Schär Gluten-Free Rich Tea: Sleeves, Taste and Teas

Schär Gluten-Free Rich Tea

Take away the coating, the filling and any real flavouring and only the bake is left to judge, which makes a plain rich tea the toughest thing a gluten-free range can attempt. Schär's version passes the test that counts: it stays quiet and leaves the tea in charge.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Schär Gluten-Free Rich Tea, in summary: Made without gluten and packed in three sealed sleeves, this plain, gently sweet rich tea tastes cleaner and breaks sandier than the wheat version. It suits anything from a builder's brew to a delicate green.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in September 2026.

Take away the coating, the filling and any real flavouring and only the bake is left to judge, which makes a plain rich tea the toughest thing a gluten-free range can attempt. Schär's version passes the test that counts: it stays quiet and leaves the tea in charge.

Plain, and made without gluten

In a wheat biscuit, gluten is what provides the firmness and the tidy snap. Without it, Schär has to rely on other starches and flours, and the difference shows if you look for it. The snap is crisp and fine but slightly sandier and more fragile. The toasted note is quieter and cleaner too, because those flours brown differently in the oven and build less of the cereal warmth a wheat rich tea has.

What matters is that it still does a rich tea's job, which is to stay in the background. Sweetness is gentle and nothing competes for attention, so the tea leads and it is easy to eat two or three without noticing. Someone raised on the wheat original will notice within a bite or two; someone who is not looking for it probably never will.

Three sleeves in one box

The 125g box holds three sealed sleeves of 42g each, and those sleeves are the best thing about it. Staling is the biggest problem a gluten-free biscuit faces, and with the sleeves two thirds of the pack stays shut while the first is eaten. No tin keeps an opened biscuit as well as a sleeve that has not been opened yet.

The sleeves help in two other ways. A sealed sleeve dropped into a lunchbox or a bag reaches lunchtime still crisp, where loose biscuits would have turned to crumbs. And in a kitchen where most of the tin is wheat, a sleeve is a clean barrier between the gluten-free biscuits and everything else, so keep them in it until you are ready to eat.

From builder's brew to green tea

A rich tea was made for a strong, milky cup, and that is still where it is happiest. Brew an everyday black tea properly, add milk and keep the biscuit close. Because it is more fragile than a wheat rich tea, keep any dunk to a quick dip, hold it firmly and eat the wet end straight away rather than going back for a second go.

Its plainness opens other doors. Because it brings so little flavour of its own, it is one of the few biscuits that leaves a delicate green or white tea its own voice, and it sits happily beside a rooibos in the evening. Where a chocolate biscuit dictates the cup, this one leaves the choice to whoever is pouring.

The packs we stock

Schar Gluten-Free Rich Tea Biscuits, 3 Biscuits 125g (barcode 8008698010402)

What to drink with it

Yorkshire Tea Original Everyday Blend, 80 Tea Bags 250g: a proper builder's brew with milk, the cup a rich tea was made for.
Twinings English Breakfast Decaffeinated, 80 Tea Bags 218g: a decaffeinated breakfast blend in the bigger box, for a late cup with a quiet biscuit.
Dragonfly Organic Pure Rooibos, 40 Tea Bags 100g: a plain rooibos for the evening, and the biscuit is mild enough to let it show.

Elsewhere in the Schar range

The full range is on the Schar brand page.

FAQ

Why does Schär rich tea come in sleeves? Staling is the main problem for a gluten-free biscuit, and three sealed sleeves keep two thirds of the box fresh while you eat the first.

How much is in the box? 125g in total, as three sealed sleeves of 42g.

Does it taste like a normal rich tea? Close. It is plain and gently sweet, with a slightly sandier snap and a cleaner, quieter toast than the wheat version.

Is it sturdy enough to dunk? Briefly. It is more fragile than a wheat rich tea, so a quick dip and a firm grip are the way.

Which tea suits a gluten-free rich tea best? A milky builder's brew above all, though it is plain enough to sit beside a green tea without spoiling it.

Curator's note: This is the one I would put out for visitors without saying a word about it. Nobody asks, the tea stays in charge, and the person who needs it simply helps themselves. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Schär Gluten-Free Rich Tea

Field	Detail
Brand	Schar
Packs we stock	3 Biscuits 125g
Category	Free From Biscuits
Dunkable	A quick dip only
Best with	A milky builder's brew, or a delicate green
Format	Three sealed sleeves, good for lunchboxes