There’s something truly irresistible about the delicate melt-in-your-mouth texture of Viennese biscuits — and when paired with the rich aroma of coffee, they become an absolute treat – Coffee Viennese Whirl biscuits are absolute my all time favourite.
These Coffee Viennese Whirl Biscuits are elegant, buttery, and full of flavour, with beautiful piped swirls that look as good as they taste. Whether you’re a coffee lover or simply enjoy a refined biscuit with your afternoon tea, this recipe is sure to become a favourite.
In this post, I’ll walk you through everything — from making the dough to piping perfect shapes and finishing them with dark chocolate and two toppings. Plus, you can download free piping templates to help you get those whirls just right!
Let’s get started!
Free Piping Templates for Perfect Whirls
To help you achieve consistent and elegant whirls, I created two piping templates — a horseshoe and a circle — using Canva, a free and easy-to-use online design tool.
These templates make it much easier to pipe uniform shapes, especially if you’re new to decorative baking. Simply print them out and place them under your parchment paper as a guide. You can download both templates for free — just click the buttons below!
Why you’ll like this coffee Viennese whirl biscuits recipe
- Elegant Combination: Combines the classic elegance of Viennese biscuits with the rich, aromatic flavor of coffee — perfect for coffee lovers.
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture: Light, buttery, and truly melt-in-your-mouth with a crisp yet delicate texture that feels bakery-worthy.
- Beginner-Friendly: Simple step-by-step guidance, piping tips, and free printable templates make it easy for beginners to achieve beautiful, consistent results.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Ideal for special occasions, gifting, or treating yourself — these biscuits bring café-style indulgence right into your kitchen.
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Buy Now → Ingredients in this coffee Viennese whirl biscuits recipe
At a glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Unsalted butter: The star of Viennese biscuits — provides richness, flavour, and that signature melt-in-the-mouth texture. Use room temperature butter for smooth mixing and optimal piping consistency.
- Icing sugar: Dissolves easily than caster sugar into the dough, creating a soft and tender crumb. Icing sugar also helps with the smooth, pipeable texture.
- Egg yolk: Adds richness and structure without making the dough too wet. It helps the biscuits hold their shape while staying delicate.
- Double cream: Adds extra moisture and richness to the dough, helping with a soft texture that still holds shape.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavour — balancing the butteriness and adding warmth to complement the coffee.
- Instant coffee powder: The key flavouring — gives that bold, aromatic coffee taste. Using instant coffee keeps the texture of the dough dry and stable for piping.
- Hot water: Dissolves the coffee powder smoothly to avoid graininess in the dough and ensures even coffee flavour throughout.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the flavours of butter, vanilla, and coffee. A little goes a long way!
- Cake flour: Lower protein content than all-purpose flour — perfect for a delicate, tender texture that crumbles just right.
- Cornflour or Cornstarch: Lightens the structure further, helping to create that signature melt-in-the-mouth feel. It works alongside cake flour to make the dough soft and airy.
How to make the BEST coffee Viennese whirl biscuits
- Mix the instant coffee powder into the HOT water.
- Stir it until the powder is fully dissolved and set aside to cool.
- Cream the butter and icing sugar using a silicone spatula.
- Cream until well incorporated.
- Beat the mixture using a mixer at medium speed.
- Beat it until fluffy and pale.
- Add in egg yolk, vanilla extract and double cream.
- Continue to beat until well combined.
- Add in the cooled coffee mixture.
- Continue to beat until fully incorporated.
- Place a sift on top of the bowl of the mixture.
- Add in flour, corn flour and salt.
- Sift the dry ingredients.
- Gently mix by hand, using two simple motions — folding …
- and pressing … and keep repeating these two motions …
- Until a biscuit dough forms. The mixture is smooth, slightly stiff, and no traces of flour remain.
- Transfer the dough into a piping bag.
- Secure it with an icing bag tie, a rubber band or a clip, whatever you have on hand.
- Download the FREE template, print it out and cut to fit the size of your baking pan.
- I use this 1M Open Star Piping Tip to pipe the designs. You can also use whatever piping tip you have on hand.
- Prepare the baking pan: Spray cake release spray onto the 11-inch baking sheet pan.
- Place one / two sheets of template onto it (depending on the size of your baking pan – I used two sheets).
