Custard Cookies
These easy custard cookies are buttery, crisp, and melt-in-your-mouth tender with a delicate vanilla custard flavor. Made with custard powder and simple pantry staples, these shortbread-style cookies come together in just 15 minutes — no eggs or chilling required.
I’ve been making these custard cookies for years, and they’re one of those simple recipes I come back to when I want something quick with tea or coffee. The custard powder gives an ordinary butter cookie a lovely vanilla flavor and that delicate, crumbly texture that almost melts in your mouth.
What is custard powder?
Custard powder is a flavored starch mixture, usually made with cornstarch, vanilla flavoring, and yellow coloring. When mixed with milk and heated, it thickens into a vanilla custard. In these cookies, it adds vanilla flavor, color, and contributes to their tender, crumbly texture.
Why you’ll love this custard biscuit recipe?
- Quick and easy – Ready in about 15 minutes with no chilling required.
- Simple ingredients – Made with basic pantry staples and custard powder.
- Great texture – Crisp and crumbly with a delicate melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Eggless – No eggs are needed for this simple cookie dough.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Custard powder – Gives these cookies their vanilla custard flavor, pale yellow color, and tender texture. Bird’s custard powder works well, but any vanilla custard powder can be used.
If you don’t have custard powder, you can use cornstarch in place of the custard powder for texture, but the cookies will no longer have the same custard flavor or yellow color. Add a little extra vanilla if using cornstarch. - All-purpose flour – Regular all-purpose or plain flour works best for these shortbread-style cookies.
- Butter – Use softened unsalted butter for the best flavor and texture.
- Powdered sugar – Keeps the cookies delicate and tender. Granulated sugar can be used, but the texture will be slightly different.
- Vanilla – A little vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste enhances the custard flavor.
Step-by-step: How to Make Custard biscuits
Prepare the dry ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, custard powder, and salt.
Cream butter and sugar
Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until light and creamy. Add the vanilla and mix well.
Make the dough
Add the dry ingredients and mix just until the dough comes together. If the dough feels very dry or cracks when pressed together, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time only as needed.
Shape the cookies
Divide the dough into 18 portions and roll each into a ball. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Press gently with a fork to flatten and create the pattern on top.
Bake
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Custard Cookies Recipe (4 Ingredients)
These easy custard cookies are buttery, crisp, and melt-in-your-mouth tender with a delicate vanilla custard flavor. Made with custard powder and simple pantry staples, they come together quickly with no eggs or chilling required.
Ingredients
- 227 g (1 cup) Unsalted butter softened
- 60 g (½ cup) Powdered sugar or granulated sugar
- 250 g (2 cups) All-purpose flour
- 60 g (½ cup) Custard powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Additional granulated sugar for dusting optional
Method
- Prepare the dry ingredients – Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, custard powder, and salt.250 g All-purpose flour, 60 g Custard powder, ¼ tsp Salt
- Cream butter and sugar – Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until light and creamy. Add the vanilla and mix well.227 g Unsalted butter, 60 g Powdered sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Make the dough – Add the dry ingredients and mix just until the dough comes together. If the dough feels very dry or cracks when pressed together, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time, only as needed.
- Shape the cookies – Divide the dough into 18 portions and roll each into a ball. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Press gently with a fork to flatten and create the pattern on top.
- Bake & Cool – Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.Additional granulated sugar for dusting
Notes
- Custard powder: Use vanilla custard powder, such as Bird’s, for the characteristic flavor and color.
- Dough consistency: The dough should be soft and hold together when pressed. If it is too dry or crumbly to shape, add water 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Sugar: Powdered sugar gives the cookies a finer, more tender texture. Granulated sugar will make them slightly crisper.
- Baking: The cookies should remain fairly pale with just a little color around the edges. Overbaking will make them dry.
- Storage: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for success
- Use softened butter – It should be soft enough to cream easily but not melted or greasy.
- Don’t overmix – Once you add the flour and custard powder, mix only until the dough comes together.
- Adjust only if needed – If the dough is too dry to hold together, add water 1 teaspoon at a time. You may not need any.
- Don’t overbake – Bake just until the edges are lightly golden. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Cool before moving – Let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes; warm shortbread-style cookies can be fragile.
more shortbread style cookies
Frequently asked questions
Custard powder is a flavored powder used to make custard sauce or pudding. It’s typically made from ingredients like cornstarch, sugar, salt, and flavoring. You can find custard powder in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or online.
These eggless custard cookies will be kept 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. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to keep them soft, add a piece of bread to the container to help retain moisture.
Yes, you can freeze Custard Cookies. Place them in an airtight container or a freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.
To prevent excessive spreading, make sure your dough is well-chilled before baking. You can refrigerate it for 30 minutes before shaping and baking the cookies.
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
While vanilla extract can add a pleasant flavor to your cookies, it won’t replicate the custard flavor. If you want to make Custard Cookies, it’s best to use custard powder for that unique taste.
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These are amazing and perfect for using up a tin of custard power! They taste like the cookies I used to have in Singapore from my childhood. Buttery and rich – especially yummy straight out the oven when the middle is still soft. (I may have made them a little too big but I like a soft centred cookie). Excellent for baking with my 2.5yr old – who ate 4 in a row!
Thank you, Ay, I am so happy these were enjoyed by your son and you. Thanks for the feedback
Tried these but they were not the custard cookies my mum used to make.
Didnt taste of custard at all, I think they shouldn’t have any all purpose flour in and make up the weight with custard powder..
They went in the bin!
Mel, I did not say these were the custard cookies your mom used to make. Perhaps you should look for that recipe.
This is my shortbread cookie recipe with custard flavor and that’s what the post says.
These are very popular with my visitors on this blog and they do have a wonderful custard flavor.
I’m sorry you did not enjoy these.
I hope you find the recipe you are looking for.
Thank you for your feedback.
Loved the custard cookies ,as I tried today. Thanks Veena
Thank you for the feedback Poonam. Happ you enjoyed these
I am going to try your custard cookies, I think you must mean .31 cups of custard powder rather than 3.1cups ?
Ha.. Grace. yes, it should have been 1/4 cup or 4 tbsp – I guess the automatic calculator didn’t figure out custard powder conversion. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I just fixed it.
Hey there.. I made it for Deepavali..10 days to go but it finished in a day with my 6 little ones..
Ah Loshini. Glad the kids enjoyed them. My kids are the same. I’m sure you’ll make them again for sure. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
Just made these with my 3 yr old granddaughter easy to make taste delicious and great for the kids to join in and learn to bake.
Thank you so much John – So happy to hear that your 3 year old grand daughter enjoyed these cookies. Cookies are definitely a great start to kids in a the kitchen. Mine love to bake cookies too! Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much.
JUST MADE THESE DELICIOUS BISCUITS WITH MY THREE YR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER SO EASY TO MAKE AND FUN FOR THE KIDS TO JOIN IN AND BAKE.
Thank you so much John – So happy to hear that your 3 year old grand daughter enjoyed these cookies. Cookies are definitely a great start to kids in a the kitchen. Mine love to bake cookies too! Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much.
Can you substitute vanilla pudding powder for the custard powder?
Yes Rochelle.. Vanilla Pudding Powder is the same as Custard powder so yes you can use that as ell.
Thank you!
I am a big fan of custard, but have never had it in a cookie form… interesting! I need to try them.
You will love it Ashley! A must try!!
I am pinning this as I want to try these yummy cookies and can imagine how perfect they would be with my cup of tea! YUM!
Thank you Abi. Yes I think you will love them. They really are so simple and easy to make.