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Love love LOVE this recipe. Delicious Anzac Biscuits with the perfect chewy centres.
Posted April 23 2015, Updated March 13, 2024
The Anzac Biscuit is avery popular biscuit in New Zealand and Australia to commemorate the Anzac’s – the Australian New Zealand Army Corps and their service in World War 1.
Thereis some dispute as to their origins, many claiming that this biscuit was sent over to our soldiers in World War 1 as they kept well on the long trip, however this has been investigated by the New Zealand Army Museum at Waiouru and found to be a recipe more likely made at home by the women here to fundraise for war efforts – here is the link – About the Anzac Biscuit
We remember our soldiers who served on April 25th with a public holiday and commemorative services held acrossboth countrieswith the red poppy being the symbol of this day of remembrance.
Interestingly the term ANZAC is protected under Australian Law and cannot be used without permission – the Anzac Biscuit is generally exempt from this however you cannot refer to them as a Cookie and you have to generally stick to the general recipe! Who knew? I am not sure if this same Law applies in New Zealand.
Making Anzac biscuits is so easy, first you combine the dry ingredients, then prepare the wet ingredients in a pan, the smell here is amazing. Add this to the wet ingredients and stir through.
This mixture can seem a little dry, but once you work the dough with your hands baking it into balls it comes together.
Make small evenly sized balls then press slightly with a damp hand to flatten, then bake until golden brown. If you prefer your biscuits to have a softer centre bake until just golden, if you prefer them hard and chewy you will need to bake them much longer.
Pin It – Anzac Biscuits
I have created a few other recipes that utilize the delicious flavours of Anzac baking, I hope you give them a try too
Anzac Muffins with Caramel Filling
Delicious Anzac Slice
Anzac Slice with Caramel Centre
With that in mind – here is the recipe I use for Anzac Biscuits, a crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside treat.
Recipe Makes 36 Biscuits (You can easily halve this recipe if you need to)
The Best Anzac Biscuit Recipe
Yield: 20
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes
Delicious Anzac Biscuit recipe, crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Plain White Flour, 300 grams
- 2 Cups Brown Sugar, packed, 400 grams
- 2 Cups Rolled Oats, 190 grams
- 1 Cup Desiccated Coconut, 75 grams
- 250g Butter
- 4 Tablespoons Golden Syrup, 60mls
- 2 Tablespoons Water, 30mls
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
Instructions
- Set oven to 170ºC Bake (340ºF)
- Place flour into a large mixing bowl and add brown sugar, rolled oats and coconut and mix well - I find if I use a whisk the lumps of unmixed brown sugar rise to the top so I can use my fingers to break this up.
- In a small saucepan heat the butter slowly until completely melted then and add the Golden Syrup and water.
- Once combined remove from the heat and add the baking soda - whisk together until completely combined.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the butter mixture and combine the ingredients well. It may seem a little dry and crumbly but it will come together when you form the balls of mixture.
- Spray an oven tray with oil and greaseproof paper and roll tablespoons of the mixture well in your hands to form a ball - repeat with remaining mixture, set approx. 1.5 inches apart to allow for mixture to spread, there is no need to press down with a fork.
- If baking with two trays set your oven to multi-bake and you can bake all of them a the same time!
- Bake biscuits for approximately 10-12 minutes - until they just begin to turn golden brown then remove from oven - they will firm up on standing.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the tray then remove to a wire rack until completely cool.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 284Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 163mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 23gProtein: 3g
JustAMumNZ.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although justamumnz.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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Happy Baking!
Anna
I will leave you with the very special poem Flanders Fields byMajorJohn McCrae.
FAQs
To make your biscuits extra crispy try cooking them on a lower temperature for a few minutes longer or, add an extra teaspoon of boiling water to your biscuit mix. For a chewier texture, add a little more golden syrup (just pull back on the sugar to adjust the overall sweetness) and bake them slightly less in the oven.
What is a substitute for golden syrup in Anzac biscuits? ›
Best substitute for golden syrup is a combination of light molasses or treacle, plus honey. I use 1 part molasses or treacle, and 3 parts honey – the flavour is nearly identical, and the colour is very similar (a bit darker).
