Healthy Anzac Biscuits
Celebrate Anzac Day (or any day) with these deliciously Healthy Anzac Biscuits, made with wholesome ingredients – no golden syrup or dairy. A chewy, tasty spin on the original.
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These Healthy Anzac Cookies are a coconut lovers delight. Other coconut faves include these Coconut Macaroons and this Coconut Cashew Bars recipe. Check out all of our Healthier Cookie recipes for inspiration.
IN THIS POST: Everything you need to make Healthy Anzac Biscuits
Why I made these biscuits
These Chewy Anzac Biscuits became a personal project after becoming slightly obsessed with an Australian author.
I’ve been reading anything by Liane Moriarty that I can get my hands on. All of her books were wait-listed at the library which confirms her awesomeness and I am a huge fan.
One of her novels is called ‘The Hypnotist’s Love Story’ and in it, one of the characters bakes a batch of Anzac Biscuits.
I had never heard of them.
I knew that biscuits generally mean cookies but the rest was a mystery. After a quick visit to good old Google’s search bar, I learned that Anzac Biscuits are associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), and these sweet treats were sent out to Aussie and Kiwi troops during WW1. Being eggless made them safe to travel without spoiling.
They are a classic.
Ingredients for this recipe
- rolled oats – adds texture and chewiness to the cookies
- spelt flour – this is a healthier option than white flour which is easier to digest and contains more protein
- coconut – use unsweetened
- coconut sugar – helps to lock in moisture and keeps the cookies chewy – this replaces brown sugar
- coconut oil – adds a slight coconut taste and makes for a soft cookie
- maple syrup – beautiful caramel-like sweetness
- baking soda – called bicarb soda in Australia, this adds to the chewiness
- boiling water – the baking soda gets dissolved in the water to kick start the action as these don’t bake for very long
Instructions
Start by preheating the oven and lining a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Next, in a large bowl, combine the oats, spelt flour, coconut, and coconut sugar and stir well to combine. Set the bowl aside.
Next, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt together the coconut oil and maple syrup.
Then, in a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water.
Pour the baking soda mixture into the melted coconut oil, and remove it from the heat.
Stir it in well.
Finally, pour the coconut oil mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined.
Roll out tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place them three across on the baking tray.
Be sure to leave room in between as these cookies will spread out.
Bake for 8-12 minutes.
A shorter baking time results in a chewier cookie.
Leave them in longer for a crispy version.
FAQS, Tips, and Substitutions
- What is the difference between biscuits and cookies? It is all simply terminology. In Australia, New Zealand, and the UK they are called biscuits, and in North America, we refer to them as cookies.
- For chewier cookies, bake these for about 8 minutes, If you want a classic crispy taste bake a little longer.
- Store these cookies at room temperature or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Add a tsp of ground ginger for a hint of spice.
- For gluten-free anzac biscuits substitute a gluten-free flour such as Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour.
More healthy cookie recipes
- No Bake Chocolate Coconut Cookies
- Chocolate Protein Cookies
- Ginger Almond Flour Cookies
- Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies
**This recipe was originally posted on January 1, 2018, and updated on April 14, 2023.**
If you’ve tried this Healthy Anzac Biscuit recipe, please rate them and let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment below. I’m always interested in feedback!
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Healthy Anzac Biscuits
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup spelt flour
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, spelt flour, coconut, and coconut sugar and stir well. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt together the coconut oil and maple syrup.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda into the boiling water. Pour the baking soda/water into the melted coconut oil. Remove from the heat and stir well.
- Pour the coconut oil mixture over the dry mixture and stir until fully combined.
- Roll tablespoon-sized balls and place three across on the baking sheet, leaving room between each as they will spread a bit.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. A shorter bake time means a chewier cookie – longer for crispier.
Video
Notes
- For chewier cookies, bake these for about 8 minutes, If you want a classic crispy taste bake a little longer.
- Store these cookies at room temperature or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Add a tsp of ground ginger for a hint of spice.
- For gluten-free anzac biscuits substitute a gluten-free flour such as Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour.
I really love these cookies. They are chewy! And I love crisp, soft, chewy cookies and these were just that. And they were easy to make … bonus!
These were so good! We really enjoyed them and loved the taste and texture they had. So good!
I was curious to try these as I had not heard of them before. I love coconut and excited that they are dairy free. They turned out delicious!
These Anzac biscuits tasted sooo good and addicting! Love having these with a whipped cream on top!
I love the crunchiness of these cookies. The coconut gives it such a wonderful flavor and they are so delicious. Will make them again as we all loved them.
5 stars! I had never heard of ANZAC biscuits but found this recipe due in part of a 52 week baking challenge on Reddit. (Week 4=Australian) I followed the recipe as written with the exception of spelt flour. My store didn’t have it, so I used whole wheat flour and added a couple of extra tablespoons of water at the end because the batter was a bit crumbly. They turned out so well and taste amazing!
I will make these again!
I had never heard of them either! I’m so glad you tried them. I’ve made this recipe a bunch of times too. I love that chewy factor!
Anzac bickies are 100% Australian. Can you please change this? Anzac is an acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corp. They are delicious though!
Hi Kate! Thanks for visiting. Anzac biscuits are 100% Aussie! No disputing that here. I refer to them as Australian in the first line of the post. 🙂 What is it that you would like me to change?
These look delicious. I love your take on these, making them healthier. I always love using coconut oil in baking so it’s good to see it in there!
I’ll admit, I’m not normally big on subbing in coconut oil because I find that everything ends up tasting vaguely tropical – BUT – I make an exception when there’s already coconut on-board, as is the case with this delicious looking recipe! They look wonderfully chewy and tasty. And I’m glad you were able to take care of our rare West-Coast windows of sunshine. I personally can’t wait for them anymore, and do most of my shooting with full-spectrum lights!
I should consider lights. And I’m so glad you’re on board with the coconut oil. It really does work well on these. Thanks Sean!
Love that you used oats and spelt flour in these cookies! And coconut sugar, my favorite! Anzac cookies are so good and yours look amazing!
All my favourite swaps! Thanks Nicoletta. 😊
Hi, Sharon! I am delighted to see your recipe for Anzac Cookies, and am particularly pleased that it is dairy free. I am looking forward to baking up a batch with the kiddies soon. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Denise! My big kiddo (45) loved these. Hope yours enjoy!
I loved Liane Moriarty last year! Such fun reads. ANZAC biscuits are so tasty – I like how you switched them up to make them a bit more healthy. Let’s hope there will be a new book out this year to enjoy!
That would be awesome! I’ve already burned through almost all of her books. Maybe I’ll be inspired to try another Aussie classic!
I love coconut in baked goods, and these cookies sound so delightfully chewy. They look easy to make too. Thanks for sharing!
Coconut is such a great ingredient. Thanks Colleen. 😊