Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (2024)

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4.84 from 6 ratings

A layer of currants squashed between two layers of dough, then baked, Garibaldi biscuits are buttery, fruity and easy to make. Also known as flies graveyard or squashed fly biscuits, these cookies have a crispy exterior and soft centre and are perfect with a cuppa.

by Marie RoffeyPublished May 11, 2021

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Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (1)

With their crispy pastry outside and soft inside, Garibaldi biscuits are a much-loved tea time treat. Buttery dough encases soft currants (or raisins or sultanas), it’s pressed together and baked until golden.

I love a good fruity biscuit recipe like these homemade florentines or these ever-popular buttery sultana cookies.

Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (2)

Why are they called Garibaldi Biscuits?

Named after an Italian general named Giuseppe Garibaldi (srce: Wikipedia), there isn’t a lot of information on the history of these biscuits. They were first created in the UK over 150 years ago and have since made their way around the world in different forms.

In Australia they’re sold as “Full O’fruit” and in New Zealand “Fruitli”, while the US had a version called “Golden Fruit”.

Loved the world over, you may have heard of Garibaldi biscuits referred to as squashed fly biscuits or flies graveyard. Had I known those names before I knew them as Garibaldi’s I probably wouldn’t have tried them though. Not the most appealing of names.

Never fear! There are no flies in these buttery, fruity cookies. The fruit middle is traditionally made with currants but are often made with raisins or sultanas too.

Ingredients

These cookies don’t have too many ingredients and most are pretty common.

Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (3)
  • Flour: Just regular plain or all purpose is perfect for these.
  • Sugar: I like caster sugar for this one as it beats in easily and provides a nice coating for the top that gets all crispy but regular white granulated will work.
  • Currants: These are like miniature raisins. If you can’t get currants, raisins or sultanas will work too.
  • Liqueur: Traditionally you would use brandy to soak the dried fruit before making garibaldi biscuits, but any liqueur will really do the job. I like Frangelico because of it’s flavour and it’s one I always have on hand.
  • Salt: All sweet treats benefit by a little dash of salt to intensify the flavours and balance the sweetness.
  • Butter: This makes these cookies nice and buttery.
  • Cinnamon: Added to the sugar and dusted over the fruit and then over the top of the dough before baking.
  • Milk: Just enough to bring the dough together into a rollable dough.
  • Egg yolk: Mixed with a dash of water, this is brushed over the top of the dough to give it a golden look.

How to make garibaldi biscuits / squashed fly biscuits

These biscuits are so easy to make and fun since they’re quite different to your regular dough scooping style cookies.

Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (4)
  1. Start by soaking the fruit in liqueur for half an hour to help plump it up and soften it slightly (photo 1).
  2. Now combine the dry ingredients before adding grated (shredded) butter (photo 2). Blend that in with a pastry cutter until it’s a bit like lumpy sand.
  3. Now add the milk (photo 3), to bring it into a clumping dough you can roll out (photo 4).
  4. Chill the dough for 30 minutes before proceeding.
  5. Cut the dough into two pieces and roll out the first one. Drain the currants, discarding the liquid and scatter them evenly over the rolled dough.
Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (5)
  1. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the currants (photo 5).
  2. Top with the second layer of rolled out dough and press it down with your hands all over (photo 6).
  3. Brush the top with egg wash, then sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar (photo 7). Bake.
  4. When they come out of the oven, immediately slice them into rectangles – without moving them around (photo 8). Let them cool completely to crisp up.

Tips and tricks for perfect garibaldi biscuits

  • Only gently blend the flour and butter until the butter is in tiny but still visible pieces. These pieces release steam while baking and make the dough layers lighter and flakier.
  • Adding milk: Only add as much as you need. Different brands of flour will absorb different amounts of liquid so start with the 1 ½ tablespoons of milk listed in the recipe and add another ½ tablespoon only if you need it.
  • Always weigh your ingredients for best results. A cup measure can be filled many different ways and as a result can have varying quantities of flour. Too much flour equals a dry cookie.
Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (6)

Substitions / variations

One of the things I love about this garibaldi biscuits recipe is the option to change the fruit you use inside. Most dried fruits will work and you can chop large ones into smaller pieces.

Try dried cranberries, dried blueberries and the combo I’m looking forward to trying – Apricot and coconut.

Also, try adding in chopped nuts or chocolate too.

  • Pastry cutter
  • Cookie sheet

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Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (7)

If you try this garibaldi biscuits recipe, please take a moment to leave a rating and comment below. I love hearing from you and it helps other readers too! You can also take a photo and tag @sugarsaltmagic on Instagram.

