Mary Berry Lemon Biscuits

I’ll be honest with you — I only meant to bake a quick batch of something simple, but these biscuits? They completely stole the show.

It started with a lemon that had seen better days and half a stick of butter I didn’t want to waste. You know that kind of day — grey outside, no real plans, just you and a quiet kitchen. So I made these. And then I made them again. And again. Because they’re that good. Crisp at the edges, soft-ish in the middle, and absolutely zinging with lemon. They’re sunshine in biscuit form, basically.

I don’t care what anyone says — a homemade biscuit and a fresh cup of tea can absolutely turn your whole day around.

Why You’ll Love It

• Zesty and bright — the lemon hits just right without being too sharp.
• No fancy ingredients — everything’s likely already in your cupboard.
• Crisp on the outside, dreamy inside — thanks to that icing sugar coating.
• Quick to whip up — from “hmm I fancy something” to tray-in-the-oven in under 15 minutes.
• Easily doubled — and honestly, you might want to.
• They’re “good biscuit tin” biscuits — the kind you hide from the kids (or maybe that’s just me).

Ingredients

• 150g salted butter, softened
• 160g (about ⅔ cup) white sugar
• 1 large egg
• Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
• 4–5 drops yellow food colouring (optional, but a bit fun)
• 250g (1⅔ cups) self-raising flour
• ½ cup icing sugar, for rolling

How to Make It

Cream the good stuff:

In a big mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy. If you’re using a mixer, lovely — if not, good old-fashioned elbow grease works too.

Add the lemony bits:

Crack in the egg, tip in the lemon zest and juice, and add a few drops of food colouring if you’re feeling sunny. Mix until just combined. Don’t panic if it looks a bit split — it sorts itself out with the flour.

Bring in the flour:

Add the self-raising flour and mix on a low speed (or slowly by hand) until it forms a soft dough. It should be sticky-ish but scoopable.

Sugar roll & tray it up:

Scoop out heaped teaspoons of dough and roll them into little balls with your palms. Toss each one in icing sugar so they’re coated like snowballs. Line them up on a tray with a bit of space — they’ll spread a touch.

Bake to perfection:

Pop into a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan) and bake for 15–18 minutes. They should crackle a little and be just turning golden on the bottom. Don’t wait for browning on top — that’s not their thing.

Finish with flair:

As soon as they come out, dust with a bit more icing sugar while warm. Let them sit on the tray for 5 minutes (they’re fragile while hot), then move to a rack to cool completely — if they last that long.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

Why did mine spread too much?
The dough was likely too warm — next time, chill it for 10 minutes before baking if your kitchen’s toasty.

They came out too firm?
Could be overbaked. They should feel soft when they come out; they firm up as they cool.

My dough was too sticky to roll!
Pop it in the fridge for 15–20 mins. Works wonders.

Can I make them more lemony?
Absolutely — double the zest, or add a few drops of lemon extract. Go wild.

Storage and Reheating

• Room Temp: Store in a tin or airtight container for 3–4 days (they won’t last that long).
• Freezer: Freeze unbaked dough balls (roll in icing sugar after thawing) or baked biscuits for up to 2 months.
• To Reheat: Warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–6 minutes. Microwave not recommended — they’ll go soft, and not in a good way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip the food colouring?
Yep, 100%. It just adds a cheerful pop — totally optional.

What if I don’t have self-raising flour?
Use plain flour and add 2 tsp baking powder per 250g.

Can I add other flavours?
Sure thing. A splash of almond extract or some chopped white chocolate would be lush.

How do I make them crisper?
Bake an extra minute or two, but keep an eye — lemon can turn bitter if overbaked.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 150 kcal
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Cholesterol: 25mg
• Carbohydrates: 20g
• Sugars: 9g
• Protein: 2g
• Sodium: 90mg

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

• Lemon Chiffon Cake Uk Recipe
• Mary Berry Lemon And Pistachio Cake
• Mary Berry Lemon And Lime Cheesecake