The iconic Australian ANZAC biscuit — a chewy, golden oat and coconut biscuit with golden syrup. This traditional ANZAC biscuit recipe is easy, requires no eggs and stays chewy for days. A beloved Australian classic.
ANZAC biscuits are one of Australia's most loved national recipes, historically associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps of WWI. The original biscuits were sent to soldiers overseas because they didn't spoil easily — no eggs, and golden syrup as a binder. Today they're made across Australia for ANZAC Day (25 April) and year-round.
Serves 24
Combine oats, coconut, flour and sugar in a large bowl.
Melt butter and golden syrup together in a small saucepan over low heat.
Mix bicarbonate of soda with boiling water and stir into the butter mixture — it will foam. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well.
Roll tablespoon-sized balls and place on lined baking trays, spacing well apart. Flatten slightly. Bake at 160°C / 325°F for 12–15 minutes. Leave on the tray to firm up before moving — they're soft when hot.
For chewy biscuits bake 12 minutes; for crisp biscuits bake 15 minutes.
Don't overbake — they firm up as they cool. Remove while still slightly soft in the centre.
Golden syrup is essential for the authentic flavour — don't substitute honey.
Chewy vs crunchy: baking time is everything. 12 min = chewy; 15 min = crisp.
Chocolate ANZAC biscuits: dip cooled biscuits halfway in melted dark chocolate.
ANZAC slice: press the mixture into a lined tin, bake as a slab, cool, and cut into bars.
Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 2 weeks — they keep extremely well. This was their original virtue.
ANZAC biscuits were baked by Australian and New Zealand women during WWI and sent to soldiers serving overseas. The biscuits were made without eggs (which were scarce) and with golden syrup as a preservative. They were robust enough to survive the long sea voyage. The recipe has remained essentially unchanged for over 100 years.
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The biscuits were associated with the soldiers of WWI and are now a symbol of Australian and New Zealand heritage.
Eggs were scarce during WWI. Golden syrup acts as the binding agent instead, and bicarbonate of soda provides lift when dissolved in hot water.
Bake for only 12 minutes at 160°C and let them cool on the tray. Underbaking keeps them chewy; overbaking makes them crispy.
Yes — freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. They also keep at room temperature for 2 weeks, which was their original design advantage.
Per serving (150g) · 24 servings total
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