Chewy, crunchy or plain, here are the best Anzac biscuit recipes, including some CWA Anzac biscuit classics and ways to turn this biscuit into a dessert. Enjoy this Aussie favourite on Anzac Day, April 25, or any time you want! 

New Ways with Anzac Biscuit Recipes

These delicious, easy-to-make biscuits have an incredible history.  Anzac was the name given to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers who landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey early on the morning of April 24, 1915, during the First World War (1914-1918). Traditional Anzac biscuits were developed to send to soldiers stationed overseas to vary their diet and share a bit of home love. Everything travelled by ship, so they had to last in an edible condition for some time. The biscuits were made to substitute for bread and were designed to be very hard. Sometimes they were ground up and made into porridge. Today the recipe has been adapted to suit modern tastes, and we can all be thankful for that because the original biscuit recipe looks rather bland.

Anzzc biscuit recipe

A bit of Anzac history

As the trumpet sounds in the cold grey of an Anzac Day dawn, it’s hard to imagine how so many young men leapt forward into battle to lose their lives at Gallipoli. My grandmothers, Olive and Ruby, both lost brothers in the war – one on a hospital ship on the eastern coastline and the other shot down while flying. Although I never knew Roy and Sid, the grief of their loss is a part of my family’s history and I thank them for their sacrifice to keep Australia safe.

 

How to make the best Anzac biscuits

This sweet biscuit is made using rolled oats, flour, desiccated coconut, sugar, butter, golden syrup, baking soda and boiling water. Although the basic ingredients in these Anzac biscuit recipes are very similar, little twists and tweaks in each combine to create distinct differences to the connoisseur.

  • Anzac biscuits are very easy to make, but don’t relax too much.
  • You need to make sure the mixture is quite firm but not dry to achieve nicely rounded biscuits. Too wet and they will be very flat, too dry and they will be crumbly.
  • Add a little more flour, coconut or oats if the mixture is sloppy; add a little melted butter if it is too dry.
  • Remember to deduct 20 degrees if you are using a fan-forced oven.
  • Make the dough ahead and freeze it for up to three months.
  • Biscuits will last up to two weeks if sealed in an airtight container and hidden where the children never look.  Amongst the cleaning products is a safe bet.

Anzac Biscuits can be versatile!

Although there are rarely any spare Anzac Biscuits in my house, there are different ways to use this yummy snack.

  1. Use them for ice cream sandwiches with a honey or caramel-flavoured ice cream.
  2. Anzac biscuit mix makes a great slice or pie base. Try it with an apple pie.
  3. Join two Anzac biscuits together with a chocolate centre.
  4. Blitz leftover biscuits into the perfect topping for apple crumble or ice cream.
  5. Make Apple Crumble – see the recipe below.
Anzac Biscuit Apple Crumble dessert

Anzac biscuit recipes

So whether you like them simple and plain or tricked-up and fancy, here are some recipes for Anzac biscuits that have been tried and tested and just plain gobbled up.

Baked Anzac Apple Crumbles

This recipe takes the Anzac biscuit and turns it into a delicious, yet still healthy, dessert.  It comes from chef Sarah Glover who is a brand ambassador for Traeger Grills Australia.  Sarah loves to cook everything in her backyard barbecue but you could use an oven if you don’t have one.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 6 granny smith apples
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup apple sauce
  • 1/2 cup plain flour
  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

Method: 

  1. Preheat your Traeger grill, with the lid closed, to 180°C.
  2. Cut each apple in half horizontally through the middle. Using a melon baller, cut out the cores, leaving a rounded hole. 
  3. Rub the exposed apple flesh with the lemon juice, and fill each hole with one tablespoon of apple sauce. Transfer the apple halves to a snug-fitting baking dish.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, butter, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt until you have a crumble mixture. 
  5. Press the crumble on top of each apple half, then transfer to the Traeger, close the lid and cook for 35–40 minutes, until the apple is soft and the crumble is golden brown.
Apple Crumble Anzac Biscuits

Anzac biscuits with a Turkish twist

It’s still the sweet, crunchy traditional Anzac biscuit loved across our sweeping plains, but this delightful variation on the biscuit tradition incorporates vanilla extract, rosewater and slivered almonds, and is garnished with a dust of icing sugar.

