14 of our best Anzac biscuit recipes (2024)

FAQs

What makes Anzac biscuits crunchy or chewy? ›

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).

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).

The basic ingredients for a rolled oat biscuit were rolled oats, sugar, flour, butter with golden syrup, not eggs, used as a binding agent. This made them not only nutritious and full of energy but also long lasting.

Desiccated coconut: this ingredient gives the ANZAC biscuits their distinctive chewiness and flavor. Can I omit desiccated coconut? If you want to remove this, just add an extra ½ cup of rolled oats to the recipe.

But watch for crumbling or "melting": "If your biscuits are falling apart, then you have added too much of the wet ingredients, or potentially too much sugar," Quinn says. The marine biologist-turned-cook advises leaving the biscuits on the baking tray as they cool, then giving them a day or two to "chewify".

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).

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.

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.

Golden Syrup is what makes these Anzac biscuits authentic but if you want to make substitutions, corn syrup or dark molasses can be substituted.

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.

Are hobnobs the same as Anzac biscuits? ›

Imagine my surprise when I googled a recipe and discovered they are basically Anzac biscuits without the coconut! Even the method is basically the same. Is this another case of Aussie adoption, like Russell Crowe, Pavlova and Phar Lap? Who knows, all I can say is they are as good as the store bought version.

The original Anzac biscuit was known as an Anzac wafer or tile and, along with beef bully, was part of the rations given to our soldiers during World War I. They were included instead of bread because they had a much longer shelf-life.

I often use shredded coconut and desiccated coconut interchangeably when I am baking, making desserts, curries or coconut recipes. Shredded coconut is a larger fiber so you may want to pulse it in a food processor to make it finer to become more like desiccated coconut if needed.

Desiccated coconut is dried and grated coconut flesh made from fresh coconut meat. Commonly referred to as shredded coconut, this ingredient is a staple in many homes and makes many dishes and desserts.

Shredded Coconut: What's the Difference? The main difference between shredded and desiccated coconut is the texture. Desiccated coconut has a fine texture, while shredded coconut has a larger particle size, like shredded cheese, instead of finely grated cheese.

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.

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.

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.