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My sugar free Anzac biscuit recipe yields crispy, crunchy biscuits with the perfect sweetness from golden syrup. They’re ready in 20 minutes, and my family can’t get enough of them!
If you need more sugar-free cookie recipes, try my sugar-free cookies, sugar-free chocolate chip cookies, or sugar-free meringue cookies next!
Table of Contents
Ask any Australian or Kiwi foodie what their staple treat is, and I guarantee they’ll tell you the same… Anzac biscuits!
That’s because these crunchy biscuits are wholly unique. They have a texture similar to gluten-free biscotti and are known for being crispy and sweetened with golden syrup, just like British flapjacks.
Why I love this recipe
- Diet-friendly. They’re naturally egg and dairy free, and you can easily make them gluten-free or low-carb.
- Convenient. I’ll explain how you can easily make your own golden syrup… or how to substitute it entirely.
- The perfect texture. Classic Anzac biscuits were incredibly dry, which is why my healthy Anzac biscuits are a bit softer and more chewy.
- They last forever. These biscuits were made to last, so there’s no pressure to eat them all in one sitting, although they don’t last long in my house!
Key ingredients
- Quick oats. I usually recommend rolled oats, but I’ve found the texture of quick oats works best in this recipe.
- Flour. Regular all-purpose flour is all you need here, or you can use a gluten-free flour blend, but make sure it has xanthan gum.
- Granulated sugar-free sweetener. I use keto brown sugar for the molasses flavor, though you could use any sweetener you prefer. If you’re not strictly sugar-free, use coconut sugar.
- Shredded coconut. AKA desiccated coconut. Preferably unsweetened since there’s enough sweetness in the biscuits already.
- Butter. I used unsalted butter so the biscuits aren’t too salty.
- Golden syrup. An extra sticky syrup that’s popular in Australia and the UK. It’s hard to find in America, so I’d recommend using 1 part molasses to 3 parts honey or just use equal parts honey.
- Baking soda. To help add a little bit of air to the biscuits.
How to make sugar free Anzac biscuits
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2- Mix. Combine the oats, flour, sweetener, and coconut in a bowl.
Step 3- Melt the syrup. In a small bowl, microwave the butter and golden syrup until combined.
Step 4- Make the dough. Stir the baking soda into the butter mixture, add it to the dry ingredients, and mix until you have a smooth dough.
Step 5- Bake. Form dough balls, place them on the baking tray, and flatten them slightly. Bake until they’re golden and slightly crispy.
Step 6- Cool. Let the biscuits sit for several minutes before cooling completely on a wire rack.
Arman’s recipe tips
- You have to add the baking soda to the wet ingredients. It creates an interesting chemical reaction that gives the cookies extra crunch.
- Avoid over-baking the biscuits. They’re meant to be crispy, but they will continue to firm up after they’re removed from the oven, so don’t worry if they’re slightly soft when you pull them out.
- Make chewy cookies. Anzac cookies are traditionally quite crisp, but sometimes I prefer them a little softer, so I’ll reduce the baking time by a few minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Your biscuits may not be crunchy if they are underbaked or if the sweetener adds too much moisture. For super crispy biscuits, use a granulated sweetener like allulose and bake them until they’re golden brown and the edges lift from the baking sheet.
The difference comes down to baking time. If you prefer crispy, hard biscuits, bake them for at least 15 minutes. If you want softer, chewier biscuits, reduce the baking time to 12 minutes.
More sugar-free desserts
- Sugar-free fudge
- Sugar-free ice cream
- Sugar-free Kit Kats
- Sugar-free pudding
- Or any of these sugar-free desserts
Sugar Free Anzac Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour can sub for standard if not gluten free
- 1/3 cup allulose 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 baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C/320F and line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the quick oats, flour, 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 baking 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 12-15 minutes or until golden on top.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
One question. Is quick oats the same as instant oats?
What are the macros in these?
Not sure! You are welcome to use myfitnesspal or similar to calculate them.
I added a tablespoon of boiling water to the butter and golden syrup as last time I made them they were a bit dry and stayed as balls. They turned out better.
Thanks for the gluten and refined sugar free recipe! My hubby is on a special diet and this fits the bill and I ‘had’ to make Anzac biscuits today for Anzac Day!
I love Anzac biscuits, your recipe looks great! I lived in Australia for a year in 1995 and did the working holiday visa thing and traveled around a bit, I’d love to come back sometime 🙂 Do you know if Vegemite is gluten free? I see it sometimes in the international section in some of the stores here.
Oh wow- Sheena I’m about to go do that but in America!
Vegemite isn’t GF but they have a substitute brand which is but just between us, it’s not very good!
I figured it wouldn’t be gluten free, marmite isn’t either. I hope you have a great trip to the USA! we’ve been living in Mississippi since 2008, I’m from Scotland though 🙂
Oh wow- If I come past Mississippi we shall grab coffee and lament at how terrible marmite is compared to vegemite! 😉
What is golden syrup? I live in Canada and would love to make these cookies for my Vegan & Vegetarian deli, http://www.thehealthyearth.com
Golden syrup is a milder version of maple- Although I think Agave would be a better substitute 🙂
They look wonderful, crispy around the edges and nice and golden!
These anzac biscuits look lovely, Arman. I remember a friend of mine moved from Australia to the US several years ago and wanted to make some and discovered to her horror that golden syrup was not a popular item around here 🙂 She finally found some, but the cultural contrast was huge. And nobody knew what anzac biscuits were so she insisted on making some for everyone! 🙂
Thanks so much Audrey! I know, right! I tried to make them for a friend there and used maple but it just wasn’t the same! 🙁
Ooh! These look so good. I’ve never had regular anzac biscuits, so I guess I wouldn’t know the difference. They sound amazing, too.
Haha, I hope you try it out Heidi- Then if you come across one, you can say you’ve had a better one 😉
My followers will love this healthier version of this cookie. Thank for you hard work bringing vegan and refined sugar fee recipes to the GF community.
No, thank YOU for the motivation to continue with it 🙂 I’m trying to find the happy balance of sugar free and gluten free baking!
I’ve always hear of Anzac biscuits but never knew about that acronym – sweet! I gotta try these now.
Please do Deanna- They are delicious and super simple!
yum! I love buttery coconut cookies…we would do the coconut oil version, and use palm sugar and honey to replace the other sweeteners! Thanks!
Please do, Tessa!
I love anzac biscuits – I made them for the first time several years ago and was so surprised by how easy they were to make and so delicious!
I’m so stoked you’ve tried it before Jeanette- So good!
Anzac is definitely a new word for me. And also, it sounds borderline insulting to say hey Arman, your mother made me Anzac. =)
Hahahahaha. Come to Australia and say it to her. She won Fran 😉
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 😉
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!
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!
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 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 😉
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!
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.
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!
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.
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! 🙂
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!
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!
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
LOL! These biscuits look divine, by the way!
Thank you! They are so good!
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.