Ingredients:

  • Oats 85g
  • Desiccated coconut 85g
  • Flour 100g
  • Sugar 100g
  • Butter 100g
  • Golden syrup 1 tablespoon
  • Bi-carb 1 teaspoon
  • Boiling water 2 tablespoons
  • Mixed spice ½ teaspoon
  • Vanilla extract ½ teaspoon
  • Rose water 30ml
  • Slivered almonds 80g

Method

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

  • Mix oats, desiccated coconut, flour, sugar, mixed spice, vanilla extract and slivered almonds together.
  • Melt butter and golden syrup together.
  • Mix bi-carb and boiling water.
  • Add bi-carb to butter and mix. Add rose water.
  • Add the bi-carb, rose water mix to the oats, desiccated coconut mix.
  • Using your hands, shape the mix into round 16g flat cookies.
  • Bake in the oven for 12 minutes
  • Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  • Dust with icing sugar.

Anzac Biscuits With a Touch of Rosemary

Adding rosemary to the mix is a real flavour twist. Rosemary also signifies remembrance, so that’s an excellent fit too. Be gentle with the pinch of rosemary as you want to flavour but not overpower the biscuits. For an extra dimension, sprinkle a little good quality salt over the biscuit just before baking.  This will heighten the sweetness and add extra crunch.

INGREDIENTS

(makes about 35 biscuits)
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup desiccated (or shredded) coconut
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar
pinch of rosemary leaves
125 g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon water

METHOD
1) Preheat oven to 150°C
2) Mix oats, flour, sugar, coconut and rosemary together
3) Melt golden syrup and butter together
4) Mix bicarbonate of soda with boiling water and add to the melted butter and golden syrup; add to the dry ingredients
5) Place 1 tablespoon of mixture on a greased tray (allow room for spreading)
6) Bake for 20 minutes; let the biscuits cooldown on the trays and then place them in an airtight container (will keep for 2-3 weeks)

Ginger Anzac Biscuits

This recipe makes about 36 biscuits and takes around 18 minutes to cook. It comes courtesy of Buderim Ginger, who grow it fresh and local around Yandina on the Sunshine Coast.  When I make it I increase the ginger to 85gm because I like the ginger flavour.  It makes a wetter mixture so if you want crunchy Anzac biscuits, add a little more flour or make smaller balls and let them cook longer.

Ingredients

3/4 cup unbleached or wholemeal plain flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup shredded or desiccated coconut
1/2 cup granulated sugar
125g butter, melted
50g Buderim Ginger Naked Ginger, crushed or very finely chopped  (I used crystalised ginger)
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons boiling water

Method

  • Preheat oven to moderately slow [160°C].
  • Mix together flour, oats, coconut and sugar.
  • Gently melt butter, add Naked Ginger mix well.
  • Combine golden syrup, soda and boiling water. While still frothing, add melted butter mixture and immediately pour into the flour mixture. Mix thoroughly.
  • Spoon about a teaspoonful (about the size of a small walnut) -Use a teaspoon and fingertips to create a round shape, place onto a non-stick baking paper-lined baking tray allowing about 2cm between each biscuit, as they will spread. Press down gently.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, turning the tray around if necessary, halfway through baking until deep golden brown in colour.
  • Remove from oven, cool on a tray on a wire cake rack for about 5 minutes then transfer to wire cake rack to finish cooling.
  • Immediately they are cool, store in an airtight container.

