British cuisine is all about comfort, tradition, and simple ingredients done well. These are the recipes from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales you need to know.
British food is built for comfort—buttery scones with clotted cream, bubbling cottage pie straight from the oven, nostalgic puddings and baked custard. These classic and cozy British recipes celebrate the best of this fabulous but often under-appreciated cuisine ~ let’s tuck in!
the British recipes to know
- Cream S cones
- Clotted cream
- Cottage Pie
- Victoria Sponge Cake
- Shortbread
- Horseradish Sauce
- Eton Mess
- Kedgeree
- Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Broccoli Stilton Soup
- British School Cake with Custard
- Split Pea Soup with Ham
- Darina Allen’s Irish Soda Scones
- Welsh Cakes
- Beef Barley Soup
- Chocolate Biscuit Cake
- Deviled Leg of Lamb
- Salad Cream
- Rhubarb Fool
- Soda bread
- Lemon curd
- Trifle
- Custard
- English Toffee
- Rice pudding
- Crumpets
Cream Scones
Scones are unique in the food world, thank you British Isles! Scones are buttery biscuit-like pastries that can be plain, like my cream scones below, or flavored with endless combinations of fruits, nuts, and chocolate, etc. In the UK and Ireland they’re served with jam and clotted cream at tea time. (Here in the US you might have discovered them at Starbucks.) I love mine with my morning coffee.
other favorite scone recipes
Clotted cream
Clotted cream is a uniquely British recipe ~ a thick, rich, and ultra-creamy spread made by slowly heating full-fat cow’s milk until the cream rises and forms a golden crust. It has a buttery, slightly sweet flavor and a texture somewhere between whipped cream and butter. It’s a must-have for traditional British cream tea, usually slathered on warm scones with a dollop of jam. This incredible spread isn’t widely available here in the States, so knowing how to make your own is key!
3 methods for making homemade clotted cream
Cottage Pie
Cottage pie is my ideal comfort food ~ ground beef simmered with veggies in a rich gravy, all tucked under a layer of buttery mashed potatoes. It’s baked until golden and crispy on top, making every bite ridiculously satisfying. Basically, it’s the food equivalent of your favorite sweatshirt, the kind of food Britain does best!
more savory pies
Victoria Sponge Cake
Victoria sponge cake is a classic British recipe for a tea cake made of two light, airy sponge layers sandwiched with jam and whipped cream (or buttercream). It has a simple, buttery flavor and a soft, tender crumb. Named after Queen Victoria, it’s a staple in British baking ~ best served with a dusting of powdered sugar and a cup of tea. Full disclosure: my recipe uses a boxed cake mix as a shortcut!
Shortbread
Shortbread is the essence of simplicity—just butter, sugar, and flour—but within those three ingredients lies endless variation. From the classic crumbly Scottish style to modern twists with citrus, spices, or chocolate, these UK shortbread recipes highlight the rich, buttery tradition that has made this biscuit a favorite for centuries.
more shortbread recipes
Horseradish Sauce
Horseradish sauce is totally British ~ it’s been a classic pairing with roast beef for centuries. Creamy, tangy, and just the right amount of spicy, it’s a staple of a proper Sunday roast.
how to use horseradish sauce
Eton Mess
Eton Mess is a classic British recipe for a dessert made with crushed meringue, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries. It’s light, sweet, and slightly messy—hence the name! Traditionally associated with Eton College, it’s the perfect no-fuss summer dessert. My version is slightly upscaled (but still easy) with piped meringues and raspberries.
Kedgeree
Kedgeree is an unexpected mix of flaked fish (usually smoked haddock), rice, curry spices, and boiled eggs. It started as a British take on an Indian dish and became a popular Victorian breakfast, though now it’s eaten any time of day. Think of it as a cozy, mildly spiced rice dish with a smoky, savory kick—kind of like an old-school British take on a grain bowl. Trust me, it’s delish.
more smoked fish!
Lemon Drizzle Cake
Mary Berry is basically the queen of British baking, and her lemon drizzle cake is legendary. She helped make it a household favorite with her simple, foolproof recipe—light, buttery sponge, tangy lemon syrup, and that signature crunchy glaze. If you’ve ever watched The Great British Bake Off, you know she’s all about classic, no-fuss bakes that just work.
more lemon cakes
Broccoli Stilton Soup
Broccoli and Stilton soup is a more modern British recipe. It takes creamy blended broccoli soup and levels it up with Stilton, a bold, crumbly blue cheese that’s been around since the 1700s. While Stilton has deep British roots, this soup became a thing more recently, popping up in pubs and cozy winter menus across the UK.
more English cheese
British School Cake with Custard
Soft British vanilla traybake topped with white icing and rainbow sprinkles ~ serve with pouring custard for the classic school-cake experience.
