Mary Berry’s Sultana Cookies are a traditional British tea-time treat featuring a crisp, buttery crumb and the sweet chew of dried fruit. Ideally the sultanas should be soaked in a little warm water for ten minutes before using to ensure they remain plump and juicy inside the baked biscuit.
Mary Berry Sultana Cookies Recipe Ingredients
- 100g (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 75g (3 oz) caster sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 200g (7 oz) plain flour
- 75g (3 oz) sultanas
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1-2 tbsp milk (if needed to bind)
- Extra caster sugar, for sprinkling
How To Make Mary Berry Sultana Cookies Recipe
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 180C (160C fan/Gas 4). Grease two baking trays or line them with non-stick baking parchment.
- Cream the Butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar together using a wooden spoon or electric mixer until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy.
- Add Richness: Beat in the egg yolk and the finely grated lemon zest. This stage adds richness and the signature citrus note that balances the sweet fruit.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift in the plain flour. Add the sultanas. Stir the mixture until it begins to clump together.
- Form the Dough: Use your hands to bring the dough together into a firm ball. If the mixture feels too crumbly to hold together, add a splash of milk (about 1 tablespoon) to help it bind.
- Roll and Cut: Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5 mm (1/4 inch). Use a 6 cm (2.5 inch) fluted or plain round cutter to stamp out the biscuits.
- Bake: Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking trays, spacing them slightly apart. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. They should be a pale golden brown—do not let them darken too much or they will taste bitter.
- Finish: Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the tops with a little extra caster sugar. Leave them on the trays for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Lemon Zest: The lemon zest is the secret ingredient that elevates these from plain biscuits to a refreshing treat. Do not skip it, and ensure you only grate the yellow skin, avoiding the bitter white pith.
- Chilling the Dough: If your kitchen is warm and the dough becomes difficult to handle or sticky, wrap it in cling film and chill it in the fridge for 20 minutes before rolling.
- Re-rolling: You can gather the scraps of dough and re-roll them to cut more cookies. Try to handle the dough as little as possible to keep the biscuits “short” and tender.
- Sultana Prep: If your sultanas are very dry, the soaking step mentioned in the introduction is crucial. Just be sure to pat them completely dry before adding them to the dough so they don’t make the biscuit soggy.
What To Serve With Mary Berry Sultana Cookies
Sultana cookie accompaniments are simple pleasures frequently enjoyed during a quiet morning break or a casual visit from friends. Ideally the tea should be brewed strong and served with a splash of milk to complement the buttery zest of the biscuit.
- A pot of English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea
- A slice of mild cheddar cheese (a classic sweet/savory pairing)
- Mary Berry Lemon Cookies for a citrus platter
- Fresh apple slices
How To Store Mary Berry Sultana Cookies
- Room Temperature: Store the completely cooled cookies in an airtight tin for up to 1 week. A metal tin keeps them crisper than a plastic container.
- Refrigerate: Refrigeration is not necessary and may soften the texture.
- Freeze: These freeze excellently. You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Alternatively, freeze the raw cut-out shapes and bake them from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the baking time.
Mary Berry Sultana Cookies Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 95 kcal (per cookie)
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Protein: 1g
- Fat: 4g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Sugar: 8g
Nutrition information is estimated per cookie based on a yield of 16 to 18 biscuits.
FAQs
Yes, raisins work perfectly well. Currants are also a traditional option if you prefer a smaller, tart fruit.
Tough cookies usually result from over-working the dough or adding too much extra flour during the rolling process. Knead the dough just enough to bring it together.
Mary Berry specifies plain flour for this recipe to achieve a crisp, flat biscuit. If you use self-raising flour, the cookies will rise and have a softer, more cake-like texture.
Try More Recipes:
- Mary Berry Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Mary Berry Florentine Cookies Recipe
- Mary Berry Lemon Cookies Recipe
Mary Berry Sultana Cookies Recipe
Description
A classic British crisp biscuit (cookie) flavored with lemon zest and packed with sweet sultanas.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar until light.
- Beat in the egg yolk and lemon zest.
- Fold in flour and sultanas to form a dough.
- Roll out to 5 mm thickness on a floured surface.
- Cut into rounds and place on baking trays.
- Bake at 180C for 10–12 minutes until pale golden.
- Sprinkle with extra sugar and cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Based on the “Sultana Biscuits” from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible.
- Ensure the sultanas are evenly distributed so every cookie gets some fruit.
- If using salted butter, omit any pinch of salt.
