Australian/ Baking/ Recipes/ Snack

Coffee Scroll Biscuits

27/07/2020 (Last Updated: 30/10/2020)

Infused with spices, these Coffee Scroll Biscuits are a remake of the classic cinnamon biscuits from our childhood. The iconic swirls and pink icing circles are back, along with the spicy cinnamon taste right down to the very last currant. Be prepared to make a batch or two, these coffee scrolls aren’t going to last. Pair your freshly baked cinnamon scrolls with coffee or tea for a delicious afternoon snack!

A pile of coffee scroll biscuits on a white plate, with more biscuits and a dish of pink icing in the background.

Why We Love This

Coffee Scroll Biscuits are a treat to make, bake and eat – all on a lazy Sunday afternoon. They’re also a great snack or perfect edible gift to share with friends and family and bring back those nostalgic memories of childhood. They freeze well, so you can make them ahead and always keep a batch handy.

The warming, aromatic blend of spices in these biscuits almost remind us of American pumpkin pie spices or ginger kisses biscuits.

Related: Matcha Cookies / Almond Crescent Cookies

Save This Recipe Form

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get more great recipes and tips from us each week!

Several biscuits on a cooling rack and white plate, next to a small dish of pink icing.

Where are Coffee Scroll Biscuits from?

We know Coffee Scroll Biscuits as the ULTIMATE 90’s biscuit. The exact start date is currently unknown, so if you had these in the 70’s or 80’s too – let us know!

From our own experience and scouring the internet, variations of these biscuits have been made by Arnotts, Nabisco and possibly Lanes.

They also stopped production of these classic cinnamon biscuits with currants / raisins over 20 years ago… now that makes us feel old. That’s a long time to go without such an awesome treat!

Quick note: Don’t confuse these with the sweet coffee or cinnamon bread rolls that use yeast. Our coffee scroll biscuits are crunchy cookies and nothing like the bread version.

Coffee scroll biscuits scattered over a black cooling rack.

What You’ll Need

Get ready to get your bake on, and open that pantry! No surprises today, just good old fashioned biscuit ingredients!

Ingredients laid out for coffee scroll biscuits.

How to Make Coffee Scroll Biscuits

To make the Biscuit Mixture:

  1. First up, place your butter, brown sugar, vanilla and spices into a mixing bowl and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy. An electric mixer such as a Kitchenaid with a dough hook works best for this, but you can use a wooden spoon if necessary! 
    Next add the ½ whisked egg and switch the mixer to low to mix it through nicely.
  2. Now add flour and baking powder, and continue to mix on low as the dry ingredients fold into the mixture, scraping the edges as you go.
  3. Add currants and fold them in, then remove from the bowl from your mixer. Wrap in cling film and place in fridge for 30 mins.

To make the Biscuits:

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Roll out the dough onto baking paper until it’s ½ cm / ¼ inch thick and cut out circles around 5-6 cm / 2 ¼ inches wide.
  2. To add the spirals, use smaller circles such as the tops of small jars to slightly indent the biscuits. Coat the tops of your jars with flour first so they won’t stick to the biscuits.
  3. Now place your biscuits on a tray lined with baking paper, and bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the biscuits to cool completely before icing.

For the White Chocolate Icing:

  1. Melt your chocolate buds in a bowl in the microwave in short 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until melted.
  2. Add 3-6 drops of red food colouring, then mix together.
  3. Pipe or spoon onto cooled biscuits in small circles, without going to the edge. Make the circles as small or big as you like!

Wandercook’s Tips

  • We used our Kitchenaid mixer with the dough hook to whip up our batch, and that worked a treat. If you don’t have one, just use the ol’ wooden spoon and mixing bowl!
  • This recipe is quick and easy – the only part that takes time is allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge, and letting the biscuits cook in the oven for 15 minutes. We’d allow just over an hour to have these done and dusted.
  • If you want to set the chocolate icing quickly, pop the biscuits in the fridge for a couple of minutes.
One coffee scroll biscuit on a white side plate.

FAQs

Can you freeze coffee scroll biscuits?

Yes, you can freeze freshly baked coffee scroll biscuits. Just make sure they are completely cooled before wrapping them in heavy duty foil or freezer bags. They’ll last around 2-3 months in the freezer. Reheat individual biscuits in the microwave for around 10-30 seconds. 

How do you achieve the swirls and the pink icing circles?

