Anzac biscuits recipe: Chewy or crunchy

How to make chewy or crunchy Anzac biscuits

One thing’s for certain, Anzac biscuits are one of the most iconic and loved biscuits in Australia. But another is not so certain… should they be chewy or crunchy?

The original Anzac biscuits were made by soldiers’ wives at home and sent overseas, where they could take months to reach their destination. To stay fresh on the journey, they were made extremely hard and tough. So you could say that the original Anzac biscuits were crunchy! But now you don’t need to wait months to receive a special package of biscuits, so have them any way you like. This is how to make either chewy or crunchy Anzac biscuits.

Crunchy Anzac biscuit recipe

• Prep: 15 Minutes

• Cook: 12 Minutes

• Makes: Approx. 18

INGREDIENTS

• 125g (½ block) Fairy margarine

• 3 tablespoons golden syrup

• ½ teaspoon bicarb soda

• 2 tablespoons hot water

• 150g (1 cup) plain flour, sifted

• 110g (½ cup) caster sugar

• 90g (1 cup) desiccated coconut

• 90g (1 cup) rolled oats

METHOD

1. Pre-heat oven to 150°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper

2. Melt Fairy and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat. Add the bicarb soda mixed with water

3. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, pour melted Fairy mixture into the centre and mix together

4. Roll heaped tablespoons of the mixture place on the prepared trays. Flatten the mix down with the palm of your hand until approx. 1cm

5. Bake for 10 -12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a cooling rack

This classic recipe is crisp and golden. If you’re wondering how to make them even crispier, flatten them a little bit more and bake them for a couple of minutes longer or until really golden. Be careful though, they’ll turn a shade darker once you take them out of the oven. Another tip is to make sure you let them fully cool on a rack before tucking in, then they’ll have time to crisp up completely.

Get the recipe to add to yourmyfoodbookcookbooks here: Traditional Anzac Biscuits

Printable recipe

Ready to start?

Get everything you need to make this recipe in a simple print-friendly format.

Print recipe

Chewy Anzac biscuit recipe

To make chewy biscuits, just swap out some sugar. Instead of using all caster sugar, substitute half for brown sugar and reduce the cook time by a 3-4 minutes. The extra molasses will give them a softer chew, and the reduced cook time will leave more moisture in the biscuit. If you want your biscuits even chewier, try flattening them a little less so that they’re chunkier. Bingo – the perfect chew.

CWA biscuit tips

The Country Women’s Association knows what they're talking about when it comes to classic Aussie baking. These are their extra tips:

• Use rolled oats, avoid using quick cook oats for the best texture.

• Make sure the flour is fully incorporated into the biscuit dough before baking, there shouldn’t be any dry spots.

• Keep the biscuits small, in case the Queen drops by for tea.

• Anzac biscuits freeze very well, so make extra. Freeze in an airtight container with baking paper between each layer.

More Anzac Day recipes

Here are more ways to enjoy the flavour of Anzac biscuits in slices and crumbles, plus more nostalgic Australian baking recipes.

Learn more about Fairy