Anzac biscuits are nationally celebrated in New Zealand and have long been associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) established in World War I.

As the story goes, the biscuits were made by wives, girlfriends, mothers and women’s groups to send to soldiers abroad during WWI because the ingredients did not spoil easily, and kept well for long periods of time during navel transportation. 

The traditional recipe for the sweet biscuit included oats, coconut (if available) and golden syrup as the binding agent. No eggs were used in the traditional recipe as they were scarce during wartime and would affect the "keeping" qualities. 

Nowadays there are countless versions of the ANZAC biscuit and in commemoration of ANZAC Day, April 25, our Head Chef at Matakauri Lodge, shares his twist on this New Zealand traditional favourite. 

ANZAC Biscuit Recipe

Makes: about 30
Prep time: 5 minutes 
Cook time: 15 -18 minutes

Ingredients:

120gm rolled oats

75gm desiccated coconut

170gm plain flour

210gm castor sugar

6gm sea salt

125gm unsalted butter, melted

120gm golden syrup

30gm water, boiling

1 egg white

Method:

Preheat oven to Bake 170°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

1. Add all the dry ingredients into a food processor and blend to a coarse consistency, then transport to a standard mixing bowl.

2. In a small separate bowl, combine the melted butter, golden syrup and boiling water, mixing well.

3. Add the liquid butter mixture and egg white to the dry ingredients and mix well until all ingredients have just combined. 

4. Place the mixture in the fridge and allow to cool, recommend 10 – 30 minutes.

5. Portion and roll the mixture into balls and arrange on prepared baking tray. Flatten slightly with the back of a fork and bake at 170°C for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Once cooked, place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Enjoy with a cup of tea or a glass of cold milk!

Note: Putting the mixture in the fridge helps when portioning and rolling the mixture as the butter has slightly hardened, this also helps the biscuits to keep their shape while baking.