For the swirls, we used the tops of small glass jars. Get creative and see if you can find something in the kitchen with the perfect sizes – you only need to make one or two indentations per biscuit.
The way to get the best pink icing circles is to use a spoon or piping bag to put the mixture on the biscuit, then carefully and lightly use the top of your (clean, unlicked) finger to spread the mixture out in small circles until you achieve the size of icing circle you want.

Arnotts Coffee Scroll Biscuits vs Homemade Coffee Scroll Biscuits?

So how does the taste of homemade coffee scroll biscuits stack up against the originals you ask? Pretty close according to our taste testers! 
We found the biggest differences from the original store-bought biscuits was the texture and the currants.
The texture isn’t as dry as store-bought – or maybe that’s just because we ate them straight out the oven!
Either way, not a big deal, just a noted difference. It also definitely pays to used the smallest, driest currants you can find – we only added in a few and they still swelled up and cracked the biscuits during baking with the amount of liquid left in them.
All in all, these homemade coffee scroll biscuits are a great replacement to fill your coffee scroll biscuit void.
Especially as it doesn’t look like they’ll be back on shelves any time soon, and we’re not waiting another 20 years to find out!

Variations & Substitutes

  • For the spices: If you don’t have all the spices, feel free to substitute with a pumpkin spice mix, or make up your own mix with your favourite flavour combinations.
  • For the currants: You can substitute these with sultanas, cranberries or raisins. Omit them if you’re not a fan of dried fruit.
  • For the Red Food Dye: Feel free to use any colour for your food colouring. Or omit for an au naturel white chocolate finish!
  • Flour: You can try using self-raising flour if you don’t have plain flour available. They may turn out a little softer, but will be a pretty close match!
Coffee scroll biscuits scattered over a black cooling rack.

Why We Learned This Recipe

These elusive coffee scroll biscuits started out as a heated discussion over a family dinner. What in the world were those biscuits we all remembered, that had swirls, pink icing and currants? I still remember sitting on Nan’s countertop when I was about four and nibbling around the edges so I could eat the pink icing last. Anyone else do this, or am I just weird?

The conversation progressed with enthusiasm and frantic Google searches that finally resulted in a name – Coffee Scroll Biscuits. Which is interesting considering it has no coffee in the recipe, but we do know they go very well when eaten alongside or dipped straight into a nice hot mug of cappuccino.

Keep the oven fired up with more cookies and biscuits for you to cook next:

★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating below!

A pile of coffee scroll biscuits on a white plate.

Coffee Scroll Biscuits

Infused with spices, these Coffee Scroll Biscuits are a remake of the classic cinnamon biscuits from our childhood. The iconic swirls and pink icing circles are back, along with the spicy cinnamon taste right down to the very last currant!
4.81 from 21 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Australian
Servings: 18 biscuits
Calories: 160kcal
Author: Wandercooks
Cost: $5

Ingredients

Instructions

To make the Biscuit Mixture:

  • First up, place your butter, brown sugar, vanilla and spices (cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg) into a mixing bowl and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy.
    Note: An electric mixer such as a KitchenAid with a dough hook works best for this, but you can use a wooden spoon if necessary! 
    ½ cup butter, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 2 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp allspice, ½ tsp nutmeg
  • Next add the whisked egg and switch the mixer to low to mix it through nicely.
    ½ egg
  • Now add flour and baking powder, and continue to mix on low as the dry ingredients fold into the mixture, scraping the edges as you go.
    1 ½ cups plain flour / all purpose flour, ½ tsp baking powder
  • Add currants and fold them in, then remove from the bowl from your mixer. Wrap in cling film and place in fridge for 30 mins.
    â…› cup currants

To make the Biscuits:

  • Preheat oven to 160°C.
  • Roll out the dough onto baking paper until it's ½ cm / ¼ inch thick and cut out circles around 5-6 cm / 2 ¼ inches wide.
  • To add the spirals, use smaller circles such as the tops of small jars to slightly indent the biscuits. Coat the tops of your jars with flour first so they won't stick to the biscuits.
  • Transfer biscuits on a tray lined with baking paper, and bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the biscuits to cool completely before icing.

For the White Chocolate Icing:

  • Melt your chocolate buds in a bowl in the microwave in short 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until melted.
    ½ cup white melting chocolate buds
  • Add 3-6 drops of red food dye, then mix together.
    3-6 drops red food dye
  • Pipe or spoon onto cooled biscuits in small circles, without going to the edge. Make the circles as small or big as you like!