Why do my Anzac biscuits go flat? ›
Shopping tip: Make sure you buy whole rolled oats - if you use instant oats, the mixture will spread too much and your biscuits will be flat. Make them your way: Soft and chewy: Omit the brown sugar and increase the caster sugar to 155g (3/4 cup).
Why bicarb soda in Anzac biscuits? ›
Baking soda or bicarb soda is the main raising agent in Anzac biscuits - it is added to the wet ingredients before being mixed into the dry ingredients.
What is the best sugar to use in biscuits? ›
Your cakes and biscuits will have a slightly finer texture when using caster sugar while if you use granulated sugar, your cakes will have a slightly coarser texture and your biscuits will be more crunchy.
Should Anzac biscuits be soft or crunchy? ›
Australians are divided over how Anzac biscuits should be served, with an overwhelming majority preferring them soft but a vocal minority in support of a crunchy consistency.
What is golden syrup called in America? ›
Also known as light treacle, golden syrup makes its way into recipes with treacle in the title, like this Blood Orange Treacle Pudding. It's not to be confused with treacle, however, which is closer to molasses or dark corn syrup in its consistency, though it doesn't quite have the same flavor.
Can I use honey instead of golden syrup in biscuits? ›
Honey: Similar in color, taste, and texture to golden syrup, honey is a good substitute for treacle. Look for a thick amber honey, rather than a super-light honey. Use the same amount of honey as you would golden syrup in a recipe.
What is the American version of golden syrup? ›
In the U.S., golden syrup is usually sold under the name of light treacle, but it's not readily available in many grocery stores. In cooking recipes, molasses and light treacle are often used interchangeably because their textures and flavor profiles are similar.
How do you fix soggy Anzac biscuits? ›
If biscuits are too soft they can be returned to the oven and cooked further.
If it's hot, the mixture will de drying out more - you need to add more of the moist ingredients so the mixture is runnier - it will then spread more & be thinner & crunchier! I find that if I use more butter/syrup mixture then it will turn out flatter and chewy. This is the way I like my anzac too.
Why are Anzac biscuits still popular? ›
Current popularity
Because of their historical military connection with the ANZACs and Anzac Day, these biscuits are still used as a fundraising item for the Royal New Zealand Returned Services' Association (RSA) and the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL).
What makes biscuits rise better baking powder or baking soda? ›
Baking soda is a much more powerful leavener than baking powder, about 3-4 times as strong. That is why you will notice that recipes usually call for a small amount of baking soda, typically ¼ teaspoon per 1 cup of flour.
Why do my Anzac biscuits taste bitter? ›
Chewy vs Crunchy
I think if the biscuit is crunchy it has been cooked too long and gets a little bitter. When it is soft and chewy it is super sweet and moreish. I love it when they get stuck to your teeth. If you are like me and love a chewy Anzac biscuit, bake for 10-12 minutes until only lightly golden on the edges.
Can you use baking powder instead of baking soda in Anzac biscuits? ›
If you don't have bicarbonate of soda, you could substitute baking powder - you'll need to double the amount. Golden Syrup - this is a staple in Aussie homes. There really isn't a substitute for golden syrup in Anzac Biscuits as it's used to bind the dough (in place of eggs).
What is the difference between chewy and crunchy cookies? ›
Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies. Why use melted butter? Melted butter creates cookies with a different texture compared to cookies made with softened or creamed butter.
What makes a chewy biscuit? ›
Cookies that are dense and chewy incorporate more moisture into the batter. This can be achieved by making substitutions with wet and dry ingredients, or even just changing the way you incorporate certain ingredients. Plus, your particular baking technique and your method of storing cookies can also play a role.
Why were Anzac biscuits hard and long? ›
The story of the Anzac biscuit
Originally, the Anzac biscuit was designed to travel well over several weeks at sea, so the recipe didn't feature eggs, golden syrup or coconut. Their incredibly tough consistency and savoury taste meant that they were purely a source of sustenance and not particularly enjoyable.
