Australia's most popular biscuit recipe! Everyone loves Anzac biscuits, delicious oat cookies that can be either crunchy, chewy or anywhere in between. Take your pick! Eat them on Anzac Day - 25th April - or any day you like. They're so quick and easy to make. All you need is oats, butter, sugar, coconut, flour, baking soda... and 30 minutes.
4½ounces / 125 gramsbuttermelted (I prefer salted, but unsalted + ¼ teaspoon salt works too). See notes about how to make the biscuits vegan/dairy free.
2tablespoonsgolden syrup(You can substitute with 1 part molasses and 3 parts corn syrup, rice malt syrup or even honey.)
¼cup / 60mlhoney(You can substitute with another ¼ cup of sugar - white or brown - if you like.)
2tablespoons water
½teaspoonbaking soda
1¼cups / 125 gramsrolled oats(I use an Australian/UK cup. If you're using a US cup (slightly smaller), you'll need just over 1½ cups oats.)
1¼cups / 185 gramsflour(If using a US cup, use about 1½ cups) I like to use a combination of wholemeal flour and plain / all purpose flour.
½cup / 120 gramsbrown sugar(⅔ US cups) White or raw sugar or a combination of brown and white sugars works well too.
1cup / 80 gramsdesiccated coconut(1¼ US cups. You can use flaked coconut instead if you prefer.)
Preheat the oven to 180C/355F. Spray two baking trays with oil and line with baking paper.
Melt the butter either in a large saucepan on the stovetop, or in a big bowl in the microwave.
Add the golden syrup, honey, water and baking soda and stir.
Stir in the oats, flour(s), coconut and sugar until you have a dough that's sticky but not runny. Add more oats/flour or water if necessary to get the right consistency.
Use a small ice cream scoop, metal spoon or just your wet hands to make small balls of dough. Place on the baking trays with at least 2 inches between each ball (about 8 or 9 on each tray). Flatten down with damp hands or a fork (flatter biscuits will tend to be crunchier).
Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on whether you prefer chewier or crunchier biscuits. The biscuits should be light to dark golden brown, but not burnt of course.
Let cool on the baking trays for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before storing for up to 10 days in an airtight biscuit tin or sealed container. The biscuits may get softer as the days go by. To crisp up again, heat in the oven for 5 minutes at 180C/355F.
Video
Notes
Ingredients variations: I usually recommend rolled oats, but any kind of oats work really. I prefer half white flour and half wholemeal, but again any combination is fine. I've reduced the sugar a bit in this recipe and replaced some of it with honey. If you prefer you can skip the honey and increase the sugar by 1/4 cup, or don't increase the sugar for even lower sugar biscuits. Brown sugar, white sugar, or a mixture works. White sugar may make for crispier biscuits and brown sugar chewier. Use salted butter, or unsalted plus 1/2 teaspoon salt. Getting the dough right: First of all, these biscuits are very forgiving, so don't worry! The dough should be sticky and wet, but not runny. If it's too dry, add a bit more water. If it's too runny, add more oats/flour. Cooking time: For chewier/softer biscuits, bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until light golden brown. For crunchier biscuits, bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a deeper golden brown. Experiment with a few biscuits the first time you make them, until they're exactly as you like. Air fryer instructions: Yes, you can make Anzac biscuits in your air fryer! Line your air fryer basket with baking paper (make sure it's just a small piece so it doesn't touch the elements). Air fry for around 15 minutes at 160C/320F. Different air fryers cook differently so keep an eye on them until light/dark golden brown but not burnt. I find the biscuits don't spread as much in the air fryer as they do in the oven so press down before air frying if you like crunchy biscuits. Dairy free/Vegan instructions:To make these biscuits dairy free, simply replace the butter with coconut oil or another type of oil. You'll need 1/2 cup melted coconut oil/olive oil/other type of oil. To make the biscuits vegan, skip the honey and replace with another 1/4 cup of white or brown sugar. Storing/Freezing: Anzac biscuits keep well for up to 10 days in an airtight tin or other container. Crisp them up again if you like by reheating in a hot oven (5 minutes at 180C/355F). Freeze either the uncooked dough or the cooked biscuits in well sealed containers or bags for up to 3 months. Let defrost and cook/eat as normal. Enjoy!