Oat Tea Biscuits with Orange Honey Butter

Tea-flavored biscuits, oh yes. These Oat Tea Biscuits with Orange Honey Butter are infused with black tea, orange, and spice, and feature the nutty flavor of oatmeal, baking up golden brown. A delicious biscuit that is perfect with a morning cup of tea.

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There’s something about pulling a pan of hot biscuits out of the oven that never gets old, especially when they actually turn out the way you hoped. These oat tea biscuits are a little different, but don’t let that throw you off. I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count, and it works.

Years ago, I found this recipe in a magazine that used a Constant Comment tea bag, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. The tea adds a light orange-spiced flavor that blends seamlessly into the dough, not strong or overpowering. If you can’t find Constant Comment tea, look for a black tea with notes of orange and spice.

These biscuits use the same basic ingredients you’d expect, with oats added for a little texture. They bake up tender and light, with just enough flavor to make them stand out. If you’ve made biscuits before, these will feel familiar.

And don’t skip the orange honey butter. That little bit of citrus ties everything together and melts right into the warm biscuits.

Ingredients

• Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works here.
• Quick oats – quick oats provide a softer texture to these biscuits. Old-fashioned oats will make the biscuits a bit heavier.
• Brown sugar or coconut sugar
• Baking powder and salt- needed for lift and flavor
• Constant Comment tea bags: for this recipe, open the tea bags and use the loose tea. This is where that orange spice flavor comes from
• Butter – I use unsalted butter in baking
• Buttermilk – this adds a bit of tangy flavor to the biscuits. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own at home with milk and lemon juice. Here’s how to make buttermilk.
• Orange juice – to flavor the orange honey butter
• Honey – for sweetening the orange honey butter

If you end up with extra buttermilk, don’t let it go to waste. My Buttermilk Pancakes are perfect for breakfast, and Cheddar Cheese Cornbread is a simple savory option.

Let’s make biscuits

Making biscuits is quick and easy. Use a light hand when mixing and shaping the dough. If you overwork it, the biscuits will come out tough instead of tender and flaky. Mix just until the dough comes together.

Step 1: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, oats, and tea from the tea bag. Set aside for topping the biscuits.

Step 2: Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix together.

Step 3: Add the cold cubed butter and cut it into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two knives until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.

Step 4: Add the milk and orange juice to the flour mixture and mix with a fork until a soft dough forms. It should look slightly shaggy but not dry.

Step 5: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together into a rough ball. Pat it down with your hands into a 1/2-inch thick round. Don’t use a rolling pin; just press it out gently so the dough stays tender.

Step 6: Cut the dough into rounds using a 2 3/4-inch or a 3-inch cutter. Place the rounds on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

Gather any scraps, gently press them back together, and cut out more rounds. Try not to rework the dough too much, or the biscuits can turn out tough. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly shaped; rustic biscuits still bake up just fine.

Step 7: Place the biscuit rounds on a baking sheet, then brush with buttermilk. Dip the biscuit into the oat, brown sugar and tea topping. Doing it this way helps the topping stick to the biscuits.

Step 8: Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

You’ll see flecks of tea throughout the dough, which is exactly what you want. The biscuits bake up golden brown, and the oat topping adds a light crunch.

Making the orange honey butter

Step 9: Mix butter, honey, and orange zest together until smooth. That little bit of orange ties right back to the tea, making these biscuits even better.

Or, you can make this Sweet Butter Board and serve it along with these biscuits.

More favorite baked goods

• If you like the tea flavor in these biscuits, my Earl Grey Scones are a great next bake with a similar citrus note.
• For a more classic version, my 6-ingredient Easy Homemade Biscuits are simple and reliable.

Equipment

Biscuit Cutter – Stacking cutters give you all kinds of size options for cutting out biscuits and cookies.

Small Baking Sheets – These biscuits make 6-8, so a small baking sheet is all you need.

Recipe

First published: Jan 15, 2015, Last updated: April 16, 2026, for better readability.

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About Jere’

From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending.  Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.