Monte Carlo biscuits are one of Australia's favourite cream biscuits, and with good reason. Consisting of two coconut biscuits sandwiched together with sweet buttercream and jam... these tasty treats literally melt in your mouth!
Try my simple and delicious homemade Monte Carlo biscuits recipe and I'm sure you'll agree that they taste even better than the original store-bought Arnott's version!
When it comes to biscuits, there are some that are especially great for lunchboxes or the "everyday biscuit barrel", such as Honey Biscuits, or Milo Biscuits.
Others, like my Almond and Chocolate Chip Anzac Biscuits, or Apricot, Macadamia and White Chocolate Oat Cookies are a little more decadent, and perfect for taking along to a morning tea catch up with friends!
These delicious Monte Carlo biscuits are a 'little bit fancy' and are a great option for a special occasion or as part of an elegant high-tea.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
Once you've tried my homemade version of these classic Australian biscuits, you will never buy the store-bought version ever again! I promise!
- Simple pantry ingredients – you only need basic baking pantry ingredients to make this recipe for Monte Carlo biscuits, making this a very budget-friendly recipe!
- Quick and easy - there is very little preparation required, so you can be enjoying them in no time at all!
- Well known and loved - Monte Carlos are Arnott's most iconic cream biscuit, and have been around for almost 100 years!
- Versatile - the classic choice of jam flavour for the Monte Carlo biscuit filling is raspberry jam, but one of the benefits of them being homemade is that you can use whatever flavour you prefer!
- Two methods included - if you don't have a stand mixer to make these Monte Carlo biscuits, Thermomix instructions are also included in the Recipe Card below.
What You Need
These yummy biscuits need only a few basic ingredients, which you're more than likely to have in your pantry right now!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
For The Biscuits
- Butter - at room temperature. I prefer to use unsalted butter as a baking ingredient. This is not essential and if you usually buy salted butter, using that will be perfectly fine.
- Brown sugar - either light or dark brown sugar is fine to use. The brown sugar gives a slightly caramelised flavour to these biscuits as well as colour.
- Egg - have the egg at room temperature before you start for the best results.
- Vanilla extract - you can use vanilla essence or paste if you prefer.
- Self-raising flour - use store-bought self-raising flour or make your own by sifting 2 teaspoons of baking powder through every 1 cup of plain flour.
- Plain flour - also known as all-purpose flour, this doesn't contain any raising agents.
- Desiccated coconut - is finely ground coconut, with a coarse powdery texture.
For The Filling
- Butter - at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
- Icing sugar - there is a difference between pure icing sugar and icing sugar mixture. I recommend using pure icing sugar, which doesn’t contain any cornflour, as this will give you a firmer buttercream which holds the biscuits together better.
- Milk - I buy and use full-fat or full-cream milk in my recipes.
- Jam - choose a good quality jam so that the flavour shines through even with a small amount!
Step By Step Instructions
My Monte Carlo biscuit recipe is quick and easy, and you can make it using hand-held beaters, a stand mixer or a Thermomix.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Step 1 - Cream The Butter And Sugar
Place the brown sugar and softened butter into a mixing bowl.
Cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Step 2 - Complete The Biscuit Dough
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Beat together until well combined.
Add the self-raising flour, plain flour and coconut.
Mix until combined.
Step 3 - Bake The Biscuits
Roll small teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place onto baking trays. Press down lightly with a fork to flatten slightly.
Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool completely on wire trays before assembling the Monte Carlo sandwich biscuits.
Step 4 - Make The Buttercream Filling
Cream the butter and sifted icing sugar until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and beat well.
Step 5 - Assemble The Monte Carlos
Spread half of the biscuits with jam.
Top with a small amount of buttercream.
Place another biscuit on top and press together lightly until the jam and buttercream reach the edges.
Expert Tips & FAQ's
I specify fan-forced oven temperatures in my recipes, so if you have a conventional oven, increase the temperature by between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.
I strongly recommend greasing and lining the trays with baking paper. The tray in my picture is well-seasoned and I was confident that these biscuits wouldn't stick as I have made them many times before!
This recipe will make about 40 small biscuits, which when sandwiched together with the filling will give you 20 complete Monte Carlos.
