In wealthier households, sugar was often used more as a display of status than as a common ingredient. It was shaped into spectacular sculptures called subtleties, dyed into bright colors, or even dusted lightly over spiced wafers. Ordinary people rarely had sugar at all.
Thus, a typical Tudor biscuit—especially for the middling sort or yeoman households—would have been made without sugar, relying on:
- Honey, sometimes thinned with warm ale or water
- Dried fruits, like raisins, currants, or prunes
- Spices, which were more common than you might think (due to medieval trade routes), though still precious
Ingredients in a Tudor Biscuit
Here’s what a typical recipe might include around 1550:
- Flour: usually coarse stoneground wheat, sometimes mixed with rye
- Eggs: to bind and add richness
- Honey: the main sweetener, though used sparingly
- Dried fruit: for sweetness and texture
- Ale or small beer: often used to moisten dough instead of plain water
- Spices: caraway, coriander seed, or aniseed were popular
Notice: no butter or milk. Dairy was expensive and often reserved for fresh consumption. Biscuits meant to last were better without fats that could go rancid. shutdown123