Classic Australian Anzac biscuits — chewy-crisp rounds of oats and coconut bound with golden syrup and baked until golden and irresistibly moreish.
Chewy-crisp, golden and impossibly moreish, Anzac biscuits are an Australian and New Zealand icon built from oats, coconut and golden syrup. There are no eggs and no fuss — just a one-bowl bake that fills the kitchen with caramel warmth.
Prep 15 min
Cook 10 min
Total 25 min
Easy
- 85g Porridge Oats
- 85g Desiccated Coconut
- 100g Plain Flour
- 100g Caster Sugar
- 100g Butter
- 1 tblsp Golden Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate Of Soda
Video
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the oats, coconut, flour and sugar into a bowl.
- Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the golden syrup. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in 2 tbsp boiling water, then stir it into the butter and golden syrup.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the warm butter mixture, and stir gently until everything comes together.
- Drop dessertspoonfuls onto buttered baking sheets, spacing them about 2.5cm/1in apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake in batches for 8–10 minutes until golden, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- The bicarb-and-water step makes the biscuits rise and gives that signature crackle, so add it while the butter mix is warm.
- Space them well apart — they spread generously as they bake.
- For chewy biscuits pull them at 8 minutes; for crisp ones leave them the full 10 and let them firm on the tray.
- They harden as they cool, so don't worry if they seem soft straight from the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually too little flour or butter that was too hot. Let the mixture cool slightly and measure carefully.
Yes — use a gluten-free plain flour blend and certified gluten-free oats.
Up to a week in an airtight tin — they actually keep beautifully, which is part of their wartime heritage.