I recommend using a thick jam, so that it holds between the biscuits instead of running out the sides. I used St Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread in this recipe.
How much filling you need will depend on the size of your biscuits. It's important not to overfill the biscuits with too much jam and buttercream. Add a small amount of jam to the flat side of a biscuit and then top with a small amount of buttercream in the centre. When you add another biscuit to the top it will 'squish' the filling out towards the edges.
The biscuits were named after the city of Monte Carlo!
More Biscuit Recipes
For more delicious treats like this Monte Carlo biscuit recipe, you might like to try these recipes as well!
Monte Carlo Biscuits
Ingredients
For the biscuits:
- 185 g butter room temperature
- 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 190 g (1 and ¼ cup) self-raising flour
- 120 g (¾ cup) plain flour
- 45 g (½ cup) desiccated coconut
For the filling:
- 60 g butter room temperature
- 120 g (¾ cup) icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon milk
- ½ cup strawberry jam
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line two flat baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or hand-held beaters, cream the butter and brown sugar on high speed until pale and creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat.
- Add the sifted self-raising flour, plain flour and the coconut. Continue to beat on low speed until combined.
- Roll small teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on the prepared trays.
- Press a fork lightly over the top of the dough balls.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden-brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the buttercream filling, cream the butter and sifted icing sugar with a stand mixer or hand-held beaters until pale and creamy.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix and continue to beat well.
- Place a small amount of jam onto the middle of the flat side of one of the cookies. Top with a small amount of buttercream. Place another biscuit on top and press together lightly until the jam and buttercream reach the edges.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line two flat baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar for 30 seconds, Speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 30 seconds, Speed 4.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix for 10 seconds, Speed 3.
- Add the sifted self-raising flour, plain flour and the coconut and knead for 30 seconds on Dough function, or until well combined.
- Roll small teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on the prepared trays.
- Press a fork lightly over the top of the dough balls.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden-brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the buttercream filling, place the butter, sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract and milk into a clean Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds, Speed 6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix until pale and creamy.
- Place a small amount of jam onto the middle of the flat side of one of the cookies.
- Top with a small amount of buttercream.
- Place another biscuit on top and press together lightly until the jam and buttercream reach the edges.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Oven temperatures - I specify fan-forced oven temperatures in my recipes, so if you have a conventional oven, increase the temperature by between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.
- Baking trays - I strongly recommend greasing and lining the trays with baking paper, even if using non-stick trays.
- Quantity - this recipe will make about 40 small biscuits, which when sandwiched together with the filling will give you 20 complete Monte Carlos.
- Jam filling - I recommend using a thick jam, so that it stays between the biscuits instead of running out. I used St Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread in this recipe.
- To sandwich biscuits together - how much filling you need will depend on the size of your biscuits. It's important not to overfill the biscuits with too much jam and buttercream. Add a small amount of jam to the flat side of a biscuit and then top with a small amount of buttercream in the centre. When you add another biscuit to the top it will 'squish' the filling out towards the edges.
- Storing - you can store the Monte Carlo biscuits in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Clare says
These biscuits are delicious. I wasn't sure about the quantity of self raising flour. 190g ( and 1/4)
Lucy says
Thank you so much!
Don Schuldes says
Genius! I love Monte Carlo biscuits they're fantastic. Love this recipe, thanks I'll give it a go.
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Soph says
This is too goood!!! Far to easy and tasty massive hit with everyone
Lucy says
I'm so glad you liked them!
Penny says
Looking at making these as I love Monte Carlo's! However, I'm a bit disappointed that your recipe when you print it out only prints the top of the recip, not the theromix section. Is there anyway you can fix this? Thanks
Bake Play Smile says
Hi Penny, all of the new recipes on the site have both printable conventional and Thermomix instructions. However, the older recipes have only printable conventional instructions. When I put them on the site, there wasn't the ability to have 2 recipes in the one post be printable - but luckily there now is!
Kat says
Hi Lucy,
These look delicious! I can't wait to try. Do you think you could freeze them? How long do you think you could store them in a container for?
Thank you!
Bake Play Smile says
Hmm good question!!! I have never frozen these before. I would think that the biscuits would be fine to freeze unfilled, but I'm not 100% sure on how well the filling would defrost. You could give it a go though!