Biscuit Quiz! Do You Know These 11 Famed Filipino Biscuits?

Another biscuit native to Cebu, otap (or utap) is an oval-shaped puff pastry biscuit topped with a generous sprinkling of sugar. It is notably brittle, briskly falling apart into sweet, buttery shards with every bite. 

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Many childhood memories are filled with vivid images of pretend-smoking this Filipino favourite. A thin, elongated biscuit roll popular in Iloilo, barquillos (meaning ‘little boats’) are of Spanish origin, though the Spanish counterpart has a grid-like wafer pattern that the smooth, local variant lacks. While they are also enjoyed plain, some vendors sell barquillos with an array of fillings like buko, pandan, and ube.

See also: 7 Traditional Pandan Dishes Across Southeast Asia

Uraro is a white, dry, powdery biscuit often created in the shape of small flowers. Since they are made with arrowroot flour, the plain but tasty treats are uniquely gluten-free.

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A delicious Filipino take on the well-loved meringue, paciencias (also pacencias) are small, round, snackable treats. If you’re planning on making it yourself at home, you’d best gather an electric mixer, as its addictively crisp texture requires perfecting your beaten egg whites—patience is an important virtue with these biscuits.

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Galletas de patatas are square-shaped, making them visually distinct from the others on the list (with the exception of Jacobinas, which follow). Also known as egg cracklets, galletas resemble relatively small squares with upturned edges and a distinct browning, with a plain and somewhat eggy flavour.

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Jacobinas, on the other hand, are much larger than the aforementioned galletas, a flaky layered snack that beams with a milky, buttery, and subtly sweet flavour. Nowadays, they are popularly purchased from the Noceda Bakery, which gave the biscuit its official name in 1947.

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Similar in taste to galletas de patatas, the paborita is a crispy, golden brown, and flaky disc-shaped biscuit. Although relatively plain in flavour, their addictive quality creeps up on you—who knows, they may just be your next favourite.

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Available year-round but especially popular around Christmas time for gifting, lengua de gato are one of the best-known Filipino biscuits, and for good reason. Traditionally long and thin, resembling a cat’s tongue (hence its name), the beloved Baguio biscuit is beautifully buttery and crisp, with a crave-worthy melt-in-your-mouth character that makes it impossible to stop at just one. 

See also: The Ultimate Travel Guide To Baguio City

Biscocho (or biskotso) is a great way to give a second life to leftover bread. In its essence, the Iloilo treat is a buttery, crunchy double-baked bread with a sugary crust, occasionally compared to the Italian biscotti.

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Like uraro, puto seko or puto masa is also made with alternative starches—in this case, cornstarch and glutinous rice flour. Typically white, thick, and disc-shaped, the biscuit is powdery and dry, perfect with a warm afternoon beverage of your choice (coffee, especially!).

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