Who is this for?

Bakers using biscuit crumbs or layers

If custard creams form a cheesecake base, cake filling or traybake layer, the weight of biscuit you use is more useful than a per-biscuit figure when comparing its sugar contribution.

Shoppers looking for a reduced-sugars claim

A standard custard cream can have a lower declared sugar figure than another without carrying a substantiated “reduced sugars” claim. Check what the exact pack says rather than treating the two descriptions as interchangeable.

Bakers checking allergens

Read the ingredients and allergen statements on the pack you will use, especially when serving someone with a food allergy. The reviewed standard biscuits include wheat and milk, and some list possible traces of other allergens.

What should you check?

Start with the biscuit quantity your recipe needs, then compare like-for-like label values and check whether any claim on the pack matches what you are seeking.

Priority What to check Your needs
Declared sugars Compare sugars per 100g on the exact packs, rather than mixing per-biscuit and per-100g values. For the four reviewed listings, Sainsbury’s declares 26.5g, Asda 29g, Joybuy’s McVitie’s Tasties listing 30.6g and M&S Extra Cream 40.2g per 100g. I’m making a substantial crumb base or biscuit layer and want to compare the amount of sugar declared for the biscuit ingredient.
Reduced-sugars claim Look for an explicit claim on the exact pack and check the comparison behind it. Campden BRI distinguishes a reduced-sugars claim from simply finding a lower sugar figure on a different biscuit. If I specifically want a product labelled “reduced sugars”, choosing the lowest figure from a few standard packs will not answer that question.
Recipe quantity Weigh biscuits used for crumbs or filling; use per-biscuit values when the recipe calls for a count of whole biscuits. Consider the cake’s other ingredients separately. For a weighed base, I need to know how much biscuit goes in. For a few biscuits used as decoration, a count may be easier to work with.
Ingredients and allergens Read the physical pack’s ingredient list and any may-contain statement before baking. Check again if you buy the product another time, as Tesco notes that food formulations and label information can change. I’m serving the cake to someone with an allergy or ingredient restriction, so the particular pack matters more than the biscuit’s familiar name.

Common buying mistakes

  • Calling the lowest figure “reduced sugars”

    A comparison between standard custard creams tells you which of those packs declares less sugar; it does not establish that one qualifies for a reduced-sugars claim.

    If the claim matters to your purchase, check the wording on the exact pack and the comparable product behind it. Otherwise, describe the choice in terms of the specific sugar values compared.

  • Using per-biscuit figures for weighed crumbs

    Biscuits can differ in size, so a per-biscuit value does not give a like-for-like comparison for a base made from a measured weight of crumbs.

    Compare sugars per 100g and weigh the biscuits added to the recipe. Use per-biscuit figures when you are counting whole biscuits for a topping or decoration.

  • Choosing a creamier variant for a crumb-heavy cake without checking its label

    M&S describes its Extra Cream biscuit as having more vanilla cream and declares 40.2g sugars per 100g. Sainsbury’s declares 26.5g per 100g for its reviewed standard custard cream.

    If the biscuit makes up a substantial part of the cake, compare the per-100g values before choosing a variant for its filling or flavour.

  • Relying on an online allergen listing

    The reviewed biscuits include wheat and milk statements, while some also have may-contain warnings. The pack you buy is the information to use when preparing food for someone with an allergy.

    Read its ingredients and allergen labelling immediately before baking, even if you have bought the same product before.

Brand and product-line references

These references concern the specified custard cream products, not every biscuit sold under each brand.

Sainsbury’s Custard Creams

A standard 200g pack to compare when sugar per 100g is central to the biscuit choice.

  • Sainsbury’s declares 26.5g sugars per 100g and 3.3g per biscuit for this product.
  • The listing includes wheat and whey powder from cows’ milk. Sainsbury’s also warns that its manufacturing methods make the product unsuitable for customers allergic to barley.

Asda Custard Creams

A standard 400g pack with both per-100g and per-biscuit sugar declarations.

  • Asda declares 29g sugars per 100g and 3.4g per biscuit for this product.
  • Asda lists wheat and milk, with possible rye, barley, oats and sesame.

McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams

A custard-flavoured cream filling between biscuits; check this specific variant rather than assuming other McVitie’s products have the same values.

  • The Joybuy listing for McVitie’s Tasties declares 30.6g sugars per 100g.
  • The product information lists milk and wheat and says it may contain sesame.

M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams

A variant M&S describes as having more vanilla cream, for recipes where that filling is part of the choice.

  • The extra-cream format offers a different filling proportion from the standard biscuits in this comparison.
  • M&S declares 40.2g sugars per 100g for this product and lists wheat, milk and soya.

Tesco Custard Cream Biscuits

Tesco describes its product as a sandwich biscuit with a vanilla-flavour filling.

  • Its familiar biscuit format makes the pack relevant to recipes calling for custard creams.
  • Tesco advises shoppers to check the product information because ingredients, nutrition and allergens can change.

Custard cream options on Joybuy

This Joybuy option is a gluten-free custard cream biscuit for recipes using biscuit crumbs, layers or decoration. Compare the exact pack’s sugar declaration and ingredients with the needs of your recipe.

Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g pack

Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g

For a cake made with custard cream crumbs or decoration, this is a gluten-free 125g biscuit option. Check the pack’s sugars per 100g, ingredients and suitability for your recipe before using it.

View on Joybuy

Questions about baking with custard creams

Does the lowest-sugar custard cream in a comparison count as “reduced sugars”?

No. A lower declared figure than another standard biscuit does not, on its own, substantiate a reduced-sugars claim. If you need a product carrying that claim, check the exact pack and the comparison behind its wording.

Which of the reviewed biscuits declares the least sugar per 100g?

Sainsbury’s Custard Creams declares 26.5g sugars per 100g, compared with 29g for Asda, 30.6g on Joybuy’s McVitie’s Tasties listing and 40.2g for M&S Extra Cream. Those are figures for four specified listings, not a comparison of every custard cream sold in the UK.

What should I check before serving a custard-cream cake to someone with an allergy?

Read the ingredients and allergen statements on the exact biscuit pack before baking. The reviewed Sainsbury’s, Asda and McVitie’s products list wheat and milk; Asda also lists possible rye, barley, oats and sesame, while McVitie’s lists possible sesame. M&S Extra Cream lists wheat, milk and soya.