These are crisp, delicious, shortbread-based cookies flavored like vanilla pastry cream. That's what these custard cookies are! Also, this simple and easy recipe uses custard powder, which gives these cookies the taste of pastry cream. And, this is an eggless recipe that takes less than 15 minutes to make.
Table of Content
I grew up eating these vanilla shortbread cookies flavored with custard powder. And, as kids, we use to call them custard cookies. In addition, these are eggless and honestly the simplest, quickest cookies you will ever make. Also, no special skills are necessary, and there are no issues with melting dough. Hence, these biscuits are perfect for baking with kids.
In fact, as a kid, I could make these from start to finish. Just a bowl and spatula to bring all the ingredients together. Then, we'd roll them into balls - place them on the cookie tray - use a fork to mark the top, and voila! Then, mom would bake them for 10 mins. Of course, I'd claim that I made these cookies. As a result, mom would call these Veena's custard cookies. Lol! I had the best mom ever!!
What is custard powder?
First of all, for those of you that do not know, custard powder is flavored pudding powder. It is cornstarch/cornflour with flavoring and a hint of yellow food color. Therefore, the flavor always reminds me of vanilla pastry cream, which is made with egg yolks, milk, sugar, and cornstarch. So, this custard powder, when cooked in milk or added as an ingredient in cookies, gives you that same flavor. Makes sense?
And, one of the most famous brands known is this Birds Custard Powder. I read somewhere that it was created by this scientist called Birds. In fact, he created it for his wife who was allergic to eggs. And yet, he wanted her to still enjoy her desserts. How sweet is that? She was lucky to have a husband who loves her so much. Don't you think?
Look at how crisp those are? Can you see it?
Why make these custard biscuits?
- Kids love these cookies so they are perfect to serve when you have kids as guests. And, most grown-ups are taken back to their childhood with the very first bite of these cookies. So, it is a great win for everyone.
- Most of the ingredients are easy to find or pantry staples.
- The process is very simple and you don't really need an electric mixer. Just a medium bowl, whisk and rubber spatula are all you need. But, feel free to use your food processor too.
- The cookies do not need any chilling time which means you can bake these from start to finish! No making your guest wait.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Custard powder - Custard powder is cornflour/cornstarch with vanilla pastry cream flavoring. If you can't find custard powder you can also use cornstarch.
- All-purpose flour - It's best to use all-purpose or plain flour (maida) rather than any other pastry flour. Since you get a nice crisp, melt in the mouth sensation.
- Butter - I love full flavor butter in this recipe. And yet, if you want you can use margarine or even vegetable shortening. The veg shortening spreads a little more but still tastes good.
- Vanilla - Some custard powders do not have vanilla added. And yet, most do. So, check the back label and add more or omit as necessary.
Custard biscuits
- Preheat the oven to 150°F/ 177°C/ Gas Mark 4
- Dry ingredients - In a bowl, swift the flour with custard powder, salt, and baking powder.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar for just a few seconds. Add vanilla extract. Followed by the flour mixture. Combine until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the smooth dough into small golf size balls. You should get about 2 dozen small balls.
Pro tip - If the cookie dough is too dry and cracking - Add one to two tablespoon of water and try again.
- Place the balls on parchment paper-lined, baking trays. Use a floured fork to flatten and mark the top.
- Bake cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack completely before you transfer it to a cookie jar.
- These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days or can be frozen for up to a month.
- You can also dust with icing sugar before serving.
More similar cookies
Frequently asked questions
These eggless custard cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze the dough for up to a month or freeze the cookies for up to three months.
These cookies don't spread much.
However, too much butter or sugar in the recipe can lead to cookies spreading. Too much baking powder or baking soda can also make cookies spread too much.
Place cookies on a cold, not hot baking pan.
And make sure the oven is at the right temperature.
These cookies have a good shelf life as dough as well as cookies.
The dough, if wrapped well, can usually stay in the fridge for 5 to 6 days before coating and baking.
You can also place the unbaked cookies on a parchment-lined tray, wrapped well with cling wrap, for about 3 to 4 days.
In addition, this snickerdoodle dough can be frozen for a month or more if covered well.
