Mary Berry Empire Biscuits are crisp, buttery shortbread rounds sandwiched with a layer of smooth raspberry jam and finished with a firm, white glace icing that sets with a gentle sheen. A single glacé cherry sits at the centre of each biscuit, giving them that neat, old-fashioned bakery look. These biscuits strike a pleasing balance between tender and firm, with enough sweetness from the icing to contrast the slightly tart jam underneath.

This recipe uses straightforward pantry ingredients and requires no specialist equipment beyond a round cutter and a baking tray. The dough handles easily, making it a reliable choice for family baking sessions or afternoon tea gatherings. From mixing the dough to setting the iced tops, the whole process takes around 1 hour 15 minutes.

Ingredients

For the biscuit dough

225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
100g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
75g caster sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of fine salt

For the filling

4 tbsp raspberry jam, seedless

For the icing

200g icing sugar, sifted
2–3 tbsp cold water

To finish

10–12 glacé cherries, halved

How to Make Mary Berry Empire Biscuits

Prepare your oven and tray: Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, Gas 4) and line two flat baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Set them aside while you make the dough.
Rub in the butter: Tip the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine, dry breadcrumbs with no large lumps remaining. Working with cold butter keeps the dough short and prevents it from becoming greasy.
Bring the dough together: Stir in the caster sugar, then add the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Use a butter knife to cut and stir the mixture until it begins to clump. Tip it onto a lightly floured surface and press gently into a smooth, flat disc. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Roll and cut the biscuits: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to around 4mm thickness. Use a 6cm round cutter to stamp out as many rounds as possible, re-rolling the trimmings once. You should get around 20–24 rounds in total, giving you 10–12 finished biscuits once sandwiched.
Bake until pale golden: Arrange the rounds on the prepared trays, leaving a small gap between each. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges are just turning a very light biscuit-gold. The centres may look slightly underdone but will firm up on cooling. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before assembling.
Sandwich with jam: Once the biscuits are fully cool, spread a small, even teaspoon of seedless raspberry jam onto the flat side of half the rounds. Sandwich the remaining biscuits on top, flat side down, pressing gently so they sit level. Do not overfill, or the jam will squeeze out when the icing sets.
Make the glace icing: Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add cold water one tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition. Stop when the icing is smooth, thick, and just pourable. It should coat the back of a spoon but not run off immediately. Too thin an icing will slide off the biscuits rather than setting in place.
Ice the biscuits and finish: Spoon a small amount of icing onto the top of each sandwiched biscuit and smooth it gently with the back of the spoon to the edges. Press half a glacé cherry into the centre of each one before the icing begins to set. Leave the biscuits undisturbed on the wire rack for at least 30 minutes until the icing is completely firm and opaque.

Tips for the Best Mary Berry Empire Biscuits

Why is my biscuit dough too sticky to roll?

The dough has warmed up during handling. Wrap it back in cling film and return it to the fridge for a further 10–15 minutes before rolling again. Always flour the surface and rolling pin lightly to help.

Why did my biscuits spread and lose their shape in the oven?

The butter in the dough was too warm before baking. Always chill the cut rounds on the tray for 10 minutes before placing them in the oven, especially in a warm kitchen. This helps the biscuits hold their edges during baking.

How do I stop the icing from running off the sides of the biscuits?

The icing is too thin. Add more sifted icing sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture thickly coats a spoon. Apply the icing only when the biscuits are fully cool and sitting on a flat, level surface.

Why do my sandwiched biscuits slide apart after assembly?

The jam layer is too thick or too warm. Use a level teaspoon of jam per biscuit and make sure it comes from a jar at room temperature, not a warm spoon. The jam acts as a light adhesive, so a thin, even layer works far better than a generous spread.

Why is the icing still soft after an hour?

Humid kitchen conditions slow the setting process. Move the biscuits to a cool, dry spot away from steam or condensation, and allow up to 90 minutes for a firm set. Do not stack them until the icing is completely hard to the touch.

Serving Suggestions

Arrange on a tiered cake stand alongside finger sandwiches for a classic afternoon tea spread.
Serve alongside a pot of strong Assam or Earl Grey tea, where the tannins complement the sweetness of the icing.
Place in a small paper case and gift in a biscuit tin for an easy homemade present during the festive season.
Pair with a simple bowl of fresh raspberries to echo the jam filling and cut through the richness of the shortbread.
Serve as a sweet biscuit course after a light lunch, two or three per person, with a small glass of cold milk for younger guests.

Storage

Room temperature

Store in an airtight tin or container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Refrigerator

Refrigeration is not recommended for these biscuits, as the cold can cause the icing to turn sticky and the shortbread to lose its crispness. If the kitchen is very warm, store in an airtight tin in the coolest, driest spot available rather than the fridge.

Freezing

Freeze the uniced, unfilled biscuit rounds only. Place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or container, separated by sheets of baking paper, and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature for 30 minutes, then fill and ice as normal once fully thawed.

Nutrition

Calories: 185 kcal
Carbohydrates: 28g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Sodium: 35mg

Nutrition values are estimates only and may vary depending on the exact ingredients and brands used, as well as portion size.

FAQs

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter in this recipe?

Yes, salted butter works, but leave out the pinch of salt from the dough to avoid an overly salty finish. The flavour difference is subtle in a shortbread-style biscuit, but keeping control of the salt level gives a more balanced result.

Can I use a different jam flavour instead of raspberry?

Absolutely. Strawberry and blackcurrant jam both work well as alternatives. Choose a smooth, seedless variety so the jam spreads evenly and does not cause the biscuits to slip apart at the join. Apricot jam gives a slightly less sweet, more subtle flavour that pairs nicely with the buttery dough.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept wrapped in cling film in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling if it has become very firm from chilling overnight.

What size cutter works best for empire biscuits?

A 6cm round cutter gives a neat, traditional result. A slightly larger 7cm cutter works too, but you will get fewer biscuits per batch and may need to increase the jam and icing quantities slightly to cover the wider surface.

Can I colour the icing for a more decorative finish?

Yes, a drop or two of gel food colouring mixed into the icing creates a festive or celebration version. Pink icing works particularly well and gives the biscuits a charming, retro look. Gel colouring is preferred over liquid, as it does not alter the icing’s consistency.

Conclusion

These Mary Berry Empire Biscuits deliver everything a good biscuit tin classic should: a short, lightly crisp base, a bright jam centre, and a smooth icing top that sets to a firm, clean finish. The recipe makes approximately 10 to 12 finished biscuits, depending on the size of your cutter, making it an ideal small batch for afternoon tea or home gifting. The steps are logical and manageable, with no complicated techniques involved.

Once you have made this recipe once, the process becomes very straightforward. The dough is forgiving, the assembly is satisfying, and the finished biscuits look far more considered than the effort required to produce them. If you gave this recipe a try, leave a comment below to share how yours turned out. If you enjoyed this, you might also like the Mary Berry vanilla tray bake recipe for another simple, crowd-pleasing bake that uses a similar pantry of ingredients.