Split Pea Soup with Ham
American split pea soup with ham can be traced back to British cuisine where pea and ham soup has been a staple for centuries.
More ham, please!
Darina Allen’s Irish Soda Scones
Soda scones require no-yeast, no rising time, and are lower in fat than traditional biscuit and scone recipes that include a lot of butter.
Welsh Cakes
Welsh Cakes are cooked on a griddle like a pancake, but can be eaten out of hand like a scone ~ these sweet, buttery little breakfast cakes are a Welsh tradition that deserve a spot on your brunch or tea table!
Beef Barley Soup
The beef barley soup I remember having as a kid can be traced back to Scottish Scotch broth ~ a hearty soup made with lamb or beef, barley, root vegetables, and sometimes cabbage.
more recipes with barley
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Chocolate biscuit cake is Queen Elizabeth’s favorite cake ~ she would take a small slice every day with her tea, until the cake was finished, and then she’d start on a fresh one! She reportedly had her chefs bring along this special chocolate cake wherever she traveled, and the cake was so popular in the royal family that it was Prince William’s groom’s cake at his wedding to Kate Middleton.
Deviled Leg of Lamb
Deviling in British cooking dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries, and it refers to joints of meats coated in a spicy, mustard-based mixture and then roasted or grilled.
Salad Cream
British salad cream is like mayo’s tangier, lighter cousin—smooth, creamy, and with a punchy hit of vinegar and mustard. It’s been a staple in the UK since the early 1900s, originally made as a zesty dressing for salads, sandwiches, and even chips (fries). Think of it as the love child of mayonnaise and a vinaigrette—rich but with a sharp, slightly sweet kick.
Rhubarb Fool
Fool is a classic British dessert that’s as simple as it is delicious—sweet, stewed fruit folded into lightly whipped cream. The most traditional version uses gooseberries, but you’ll also find it made with strawberries, raspberries, or rhubarb. It’s light, creamy, and just the right amount of tang, kind of like an old-school British take on a fruit parfait.
another fool recipe
Soda bread
Soda bread is a traditional quick bread in British and Irish cuisine ~ a dense, slightly tangy bread made with baking soda instead of yeast, often served griddled with butter.
more soda bread recipes
Lemon curd
Fruit curd is British in origin, dating back to 19th-century England. Fruit curd was developed in Victorian times as a spreadable alternative to jam. The most famous version is lemon curd, but we love all kinds of fruit curds, especially rhubarb!
more fruit curds
Trifle
Trifle is a classic British layered dessert made with sponge cake (or ladyfingers), fruit, custard, and whipped cream. It’s served in a deep glass dish to show off the layers. My version is a sunny lemon trifle served up in individual glasses.
Custard
This classic American comfort food is actually a classic British comfort food recipe! It’s one of the many iconic foods from across the pond that we’ve made our own.
English Toffee
It’s a traditional British candy recipe (butter, sugar, cooked to hard-crack, often with almonds), even though the exact style we call “English toffee” today is more common in the U.S. than in the UK, where it’s often referred to more broadly as butter toffee or toffee.
Rice pudding
Another creamy dessert we Americans got from the British, rice pudding is a nursery style treat that kids of all ages love. Traditionally baked, it’s been a staple in British homes for centuries, often served with a dollop of jam or golden syrup.
more rice pudding
Crumpets
Crumpets are ab cross between an English muffin and a pancake ~ fluffy, chewy, and full of little holes that soak up butter like a dream. They’re cooked on a griddle, not baked, which gives them that soft, slightly spongy texture. Toast them up, slather on the butter and tuck in to the ultimate cozy British recipe.
Sue! Please do a Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe. I’ve been living in England for 8 months now and it is a favorite of mine. Tried a recipe when I was home for Christmas and I wasn’t thrilled. You always have the best recipes! xo Su
Oh I know, I’ve been meaning to and dropped the ball ~ soon!
These all look wonderful, but you forgot the famous British Fish and Chips!!!
Would love that recipe from you because you really get it right with recipes.
Thanx❣
I know, I need to make that for the blog!