base for a slather of Biscoff spread, we heard. Ten out of ten!
We could have included digestives or even their chocolate-covered upgrades but these chocolate caramel versions are simply unrivalled. Eaten on their own, they're as satisfying as any slice of cake but dunked they're even better. Think melted caramel, chocolate, and classic digestive all in one heavenly morsel.
Again they are small enough in both biscuit size and quantity to curb your sugar cravings without going too crazy, in fact, the package size has recently been reduced to stop the consumption of a day's worth of calories. You have been warned...
Utterly scandalous though they may be nutritional, these melt-in-your-mouth chocolate-coated shortbread rounds have fast replaced the brand's infamous chunky cookies and Viennese fingers as the best British choccy biscuit. The milk chocolate melts just perfectly when dipped in a hot drink, equally complementing both a builder's tea and an Italian coffee.
Thankfully, like most similarly extravagant biscuits, there are only 8 in a pack to stop you from going overboard. The ultimate treat for shortbread lovers, stash them, gift them, eat them when you've had a good day, a bad day, or any day, just enjoy them!
You'd have been outraged if we didn't include the humble Hobnob on our list, and we don't blame you. For less than a pound, this oaty delight can handle any biccy-related task you set it to, including making a sublime cheesecake base or dessert and holding up to several dunks in a cuppa. There's a 'just-right' firmness to them and a lovely snap.
With such a buttery, rich taste it's a surprise they're actually dairy-free. Perhaps it's the fact they're almost as calorie-dense as some other totally indulgent chocolatey varieties, but, in their defence, they're a much more generous size. Many will also be thrilled to hear McVitie's have also recently released a gluten-free version.
OK, so we're not saying you should eat the lot, but if you're looking to err toward the healthier side of the biscuit world, have a nibble on these. Packed with vitamin and fibre-rich oats, they're filling, satisfying, and manage the ideal ratio of chocolate chips to ensure you get your fix.
They're also gluten-free, and much like the brand's other oaty snacks, they come in 4 individual packs of 4 biscuits so make for a great lunchbox, desktop, or hiking pack treat. We'd also recommend the other flavours in the range, ginger or oats and fruit.
Top pick for tea and coffee lovers, bourbons have ranked higher than any other biscuit in terms of how well they hold up in hot liquids, and for how long. Whilst it sadly wasn't our job to perform the tests, we can vouch for their just-right consistency and thickness, plus they're dairy-free and vegan, too.
During our research, we found that almost every brand's bourbon recipe is pretty much identical, but there's something about Tesco's offering that sets them above the rest. Better still, they're the same bargain price they've been for years, appealing to every age, occasion and taste. A family favourite for a reason!
With the free-from supermarket ranges growing only more delicious by the day, anyone avoiding milk, eggs, dairy, or gluten no longer has to pay a fortune to enjoy a good biccy, let alone settle for a piece of fruit. You won't even be able to tell these thick, chunky, and indulgent cookies are free from anything!
Whilst they're probably a bit too sweet and cookie-like to top with cheese, they will still complement a picnic, afternoon spread or party buffet very nicely. Don't be fooled into thinking they're low-calorie or low-sugar, though, as they're up there with the highest on the list.
These biscuits are the perfect healthy yet delicious gluten-free and wheat-free option, making them acceptable for coeliacs. They are predominantly made up of coconut, a great source of natural and healthy fats. Because they are such a great source of healthy fats, they will help keep you fuller for longer and will even stabilize your blood sugars (which is a stark contrast to other biscuits!).
However, they do contain dairy and eggs, so they're not suitable for vegans. All in all, these coconut macaroons are an awesome and unique biscuit to liven up your normal biscuit selection and even have a few health benefits to help you feel less guilt as you tuck in!
Diabetic or dieting? With this tasty little trio, you can have your biccy and eat it, too. Included in the understated, but by no means under-flavoured, pack are digestives, shortbreads, and Maria biscuits, which are akin to Rich Teas. And they're all dairy and sugar-free!
A budget (and blood sugar) friendly pick for a coffee morning, we'd say, but you'll still have to exercise some control as they're mostly almost as calorific as their traditional versions, minus the Marias, which is really due to their smaller size.
As exquisite as the name suggests, Cartwright & Butler's biscuits are top tucker when only the best will do. Whether you're hosting a discerning afternoon tea or searching for a gift fit for royalty, these salted caramel biscuits are a nice change from chocolate, with a great balance of sweet and salty.
The high percentage of butter makes for a lovely melt-in-the-mouth experience, but they are perhaps better nibbled rather than dunked as this means they disappear all too quickly in hot liquid. Even with the bonus country-kitchen inspired tin, for the quantity, they are best kept for special occasions.
Now we've spoilt you for choice with all the different biccies you can now indulge on, how about indulging further and make a delicious strawberry cheesecake! Choose from the classic digestive, as mentioned in the recipe, or spice things up and choose a different biscuit from our Top 10 for that all-important biscuit base. The choice is yours!
Written and researched by Natasha Dziubajlo
No. 1: Lotus |Biscoff Caramelised Biscuits
No. 2: McVitie's|V.I.Bs Classic Caramel Bliss Milk Chocolate Digestive
No. 3: Fox's |Chocolatey Milk Chocolate Rounds
No. 4: McVitie's|Hobnobs
No. 5: Nairn's |Gluten Free Biscuit Breaks Chocolate Chip
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