With Easter behind us, the nation once again prepares to turn its attention to ANZAC Day. It may be ‘just another day off’ for some, but for many April 25th is a day of deeply emotional remembrance and reflection. Initially born out of the tragic events that occurred on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25th April 1915, ANZAC Day now has much further reaching significance. With 8,000 Australian and New Zealand personnel dead in just 8 months in Turkey, lives have continued to be lost in multiple wars across the globe - right up to the present day in Ukraine.   

 

ANZAC Day has become a day of commemoration for the lives lost and a time for reflection on the futility of war and the pain of loss felt by so many. Veterans of all generations and genders come together on 25th April to recognise those who served in the past and those who are currently serving. 

That commemoration is brought to life in many ways but a constant has been the unwavering work of CWAs, RSL volunteers, school groups, and families of veterans across the nation, baking batches of ANZAC biscuits to mark the occasion. Everyone has their own tweaks to the recipe and there is often heated discussion over how big, how thin, how crispy, or how chewy they should be. Regardless of how they come out of the oven, ANZAC biscuits have become a heartwarming shared tradition in what is often a sombre occasion.

 

Their origin story lies in care packages sent to the home front, and their recipe evolved from the availability of staple ingredients that would last the journey without spoiling. The essentials are rolled oats, flour, something sweet and butter but the creative license, of course, plays into any recipe made in modern-day Australia. 

Traditionally the recipe used golden syrup which gives the biscuits their sweet and chewy texture and desiccated coconut was added in some circles for extra calories and flavour. There are countless variations of the original recipe but a great starting point is the one we have put together for you below.⁣

INGREDIENTS⁣

1 and 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted⁣

1 cup rolled oats⁣

1/2 cup caster sugar⁣

3/4 cup desiccated coconut⁣

150g unsalted butter, chopped⁣

3 tablespoons golden syrup

1 and a 1/2 teaspoons water.⁣

1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda.⁣

⁣

METHOD⁣

Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a flat tray with baking paper ready for the biscuit mixture to be laid onto. Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and combine them. On low heat, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the golden syrup to thin it out slightly. Pour this butter and syrup combination over the dry mixture, roll your sleeves up, get your hands dirty, and mix everything together well. 

 

Once the ingredients look well combined, spoon the mixture - a tablespoon at a time - onto the baking tray, flattening each one gently with the back of the spoon as you go, to form large flat cookies. Leave some space between each one as they will spread - ideally, they are about the size of a standard drink coaster when cooled. Bake for about 8 minutes or until golden colour. They may seem soft when first baked but will become crispier and chewier as they cool. 

 

Not everyone can get to a service or an RSL, so ANZAC biscuits are a great way of sharing the spirit of remembrance amongst your community on ANZAC Day. They are easy to make, and a still-warm package of homemade biscuits may just make the day of someone who’s doing it tough as they soldier on alone with their thoughts.   

Carry On has been supporting Veterans and their families by providing help where they need it most: housing, advocacy, education, and financial support. Help us make a difference and reach more Veterans and their families in need in times of hardship and make a donation this ANZAC Day.