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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
According to taste.com.au Food Editor Miranda Payne, the traditional Anzac biscuit was the harder, crunchy version. Over time, the original recipe was modified with variations being cooked for less time (making them chewier) or adding more sugar (so they're super crispy).
What to use instead of 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 are my Anzac biscuits not flat? ›
If your Anzacs spread, your butter was too warm. Chill them for at least 30 minutes before baking, and this should help. If you're Anzacs are greasy, here are some tips. Chill them as above; make sure you've used good quality unsalted butter (something that doesn't have water in the ingredient list).
What is a substitute for bicarb 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 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.
Why are my biscuits hard and not fluffy? ›
If your biscuits are too tough…
Biscuit dough is moist and sticky, so much so that it may seem too wet after you've added all your flour. If you do think this about your dough, fight the urge to add more dry ingredients — dough that isn't wet enough will bake into a hard, dry biscuit.
What were Anzac Biscuits originally called? ›
At first the biscuits were called Soldiers' Biscuits, but after the landing on Gallipoli, they were renamed ANZAC Biscuits.
What is Irish golden syrup? ›
Golden syrup or light treacle is a thick, amber-coloured form of inverted sugar syrup made by the process of refining sugar cane or sugar beet juice into sugar. It is used in a variety of baking recipes and desserts.
Which is healthier, golden syrup or honey? ›
Golden syrup is made up of sugar and water. Therefore, it is in no comparison healthier than honey. However, honey is a natural sweetener with nutrients, whereas golden syrup is empty calories. Therefore, honey is more nutritious than golden syrup.
What if Anzac biscuit mix is too dry? ›
Don't let the mixture stand around.
So, make sure you roll and bake the mixture as soon as possible after mixing to make rolling and flattening of the biscuits easy. If it does get a little dry you can just mix in another tablespoon or two of water to help make it a little more pliable before shaping.
Anzac biscuit are made with butter and sugar ,treacle or golden syrup , all these ingredients allow baked goods to keep .
How do you soften hard Anzac biscuits? ›
Microwaving them. If you cover your cookies with a wet paper towel and nuke them for a few seconds, they should soften up enough to eat.
Why do my Anzac biscuits taste bitter? ›
Chewy vs Crunchy ANZAC biscuits
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.
What makes biscuits rise better baking powder or baking soda? ›
But to get the rise you want without killing the tang (which would be the result of too much baking soda), you'll need to incorporate baking powder as well, taking advantage of the delayed double-action to add even more levity. Combining the two leavening agents produces a biscuit that is both light and tangy.
What happens if you don't add baking soda to biscuits? ›
Baking soda is an important ingredient in baked goods and bread. Leaving it out will change the flavor and texture of the food in an unpleasant way.
What makes a biscuit chewy or crunchy? ›
chewy vs crispy is a combination of 2 things… ratio of fats to flour, and baking times/temps.. for more chewy cake like cookies, you want something with a high fat, content cooked at a lower longer temperature… for a more crispy or dryer cooking you want a lower fat batter cooked at a high temperature.
What causes crunchiness and hardness in biscuits? ›
Baked goods can have a crispy/crunchy outer edge due to several factors, including: High heat: The intense heat of the oven can cause the surface of the baked goods to dry out, resulting in a crispy texture. Sugar content: Sugar caramelizes during baking and creates a crunchy texture on the surface of baked goods.
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 factors contribute to the crispness of biscuits? ›
List 5 factors that contribute to crispness in cookies.
- Low proportion of liquid in the mix.
- High sugar and fat content.
- Baking long enough to evaporate most of the moisture.
- Small size or thin shape.
- Proper storage (cookies stored in the fridge will absorb moisture)
