Did you know there are rules about what can and can’t be called an Anzac Biscuit? It’s always ‘biscuit’ and never ‘cookie’ btw; calling it a cookie would be very un-Australian apparently. For a biscuit to be an ‘Anzac’ biscuit it has to conform to the traditional recipe, with ingredients readily available during wartime (eggs were particularly scarce) which would contribute to a long shelf life. Ostentatious decisions such as chocolate dipping or adding fruit and nuts are frowned upon by the Minster for Veterans’ Affairs. It’s serious business to go around referring to any old biscuit as an ‘Anzac’.
Sweet Anzac biscuits are themselves a variation of the original hard-tack soldier’s biscuits enjoyed by Anzac soldier’s in WWI and there are now countless (unapproved) adaptations on the commonly approved recipe of flour, oats, coconut and golden syrup. This is my new favourite version to bake on April 25th; they’re wheat-free and vegan with wholemeal spelt, coconut oil and coconut sugar.
Golden syrup alternatives
So my question today is, is it un-Australian to drop the golden syrup, an iconic Anzac Biscuit ingredient? A highly processed, partially inverted sweetener, golden syrup is produced by partially splitting sucrose into glucose and fructose when treating sugar with hydrochloric acid. This resulting sugar solution is highly acidic so is then later treated with lye to make it neutral. Yeah… I’m not eating that.
The problem then is the very unique flavour golden syrup conveys to baked goods. I’ve used honey as a 1-1 substitute and it does work, but honey have it’s own very unique and often overpowering flavour. A combo of molasses and maple syrup in a 2:1 ratio or honey and maple syrup 1:1 is another suitable choice, though it’s a bit less tacky for binding. The best choice I’ve found though is to make your own golden syrup substitute using an unrefined sugar, good quality vinegar and a little water. Check out the recipe notes for the easy instructions and then choose the best substitute for you to enjoy some yummy biscuits with me this Anzac Day.
- 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup coconut sugar (or other unrefined sugar)
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 2 tbsp golden syrup substitute (see recipe notes)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp water
- Preheat over to 170C, line and grease two baking trays. Mix the flour, rolled oats, sugar and coconut in a large bowl.
- Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat and add the golden syrup substitute, water and bicarb soda, .
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the golden syrup mixture, mixing thoroughly.
- Roll tablespoon amounts of dough into balls and place on prepared trays, flattening slightly with palm of hand. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
1. Replace the amount of golden syrup required with the same amount of honey. The resulting baked good will have a distinct honey taste.
2. Replace the golden syrup with 1 part honey and 1 part molasses, or 2 parts molasses and 1 part maple syrup. These sweetener combos will be less 'tacky' than using golden syrup or straight honey.
3. Make your own homemade golden syrup substitute: Heat ¼ cup coconut, rapadura or other unrefined sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Sprinkle a teaspoon of water with ½ teaspoon of white wine vinegar vinegar and sprinkle this mixture over sugar. Cook over a low heat and cook 4-5 minutes, without stirring. After 5 minutes, increase to a medium heat and cook for another five minutes unill sugar mixture forms a syrup with a rich caramel color. Wait until the mixture stops bubbling and then stir well and remove the pan from heat. Use the desired amount in any recipe that requires golden syrup.
Comments 13
These look fantastic! Never tried a biscuit like this before.
Author
They are pretty fantastic Natalie! They aren’t anything fancy but always very popular 😀 thanks for the comment!
YUM!!
I’m from the USA and spent 1.5 years in New Zealand from 2000-2001. LOVED ANZAC biscuits and haven’t had them since. I must admit, I also loved anything with golden syrup in it (hello! Hokey Pokey ice cream, anyone!) but haven’t found a suitable substitute for it since. And then I cleaned up my eating, so I wasn’t going to even try. THANK YOU for giving me a natural way to make golden syrup (and a biscuit recipe I can feed my kids without too much sugar-guilt!
Author
Hokey Pokey ice cream! Oh me and that ice cream flavour share some fond memories too hehehe 😀 Glad you like the recipe Ali, let me know how you go with it!
Golden Syrup, I have never hear of it but it sounds delicious.
Author
Thanks for the comment Reba, golden syrup is used a lot in the UK, Australia and New Zealand and is one of the traditionally used ingredients in Anzac Biscuits as it helps give them a long shelf-life. I have never really been a fan even though it does have a rich buttery sort of taste, it’s too refined for my uses I’m afraid.
Hi Alison,
Your Anzac Biscuits look delicious. Your recipe is fabulous and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Have a great weekend and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Author
Thanks Miz Helen and thank you for hosting Full Plate Thursdays! See you soon 🙂
Thanks Alison! I was searching for a wheat-free/lactose-free Anzac biscuit recipe and your recipe put me on the right track. I have just made a batch after being to the dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. Yummy and crunchy! Very happy kids and hubby!
Author
Sorry for the late reply Tania, I’ve been away from blogging for a little while. I’m glad the biscuits went down a treat! I’ve been making these once a month or so lately and they never fail to please! Thanks for the comment 😀
How do you not know that spelt is a wheat flour? A different species but definitely wheat with most of the same characteristics. I hope no one makes these thinking they are wheat free! Don’t think I’ll be eating golden syrup again though.
Author
Thanks for the comment Julie, in Australia spelt is recognised as being a different species to wheat – because it is not wheat, though it is closely related. Please see here for my standard answer and here for more information about the FDA classification of spelt as wheat.
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