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Wednesday, April 20, 2022

My New To Me Favorite Cookie



 I had been reading forever about Anzac biscuits, but had never eaten them. I decided it was high time I give them a whirl. I had everything on hand except for the Lyles Golden Syrup*, so I tracked it down and paid a ridiculous price for a small bottle, but, by crackie, I was going to make them true to the recipe I found here. (I am simply copying and pasting her ingredients and instructions below)
Don't be like me and wait so long to try them!

1 cup plain flour (all purpose flour)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut* , unsweetened
3/4 cup white sugar , preferably caster / superfine
150g / 5oz unsalted butter
4 tbsp golden syrup (Note 1)
1 tsp baking soda Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan forced)

Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

Mix flour, oats, coconut and sugar in a bowl.  

Place butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium high heat and stir until butter has melted.

Add baking soda and stir to combine - it will fizz up, this is normal. Immediately remove from heat.

Pour butter mixture into flour and mix until just combined.

Roll level 1 tablespoon mixture into balls, flatten into patties. Place balls, 2.5 cm/1" apart, on prepared trays.

Bake for 15 minutes, swapping trays halfway during cooking, or until deep golden. (Bake 12 min for chewy biscuits!)

Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool - they harden as they cool!





These were baked the full 15 minutes and were very crispy. I may or may not have made a second batch and cooked them a little less time for a chewier cookie. Both were delicious!


Recipe Notes:

1. Golden syrup - amber coloured sweet syrup primarily used for baking purposes in Australia and in the UK. Has a caramel-like flavour. Best substitutes:

1 tbsp light molasses + 3 tbsp honey or light corn syrup

1 tbsp treacle + 3 tbsp honey or light corn syrup

*My personal edit here: If you live in the states and have access to Alaga cane syrup, the taste and viscosity are almost identical. (Plus it is much cheaper) I did make recipe #2 with the Alaga syrup and it tasted just like the first batch. I know there are other brands of cane syrup but I did not have any other on hand to try so I can't vouch for them.

2. Oats & batter consistency - Different brands of oats can have different levels of absorbency. Your dough should be firm enough so that you can roll it into balls without it sticking to your hands, but pliable and wet enough so that you can flatten the balls without the dough crumbling. If your dough is too sticky, add more flour, if it is too dry, add more melted butter. Don't worry about playing around with this recipe - it's a pretty forgiving biscuit dough!

3. Storage - Anzac cookies stay crisp for about a week in an airtight container. After that, they soften a bit but are still good! If the biscuits go soft, they can be crisped up in the oven - 5 minutes at 180C / 350F.

4.* Me again: Don't try and find desiccated coconut at the store. Make your own. Buy unsweetened shredded coconut (easily found at Latin markets here) Lay the coconut out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 250-300 F until it feels brittle. This should take just 5-10 minutes – check on it regularly. I crush mine just a bit so it is a little smaller but you don't have to. I usually buy a container  of coconut and dry all of it. It keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for about a year.

#3 is a bit of a lie. There is no way those cookies would last over a week here

If you want something buttery and delicious give these a try. I am so glad I did!

p.s. They are pretty good with a cup of coffee for a continental breakfast! Yes, that is what I am calling it!


22 comments:

  1. I make Anzac cookies and last time just happened to have some golden syrup. If I don't I just use maple, although it's maybe a little runnier than golden syrup. They are delicious though aren't they!

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    1. I can't believe I waited so long to make some so simple and delicious! Just posting this blog makes me want to run bake some more!

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  2. Very few cookie's I don't like, but these sound exceptionally good. However, I'm the only coconut fiend so I'd scarf the lot.

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    1. They surprisingly do not have a heavy coconut flavor. I think drying it alters the flavor a bit. They are truly delicious. I wish I had one to have with coffee right now!

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  3. Anzac Day is next week and our stores will be full of Anzac biscuits. And I will make them here. Himself is definitely a chewy fan, so that is the way they will be made. And no, they won't last a week.

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    1. What nonsense is that about lasting more than a week!

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  4. I would eat most of them the same day I bake them.

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    1. They lasted about 4 days here, but I only have to share them with one other person!

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  5. I don't think I've every had Anzac cookies, but these sound delicious. What's not to like-butter, coconut, and oatmeal.

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  6. What kind of cookies lasts a week? It would have to be a cookie I hate, and I even eat cookies I hate.

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    1. One year I baked and sold cookies for Christmas and I made one that was an anise sesame cookie. My sister was critiquing them and said" Those aren't very good. You can only eat about 6 of them". We still laugh about that.

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    2. Anne, Now, that is funny! I don't like anise anything and have been known to eat the cookies with them in it because they were here.

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  7. I buy my golden syrup at the Sri Lankan store; it is delicious served on a slice of buttered bread! :D

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    1. I was surprised when I did a side by side taste test that Lyles and Alaga are virtually the same syrup. I grew up eating Alaga on toast and it was delicious.

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  8. They do sound delicious! And I like the idea of cookies for breakfast. :)

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  9. The coconut in them is all for texture.
    I love a chewy anzac bikkie. Delicious!

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    1. I liked them chewy better than crispy, but the crisp ones were pretty dang good also!

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  10. Well done on a delicious looking Anzac biscuit from an Aussie. I admire your determination with going to so much trouble. I'll make mine this weekend to make sure I have some left for Anzac day. They also have a tendency to spread when cooking, so you did well to contain them.I actually like mine crispy.

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    1. I am probably going to have to make some this weekend just to be in solidarity with those down under!

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  11. They look yummy! Thanks for the recipe.

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  12. I have been on a real baking kick. Will list the supplies I need to make these and fix them for my grandson coming next week.

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