Biscuit vs. Crumpet — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 6, 2024
Biscuits are typically crisp, layered pastries common in the US, whereas crumpets are spongy, yeast-leavened breads popular in the UK.
Difference Between Biscuit and Crumpet
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Biscuits in the United States are made using a dough that includes baking powder as a rising agent, which gives them a flaky, layered texture. Whereas, crumpets are made with a batter that includes yeast, resulting in a texture that is soft and spongy with distinctive holes on the top surface.
Biscuits are generally served warm as a side dish with meals and are often used as a base for dishes like biscuits and gravy. On the other hand, crumpets are typically enjoyed as a part of breakfast or tea time in the UK, topped with butter, jam, or honey.
The method of cooking also differs; biscuits are baked in an oven until golden brown. Crumpets, however, are cooked on a griddle or frying pan, primarily on one side until the top is holey and set, and then briefly on the other side.
In terms of ingredients, biscuits are usually made from a simple mix of flour, butter, milk, and baking powder. Crumpets include not only flour and milk but also yeast and sometimes sugar, contributing to their distinct flavor and texture.
Despite their differences, both biscuits and crumpets hold significant cultural value in their respective regions, symbolizing comfort and tradition in culinary form.
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Comparison Chart
Main Ingredients
Flour, butter, milk, baking powder
Flour, milk, yeast, sometimes sugar
Texture
Crisp, flaky, and layered
Soft, spongy with holes
Rising Agent
Baking powder
Yeast
Cooking Method
Baked in an oven
Cooked on a griddle or frying pan
Common Use
Side dish, base for gravies
Breakfast, tea time accompaniment
Compare with Definitions
Biscuit
A small baked bread product, typically flaky and soft.
She served warm biscuits with dinner.
Crumpet
A type of flatbread cooked on a griddle with a spongy texture.
She topped the crumpet with melted butter.
Biscuit
Often used in savory dishes or served with gravy in Southern cuisine.
He ordered a plate of biscuits and gravy.
Crumpet
Traditionally eaten during tea time in the UK.
They served crumpets with tea in the afternoon.
Biscuit
Can be sweet or savory, depending on the mix-ins and toppings.
They enjoyed freshly baked sweet biscuits with jam.
Crumpet
Characterized by its surface full of small holes.
The holes in the crumpet are perfect for holding drops of honey.
Biscuit
Part of traditional American breakfasts.
Biscuits are often served with eggs and bacon for breakfast.
Crumpet
Made with yeast as a leavening agent.
The yeast in the batter causes the crumpet to rise slightly when cooked.
Biscuit
Usually made using a quick bread technique.
Making biscuits involves cutting butter into flour and baking powder.
Crumpet
Often served warm with sweet or savory toppings.
He enjoyed his crumpet with a slice of sharp cheddar.
Biscuit
A biscuit is a flour-based baked food product. In most countries, particularly in the Commonwealth and Ireland, biscuits are typically hard, flat and unleavened.
Crumpet
A crumpet ( (listen)) is a small griddle bread made from an unsweetened batter of water or milk, flour, and yeast, eaten in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Crumpets are regionally known as pikelets, a name also applied to a thinner, more pancake-like griddle bread: a type of the latter is referred to as a crumpet in Scotland.
Biscuit
A small baked unleavened cake, typically crisp, flat, and sweet
A chocolate biscuit
Crumpet
A small flat round of bread, baked on a griddle and usually served toasted.
Biscuit
Porcelain or other pottery which has been fired but not glazed
Biscuit ware
Crumpet
A type of savoury cake, typically flat and round, made from batter and yeast, containing many small holes and served toasted, usually with butter.
Biscuit
A light brown colour.
Crumpet
A kind of large, thin, unsweetened muffin or cake, light and spongy, and cooked on a griddle or spider, or sometimes toasted.
Biscuit
A small flat piece of wood used to join two larger pieces of wood together, fitting into slots in each.