Video

YouTube video

Recipe Notes

Tips
  • We used our Kitchenaid mixer with the dough hook to whip up our batch, and that worked a treat. If you don’t have one, just use the ol’ wooden spoon and mixing bowl!
  • This recipe is quick and easy – the only part that takes time is allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge, and letting the biscuits cook in the oven for 15 minutes. We’d allow just over an hour to have these done and dusted.
  • If you want to set the chocolate icing quickly, pop the biscuits in the fridge for a couple of minutes.
FAQs
  • Can you freeze coffee scroll biscuits? Yes, you can freeze freshly baked coffee scroll biscuits. Just make sure they are completely cooled before wrapping them in heavy duty foil or freezer bags. They’ll last around 2-3 months in the freezer. Reheat individual biscuits in the microwave for around 10-30 seconds. 
  • How do you achieve the swirls and the pink icing circles? For the swirls, we used the tops of small glass jars. Get creative and see if you can find something in the kitchen with the perfect sizes – you only need to make one or two indentations per biscuit. The way to get the best pink icing circles is to use a spoon or piping bag to put the mixture on the biscuit, then carefully and lightly use the top of your (clean, unlicked) finger to spread the mixture out in small circles until you achieve the size of icing circle you want.
Variations & Substitutes
  • For the spices: If you don’t have all the spices, feel free to substitute with a pumpkin spice mix, or make up your own mix with your favourite flavour combinations.
  • For the currants: You can substitute these with sultanas, cranberries or raisins. Omit them if you’re not a fan of dried fruit.
  • For the Red Food Dye: Feel free to use any colour for your food colouring. Or omit for an au naturel white chocolate finish!
  • Flour: You can try using self-raising flour if you don’t have plain flour available. They may turn out a little softer, but will be a pretty close match!
Adapted from Sweet Perfection Cakes.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Coffee Scroll Biscuits
Amount per Serving
Calories
160
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Cholesterol
 
25
mg
8
%
Sodium
 
59
mg
3
%
Potassium
 
69
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
20
g
7
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
12
g
13
%
Protein
 
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
 
171
IU
3
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
36
mg
4
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Hey hey – Did you make this recipe?We’d love it if you could give a star rating below ★★★★★ and show us your creations on Instagram! Snap a pic and tag @wandercooks / #Wandercooks

Coffee Scroll Biscuits
13K Shares

Browse all our most popular Japanese recipes

Japanese mochi, matcha green tea ice-cream. okonomiyaki, gyoza and chicken katsu dishes, with the words "Click here for Japanese recipes" overlayed.

36 Comments

  • Reply
    Erin
    17/02/2022 at 12:46 am

    OMG. If there was one biscuit I miss the most … it is these! I too remember eating them at my Nan’s and I also nibbled around the edge and savoured that delicious middle! I am going to attempt a vegan version with xantham gum to replace the egg. Thanks for recreating an Aussie fave of mine!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      17/02/2022 at 9:58 am

      Hey Erin, that’s so awesome. Let us know how you go with the vegan version, and we’ll add it to our notes if it’s a success with the xantham gum. 🙂

  • Reply
    Rita
    26/07/2021 at 11:28 pm

    5 stars
    These were my absolute fav!!! I used to nibble around the swirl and leave the icing for last aswell. Oh so goooood! I also vaguely remember different coloured icing middles in white and caramel/light brown. And was there even an apple flavoured one with pastel green icing or something???

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      27/07/2021 at 10:55 am

      Yes! I remember the other colours too. I think you might be right with the apple ones too – I’d completely forgotten about the variations. Yum!

  • Reply
    Dani
    30/03/2021 at 9:53 pm

    Yesss I’ve been wondering about these for years! Even mum can’t remember what they were called and I loved them so much as a kid.. I just did a google search myself for the same reason you had and I’ve come across this’ I love it! I just wish they would make them again!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      31/03/2021 at 10:04 am

      Brilliant! I know what you mean, I miss the originals sooo much. So many good memories eating them. Glad we can at least bake a batch of these in the meantime. 🙂

  • Reply
    Susan
    27/07/2020 at 12:56 pm

    Pity that you had to do pretend scrolls. Bit wasteful of time for those people who thought they really were sxrolls. I made them flat. Recipe ok. Pity the ingredients were not included. Had to go to another website to get the amount. Overall 1 star. You put chocolate on top not icing.

