Anzac Biscuits (crispy and chewy versions)

12:00 am on 25 April 2024

Some like Anzacs crispy others chewy. Now you can please everyone! It seems we had a sweeter tooth in days gone by but it is possible to reduce the sugar by up to ½ cup without it affecting either recipe too much.

Culinary historian Allison Reynolds shares her Anzac biscuit recipe.

Culinary historian Allison Reynolds shares her Anzac biscuit recipe. Photo: Wakefield Press

Pre heat oven to 170C / 325F /150C fan forced / Gas 3 Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment or lightly oil.

Crispy Anzac biscuits

Ingredients

  • 1 Level cup / 145g / 4½ oz plain flour
  • 1 Cup / 90g / 3 oz rolled oats (not instant)
  • 1 Cup / 70g / 2½ oz desiccated coconut
  • 1 Cup / 200g / 7 oz sugar (granulated sugar is good for crispy)
  • 125g / 4½ oz butter
  • 2 x 20ml tablespoons of golden syrup (open lid and stand the tin in bowl of hot water to soften the syrup before measuring).
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (bicarb)
  • 2 tablespoon boiling water (water must be boiling when you use it)

Method

1. Mix flour, oats, desiccated coconut and sugar in a large bowl. Melt butter in a large pan over moderate heat, add golden syrup (dip tablespoon in hot water before measuring), stir till dissolved, bring gently to boiling point then remove pan from heat.

2. Mix boiling water and bicarb and stir till dissolved. Add this to the hot melted mixture and stir till it froths up the pan.

3. Carefully add the frothy mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. If a little dry – add ½ tablespoon of extra water to help bind it together.

4. Take a rounded dessertspoon of the mixture and roll into a ball – place on baking trays 5 cm apart, (the biscuits will spread).

5. Press biscuits down using a fork, the back of spoon, or the bottom of a cup measure. Put trays in the oven (150C if using a fan forced oven).

6. After 15 minutes take trays (1 tray at a time) out of the oven and press flat again.

7. Return trays to the oven and continue baking for a further 3 to 4 minutes or until golden (they will still be soft)

8. Leave the biscuits on the trays to firm up until completely cool - about 10 minutes.

This recipe makes 25 -28 biscuits

Chewy Anzac biscuits

Ingredients

  • ½ Level cup / 75g / 2½ oz plain flour
  • ½ Level cup / 75g / 2½ oz self raising flour
  • 1 Cup / 90g / 3 oz rolled oats (not instant)
  • 1 Cup / 70g / 2½ oz desiccated coconut
  • 1 Cup / 200g / 7 oz sugar (try half castor and half soft brown sugar)
  • 125g / 4½ oz butter 1x 20ml tablespoons of golden syrup – be generous! (Open lid and stand the tin in bowl of hot water to soften before measuring).
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (bicarb)
  • 1 tablespoon boiling water (You may need to add a little extra water when you bind the ingredients together so that you can form a ball in your hand)

Method

1. Mix flour, oats, desiccated coconut and sugar in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat, add golden syrup (dip tablespoon in hot water before measuring), stir till dissolved, bring gently to boiling point then remove pan from heat.

2. Mix boiling water and bicarb and stir till dissolved. Add this to the hot melted mixture and stir till it froths up the pan.

3. Carefully add the frothy mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. If a little dry add ½ tablespoon of extra water to help bind it together.

4. Take a rounded dessertspoon of mixture, roll into a ball. Place balls on baking trays 5 cm apart, (the biscuits will spread).

5. Press biscuits down using a fork, the back of spoon, or the bottom of a cup measure. Place trays in oven (150C fan forced oven).

6. After 15 minutes take trays (1 tray at a time) out of the oven and press biscuits flat again.

7. Return trays to oven and continue baking for a further 3 - 4 minutes or until golden brown (they will be soft).

8. Leave the biscuits on the trays for barely 1 minute - just enough time for the biscuits to firm up slightly before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

This recipe makes 26 -30 biscuits. Once cooled, store these delicious biscuits in an airtight tin.

Recipe provided by Allison Reynolds, from her book Anzac Biscuits: the power and spirit of an everyday national icon published by Wakefield Press 2018.

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