Anzac biscuits, baked to perfection

25th April 2022 | Eativity editors
Anazc biscuits

This Anzac Day, why not bake up a batch of our national biscuit? Hayden Quinn shares his tips on how to create the perfect Anzac biscuits, whether you like them crunchy or chewy.

Anzac biscuits first came to be during WWI, at the same time as the word ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). It could well be the only biscuit that’s protected by law. The traditional Anzac biscuit recipe is endorsed by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. These guys don’t take too kindly to people who mess about with the original recipe. They also insist on the baked oaty treat being called “Anzac biscuit”, not “Anzac cookie” or Anzac bickie”. You even need to get a permit from Veterans’ Affairs to sell products using the word “Anzac”. Under the Crimes Act 1914, individuals can be fined up to $10,200 for misusing the word, while corporations can be penalised up to $51,000.

So how do you cook up the ultimate traditional Anzac biscuit? Whether you prefer your biscuits crunchy or chewy, cook and author Hayden Quinn shares the super-easy recipe and his top tips for baking Anzac biscuits to perfection.

Firstly, make sure you choose good-quality oats to give the right texture,” Quinn says. “Uncle Tobys Traditional Rolled Oats produce the perfect texture for an Anzac biscuit.”

Hayden Quinn Anzac biscuits

Prefer your Anzac biscuits crunchy?

If you prefer crunchy Anzac biscuits, replace the caster sugar with brown sugar and bake for 12-15 minutes until very golden brown on the edges, Quinn says. “Allow to cool and firm up on the baking tray once removed from the oven. Once cooked, put them on a wire rack. This allows air to circulate around the biscuit and cool quickly, giving them a nice crunch.”

Prefer your Anzac biscuits chewy?

If you prefer chewy Anzac biscuits, bake for 10-12 minutes until only lightly golden on the edges. They’ll be soft when removing from the oven, but firm up once cooled. “Once cooked, keep your Anzac biscuits on their baking tray and allow them to cool there,” Quinn advises. “This will give you that chewy texture. Another tip if you love chewy, bake the Anzac biscuits ahead of time. A day or two will give them some time to ‘chewify’.”

Anzac biscuits

Traditional Anzac biscuits

Makes 15 biscuits
Prep time 20 minutes
Cooking time 12 minutes

You’ll need:

1¼ cups of plain flour, sifted
1 cup Uncle Tobys Traditional Rolled Oats
½ cup caster sugar
¾ cup desiccated coconut
150g unsalted butter, chopped
2 tbsp golden syrup
1½ tbsp boiling water
½ tsp bicarb soda

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Add flour, oats, sugar and coconut to a large bowl. Stir to mix.

2. In a small saucepan, place golden syrup and butter. Stir over low heat until the butter has fully melted. Mix the bicarb soda with 1½ tablespoons boiling water and add to the golden syrup mixture. It will bubble while you’re stirring together, so remove from the heat.

3. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix together until fully combined. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, pressing down on the tops to flatten slightly.

4. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.