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      28/07/2020 at 12:34 pm

      Hey Susan! Aww unfortunately, these aren’t ‘pretend scrolls’ – it’s a popular biscuit recipe in Australia and not the American soft bread rolls you may be thinking of. The ingredients are in the recipe card with all the amounts and instructions, and the icing is made from chocolate… but we still call it icing over here as it’s the topping for the biscuit. Sorry for any confusion, it doesn’t sound like this is the recipe for you. 🙂

  • Reply
    Libby Hakim
    08/01/2020 at 9:48 am

    5 stars
    Gorgeous! I can’t wait to try these. I have such lovely memories of these biscuits and your version looks absolutely WONDERFUL!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      09/01/2020 at 2:33 pm

      Ah thank you Libby! 🙂 Hope you enjoy them as much as we did. They are a good one to have with a cup of tea!

  • Reply
    Deb
    07/01/2020 at 10:05 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely loved them and am making a double batch again today. This time I’m going to try adding coffee to the chocolate. You certainly were t alone in nibbling around the circles and saving the icing till last.

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      07/01/2020 at 2:40 pm

      Oh that’s wonderful to hear Deb! So glad you enjoyed them. It’s definitely worth doing a double batch! You’ll have to let us know how the addition of the coffee goes! 😀

  • Reply
    Natalie
    05/01/2020 at 3:00 pm

    3 stars
    Thanks for the recipe. Made these today because they were my favourite childhood biscuit and remind me of my nana.
    Delicious cookie but definitely not the same thing.
    Gosh I just wish they would bring them back.

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      07/01/2020 at 2:42 pm

      It is frustrating when they take away your favourites from the shelves. Unfortunately, the reality is, a homemade version is never going to taste exactly like a commercial version. We’re just thankful we can create something close to it. Glad you still enjoyed the taste either way. If you experiment any more with the recipe, let us know! We’re always open to new ideas. 🙂

  • Reply
    Michelle
    18/11/2019 at 2:21 pm

    I loved these biscuits! Will definitely try them this week. I think Lanes had a few flavour variations back in the 90s as I also remember ones with white icing and maybe even brown (although I could be confusing them with bakers delight coffee scrolls!)

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      19/11/2019 at 2:08 pm

      I think you might be right about different colours. I swear I remember a white top back in the day too. At least we can make whatever colour we want now haha!

  • Reply
    Jo
    12/11/2019 at 9:01 am

    I going to give these a try I remember them from the seventies and were a favorite in our house

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      19/11/2019 at 2:02 pm

      Same, so glad we’re able to have their sweet aroma floating through the house once again haha!

  • Reply
    Alina | Cooking Journey Blog
    19/01/2019 at 12:21 am

    5 stars
    That is such a lovely biscuit for the next month of love… but we won’t wait for so long, ha!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      22/01/2019 at 2:11 pm

      Oh yeah, I can just see them now with a pink love heart instead of a circle on top – so cute!

  • Reply
    Cliona Keane
    18/01/2019 at 10:30 pm

    5 stars
    These are adorable! I love that they’re the perfect mix of fun and sophisticated!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      22/01/2019 at 2:11 pm

      Thanks Cliona! 🙂

  • Reply
    Patty
    18/01/2019 at 9:14 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve never heard of these pretty cookies, they look delicious, I can’t wait to try them, they will be a nice addition to my cookie collection!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      22/01/2019 at 2:12 pm

      Thanks Patty – yep they’re an Aussie tradition from our childhood that has sadly disappeared from supermarket shelves.. thankfully they’re so easy to bake at home!

  • Reply
    Jacqueline Debono
    18/01/2019 at 8:05 pm

    5 stars
    These biscuits are so pretty. I don’t remember them from my childhood but probably because I’m older than you guys! Love the pink icing in the middle!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      22/01/2019 at 2:13 pm

      They were a favourite in both our households – not sure when they officially stopped making them… but I think they’re better homemade anyway – there’s nothing better than that warm smell of freshly baked spicy biscuits is there? 🙂

  • Reply
    Dannii
    18/01/2019 at 7:20 pm

    5 stars
    I love any kind of coffee dessert and these are so pretty. Great for a tea party.

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      22/01/2019 at 2:14 pm

      Totally! Thanks Dannii, glad you like them. 🙂

  • Reply
    Marie
    18/01/2019 at 5:05 pm

    5 stars
    What pretty biscuits! They look so delicious. Love the swirl pattern on top and pink icing.

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      22/01/2019 at 2:14 pm

      It’s the best part! (Shh haha) 😛

    1 2

    Leave a Reply

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.