An effective and sensitive non-enzymatic electrochemical glucose sensor was fabricated by the use of Ag–CuO nanocomposites, which was synthesised by a simple one step homogeneous co-precipitation route using silver nitrate and copper sulphate as precursor materials. The crystalline nature, optical properties, morphology and chemical composition of the prepared sample was determined using X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance ultraviolet spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy techniques. Further the prepared composites were tested for its glucose sensing property using electrochemical technique. The electrocatalytic and electrochemical properties of the modified electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Chronoamperometric behaviour shows that the step-wise increment in current as the concentration of glucose increases from 100 to 1000 μM at a constant oxidation potential of 0.6 V(Ag/AgCl). The results indicated that the sensing properties of developed non-enzymatic biosensor shows excellent sensitivity, fast response (5 s) and good selectivity because the prepared Ag–CuO nanocomposites exhibits enhanced electrocatalytic property, fast electron transfer towards the oxidation of glucose. © 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.