I made the Anzac Biscuits 3 ways with ingredients that are easier to find in the USA. The center cookies are made traditionally with golden syrup, the ones on the left are made with molasses, and the ones on the right are made with corn syrup. Any way that you make them is all good. These Anzac Biscuits may just become your new favorite cookie.
Happy Veterans Day! Thank you to all our veterans for your service.
In Australia, they celebrate Anzac Day which is short for the Australian New Zealand Army Corps. It’s traditional to make up a batch of these biscuits in celebration of this special day. So I thought, that I’d make up a batch anyway to celebrate our veterans.
Anzac biscuits are the iconic cookie of Australia that date back to WW1. Rumor has it that wives and girlfriends sent these biscuits to the soldiers during WW1 because the ingredients do not spoil easily and they kept well for navel travel.
History is fun to follow and these biscuits are excellent. They are crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. From making these dozens of times now, they really do have a longer shelf life. There is no way that they won’t be eaten quickly, but I did have a few leftovers for a couple of weeks and they were still delicious!
In Australia, biscuits = cookies. I know, it took me a while to get this.
The ingredients that we don’t use in the USA
Some ingredients from other countries are a bit difficult to find in the USA. In particular golden syrup and desiccated coconut. Not to fret though. I have you covered!
This is what happens when you whisk in baking soda to the melted butter mixture! It foams up. This is what gives the Anzac Biscuits their distinctive texture.
What is Golden Syrup?
Golden syrup is a delicious ingredient. It’s a light version of molasses. It’s not as strong as dark molasses but still has a distinctive nutty flavor. I really like it. Golden Syrup is what makes these Anzac biscuits authentic but if you want to make substitutions, corn syrup or dark molasses can be substituted. The picture above shows the different versions.
My grocery sells golden syrup but if yours doesn’t, you can buy it on Amazon. This is the best deal and it comes in a 2-pack. Golden syrup is also great on pancakes and waffles!
When you roll out your cookies, you want them to be a little smaller than a ping pong ball.
What is desiccated coconut?
I know, what a strange name, desiccated coconut. It sounds so strange to me, but it just really means “dried” coconut. You can buy the “true” version of the desiccated coconut on Amazon, but it’s very pricey, so you can make your own.
To make your own desiccated coconut, use unsweetened dried coconut and pulse through a blender or food processor until finely shredded. A few pulses should do. Just make sure it’s not sweetened coconut as that would make these cookies way too sweet!
After the cookies are rolled into balls, gently flatten them with your fingers so that they look like this.
Anzac Biscuits are one of my favorite foodie discoveries that I was introduced to on my recent trip down under!
Are you looking for other great cookie recipes? Check these out!
Outrageous Caramel M&M’s Cookies
Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies
Tipsy Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
There is an Amazon link in this post. If you happen to purchase from this link, I will be paid a tiny amount on the sale of the product.
Anzac Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup dessicated coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup thick cut oats
- 1 stick butter
- 3 tablespoons golden syrup or molasses or light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, coconut, salt, and oats. Stir to combine well.
- In a medium to a large-sized stockpot, add the butter, golden syrup, and water. Over medium-low heat cook the mixture until the butter is melted and starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the baking soda with a whisk. At this point, the mixture will double in size and foam up. See the picture in the post. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and combine well.
- Roll the dough into ping pong sized balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat, parchment paper, or sprayed with cooking spray. Press the dough down with your fingers so that the cookies are roughly 1/4 inch thick. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 13-14 minutes. They are a crispy cookie so keep that in mind while baking. Mine always cook for 13 minutes exactly!