What is the Difference Between Biscuits and Cookies?

🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚

The main differences between biscuits and cookies are their texture, dough, and ingredients. Here are the key distinctions:

  1. Texture: Cookies are made from a soft, thick dough and are denser than biscuits. They are larger, softer, and chunkier than biscuits. In contrast, biscuits require a harder dough and result in a thinner and fluffier bake than cookies.
  2. Dough: Cookies are made from a soft dough, while biscuits are made from a harder dough. The word "biscuit" comes from the Latin 'bis' (twice) and 'coquere' (cooked), which essentially means twice baked.
  3. Ingredients: Cookies often contain mix-ins, such as nuts, chocolate chips, or sultanas, which can be added ahead of baking. Biscuits, on the other hand, are typically made with only a few ingredients and are perfect for decorating on the outside after they are baked.

In summary, cookies are larger, softer, and chunkier, made from a soft dough, and often contain mix-ins, while biscuits are thinner, fluffier, made from a harder dough, and are typically plain on the inside.

Comparative Table: Biscuits vs Cookies

Here is a table comparing the differences between biscuits and cookies:

Feature Biscuits Cookies
Dough Harder dough, flour-based Soft dough, more decadent ingredients
Texture Crispy, thin, fluffy Larger, heavier, chunky, rough and crispy
Ingredients Made from a few ingredients Made with more varied ingredients
Origin Word "biscuit" comes from Latin, meaning twice-cooked Word "cookie" comes from Dutch, meaning "little cake"

In summary, biscuits typically have a harder dough, are crispy, thin, and fluffy, and are made from a few ingredients. Cookies, on the other hand, have a soft dough, are larger, heavier, chunky, and rough, and are made with more varied ingredients.