Many an Aussie grew up on Anzac Biscuits. This is a sweet biscuit (aka cookie but you never call it that) that’s golden, buttery, chewy and crunchy all at once and it’s perfect for dunking in a cuppa. Just sayin’. They’re Australias and New Zealands very tasty version of oatmeal cookies.

If you’ve never tried an Anzac biscuit, you’re in for a real treat. If you have, you already know just how good they are. That buttery, caramel flavour is just sensational and coconut and oats make these traditional Aussie treat chewy and addictive.

Please make sure to read the ‘measuring ingredients’ section in the notes of the recipe. It’s very important for making sure you get the right consistency for your dough.

This recipe was first posted on 16th April 2019 and has been updated with more detail and step by step images.

5 Anzac biscuits on a wire rack.

Table of contents

What are they?

Originally known as ‘Soldiers Biscuits’ back in the day, Anzac biscuits were made by women back home who would send these cookies to soldiers abroad in the first world war.

They became known as Anzac Biscuits after the landing in Gallipoli using the acronym of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

They were – and still are – made using ingredients that wouldn’t spoil so you won’t find any eggs in these sweet biscuits (also omitted due to their scarcity in war time).

Lest we forget.

Anzac Day, 25th of April every year is the anniversary of our troops landing in Gallipoli and a day for Australia and New Zealand to remember the soldiers who gave their lives. While eaten all year round, this is the day many an Aussie will break out an Anzac bikkie.

An Anzac biscuit leaning up against another.

How to make them – step by step

This easy Anzac biscuits recipe is made using traditional ingredients and steps, like oats, coconut, golden syrup, melted butter and baking soda dissolved in boiling water before adding it to the mixture.

Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.

1. The dry ingredients

Start by mixing all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Mix them well so they’re evenly distributed.

The dry ingredients combined in a bowl.

2. The wet ingredients

Now melt together the butter and golden syrup over low-medium heat. Mix baking soda with boiling water and add that to the butter too.

The baking soda added to the golden syrup and butter.

3. Combining the biscuit dough

Now, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix it all together.

The cookie dough after everything is combined in a mixing bowl.

4. Portion and bake!

I like to use a cookie scoop to portion the dough but don’t press it together too tightly. Sit them on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Definitely don’t overcrowd the trays as they do spread.

Bake for 14 minutes for the perfect combo of crunchy edges with chewy middle. The longer they bake the crunchier they become so bake them to your preference however, if you like a very crunchy bake them for around 18-20 minutes – they should be quite a dark caramel colour at this point.

Balls of cookie dough on a baking sheet.

Measuring Ingredients

I’ve made these Anzac biscuits a bajillion times and many readers swear by this recipe but some have noted their dough is dry or crumbly. The dough should not be dry or crumbly, rather quite sticky, so there are a couple of things that can affect this. One is the way you might be measuring out your dry ingredients and two is the size of your tablespoon (some are 15ml and some are 20ml). Look above to see how the dough should be holding together.

A few baking guidelines to live by, as a little bit of extra or not enough of anything in a baking recipe can make a huge difference.

  1. Weigh ingredients if a weight is given in any recipe. Kitchen scales are cheap and last forever so it’s worth the investment, plus with a scale you can measure directly into your bowl, so less washing up. Win, win!
  2. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, spoon and level. Use a regular spoon to place the ingredient into the cup measure, then use the back of a knife to scrape away the excess. 

Here’s a little test I did using 1 cup of flour to show the difference the way you measure can make. 

  • Spooned and levelled = 130g PERFECT!
  • Scooped directly from container = 150g  (that’s an extra 15% flour)
  • Fluffed up then scooped = 137g (closer)
  • Fluffed up, then spooned and levelled 125g (this would probably be close enough but there’s the extra step of fluffing up the flour first, not necessary)

Also, egg sizes do vary around the world so you can add a little more water if you really can’t get it sticking together.

A stack of 6 Anzac biscuits.

Why dissolve baking soda in water first?

I don’t know the science behind this but I tried a batch of my cookies with and without this step and I found the batch with the baking soda dissolved in boiling water first;

  1. Turned far more golden 
  2. Turned out chewier

Both of these points are quintessential factors in a perfect Anzac biscuit recipe.