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Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (8)

Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe

Yield: 12 biscuits

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Chilling time: 0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

4.8 from 6 ratings

A layer of currants squashed between two layers of dough, then baked, Garibaldi biscuits are buttery, fruity and easy to make. Also known as flies graveyard or squashed fly biscuits, these cookies have a crispy exterior and soft centre and are perfect with a cuppa.

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Ingredients

  • cup currants (105g / 3.7oz)
  • cup Frangelico liqueur (80ml) (or notes 3)
  • 130 g plain (all-purp) flour (1 cup / 4.6oz)
  • 65 g caster (superfine) sugar, split in half (⅓ cup / 2.3oz)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 85 g unsalted butter, grated and cold (¾ stick / 3oz)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons milk, cold (30ml) (notes 1)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 egg yolk, beaten with a dash of water

For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided

Equipment

  • Cookie sheet

  • Pastry cutter

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the currants and liqueur. Set aside.

  • Combine the flour, half the sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together.

  • Add the cold grated butter, and cut it into the flour using a pastry cutter, knife or your fingertips (if using your fingers, be careful not to melt all the butter).

  • Use a fork to mix through the milk, then pull the dough together with your hands.

  • Flatten out into a rectangle. Wrap in baking paper or plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

  • Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

  • Drain the currants, discarding the liquid. Set aside in a strainer over a dish to drain further.

  • In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

  • Cut the dough in half and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out one half to about 20cm square (8×8 inches) – use the base of an 8 inch tin as a guide. Carefully transfer it to the baking tray.

  • Scatter the drained currants over the rolled dough, followed by half the cinnamon sugar.

  • Roll out the second piece of dough and lay it over the top. Press down gently all over with your hands and trim off the rough edges of dough.

  • Brush the top with the egg wash, then sprinkle over the remaining cinnamon sugar.

  • Bake 25-30 minutes or until the top is nice and golden.

  • Carefully, use the ends of the baking paper to move the biscuit from the tray to a cutting board. Cut into rectangles, then allow to cool completely.

Notes

  1. I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (= 4 teaspoons worldwide)
  2. The currants must soak for at least half an hour so make sure to do this step first.
  3. Traditionally you would use brandy to soak the currants but I like Frangelico and always have it on hand. A sherry, muscat or even port will do the trick too or a liqueur like Amaretto.

MORE COOKIE RECIPES!

Calories: 156kcal

Author: Marie Roffey

Course: Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Sweets

Cuisine: United Kingdom

Have you tried this recipe?Don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.

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    12 Comments on “Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe”

  1. JackieReply

    Some recipes call for self rising flour. Do you need leavening in these?

    • Marie RoffeyReply

      Hello Jackie. No. These don’t require leavening.

  2. Barbara PellReply

    Can these be frozen?

    • Marie RoffeyReply

      Yes, they can be, Barbara.

  3. Chris MurrayReply

    Loved them, better than store bought

    • Marie RoffeyReply

      Excellent! So happy you love them, Chris.

  4. Beverly GreenReply

    They were delicious but the top came away from the bottom layer…any ideas as to why this might be. I did roll the dough once the two pieces were sandwiched together.

    • Marie RoffeyReply

      So happy you liked them Beverly. It’s possible the currants were still a little too wet, so the two layers of dough weren’t able to stick to each other. Could that be it?

  5. Ben | HavocinthekitchenReply

    Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (9)
    I’ve never heard of/ tried these biscuits – how interesting and quite unique! While the alternative name might not be extremely appealing, the cookies look scrumptious! I absolutely love you used some delightful currants and left out the flies! 🙂 And this combo of apricot and coconut sounds so good, too!

    • Marie RoffeyReply

      They are absolutely delicious. I also love that you can customise the sweetness since half the sugar quantity is sprinkled over in the assembly. Thanks so much.

  6. BluReply

    Hi Marie, love your recipes. I’m in the UK so I am used to grams or ounces. I’ve heard that cup sizes can vary so wondered what type you use or if you could add the gram/ounce equivalent to your recipes please?

    • Marie RoffeyReply

      So happy you love my recipes, Blu. Sorry to miss that, I normally try to add different measuring methods. Cups mostly matter when it comes to flour or sugar but not really for other ingredients. I’ve added more measurement options into the recipe card now. Happy Baking!

Garibaldi Biscuits Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the American version of a Garibaldi biscuit? ›

In the United States, the Sunshine Biscuit Company for many years made a popular version of the Garibaldi with raisins which it called "Golden Fruit". Sunshine was bought out by the Keebler Company which briefly expanded the line to include versions filled with other fruits.

Why is a Garibaldi called a Garibaldi? ›

One of the more interesting parts of the history of the Garibaldi is how they got their name, derived from the Italian unification hero Giuseppe Garibaldi. By the time Garibaldi arrived in the UK in 1854 on his way to New York he was already considered somewhat of a celebrity.

