This recipe was passed down from my husband’s Grandmother.
There are many Anzac biscuit recipes but I really like this one, and I love to think of my husband’s Gran baking these in a warm kitchen on a wood stove.
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The story goes that these biscuits were baked by Australian and New Zealand ladies and sent to soldiers overseas during World War I. The biscuits keep very well and the ingredients are pantry staples. They are a great way to commemorate and give thanks for all those who have served our country.
Anzac biscuits are easy for young bakers to make, thanks to the melt and mix recipe.
These ingredients are very familiar to all Australians, but they may not be to you. Golden syrup is made from cane sugar. The most common brand available here is CSR Golden Syrup, but I found Lyle’s Golden Syrup as an alternative.
Desiccated coconut is easy to find here (I grew up on this stuff!) and is an unsweetened, dried and finely shredded coconut. This one looks quite similar to what we have here, but if you can only find shredded dried coconut, that can definitely be used. Your biscuit texture may be a little different, but they will still be delicious.
And by the way, because so many people ask me, The Australian/English “biscuit” means the same as the US “cookie” 🍪
Anzac Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1.5 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 170 grams (6oz) butter
- 1 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)
- 3 tbsp boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160 degrees (C) or 320 (F)
- Melt butter and syrup together in a saucepan or in the microwave.
- Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- In a cup, pour the boiling water over the bicarb soda and mix.
- Pour water and soda mix into melted butter mixture.
- Pour combined wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Use a dessert spoon to portion out the dough onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Allow room for spreading between biscuits.
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on the tray intil firm enough to transfer to a baking rack.
Anzac biscuits are wonderful when enjoyed with a glass of milk or cup of tea.
I hope you enjoy them too!
Anzac biscuits have to be my most favourite of all. Mum used to make them in the old coal stove when I was very young – then I made them for my children, though in a modern gas oven. I’ll have to find my old recipe and compare, though it looks about the same. Thank you for the memories.
My MIL still cooks on a wood stove, at the age of 87! I’ve always found it difficult to use (no temperature gauge) but she knows it so well that she is a pro with it.
Your MIL is amazing! I have no idea how my mum did it, and she really had to teach herself as her mum died when she was 14 so she had to leave school and keep house for her dad and brothers. She was a brilliant cook on that stove with, as you said, no temperature gauge – I could never have done it. Hats off to the strong women of that era!
It’s really incredible what so many of them went through and just “got the job done”.
We were in Caines, Australia 5 years ago on Anzac Day. Felt so proud to share this special day with such patriotic Australians and to learn the sad history of this memorial day.
Kelly, for us in the USA, would desiccated coconut be the same as shredded unsweetened coconut? And what is golden syrup? Thanks!
Desiccated is a bit finer than shredded, but if shredded is all you can get, it would be fine to substitute. And yes, it’s unsweetened. Golden syrup is made from cane sugar, it has a very distinct flavour.
This is the one we mostly use in Australia- https://amzn.to/3nhlxVf
But this looks like a close substitute for US-
https://amzn.to/3eugZqv