Oct 1, 20204 min read

Anzac Biscuits

Updated: Aug 24, 2021

Do you like chewy or crunchy bikkies? It's a big dilemma to wonder. Don't worry, this Anzac biscuit can be made to please everyone.

Did you know how Anzac biscuits got its name? These biscuits were initially called "surprise biscuits" or "crispies". Later during WW1, these biscuits were called "soldiers biscuits". It is believed that wives and mothers of soldiers in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) baked these and sent them to their men on the battlefield. Since then these biscuits have been named ANZAC biscuits in their honour.

Originally these biscuits were very hard in texture. Almost tooth-breaking hard. That's how it could last for several days without spoiling. However, today we will be looking at how easily we can make these biscuits chewy, crunchy, or crispier to suit everyone's liking. Yes, it is eggless. Can be made vegan by replacing butter with margarine.

Skip to recipe Anzac Biscuits Recipe or continue reading for tips and stages of making the recipe

Here are basic ingredients that are easily found in every (Q)kitchen to make delicious Anzac biscuits.

Plain flour, Rolled oats, Desiccated Coconut, Brown Sugar, Butter, Maple Syrup, Baking Soda, and boiling water

Stages of Making - 7 Simple and quick steps

1. Mix dry ingredients

Place Plain flour, Rolled oats, Desiccated Coconut, Brown Sugar, and salt (optional) in a mixing bowl.

2. Melting wet ingredients

Add butter and maple syrup to a saucepan and place it on the flame. Heat it until butter melts.

3. Adding baking soda to wet ingredient

Add baking soda to boiling water and mix well. Add this soda water to melted butter and syrup solution. you will notice that it will start foaming. That's exactly what we are looking for. Mix all the ingredients.

4. Adding wet ingredient to dry ingredient and mix

Mix with a wooden spoon to ensure that the mixture is not pressed too much as doing so may make cookies dense.

5 Rolling

To make even size biscuit balls, use a spoon or ice cream scoop to measure an equal amount of mixture. Ensure you fill the spoon/scoop completely and level it by removing any excess from the top of the spoon/scoop (as shown in photos below). Drop the mixture from spoon/scoop onto your palm and gently roll it into balls. Note: Do not compress the mixture to make balls as this will make the biscuits dense.

6. Line the baking tray and arrange biscuit balls on the tray

Spray a baking tray with oil. Line the tray with baking paper to prevent biscuits from sticking to the tray. Arrange biscuits on the tray, 4 - 6 cm apart, to allow room for spreading. Flatten gently with a spatula. Do not over flatten or else the biscuits will become too crispy unless that is the texture you are going for. I like mine a little chewy, so I have pressed it halfway through.

7. Baking

Place the tray in the preheated oven. Try to place the tray in the centre rack for even cooking. Since my family likes chewy biscuits I bake them only for 15 to 20 mins. However, if you like a crispier texture then bake it further for 5 -10 minutes more.

Note: Biscuits will be soft when hot and will crisp up when cooled. So refrain from leaving the biscuits in the oven for any longer as these may become too hard to eat.

Baked biscuits. Notice how they have spread and doubled in size. So keep the distance between each biscuit balls to prevent them from sticking to each other.

Chewy or crunchy biscuits? A big dilemma?

I prefer mine chewy, so I bake these biscuits for 15 mins only. But if you like crunchy ones, then increase the baking time to 20-25mins based on how crispy you would like. Note, if you bake longer than 25 mins then the cookies may go very hard. So be mindful of the timing.

Thick or thin biscuits?

These can be made of any size and thicknesses. To make it thick, do not press the balls before placing them in the oven to bake. Alternatively, roll bigger balls. Cooking time will vary based on how thick and big the biscuit balls are.

I made both types just to show you the difference. See the pics below.

Substitutes for maple syrup?

You can substitute maple syrup with golden syrup or honey or corn syrup. Any will work absolutely fine.

Any variations that can be made with this recipe?

Of course, you can make many variations to the Anzac biscuits. You can make it nutty with the addition of any nuts (almonds would be a great choice). Make it berry ANZAC biscuits by adding any dried berries like goji berries, blueberries, or strawberries. You can also add make half quantity of rolled oats and half the quantity of quinoa flakes or replace the plain flour with whole wheat flour. Spice it up by adding ginger powder or cinnamon powder or cardamom powder. Spices are strong so only add 1 tsp to start with.

What is the shelf life of Anzac biscuits?

Anzac biscuits have a good shelf life. Crispy ones can stay good for several weeks. Chewy ones will last for up to 2-3 weeks as long as these are stored in an airtight container.