What makes biscuits rise and fluffy? ›

Fully incorporating the butter and flour guarantees tender, airy biscuits every time. Low-protein flours keep biscuits fluffy and light, never tough. Yogurt provides both hydration and structure, for biscuits that bake up straight and tall but moist.

What is a squashed fly? ›

Garibaldi biscuits are a sort of currant sandwich with two pieces of thin biscuit dough around the fruit spread. Invented by Jonathan Carr (of Carr's Water Biscuits) for Peek Freans in 1861 after the Italian Revolutionary visited Newcastle, they've been a mainstay of the British biscuit tin ever since.

What is the oldest biscuit? ›

THE ABERFFRAW BISCUIT (or cake) goes by a number of names, but whatever you call it, with a tradition dating back to the 13th century, it's often held up as the oldest recognised biscuit in Britain.

What is the oldest biscuit brand in the world? ›

Huntley & Palmers is a British company of biscuit makers originally based in Reading, Berkshire. Formed by Joseph Huntley in 1822, the company became one of the world's first global brands (chiefly led by George Palmer who joined in 1841) and ran what was once the world's largest biscuit factory.

What is the nickname of the Garibaldi biscuit? ›

Its colloquial nickname, squashed-fly biscuit (coined from the appearance of the currants), dates from at least the first decade of the twentieth century; it is mentioned by H. G. Wells in Tono-Bungay (1909): 'instead of offering me a Garibaldi biscuit, she asked me with that faint lisp of hers, to “have some squashed ...

Where do they make Garibaldi biscuits? ›

They have been made in England since 1813. The is only 1 gram of fat per biscuit.

Where are Garibaldi biscuits made? ›

Carr was also known for his 'fancy' biscuits, which came in various shapes and sizes and had exciting names such as Rich Desserts and Small Change Pennies. Carr created the Garibaldi for Peek Freans, a biscuit making company based in Bermondsey, London.

Are biscuits better with butter or shortening? ›

The butter version rises the highest — look at those flaky layers! The shortening biscuit is slightly shorter and a bit drier, too. Butter contains a bit of water, which helps create steam and gives baked goods a boost.

What is the secret to high rising biscuits? ›

Cut off uneven edges and put these scraps to the side; clean cuts on all sides will encourage rise. Pat scraps together to make 1 odd-shaped ninth biscuit. Place biscuits close together in a 9-inch square pan and brush with melted salted butter. Place pan on top of the warm stove for 10 to 15 minutes to rise.

Should you let biscuit dough rest? ›

Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured biscuit cutter (or even a glass, though its duller edge may result in slightly less tall biscuits).

What happened to Lincoln biscuits? ›

As I have mentioned above, the Lincoln biscuits are still being produced, it is just that they are no longer being made by McVitie's, but by Jacob's instead.

What happened to Sunshine Raisin Biscuits? ›

Keebler purchased Sunshine in 1996, and unfortunately dropped Golden Raisin Biscuits from their lineup; many of us have missed them ever since. Thus this recipe. More evocation than clone, these cookies are sweeter and more crisp than the original, but a tasty reminder of a classic cookie of years gone by.

What is a biscuit with fruit inside? ›

Prue Leith. Named to honour Italian General Giuseppe Garibaldi, who visited England in the 1850s, these are a dried-fruit pastry sandwich, here using sweet currants and tart cranberries plumped up with tangy orange juice. Ours have the bonus of being half-dipped in rich chocolate.

What is the equivalent of an American biscuit? ›

In the US, what us Brits call a biscuit, Americans would call a cookie - whilst an American biscuit is something resembling a British scone… making a name like Biscuiteers seem rather confusing!

What are digestive biscuits in America? ›

A digestive biscuit, sometimes described as a sweet-meal biscuit, is a semi-sweet biscuit that originated in Scotland. The digestive was first developed in 1839 by two Scottish doctors to aid digestion. I'm sure they'd be wholemeal crackers maybe.. BUT they are sold worldwide and are also available in America.

What is the British equivalent of an American biscuit? ›

A Biscuit (U.S.) Is a Scone (U.K.)

Both baked goodies use flour, fat, liquid and a leavening agent. The main differences are that scones tend to have less butter (because you'll add butter to it when you eating it — or else, clotted cream or jam) while American biscuits tend to have more butter and light layers.

What is the American version of biscuit? ›

M: Let's first start off by defining what an American biscuit is. It's a small bread with a firm crust and soft interior. Biscuits, along with cornbread and soda bread, are known as “quick bread,” because you use baking soda instead of yeast to make them. Biscuits in the UK are what we Americans call cookies.

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