British biscuits are in no way the same as the American cookie and never should the two be confused, nor can they be substituted for one another. In the U.S., a cookie is traditional something such as a chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin, with a sugary edge that's served as dessert. In the U.K., biscuits are traditional served with coffee or tea (usually tea) as a snack or after-dinner treat and are rarely eaten just as a snack or to soothe a sweet tooth like one would eat regular cookies.
Biscuits are generally not as sweet although they can have chocolate or fruit added to them, and their sole purpose is to be dunked into a hot beverage. Often served for company and during tea time, these are the most popular British biscuits that one can find... Time to fill up that tea kettle.
Digestive
Originally, the digestive had a legitimate scientific reason for being consumed after dinner had finished. This biscuit was traditionally made with sodium bicarbonate which was believed to neutralize stomach acid which, in theory, would help ease the digestive tract after a meal and help digestion to be a smooth process.
In reality, tums is probably a better alternative for neutralizing stomach acid but that doesn't mean the digestive isn't still the most popular British biscuit in the U.K. This biscuit also has roots dating back to 1839, where it was first created in Scotland.
Jammie Dodgers
These delicious cookies are likely responsible for inspiring several others that have made their way around the world under the guise of being a cookie rather than a biscuit. While they're sweeter than digestive thanks to the addition of either strawberry or raspberry jam, they're perfect for dunking in slightly bitter tea. Today, Jammie Dodgers exist in a variety of flavors and can be found almost anywhere.
Fun fact: Many people first heard of this biscuit thanks to the hit show Dr. Who, as it was the main character's favorite biscuit to eat. The biscuits were featured on the show and have since made several other guest appearances.
Nice Biscuits
These biscuits truly look like crackers but let us assure you, they are, in fact, slightly sweeter than that. Often, these biscuits will have grains of sugar over the top and can come in plain flavor or coconut.
They're perfect for dunking and serve as a simple accompaniment to any type of tea which makes them versatile. These aren't the most popular biscuits but they're definitely up there, and they're easy to find throughout the U.K.
Shortbread
Whereas shortbread is considered to be a cookie in the rest of the world, in the U.K., shortbread is a biscuit and it looks slightly different than the typical, round shortbread cookies that can be found in North America.
These biscuits are true to their nature and have a habit of crumbling if you aren't careful but it's this soft, buttery texture that also makes them so delicious. They're sweetened slightly and are usually made with only three ingredients: wheat flour, butter, and sugar!
Ginger Nuts
As the name implies, these biscuits are flavored heavily with ginger. These can be found throughout the U.K. as well as in New Zealand and Australia, and have been around since the 1840s, making them one of the oldest biscuits in the U.K.
While the ginger flavor is not overwhelming it is prevalent but this also means the biscuit is actually healthy. Ginger is known to aid in digestion and soothe any stomach discomfort which makes these biscuits the perfect choice to pull out with a cup of (ginger) tea after dinner. Did we mention they're also quite delicious?
Jaffa Cake
Jaffa Cake is fairly new in comparison to the rest of the biscuits on this list but they might just be the most delicious. These biscuits have an exterior layer of chocolate and can be filled with some type of fruity jam.
Traditionally, orange is the most popular flavor but it can also be found filled with strawberry, black currant, and lemon-lime. Similar cookies, known as Pims, can be found in the U.S. These cookies also offer an additional flavor, raspberry, and are the second-most popular choice after the orange Pims. Occasionally, limited-edition flavors will come out such as pineapple and when they do, be sure to grab them quick - they don't last long on shelves!