An Australian classic biscuit gets a healthier makeover- Vegan, gluten free, granulated sugar free; These biscuits (cookies) take less than 20 minutes from prep to plate!
*Please note- These are not completely sugar free. They are granulated sugar free but have sweetness added via golden syrup*
There’s been a handful of recipes I’ve stolen from my mum over the last year. These include her slow roasted Persian chicken, eggplant dip and her crispy flourless peanut butter cookies. Today, however, is the first time I’m sharing a recipe of hers which she physically had physically made herself for the blog- Classic Anzac Biscuits.
For those outside of Australia and New Zealand, the term ‘Anzac’ may seem foreign to them so let me explain it to you. ANZAC is simply the acronym for ‘Australia and New Zealand Army Corps‘. The 25th of April marks the day of remembrance for the soldiers who lost their lives in battle at Gallipoli during World War 1. I’ve discussed more on this day in keto pancakes.
I still recall the first time I ate an Anzac biscuit as a kid. It was a weekend when I was in primary school and mum wanted to treat Niki and myself to some cookies. She asked which cookie we’d like and we both said chocolate chip cookies.
She proceeded to make Anzac biscuits instead.
My sister and I were NOT happy campers. Rather, I was not a happy camper and Niki was the age where she played the copycat game with me (Anyone with younger siblings here remember that?) and followed suite. Why ask us what cookies we wanted if she had intentions to make Anzac biscuits from the get go?
My mum refrained from chasing us with wooden spoons and tried to explain her reasoning. A few weeks earlier I had complained to my mum about how her cooking was “un-Australian.” Day after day she’d make traditional Persian dishes, Asian inspired stir fries and European style casseroles. Any human with common sense would be appreciative of having a mother treat them every night to such meals but being the stubborn, easily influenced chicken I was growing up, this was not the case.
I’d compare them to the fish fingers, schnitzels and steak with 3 veggies my fellow class mates would be dining on. After my little outburst, my mum tried to make more of an effort to change dinners up. She started buying frozen fish fingers from the supermarket and her saffron stopped getting daily usage.
I was under the guise that this new change was only reserved to dinner time but my mother had other ideas. Her traditional baklava, Persian bran muffins and homemade chocolate chip cookies were now getting the new ‘Australian’ makeover too- Starting with Anzac biscuits. If Niki and I were opposed to her typical dinners, then we clearly were opposed to her typical desserts and treats. She proceeded to make the cookies and my sister and I reluctantly ate them. Rather, I reluctantly ate them and Niki pretended to mope while her body language said otherwise.
My mum tried to gloat to us but was too busy mopping up the golden syrup she’d conveniently spilt over the benchtop.
Serves her right for not making chocolate chip cookies.
***
Whilst made by my mum, these Anzac biscuits are not her original recipe. I requested she try one I’d seen last month in a free supermarket magazine which was granulated sugar free and didn’t use eggs, making them vegan friendly. I was pleasantly surprised that there was no bitter aftertaste and the cookies still came out dense, slightly crispy and with the delicious taste of golden syrup and coconut coming through.
These sugar free Anzac biscuits are a vegan, gluten free and granulated sugar free. A simple ingredient list and short cooking time means they could not be any easier to whip up. The only ‘added sugar’ comes from the tiny amount of golden syrup which ‘makes’ the cookies. For those who don’t have access to it, sub it for maple syrup.
Make these Sugar Free Anzac Biscuits and pretend my mum made them….making you instantly Australian.
Sugar Free Anzac Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten free quick oats
- 1 cup gluten free flour can sub for standard if not gluten free
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar free sweetener of choice can sub for coconut or brown sugar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter can sub for coconut oil
- 2 tablespoon golden syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 140 degrees celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the quick oats, flour, granulated sweetener and unsweetened coconut and mix until combined.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter and golden syrup and heat for approximately 1 minute, until just melted.
- Add the bicarb soda to the butter mixture before transferring immediately to the dry mixture. Mix very well until fully incorporated. Form balls with the batter (approximately 1-2 tablespoons) and place on the lined baking tray. Flatten each one slightly and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until golden on top.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Linking up with these amazing parties-simple supper Tuesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Saturday Sharefest, DIY With the SITS and some weekend pot luck lovin
Have you ever heard of Anzac biscuits (cookies)?
Did you ever compare your home made meals to your friends?
All time favourite cookie? Long term readers know for me, it’s these ones.