- Spray again on top of the templates.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on top.
- Cut a hole in another piping bag and insert a 1M Open Star piping tip.
- Cut a hole in the piping bag with the dough.
- Insert this bag into the bag with the piping tip.
- Using two bags strengthens them, preventing breaks and messes.
- Apply gentle pressure to the bag and guide the tip following the lines.
- When you reach the end of the shape, stop squeezing and gently swipe the piping tip with your finger to break off the dough cleanly.
- Use your finger again to gently press down the end to a tidy finish.
- Take your time and don’t rush — consistency is key to getting those perfect shapes.
- Place the piped biscuits in the freezer for about 60 mins or until they’re firm. As it gets close to the end of the freezing time, preheat the oven to 170℃ fan (325℉).
- Ensure that the cookies are firm, remove the templates.
- Adjust the cookie positions slightly if they seem too close to each other.
- Bake the frozen dough in the preheated oven for about 13 to 15 minutes.
- For your reference, mine took 14 minutes to finish baking. They came out from the oven beautifully, consistent size, strong definition, and they’ve held their shape perfectly.
- Allow them to sit and cool in the baking pan for about 10 – 15 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the biscuits one by one onto a wire rack.
- Allow them to cool completely before decorating them or just eat them as they are 😆! Seriously, they smell incredible!
Tips for making the BEST coffee Viennese whirl biscuits
- Use Quality Instant Coffee: Since coffee is the star of the recipe, use high-quality instant coffee powder for the best flavour. Adjust the amount of coffee powder to suit your taste — a bit more for a stronger coffee flavour.
- Freeze the Dough: Freezing the piped dough before baking helps it hold its shape better and prevents spreading while baking.
- Use Two Piping Bags: For added stability and to prevent the dough from squeezing out of the bag, use two piping bags (one inside the other) — this will make piping smoother and less messy.
- Don’t Over mix the Dough: Mix the dough just until it’s combined. Over mixing can cause the biscuits to lose their tender texture.
- Perfectly Sized Biscuits: To ensure even baking, pipe your biscuits in uniform sizes. You can use a template underneath the parchment paper to help with this. Feel free to click the buttons to download them at the previous section.
- Let Them Cool Completely: Allow the biscuits to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating with chocolate or toppings, as this will prevent them from becoming soggy.
How to serve these coffee Viennese whirl biscuits
- Afternoon Tea: Serve these delicate biscuits as part of an afternoon tea spread. Pair them with a cup of coffee or tea to complement their rich flavour.
- Gift Box: Pack the biscuits in a beautifully wrapped gift box or tin for a thoughtful homemade gift. You can even add a personal touch by including a handwritten note.
- Coffee Pairing: Serve them alongside a cup of freshly brewed coffee for the ultimate coffee lovers’ experience. The combination of flavours will elevate your coffee break.
- With Ice Cream: For an indulgent dessert, crumble the biscuits over a scoop of vanilla or coffee-flavoured ice cream. It makes a delicious contrast between the crisp biscuit and creamy ice cream.
- As a Sweet Snack: Keep a batch of these biscuits on hand for a sweet snack throughout the day. They make the perfect pick-me-up when you need a little treat.
How to store these coffee Viennese whirl biscuits
- Airtight Container: Place the biscuits in an airtight container to keep them fresh and crisp. You can use a tin, plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, or a cookie jar.
- Layering: If you’re stacking the biscuits in the container, place a layer of parchment paper between them to prevent sticking and to maintain their delicate shape.
- Room Temperature: Store the biscuits in a cool, dry place at room temperature. They should stay fresh for up to a week this way.
- Freeze the Piped Dough: If you want to store the biscuits for a longer period, you can freeze them. After piping the dough onto your baking sheet, place the baking tray in the freezer and freeze the piped dough for at least 1 hour or until firm to the touch. Once the dough is frozen, you can transfer the piped dough to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. The piped dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw; simply bake the frozen dough as instructed in the recipe. You may need to add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Check out the video tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! While this recipe uses instant coffee powder for an easy coffee flavour, feel free to experiment with other types of coffee such as espresso powder or strong brewed coffee. Just be sure to adjust the amount to maintain the right balance of flavour.
