Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Travel
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Property
  • Health
  • TV
  • Podcasts
Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Travel
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Property
  • Health
  • TV
  • Podcasts
Subscribe
Gift wrapping hack
Watch 0:20

Gift wrapping hack

{headline}

{headline}

Where to shop for the cheapest Christmas groceries this year

Where to shop for the cheapest Christmas groceries this year

Turkey with pancetta and chorizo stuffing

Turkey with pancetta and chorizo stuffing

3 festive Christmas ham recipes

3 festive Christmas ham recipes

Cherry, spiced rum and rosemary glazed ham

Cherry, spiced rum and rosemary glazed ham

{headline}

{headline}

TV food favourites

TV food favourites

Pineapple chipotle-glazed ham

Pineapple chipotle-glazed ham

5 show-stopping Christmas salads

5 show-stopping Christmas salads

{headline}

{headline}

6 sensational side dishes for Christmas Day

6 sensational side dishes for Christmas Day

Carrots with ginger glaze

Carrots with ginger glaze

Crunchy confit roast potatoes

Crunchy confit roast potatoes

Thyme and prosecco parsnips

Thyme and prosecco parsnips

Pigs in blankets

Pigs in blankets

Sprouts with butter and parmesan

Sprouts with butter and parmesan

Refried smashed roast potatoes with green harissa and yoghurt

Refried smashed roast potatoes with green harissa and yoghurt

  1. Home
  2. Food

Cookie or biscuit? Turns out, there's an actual difference

And the difference extends well past which part of the world you're from! - by James Banham
  • 15 Jun 2017
Cookie or biscuit? Turns out, there's an actual difference

Cookies or biscuits? Biscuits or cookies? Bickies or biscuits? Let's call the whole thing off. We all love a sweet treat in the afternoon to go with a freshly-brewed cuppa to keep us going til dinner, but when you're in Australia, what is it exactly we're meant to ask for? 

Some say 'biscuits', others say the term our American buddies prefer, which is 'cookies' and there's a fierce bone of contention over which term we should use to describe what exactly we're dunking in our tea. Well, it turns out, there's actually a reason for the two names, which do in fact accurately describe two different kinds of baked goods! Here's how it goes...

Biscuits

Australia as we know it is a country descendant from UK from 1788, so there's no surprise that a lot of what we know and how we speak is a spin-off of the way they do things over there. This is where the term 'biscuit' comes from and refers to any packaged or freshly baked item that is made from a stiff, sweet mixture of flour, liquid, shortening and other ingredients, shaped into small pieces before baking or sliced after baking*. They're typically a bit more petite in size to fit into the mouth of a regular tea cup to allow the best dunk. Melting moments, anyone? 

Recipe: Our food editor's favourite recipe for melting moments biscuits

...
Better Homes and Gardens

However, if you're in the USA, a 'biscuit' is what Australians and the English call a scone, but it's not sweet, and you typically treat if like you would a Yorkshire pudding, covering it in gravy or sauces and meats to eat with a meal. 

Cookies

A 'cookie' on the other hand, as far as Aussies and people from the UK are concerned is typically larger and more soft, squishy and moist than a biscuit. Or if you look at this year's baking pan, they're monster-sized (see below). 

Whereas if you're in the US, a cookie is the term essentially for anything biscuit-like baked item you can eat, other than a scone. 

More: Some handy baking tips regardless of whether you're baking cookies or bickies

...
BHG Shop

So, what would you like with your tea?

*Macquarie dictionary. 

Source: Oxford Dictionaries blog. 

3 FREE issues - Plus a Free tote bag!

Subscribe to Better Homes and Gardens.

Subscribe Now
3 FREE issues

3 FREE issues - Plus a Free tote bag!

Subscribe to Better Homes and Gardens.

Subscribe Now
3 FREE issues

Recommended to you

Gift wrapping hack
Watch 0:20

Gift wrapping hack

{headline}

{headline}

Where to shop for the cheapest Christmas groceries this year

Where to shop for the cheapest Christmas groceries this year

Turkey with pancetta and chorizo stuffing

Turkey with pancetta and chorizo stuffing

3 festive Christmas ham recipes

3 festive Christmas ham recipes

Cherry, spiced rum and rosemary glazed ham

Cherry, spiced rum and rosemary glazed ham

{headline}

{headline}

TV food favourites

TV food favourites

Pineapple chipotle-glazed ham

Pineapple chipotle-glazed ham

5 show-stopping Christmas salads

5 show-stopping Christmas salads

{headline}

{headline}

6 sensational side dishes for Christmas Day

6 sensational side dishes for Christmas Day

Carrots with ginger glaze

Carrots with ginger glaze

Crunchy confit roast potatoes

Crunchy confit roast potatoes

Thyme and prosecco parsnips

Thyme and prosecco parsnips

Pigs in blankets

Pigs in blankets

Sprouts with butter and parmesan

Sprouts with butter and parmesan

Refried smashed roast potatoes with green harissa and yoghurt

Refried smashed roast potatoes with green harissa and yoghurt

Bhg
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Pacific Magazines
  • Partners
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Statement
Bhg Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Pacific Magazines
  • Partners
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

  • All Recipes
  • BHG Shop
  • Girlfriend
  • Home Beautiful
  • New Idea
  • New Idea Food
  • Practical Parenting

Pacific Network

  • marie claire
  • Instyle
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Health
  • Men’s Health
  • That’s Life
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7travel
  • 7Plus
  • Airtasker
  • 7NEWS
  • SocietyOne
© 2019 Pacific Magazines
Get more from Better Homes and Gardens

Magazine Subscription Offer

3 FREE issues - Plus a Free tote bag!

Shop This Offer
3 FREE issues