Crumpet
Raised muffin cooked on a griddle
Biscuit
A small cake of shortened bread leavened with baking powder or soda.
Biscuit
A thin, crisp cracker.
Biscuit
A cookie.
Biscuit
A hard, dry cracker given to dogs as a treat or dietary supplement.
Biscuit
A thin, often oblong, waferlike piece of wood, glued into slots to connect larger pieces of wood in a joint.
Biscuit
A pale brown.
Biscuit
Pl. biscuit Clay that has been fired once but not glazed. Also called bisque2.
Biscuit
A small, flat, baked good which is either hard and crisp or else soft but firm; a cookie.
Biscuit
A small, usually soft and flaky bread, generally made with baking soda, which is similar in texture to a scone but which is usually not sweet.
Biscuit
A cracker.
Cheese and biscuits
Water biscuits
Digestive biscuits
Biscuit
(nautical) The "bread" formerly supplied to naval ships, which was made with very little water, kneaded into flat cakes, and slowly baked, and which often became infested with weevils.
Biscuit
A form of unglazed earthenware.
Biscuit
A light brown colour.
Biscuit
(woodworking) A thin oval wafer of wood or other material inserted into mating slots on pieces of material to be joined to provide gluing surface and strength in shear.
Biscuit
A plastic card bearing the codes for authorizing a nuclear attack.
Biscuit
A handgun, especially a revolver.
Biscuit
A puck (hockey puck).
Biscuit
(slang) The head.
Biscuit
A kind of unraised bread, of many varieties, plain, sweet, or fancy, formed into flat cakes, and bakes hard; as, ship biscuit.
According to military practice, the bread or biscuit of the Romans was twice prepared in the oven.
Biscuit
A small loaf or cake of bread, raised and shortened, or made light with soda or baking powder. Usually a number are baked in the same pan, forming a sheet or card.
Biscuit
Earthen ware or porcelain which has undergone the first baking, before it is subjected to the glazing.
Biscuit
A species of white, unglazed porcelain, in which vases, figures, and groups are formed in miniature.
Biscuit
Small round bread leavened with baking-powder or soda
Biscuit
Any of various small flat sweet cakes (`biscuit' is the British term)
Common Curiosities
What is the primary difference between a biscuit and a crumpet?
Biscuits are flaky and baked, using baking powder as a leavening agent, while crumpets are spongy with a yeasty flavor and cooked on a griddle.
Can crumpets be homemade?
Yes, crumpets can be made at home, though they require rings to hold the batter while it cooks on the griddle.
What is the best way to reheat crumpets?
Toasting is the best way to reheat crumpets, enhancing their texture and flavor.
How do you eat a crumpet?
Crumpets are typically eaten warm with toppings like butter, jam, or cheese.
What makes a biscuit flaky?
The flakiness in biscuits comes from layers of butter that steam and puff during baking.
Can biscuits be sweet?
Yes, biscuits can be made sweet by adding ingredients like sugar or chocolate chips.
Are crumpets served with meals?
Crumpets are usually not served with main meals but are a popular choice for breakfast or snacks during tea time.
Is yeast ever used in making biscuits?
Traditional American biscuits do not use yeast but rely on chemical leaveners like baking powder or baking soda.
Are there different types of biscuits?
Yes, there are various types of biscuits including buttermilk, drop, and cheese biscuits.
What are some common mistakes when making biscuits?
Overworking the dough can lead to tough biscuits.
Do crumpets need to be flipped while cooking?
Yes, crumpets are typically cooked mainly on one side, but they do need to be flipped briefly to finish cooking.
What are common biscuit flavors?
Common flavors include plain, cheese, and herb, among others.
How are crumpets different from English muffins?
Crumpets are softer with a more open texture, whereas English muffins are denser and split open for toasting.
Are crumpets popular outside of the UK?
While most popular in the UK, crumpets have also gained popularity in Commonwealth countries and among British expats worldwide.
Can biscuits be frozen for later use?
Yes, biscuits can be frozen either baked or unbaked for later use.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
