These traditional Easter Biscuits, studded with dried fruit and flavoured with warm spices, are a lovely alternative to all that chocolate indulgence!
They are easy to bake with kids, make lovely Easter gifts and are totally vegan!
Traditional Easter Biscuits
Easter biscuits, like hot cross buns, egg hunts and Maypole dancing are an essential part of English Easter celebrations and traditions, especially down here in the West Country.
Sugary shortbread biscuits are filled with currants and lightly spiced before being shared with family and friends.
I lived and taught in Bristol for many years where Easter biscuits are flavoured with Cassia oil. This is, apparently, to represent the anointing of Christ after the crucifixion.
My Bristol friends tell me they just like the taste and that they were surprised to hear that it is a custom local only to them!
Cassia oil is very tricky to get hold of these days. I’ve replaced it with ground cinnamon since both have a similar flavour.
This article is very useful if you want to know more about the difference between cassia and cinnamon.
The many homemade Easter biscuits I was gifted by children I taught inspired me to establish the tradition with my own family as they grew. We do love an Easter biscuit!
How To Make Vegan Easter Biscuits
Like most traditional baking these biscuits were super easy to veganise.
Butter is easily replaced with vegan margarine, the slight rise needed is provided by baking powder and the dough is bound together using plant-based milk.
I think you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between these and the more traditional egg and dairy-based versions!
Baking Easter Biscuits
This recipe is for a very simple biscuit dough. Vegan butter and caster sugar are creamed together until light and fluffy.
Flour, baking powder, spices and fruit are added followed by just enough plant-based milk to bind it all together.
The dough is rolled out, cut into rounds and baked.
Easter biscuits are slightly larger than regular English biscuits. I use an 8cm fluted cutter but use a smaller one if you want to.
Mine are slightly fatter than commercially produced biscuits but that is because I like a generous biscuit! This batch is between ½ and 1cm thick and offers up a soft centre and a crunchy outer.
Roll yours thinner if you want more crunch but reduce the cooking time slightly and keep a close eye on them to make sure they don’t burn.
Sprinkle them with caster sugar as soon as they come out of the oven and leave them to cool on a wire rack.
Storing Your Beautiful Biscuits
These biscuits store well in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.
If your family are anything like mine you will head, confidently, towards that tin with a cuppa in hand.
Your hopes will be dashed and your tummy disappointed as all those delicious biscuits will be gone.
My solution is to bake twice as many as I think I need and to HIDE SOME JUST FOR ME!
More Easy Spring Baking Ideas
Whether you’re baking with kids, or just for the joy of baking, these easy vegan bakes should tick all your boxes!
Check out my Vegan Baking category for even more ideas!
Easy Easter Biscuits
Ingredients
- 100 g vegan butter or margarine
- 75 g caster sugar + extra for sprinkling
- 200 g plain all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice use pumpkin spice if you are in the US
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tbsp plant based milk I used soya
- 50 g currants
- extra caster sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 180C/350F
- Grease and line two baking trays.
- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Sift the flour, spices and baking powder together.
- Add to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well until combined.
- Add currants and mix to evenly distribute throughout.
- Add a little milk at a time, just enough to bring the mixture together as a dough.
- Form into a ball, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to between 5mm and 1cm thick.
- Cut out biscuits using an 8cm round fluted biscuit cutter.
- Place biscuits on the prepared baking trays.
- Reroll the trimmings and cut out more biscuits until all the dough is used up.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Sprinkle with the extra caster sugar as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Leave to cool on the trays for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
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