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I must admit that I’ve never heard of Anzac cookies before, but these sound super delicious. And super easy to make. Of course, they aren’t as easy as chocolate chip cookies! 😉
Love the story behind these, too, mate. You might have to pack these in your suitcase for your U.S. trip, too. Just sayin’. That suitcase is gonna get a little big…you better start lifting weights now so you’re ready!
Mate, I’ve got Anzac Cookies, Tim Tams and……. Vegemite for you.
Just promise me you won’t watch the viral video of American’s trying Vegemite.
LOL! These biscuits look divine, by the way!
Thank you! They are so good!
i love this story 🙂
thank you arman’s mom! as a korean, i always compared my mom’s attempts to make american food to my friends.. but as i got older, i came to appreciate my mom’s more 🙂
my mom’s spaghetti & homemade burgers were actually phenomenal, thanks to the excess use of fresh garlic!
Please get your mum to make me Korean food- I am obsessed with it- Especially the rice sticks!
oh, do you mean the chewy rice cakes in the red spicy sauce? is there pretty good korean food where you are? 😀
YES. That’s the one.
Well, they claim that the Korean food is good here but I have my doubts… :p
Enjoyed reading your story 🙂 I’ve never heard of Anzac biscuits, but they sound DELICIOUS! As in, I could eat 5 of those right now.
They are so good- Then again, you guys have Oreos!
Love that story! I always used to compare what I ate with my friends growing up. I was a little follower and if one of my friends didn’t like a food I decided I didn’t like it either. This must have been so frustrating for my parents!
Haha you and me both- I think I purposely hated broccoli as a kid because of it!
Dear Arman, I love your foodie makeovers! Another wonderful treat. There are two important factors in my book when it comes to cookies, color and crunch. These are by my definition perfect! Have a wonderful day, Catherine
Thanks Catherine! Those are my factors too- Unless they are the chewy kind! 🙂
Your poor mother. I can’t believed she tabled her saffron to feed you fish sticks instead. She should have chased you with that wooden spoon more often. Also, as badly as I feel for her, it was the same with me growing up. My mom made three course dinners every night with some type of meat, some kind of potato something, and a veggie. I hated everything but the potatoes and would beg for Kraft Mac & Cheese and Spaghettios with meatballs (pretty sure they weren’t actually meat). She mostly denied me so I would try to eat at friends houses whenever possible so I could get my fill of crappy food. Foolish kids.
I know right? I think I even made her cry once saying her food was abnormal and I wanted packaged frozen foods….oops.
I no joke made friends with one kid purely because he got given fruit loops.
oh yes, the golden syrup spills are no fun. Poor mum. So are these like hokey pokey… kinda?. I know the kiwi would love these if so
Cornbread, PLEASE tell me you loaded up on Golden Syrup….I may have to bring you some!
hahaha I think we all played that meal comparison game as kids. I did too, and I’d usually just end up jealous of my friends that got fruit gushers, fruit by the foot and dunkeroos in their lunches while all I got was chocolate pudding. Although chocolate pudding is amazing so maybe I should have appreciated that more.
So. Confession. I have a recipe for healthy dunkeroos. shhhhh 😉
Oh my God I loved fruit by the foot. I need to grocery shop in the kids section.
love that these have no added sugar! They look so good!
Thank you! I’ve been obsessed with trying things sugar free and NOT failing!
These look delicious- anything with coconut is a must try for me. I enjoyed reading your story too- pinning to make!
Thanks heaps, Lauren! Have a taste of Australia 😉
As these Anzac Biscuits are new to me I am totally intrigued! They sound right up my alley!
Thank you! Then again, you guys in America have some of the most amazing cookies ever
These cookies look and sound pretty amazing! I love hearing about your fond childhood memories surrounding you mum and all her efforts.
Thanks Laura! They are so easy to make!
Bahaha I’m sorry but there is an ad on the side of your page asking me to buy shapewear so that’s all I can concentrate on 😉
I digress…In all honestly, these cookies look great but I would obviously dip them in peanut butter or chocolate of some sort. I have to dip things…that’s the way I am. Oreos dipped in milk is my WEAKNESS. Best cookie ever and unintentionally vegan!
Haha, my ads are crazy! They are so good, I promise you won’t need peanut butter or chocolate!
I think we all used to compare our food to what our friends were getting; my mom always made he own sauce, but at my friends we got the stuff from the jar, which of course I loved way more I’ll definitely give these cookies a try :)-
Hahaha I can totally relate to that. Frozen pie > homemade pie! Please do- They are better than packaged ones 😉