There’s biscuit on the brain with thanks to The Great British Bake Off’s biscuit challenge this week. But if you’ve ever wondered about the difference between a biscuit and a cookie (and it just so happens you’d also like four delicious Air Fryer biscuit recipes) –  read on.

It’s all in the texture

Originating from the Dutch word ‘Koekje’ – translating to ‘little cake’ – cookies were originally used to test oven temperatures before cooking a larger cake. Who knew?! 

Cookies are made from a soft, thick dough – much like a cake. When fully baked, they’re usually larger and softer, and often contain chunks of delicious ingredients.

The word “biscuit”, on the other hand, comes from the Latin twice (‘bis’) and cooked (‘coquere’); translating to – you guessed it – twice baked!  

Biscuits require a harder dough and result in a thinner and fluffier bake than a cookie.

What’s at the core?

What makes a cookie often lies in its centre. Chocolate chips, chunks, nuts and sultanas are just a few of the ingredients that can be added ahead of baking to level up your cookie texture. Biscuits, however, are perfect for decorating on the on the outside after they are baked – drizzle with or dunk into chocolate, icing or jam for a classic British tea companion.

Are you team cookie or team biscuit?

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