Martha Stewart Anzac Biscuits

Martha Stewart Anzac biscuits are an easy oat cookie made with rolled oats, desiccated coconut and Lyle's Golden Syrup, ready in 30 minutes. This simple eggless Anzac cookie recipe fits afternoon tea, holiday cookie trays, potluck tables and care packages for friends far from home.

Pack the ice-cream scoop tightly with dough before you drop each cookie onto the sheet, because the mixture is very crumbly. Loosely scooped dough falls apart on the pan and bakes into ragged, uneven biscuits.

Martha dissolves the baking soda in boiling water and stirs it into melted butter and Lyle's Golden Syrup, so the cookies get their chew without any eggs. Using a small ice-cream scoop also makes all three dozen the same size, so they bake evenly on the same tray.

Martha Stewart Anzac Biscuits

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, AustralianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

36

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

140

kcal

These oat and coconut cookies bake up golden and firm on the outside with a chewy, buttery middle. The golden syrup gives them a deep caramel flavor that keeps well for days.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  

• 2 cups rolled oats
  

• 2 cups sugar
  

• 1 cup desiccated coconut
  

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  

• 2 tablespoons Lyle's Golden Syrup
  

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  

• 1/4 cup boiling water
  

Directions

• Prep the pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Then combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups rolled oats, 2 cups sugar and 1 cup desiccated coconut in a large bowl and set it aside.
• Melt the butter: Melt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons Lyle's Golden Syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. While it melts, dissolve 3/4 teaspoon baking soda in 1/4 cup boiling water.
• Combine the wet mixture: Add the baking soda water to the butter mixture and stir to combine. Watch it closely, because hot butter bubbles up considerably when the soda goes in.
• Mix the dough: Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly moistened. The dough will look very crumbly, and that is exactly what you want at this point.
• Scoop and flatten: Pack a 1 1/2-inch ice-cream scoop tightly with dough and drop it onto the prepared sheets, about 2 inches apart. Then flatten each cookie slightly with the heel of your hand so it bakes evenly.
• Bake the biscuits: Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown and firm but not hard. Then move them to wire racks and let them cool completely.

Tools for this recipe

• OXO medium cookie scoop, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, Checkered Chef cooling racks. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Why is my Anzac biscuit dough so crumbly?

A crumbly dough is normal here, since there are no eggs to bind it. Pack the scoop tightly and press each cookie down with the heel of your hand so it holds together on the pan.

Can I use something other than Lyle's Golden Syrup?

Light corn syrup or honey works as a substitute, though the caramel flavor will be milder. Measure the same 2 tablespoons so the dough keeps its texture.

How long do Anzac biscuits keep?

Once they are fully cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They were made to survive long voyages, so they hold up well in a cookie tin.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

I would bake them the same day, because the baking soda reacts as soon as it hits the butter and the dough loses lift as it sits. Baked biscuits can be frozen in a sealed bag for up to 2 months.

What is the most common mistake with this recipe?

Overbaking is the big one, since the cookies firm up as they cool on the rack. Pull them at golden brown after about 15 minutes, because waiting until they feel hard in the oven makes them dry and brittle.