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Chewy coconut cookies (Anzac biscuits)

Published: 31 Aug 19
Updated: 18 Mar 24

In Australia, Anzac Day (on 25 April) is commemorated with these coconut cookies. The biscuits were sent by wives and women’s groups to soldiers abroad because the ingredients do not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation.

The crisp-around-the-edges and chewy-in-the-centre cookies have great dunkability, making them perfect with a cup of tea.

Easy
August 2019

Test kitchen approved

Makes 25
Hands-on time 15 min, oven time 15 min

The crisp-around-the-edges and chewy-in-the-centre cookies have great dunkability, making them perfect with a cup of tea.

Nutrition: Per biscuit

Calories: 114
Fat: 5.7g (3.7g saturated)
Protein: 1.2g
Carbohydrates: 14.1g (7.1g sugars)
Fibre: 0.9g
Salt: 0.2g

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Ingredients

90g rolled porridge oats
150g plain flour
50g desiccated coconut
150g granulated sugar
125g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp boiling water

You’ll also need…

2 large, lightly greased non-stick baking sheets

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Method

Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3. Mix the porridge oats, flour, desiccated coconut and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Put the butter and golden syrup in a large pan, place over a medium heat and leave to melt. Remove from the heat. Put the bicarbonate of soda in a ramekin and stir in the boiling water. Add to the butter mixture and swirl the pan to mix (it will froth up).
Add the butter/bicarb mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Roll tablespoons of the mixture into walnut-size balls. Place them about 5cm apart on the prepared baking trays and flatten slightly with the heel of your hand.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until a deep golden brown. Remove the biscuits from the oven and leave on the baking trays for 5-6 minutes to firm up a little. Loosen with a palette knife, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Store in an airtight tin.

Recipe from August 2019 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 114
Fat: 5.7g (3.7g saturated)
Protein: 1.2g
Carbohydrates: 14.1g (7.1g sugars)
Fibre: 0.9g
Salt: 0.2g

delicious. tips

These will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
These delicious chewy biscuits, popular in Australia and New Zealand, are associated with the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzacs), established in World War I. The biscuits were baked by women’s groups and sent to soldiers serving abroad, from ingredients that didn’t spoil easily and were readily available (hence the omission of eggs, which were hard to come by). They’re often baked to mark Anzac Day (25 April).