While a piping bag is the best tool for creating the signature shape of Viennese whirl biscuits, you could use a plastic sandwich bag with the tip cut off as an alternative. The key is to maintain steady pressure while piping.
If you don’t have a specific piping tip, you can use a simple round nozzle or even a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Just make sure the tip you use is wide enough for the dough to flow smoothly.
For an extra indulgent treat, drizzle the cooled biscuits with melted chocolate or dip the edges in chocolate. You can also sprinkle some crushed nuts or add a dusting of powdered sugar for an elegant touch.
If your dough is too soft, it might be because the butter was too soft when mixing. Try chilling the dough for 10-15 minutes before piping to firm it up.
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Coffee Viennese Whirl Biscuits
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Chill Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 14 mins
- Total Time: 3 hours 34 mins
- Yield: 36 biscuits 1x
- Category: afternoon tea, desserts, snacks
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Bristish
Description
Delicate, buttery, and infused with rich coffee flavour, these Coffee Viennese Whirl Biscuits are as elegant as they are delicious. Piped into beautiful shapes and dipped in dark chocolate, each bite melts in your mouth with a tender crumb and bold, fragrant aroma. Whether for a special occasion or a quiet coffee break, these classic biscuits are sure to impress.
Ingredients
Biscuit batter
- 170 g unsalted butter
- 75 g icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp double cream
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp instant coffee powder
- 4 tsp hot water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 200 g cake flour
- 30 g cornflour
Decorations
- 160 g 70% dark chocolate
- 20 g pistachios – chopped
- 10 g desiccated coconut
Instructions
Make the batter
- Mix the instant coffee powder into the hot water, stir it until the powder is fully dissolved.
- Cream the butter and icing sugar using a silicone spatula until well incorporated.
- Beat the mixture using a mixer at medium speed until fluffy and pale.
- Add in egg yolk, vanilla extract and double cream, continue to beat until well combined.
- Add in the cooled coffee mixture and continue to beat until fully incorporated.
- Sift in flour, corn flour and salt, use a silicone spatula to gently fold in all the dry ingredients until the dough forms.
Pipe the designs
- Transfer the dough into a piping bag. Then cut a hole in another piping bag and insert a 1M Open Star piping tip.
- Cut a hole in the piping bag with the dough and insert this bag into the bag with the piping tip.
- Spray cake release spray onto the baking pan and place one / two sheets of template onto it (depending on the size of your baking pan – I used two sheets), then spray again on top of the templates to secure the parchment paper.
- Apply gentle pressure to the bag and guide the tip following the lines. Release the pressure and use your finger to guide the dough away from the piping tip as you finish. Use your finger again to gently press down the end to a tidy finish.
- Continue to pipe. Don’t worry if cookies are close to each other at this stage — as long as they don’t touch, they’ll be fine. We’ll reposition them after they’ve been frozen.
- Place the piped biscuits in the freezer for about 60 mins or until they’re firm. This will prevent them from spreading and losing definition during baking.
Bake the biscuits
- As it gets close to the end of the freezing time, preheat the oven to 170℃ fan (325℉).
- Before baking, ensure that the biscuits are firm. If they’re not, continue freezing until they are.
- Remove the templates, and adjust the biscuit positions slightly if they seem too close to each other.
- Bake the frozen biscuit dough in the preheated oven for about 13 to 15 minutes.
- Allow them to sit and cool in the baking pan for about 10 – 15 minutes before transferring the biscuits (carefully) onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate the biscuits
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan full of gently simmering water.
- Pour the melted chocolate into a jug with a wide mouth for easy dipping.
- Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface to receive the dipped biscuits and avoid a mess.
- Dip the cooled biscuit into the warm chocolate. Drip off the excess and lay flat on the parchment paper to set. Sprinkle with chopped pistachio or desiccated coconut immediately after dipping while the chocolate is wet. Why not experiment with dipping and decorating in different ways and really get creative!
- Allow the chocolate to dry completely for approximately 2 hours (depending on the room temperature) before serving.
Notes
- Watch my video tutorial to see how I make these biscuits in action.
- Feel free to download the templates for uniform piping or if you are comfortable enough, you can always pipe the designs freehand.
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Hope you’ll love this! Enjoy and keep baking! 💛
