Photo: Tijana Drndarski / Unsplash
Cover Photo: Tijana Drndarski / Unsplash

Flakey or powdery, sweet or buttery—there’s a Filipino biscuit for every craving

Whether you indulge in these treats for a kick-start to your morning, afternoon tea, or even a cheeky midnight snack, Filipino biscuits are nostalgic delights that add a spring to your step, every time. Learn more about these eleven classic biscuits, from rosquillos to puto seko, below:

See also: 14 Classic Filipino Desserts You Need To Try

1. Rosquillos

The rosquillo is a popular Cebuano delicacy with a rich and treasured history. Created by Margarita “Titay” Frasco in the town of Liloan, the once nameless baked snack is golden brown in colour, floral-shaped, and flat, with a small round hole in the centre. It wasn’t until the provincial governor tried Titay’s famed cookies in 1907 that it got its name, allegedly bestowed by the governor as he fitted the biscuit on his finger and wittily dubbed it ‘rosquillo’ or ‘ringlet’.

See also: 9 Instagram-Worthy Spots In The Philippines: Antique, Batanes, Cebu

2. Otap

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. 

See also: 10 Filipino Street Food You Have To Try When Visiting The Philippines

3. Barquillos

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

4. Uraro

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.

See also: Rice Alternatives 101: Wild Rice, Quinoa, Freekeh, And Many More

5. Paciencia

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.

See also: 7 Of The Best Filipino Chocolate Brands

6. Galletas de Patatas

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.

See also: 11 Filipino Breakfast Foods To Help You Start Your Day Off Right

7. Jacobinas

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.

See also: Bread Lovers, Do You Know the Difference Between a Pâtisserie, Boulangerie, and Viennoiserie?

8. Paborita

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.

See also: Filipino Food: What Is The Ilocos Empanada?

9. Lengua de Gato

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

10. Biscocho

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.

See also: Now Open: Brandy Museum by Emperador, the First Brandy Museum in the Philippines

11. Puto Seko / Puto Masa

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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