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| Spiced Belgium Biscuits sandwiched with raspberry jam and topped with pink raspberry jam icing and freeze-dried raspberries |
Aaahhhh, the classically nostalgic Belgium biscuit in New Zealand kitchen culture. The treat that feels stitched into our baking history - the pink icing, the raspberry jam, the gentle warmth of cinnamon and spice. Even if you didn’t grow up with them at home, they have that unmistakable “Kiwi‑mum 70s kitchen and "bake-stall fundraiser” charm: simple, sweet, a little old‑fashioned, and completely irresistible.
At their heart, Belgium biscuits belong to a long European tradition of sandwiched biscuits - two biscuits baked separately, then joined together with something sweet in the middle. Variations of this idea have existed across Europe for centuries, from what was known as 'The German Biscuit', to Austrian Linzer biscuits to Scottish Empire biscuits. But post-World War II Kiwi housewives took that familiar structure and made it our own. Here, the biscuit became warmly spiced, the filling turned into bright raspberry jam, and the top was finished with a cheerful layer of pink icing and sprinkles (raspberry jelly crystals or “hundreds and thousands” in the day). It’s a combination that shouldn’t work as well as it does, but somehow it just does.
The biscuit itself is firm but tender, scented with cinnamon, mixed spice and a hint of ginger - just enough to feel cosy without tipping into Christmas territory. What I love most is how unpretentious they are. Belgium biscuits don’t rely on fancy techniques or elaborate decoration. They’re made from pantry staples, rolled and cut, baked until just firm, then assembled with jam and icing. They’re the sort of biscuit you can make on a rainy afternoon, or with kids helping at the bench.
Despite the name, Belgium biscuits aren’t Belgian at all like you might think - they’re a uniquely New Zealand creation. Inspired by old European jam‑sandwich biscuits brought here by post‑war migrants and adapted over generations, they’ve become part of our own baking identity. That mix of cinnamon, spice and raspberry jam feels like a nod to old‑world baking, but the pink icing is pure Kiwi whimsy. Thumbing through my grandmother’s old church and Country Women’s Institute cookbooks, I notice how many submitted recipes were exotically named after far‑off places - perhaps a little wishful dreaming of far away lands they’d heard of but would never see.
Whether you make them thick and soft or thin and crisp, whether you ice them pale pink or bright raspberry, Belgium biscuits always feel a little bit special. They’re comforting, cheerful, and just a bit nostalgic - the kind of biscuit that disappears quickly from the tin or bake-stall and always earn a smile.
- 125 g (4 ozs.) Butter, room temperature
- 75 g (3 ozs.) Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Mixed Spice
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- Pinch table salt
- 1 Egg, whisked together
- 225gm (8 ozs.) plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup icing sugar
- Few chards of butter, room temperature
- Raspberry jam to mix (approx 1 dessertspoon)
- Few drops hot water (if needed)
- Raspberry jam to fill
Cream the butter, sugar and spices together until creamed and light. Add the egg and beat well. Mix in the dry ingredients to form a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead lightly. Using a piece of cling film over the top to prevent sticking, roll the dough out thinly (but not too thin or they'll burn), and cut into rounds with a cookie cutter.
Place the biscuits on greased trays and bake at 180°C fan for 10–12 minutes or until lightly colored but not brown.
Using a fish slice, transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Place icing sugar, butter and jam into a bowl and mix to smooth. If icing is too thick add a few drops boiling water. If icing is too runny add more icing sugar to achieve a thick but spreadable consistency. Much will depend on the content of your icing sugar brand.
Ice half of the biscuits with raspberry icing. Spread raspberry jam on the remaining biscuits, then sandwich each one with an iced “top”.
Finish with sprinkles of your choice.
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