Kenyan tea biscuits
Spiced ginger–cardamom cookies made with condensed milk for a tender, chewy texture - easy to roll, cut, and perfect for storing or gifting.
Updated : 25 December, 2025
Easy
About 45 min.
Ingredients
400 grams
Flour
100 grams
Powdered sugar
0.5 teaspoon
Baking powder
0.25 teaspoon
Baking soda
0.25 teaspoon
Salt
1.5 tablespoon
Ginger powder
2 teaspoon
Cardamom
2 teaspoon
Ground black pepper
250 grams
Butter
200 grams
Condensed milk
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Sift the flour, icing sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, ginger, cardamom and black pepper into a large bowl and leave it at room temperature.
Step 2
In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and condensed milk together for about 2 minutes, until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Add the sifted dry ingredients and continue beating until the dough begins to form. Switch to a flexible spatula and mix until a gingerbread-like dough comes together. Cover with cling film and leave to rest in a cool spot for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 200C and line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
Step 4
Unwrap the rested dough, cut it in half and, working with one portion at a time, roll it out on a floured surface to the thickness of a coin. Stamp out cookies using a round cutter or any shape you prefer, keeping any unused dough covered with cling film so it doesn’t dry out.
Step 5
Arrange the biscuits on the prepared trays, leaving a little room around each one. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. The biscuits will be slightly soft when they come out of the oven but will firm up as they cool.
Step 6
After 5 minutes, lift them carefully onto a cooling rack using a metal spatula and allow them to cool completely. Continue baking additional batches until all the dough has been used. Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
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