ANZAC biscuits were a favourite growing up in our house and I’m sure they were for our parents too because they are so simple and quick to put together. The front line Australian and New Zealander Army Corp (ANZAC) fighting during WWI used to receive the biscuits as part of their regular care packages sent from home and the soldiers loved them! Apart from the Pavlova that divides the two countries it’s the ANZAC biscuit that reminds us about looking after our cousins across the ditch.
We have altered the recipe to make it a modern version given the changes in peoples diets. Ours are gluten free and darker in colour as opposed to the traditional golden colour. The traditional golden colour comes from golden syrup which is a highly process sugar. We instead made a maleo syrup to replace the golden syrup and it works just as well! We also used coconut sugar which contributed to the darker colour.
And… even though they might look darker they taste just as great!
Here’s what you need:
- 1 cup gluten free oats
- 2/3 cup sifted buckwheat flour
- 1/3 cup sifted tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup coconut (or Demuera or Rapadura sugar)
- 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
- 125g (40oz) butter
- 2 Tbsp Maleo syrup (*see below)
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 Tbsp boiling water
How to make Maleo Syrup
Place 1 cup coconut sugar (or Demuera or Rapadura sugar) into a saucepan and add 1/2 cup of water and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Here’s how to put it together:
- Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius
- Combine oats, sifted flours, sugar and coconut into a mixing bowl and set aside
- Combine the butter and the maleo syrup in a small saucepan and stir over a gentle heat until melted, careful not to bun the butter
- Mix bicarbonate of soda with the boiling water and once mixed add to the melted butter mixture in the saucepan
- Once frothed up mix the saucepan ingredients into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir to combine well
- Place spoonfuls of the ANZAC mixture onto a biscuit (cookie) tray lined with baking paper and allow room for spreading
- Cook for 20 mins and then remove from the oven
- Place on a cooling rake
- Enjoy!
The recipe made 20 medium sized ANZAC biscuits. If small kids in the house it would make about 25. Store in an air tight container for about 7 days. However, ours were ALL eaten in 24 hours!