Vegan Viennese whirls are a plant-based take on the classic British sandwich biscuit. Delicate, crumbly and melt-in-the-mouth, these piped shortbread swirls are filled with raspberry or strawberry jam and a light vanilla buttercream—perfect for afternoon tea or a special treat.
What Are Viennese Whirls?
Despite the name, Viennese whirls are not Austrian in origin but are a well-loved British biscuit, likely inspired by continental pastries. They are shortbread-style biscuits piped into pretty swirls and sandwiched with jam and vanilla buttercream. Most shop-bought varieties use dairy butter, so this vegan version swaps in a firm vegan block butter to recreate the traditional texture and flavour at home.
Ingredient Details
Vegan block butter: Use a solid block-style vegan butter or plant butter—not the spreadable tub. Tub-style spreads contain more water and can make the dough too soft, resulting in tougher biscuits. Recommended options include firm vegan block butters such as Naturli or Flora Plant Butter.
Plain (all-purpose) flour: Regular plain flour works best for structure. This recipe has not been tested gluten-free.
Cornflour (cornstarch): Adds tenderness and helps create the light, melt-in-the-mouth crumb typical of Viennese whirls. You can substitute a little extra plain flour if necessary, but cornflour gives the best texture.
Vanilla extract: Use a good-quality vanilla extract for best flavour. Vanilla bean paste can be used if you have it for a more intense aroma.
Icing (powdered) sugar: Powdered sugar produces a finer, lighter biscuit crumb than caster or granulated sugar, so it’s the preferred choice.
Jam: Raspberry or strawberry are classic, but any smooth jam you like will work.
How To Make Vegan Viennese Whirls
(Full measurements and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below)
Step 1: Beat the vegan block butter with the icing sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Step 2: Sift in the plain flour and cornflour and mix gently until combined. The dough should be stiff but pipeable, similar to a thick buttercream.
Step 3: Spoon the dough into a strong fabric piping bag fitted with a large open star nozzle.
Step 4: Pipe swirls about 5 cm (2 in) in diameter on lined baking sheets, spacing them well. Aim for 20–24 biscuits. If piping feels difficult, warm the bag slightly in your hands. Chill the trays in the freezer for 15 minutes to help the shapes hold.
Step 5: Bake at 180°C/160°C fan (350°F/gas mark 4) for 15–18 minutes until pale golden. Leave on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer carefully to a wire rack to cool—these biscuits are delicate when warm.
Step 6: Make the buttercream by whisking softened vegan butter until smooth, then gradually beat in icing sugar and vanilla until very light and fluffy.
Step 7: Pipe buttercream swirls onto the underside of half the biscuits. Spread a small spoonful of jam on the underside of the remaining biscuits and sandwich them together. Assemble on the day you’ll serve them for best texture.
Top Tips
- Use metric weights and a digital scale for consistent results—cups can be imprecise and variable.
- Bring the vegan block butter to room temperature so it is extremely soft before mixing; too-firm butter makes the dough hard to pipe.
- The dough should be pipeable like a thick buttercream. If it’s too stiff, warm the piping bag in your hands rather than adding liquid.
- Use a strong fabric piping bag rather than a disposable plastic one, as the dough requires firm pressure and plastic bags can split.
- To size the swirls evenly, draw 5 cm / 2 in circles on the back of your baking paper as a guide.
FAQ
Unfilled biscuits will keep up to one week in an airtight container at room temperature. Once filled, they soften after a day, so fill them the day you plan to serve and eat within a couple of days. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerate if it’s very warm.
Unfilled biscuits freeze well in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing them once filled, as the texture of the cream and jam can change.
More Vegan British Biscuits
- Vegan custard creams
- Vegan coffee kisses
- Vegan Empire biscuits
- Vegan soul cakes
- Chocolate orange Viennese fingers
- Spiced oat biscuits
- Chocolate Viennese whirls
- Vegan Easter biscuits
- Vegan shortbread fingers
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Vegan Viennese Whirls
Equipment
- fabric piping bag
Ingredients
Biscuits:
- 200 g vegan block butter, very soft
- 70 g (⅔ cup) icing (powdered) sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 200 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 45 g cornflour (cornstarch)
Buttercream:
- 75 g vegan block butter, softened
- 140 g icing (powdered) sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- About 10 heaped teaspoons raspberry or strawberry jam
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4 and line two baking sheets with baking paper.
- Whisk the vegan butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Sift in the flour and cornflour and mix until well combined. The dough should be stiff but pipeable, like a thick buttercream.
- Fit a strong fabric piping bag with a large open star nozzle and spoon the dough into the bag.
- Pipe swirls about 5 cm / 2 in in diameter on the baking sheets. Chill the trays in the freezer for 15 minutes to help them hold their shape.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes until pale golden. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer carefully to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the buttercream by whisking softened butter, then adding icing sugar and vanilla and whisking until light and fluffy. Pipe swirls of buttercream onto the underside of half the biscuits, spread jam on the underside of the other half, then sandwich together. Best eaten the day they are assembled.
Notes
- See the post above for tips, details and step-by-step photos.
- Use metric measurements and a digital scale for consistent results.
- Ensure the vegan block butter is very soft so the dough pipes easily.
- If the dough is hard to pipe, warm the piping bag in your hands rather than adding liquid.