Substitutions

  • Golden syrup: Please, please try to get real golden syrup. If you can’t find it in your grocery store, try online. If you really can’t get it try a ratio of 2 parts molasses or treacle to 1part honey or maple syrup. It won’t be the same but it will come close.
  • Coconut: I use fine desiccated coconut which is traditional but you can use shredded coconut in it’s place. You can use sweetened or unsweetened but I prefer unsweetened as there is already plenty of sweetness in the recipe.

Aside from having a heartwarming story, these biscuits honestly are so delicious. My favourite way to eat them is dunked in a cup of tea. So, so good. 

Why are you still reading, go whip up a batch of these Easy Anzac Biscuits for Anzac Day or any day!

4 Anzac biscuits at an angle on a wire rack.

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A stack of 6 Anzac biscuits.

Easy Anzac Biscuits

Yield: 22 biscuits
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 24 minutes
4.9 from 45 ratings
Crunchy on the edges and chewy in the middle this easy Anzac Biscuits recipe is an Aussie classic. These buttery, golden biscuits (aka cookies) can be thrown together and baked all in under 30 minutes.
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Ingredients

  • 130  g  plain flour (all-purpose flour) (1 cup / 4.6oz)
  • 150 g  granulated white sugar (¾ cup / 5.3oz)
  • ¼ teaspoon  salt
  • 1 ¼ cups rolled oats (not quick oats) (130g/~4 ½oz)
  • ¾ cup fine desiccated coconut (55g/~2oz)
  • ¼ cup golden syrup (notes 4)
  • 113  g  unsalted butter (½ cup / 1 stick)
  • 1  teaspoon  baking soda (bicarbonate soda)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons boiling water (6 teaspoons – see notes) (notes 1)

For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan forced) / 350F / 160C. Line two baking sheets with baking paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, oats, coconut and salt until well combined. Set aside.
  • Combine the golden syrup and butter in a small saucepan and melt together over low heat.
  • Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the butter mixture. It should start to get frothy straight away.
  • Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until it forms a sticky dough.
  • Use a small cookie scoop to scoop balls of loose cookie dough onto baking trays at least 2 inches apart. Don’t overcrowd the trays as they spread.
  • Bake for 11-13 minutes, turning the tray at the halfway point (notes) until golden brown. If they've spread in awkward shapes,Immediately use a round cookie cutter to swirl around them to make them nice and round again and thicken them up.
  • Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.

Notes

  1. Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
  2. For best results, you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Believe it or not, the way you measure ingredients can make a big difference.
    • Kitchen scales are relatively cheap and last forever
    • if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
  3. This dough should be quite sticky, not dry. If it’s dry you may be using a different method to measure your dry ingredients (see note 2) or your tablespoon may be only 15ml (see note 1)
  4. Golden syrup: Golden syrup is readily available in Australia and the UK. If you are unable to find it in your local grocery store, try to get it online – it’s worth using the right thing.
    If that option is no good, you could mix a little treacle or molasses with honey or maple syrup (2 parts molasses / treacle to 1 part honey / maple syrup). The flavour won’t quite be the same but it will be similar.
  5. Scooping the dough: I use a small cookie scoop and don’t press the dough too firmly into the scoop after scooping it.
    If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you want about 2 tablespoons of the dough, then roll into balls but don’t roll them too firmly. The air pockets increase the chewy factor. Yum!
  6. Baking time: Around 12 minutes will give you the perfect deep golden brown colour and a chewy centre. You can bake them a little longer if you prefer crunchy cookies but note they will get very dark in colour.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES
Calories: 135kcal
Author: Marie Roffey
Course: Dessert, Snack, Sweets
Cuisine: Australian
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Nutrition information is approximate only and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use and any changes you make may cause variations.

Nutrition Facts
Easy Anzac Biscuits
Amount Per Serving (37 g)
Calories 135 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 85mg4%
Potassium 42mg1%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 128IU3%
Vitamin C 0.04mg0%
Calcium 6mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.