Anzac biscuits are eggless oat and coconut biscuits sweetened with golden syrup and brown sugar. This recipe makes about 24 biscuits in roughly 35 minutes plus cooling, baked at 150 degrees Celsius fan-forced (170 degrees conventional), with simple changes for a chewy or crisp finish.
Ingredients
Makes about 24 biscuits. Prep 10 minutes, bake 15 to 20 minutes.
- 90 g rolled oats
- 150 g plain flour
- 80 g desiccated coconut
- 150 g brown sugar, firmly packed
- 125 g butter, chopped
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tbsp boiling water
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius fan-forced (170 degrees conventional). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Mix the oats, flour, coconut and brown sugar in a large bowl, breaking up any sugar lumps.
- Melt the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth and runny.
- Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the boiling water, then pour it into the butter mixture. It will foam up, which is what you want.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until no dry patches remain. The mix should clump when squeezed.
- Roll level tablespoons into balls and place them about 5 cm apart on the trays. Flatten each gently with your palm.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, swapping the trays halfway, until the edges are golden brown.
- Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
Chewy or crisp: how to control the texture
The same dough can go either way. For chewy biscuits, bake for about 15 minutes and pull the trays out while the centres still look slightly soft and pale. Roll the balls a little larger and flatten them only lightly. They firm up as they cool, so do not judge them straight from the oven.
For crisp biscuits, bake for the full 20 minutes, or a minute or two longer, until the edges are deep golden. Press the balls out thinner and space them further apart so they spread and dry evenly. Cool completely on the rack before storing.
Why the ingredients matter
Golden syrup brings caramel flavour and helps the biscuits spread. The bicarbonate of soda reacts with the hot syrup mixture and gives the lacy, open texture. Rolled oats give a chewier bite than quick oats. Plain flour is all you need here, and if you ever run short you can follow our guide to making self-raising flour at home for other baking.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Biscuits spread into one thin sheet | Butter mixture too hot, or trays still warm | Cool the mixture for 5 minutes before combining, and use cool trays between batches |
| Biscuits crumble when lifted | Mixture too dry or balls not pressed together | Roll firmly and flatten with your palm; they also firm up on the tray as they cool |
| Hard, dark biscuits | Overbaked or pressed very thin | Bake closer to 15 minutes and check a minute early |
| Soft, doughy centres that stay pale | Underbaked or oven too cool | Bake 2 to 3 minutes longer until the edges are golden |
| Burnt bases | Thin dark trays or oven shelf too low | Use baking paper and bake in the middle of the oven |
Substitutions that work
- Golden syrup can be swapped for honey or maple syrup. They brown faster, so check the biscuits a minute or two early.
- Dairy-free baking spread in block form can replace the butter.
- Shredded coconut works if you chop it finely, and quick oats work but give a finer, less chewy texture.
- Caster sugar can replace brown sugar, though you lose some caramel flavour.
Make ahead and storing
Once completely cool, store the biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to about a week, keeping the container dry so crisp biscuits keep their snap. Do not stack them while warm. The unbaked dough balls can be frozen on a tray, bagged, and baked from frozen with a couple of extra minutes. If you enjoy simple Australian baking, try our beer damper or a batch of pumpkin scones next.
FAQ
Do Anzac biscuits contain eggs?
No. The traditional recipe has no eggs. The golden syrup and melted butter bind the dough instead.
Why are they called Anzac biscuits?
They are named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and the name has been tied to the biscuits since the First World War.
Can I make them without coconut?
Yes. Leave it out and add an extra 30 g of rolled oats so the dough keeps its volume.
Can I freeze Anzac biscuits?
Yes. Freeze baked biscuits in a sealed container, or freeze the raw dough balls and bake from frozen.