EIGHT TRIED AND TESTED CWA ANZAC DAY RECIPES 

These eight recipes come from the enthusiastic members of the Queensland Country Women’s Association Border Division (QCWA). They baked Anzac biscuits in 2015, just like their sisters did during the First World War, to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the 1915 March of Dungarees from Warwick to Brisbane.  The march travelled via Toowoomba, Laidley and Ipswich collecting 125 brave recruits along the way.  The eight recipes have all been handed down through generations, and all are family favourites.

A CWA member for over 50 years, Celine Stephen’s Anzac biscuits recipe has been baked many times. “They are always a firm favourite,” she said. “It’s important to remember those who took part in the march, and the QCWA was a large part of that.”

Here are the eight CWA Anzac biscuit recipes – you pick your favourite.

Easy CWA Anzac Biscuit 

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup coconut
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarb soda

Method
Combine oats, flour, coconut and sugar in a bowl. Melt butter and syrup together.
Mix bicarb soda with boiling water, add to dry ingredients, stir well.
Place tablespoons of mixture on a greased tray, flatten slightly and bake in a slow oven for 20 minutes. Cool on tray. Store in an airtight container.

Easy Two-step Low Fat CWA Anzac Biscuit 

With all the ingredients rounded, this is an easy recipe.

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup coconut

Combine in a bowl

1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Combine in a saucepan, and heat until hot and frothy.  Add to dry ingredients and mix well.  Add a little extra water if too dry. Place dessertspoon size balls on a greased tray, flatten slightly and bake for 12-14 minutes in a moderate oven. Cool on tray.

Crisp CWA Anzac Biscuit

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup sugar
1 cup plain flour
3/4 cup coconut

125 gm butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon boiling water
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Combine oats, flour, sugar and coconut. Mix butter and syrup in a saucepan over gentle heat.  Mix soda and boiling water and add to butter. Mix. Stir in to dry ingredients. Place teaspoonfuls onto greased oven trays. Flatten for crisp Anzacs. Cook in a slow oven for 20 minutes. Loosen while warm, then cool on trays.

Chewy Brown Sugar CWA Anzac Biscuit 

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup coconut
1 tablespoon golden syrup
125 gm butter
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarb soda

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease biscuit trays or line with baking paper. Mix oats, sugar, coconut and flour. Melt butter and syrup in a small saucepan. Mix boiling water and bicarb and add water to the saucepan. Add to dry ingredients and roll into golf ball size biscuits.  Leave in a ball for chewy biscuits. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on trays.

Basic CWA Anzac Biscuit with raw sugar

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup coconut

For this Anzac biscuit recipe put the above ingredients into a mixing bowl. Put one tablespoon of golden syrup, two tablespoons of water, 1/2 teaspoon of bicarb soda, and 2 tablespoons of butter into a saucepan, and heat until hot and frothy.  Add to dry ingredients. Mix well; add a little more water if too dry.  Bake 12 -14 minutes in a moderate oven – 180 degrees.

CWA Anzac Biscuit with brown sugar

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut
2 tablespoons golden syrup
125gm butter
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Sift flour into a bowl. Add stage, rolled oats and coconut. Melt butter and syrup in a saucepan. Stir bicarb soda into the mixture. Add to dry ingredients, and mix thoroughly. Place walnut-size balls of mixture onto a greased tray and bake at 175 C for 15-20 minutes. Biscuits will harden when cool.

Traditional CWA Anzac Biscuit 

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup coconut
Mix all together in a bowl

125 gm butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarb soda

Melt butter and syrup in a saucepan, and add boiling water and bicarb soda. Combine with dry ingredients. Place walnut-sized balls onto a prepared tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes in a moderate oven.  Cool on trays.  

CWA Anzac Biscuit Recipe with Self Raising Flour 

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup coconut
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons hot water

Place dry ingredients in a bowl. Melt and bring to boil the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture into the bowl. Mix well.  Create walnut-size balls and flatten them slightly. Bake in the oven at 160 degrees (fan-forced) for 12 -15 minutes. Cool on trays.

Would you like to try more Aussie foods?

Here are some true blue Australian favourites that are great to eat at any time of the year or bake yourself the perfect scone.