My Grandma’s ANZAC Biscuits - An Heirloom Recipe Series

A Tried and Tested Family Recipe - Extra Food Chat with Kath

Welcome to another edition of Extra Food Chat with Kath!

Since ANZAC Day is next week, I thought I’d share my Grandma’s ANZAC Biscuit recipe with you.

This is a recipe I recall my Grandma making often, and one of the earlier recipes I began making in my own.

There is something very comforting about this recipe, and it’s a recipe that despite the other ANZAC Biscuit recipes out there, can never be topped for me. Each time I try another recipe, or buy an ANZAC Biscuit I think, ‘Grandma’s recipe is better!’.

It’s probably the comfort and nostalgia talking when I think that, as I’m sure many of you have tried, tested and loved ANZAC Biscuit recipes too, which wouldn’t differ much from the recipe below.

Me with my Grandma (I was about three I think), eating one of her ANZACs!

There are some pretty basic elements to an ANZAC Biscuit, but without them I don’t think the recipe could be considered an ANZAC Biscuit recipe. ANZAC’s must have oats and coconut, no eggs, golden syrup and bicarb soda. Plain flour not self raising, a little water, and sugar.

The type of coconut used and the type of sugar are the only elements that can be changed (according to me!). I like using desiccated, shredded or flaked coconut and mixing up the sugar between brown and caster is nice too. Brown sugar will give a more chewy texture, and caster a more crisp texture. A mixture of the two can be a nice middle ground.

I also have issues with recipes that call themselves ANZAC’s but have some added element like seeds or chocolate. Sorry, that’s not an ANZAC! It’s an oat biscuit with seeds or chocolate, a good biscuit I’m sure but I can’t call it an ANZAC.

Ok rant over!

ANZAC Biscuits have a special heritage in Australia, being a biscuit that was sent off to soldiers in WW1 as they were sturdy and had a longer shelf life than many other baked goods. My Grandma’s father served in WW1, I wonder if he ever received a package with ANZAC biscuits in it? Or if it was even a biscuit he enjoyed at all?