Cookies- the snack that everyone loves. Bake some of these sweet oatmeal biscuits and teach your kids a bit about history and the lands down under.
Anzac biscuits have a history that dates back to World War I, when the wives and mothers of soldiers in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) wanted to send a nutritious snack to their husbands and sons away in the world. These cookies fit the bill by not spoiling during the long journey via ship that the biscuits had to make to reach the troops. In addition, some say they are made without eggs because many poultry farmers were sent to war and there was a short supply of eggs. While both Australia and New Zealand claim this chewy, oatmeal cookie (known as a biscuit) as a favorite, I was given this particular recipe for Anzac biscuits from a teacher friend from New Zealand (though I am told by an Aussie friend that the recipes are the same!:). If your child has allergies (as mine do) these are milk/egg-free, and I have made them substituting an all-purpose gluten-free flour and they are excellent!
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support! This recipe is adapted from: New Zealand’s Women’s Weekly.
You might find golden syrup in your local grocery store
1 c of flour
1 c of sugar (if available, use castor sugar)
1 c shredded, dry coconut
2 c of oats
1 stick of butter (or 110 grams)
1 tsp baking soda
2 T Golden Syrup
(cane sugar syrup, found in some supermarkets; if you can’t find it, I have heard people use a mixture of Caro syrup and molasses with some success:)
1. Heat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Place flour, caster sugar, coconut and oats in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Place butter and golden syrup in a saucepan to melt, or microwave in a bowl to melt. Dissolve baking soda in 1T boiling water. Add melted ingredients and dissolved baking soda to dry ingredients and mix to combine.
3. Roll spoonfuls into balls and press onto prepared baking trays. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool, and enjoy!
I’m looking forward to trying these with my after-school group. How much baking soda do you suggest dissolving in the water?
Oops- thanks for catching the omission! It should be 1 tsp baking soda (just added it in:). They are SO tasty and chewy!!! If you snap a picture, email it to me. I am working on a “gallery” or photos people have sent me, of projects they’ve tried from kidworldcitizen. Enjoy!
Thank you! I will! 🙂
I don’t see water listed as an ingredient. How much water?
Oh man, good call!!! 1T of hot water.