Yes, you can replace some of the all-purpose flour with almond flour. Or you can try my soft almond sugar cookies however, they are not eggless
Printable Recipe
Custard Cookies (Eggless)
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) Butter ((unsalted, room temperature)
- ½ cup (60 g) Powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoon (60 g) Custard powder
- 1½ cup (190 g) All purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 350°F/ 177°C/ Gas Mark 4
- In a bowl, swift the flour with custard powder, salt, and baking powder.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter and powdered sugar for just a few seconds. Add vanilla extract. Followed by the flour mixture.
- Divide the dough into small golf size balls. You should get about 2 dozen. Pro tip - If the cookie dough is too dry and cracking - Add one to two tablespoon of water and try again.
- Place the balls on a parchment-lined, cookie sheet. Use a fork to flatten and mark the top.
- Bake cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack completely before you transfer to a cookie jar.
- These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days or can be frozen for up to a month.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Terry
Hi Veena! I just happen to have a can of Birds in my cupboard, and I'm excited to try this recipe.
BUT - had I not read the comments, & if I was a novice baker, I'd have been waiting. And waiting. And waiting for the cookies to bake @ 150°F..
You acknowledged in one of the comments that the correct temperature is 350°F, so WHY hasn't the recipe been corrected - to ensure that even novice bakers can make them successfully?
Thanks for what I'm sure is going to be a very tasty treat!
From Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦
Veena Azmanov
Hey Terry, Sorry but doesn't the recipe say - Preheat the oven at 350°F/ 177°C/ Gas Mark 4
That's what I see here too. THanks
Barbara
I found the dough was too dry also. I tried a half teaspoon of water, but that didn’t seem right either. So after the first tray I added a bit more butter. That was much better. So either more butter or less flour. I live in Ontario Canada so the butter may be different here. I only baked them for 11 minutes also (could be my oven). Am I correct in saying these are small cookies? I think people have problems with the edges slitting because they flatten them too much. Anyway I like the cookies. I’ll add some icing and see what the grandkids think. Thanks for a different recipe to add to my selection.
Veena Azmanov
Barbara, the dough is like shortbread not too dry but not so wet either. It does hold shape and does not spread too flat. The balls are small as you can see so yes the cookies are not too big.
Charleen
Hello Veena, when Christmas looms closer, it's Shortbread time in my Family, and have been searching for something other than my Traditional Shortbread.
I have been following you for years & your Devils Food Chocolate Cake recipe is my all time favorite.
I made these last night & could barely wait for them to cool down. Such an easy recipe and sooo delicious - your description of the Pastry Cream was spot on - Thank you so much.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Charleen. I am so happy you are enjoying my recipes.
Sky
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I am so excited to try this out I already ordered the custard powder off of Amazon. I will be making these sugar free for my uncle who has diabetes but misses custard pie.
Vijaya
Super easy receipe mine came out great thanks for the receipe.
Veena Azmanov
Happy you enjoyed these cookies, Vijaya. Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Kay
Thanks for sharing this recipe, it looks very interesting ! Will try this out with my kid.
If you have any more such recipes with custard powder, especially no bake recipes, I would love to hear from you !
Andre Machado
You're missing a liquid because this stuff came out as powder and I had to add over a quarter cup of water. Also it's 350F not 150F. Sloppy work and disappointing.
Veena Azmanov
That does not sound right, Andre. 1 cup of water is way too much for cookie dough. If necessary a tablespoon or two of water would be ok to bring the dough together. The texture would be as in the recipe a stiff dough that holds its shape when baked.
Ella
These turned out perfectly. Thank you for including grams as well (I’ve always preferred to weigh out butter than try smosh it into a cup!)
These reminded me of the cookies I used to make as a child growing up in South Africa. A nice reminder on Heritage (SA) day as I now live in Canada that I can bake these with my friends and be reminded of home.
Wonderful recipe!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks you for the lovely feedback, Ella. Happy you enjoyed these cookies.
Greg
I only needed two tablespoons of water and probably could have made due with one. But Andre is correct that it's surely supposed to be cooked at 350F, not 150F. My oven doesn't even go that low! Should be easy to fix. Otherwise, cookies were excellent.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you for the feedback, Greg. Yes, the baking temperature is 350F/177C. All flour gets absorbed differently so you may or may not need 2 tbsp of water.