With over 200 five star reviews, these easy Anzac Biscuits are a crowd favourite. Made with all the usual suspects, my recipe also includes brown butter for the most amazing toasty depth of flavour. These Anzac Biscuits come together in 30 minutes, and my post includes all the tips and tricks for making the perfect Anzac Biscuit!
Hi hi! I have another New Zealand recipe (and Australian this time) classic to share with you today - Homemade Anzac biscuits! If you haven’t heard of or tried Anzac biscuits before, you are in for a treat.
Anzac Biscuits are an Oat based biscuit (what we call cookies). They are a stir together situation so are quick to make, and are chewy and delicious. They are a great homemade cookie recipe to have on hand.
Here's what makes my Anzac Biscuits so special: The Brown Butter. Once you try them, you won't go back. Promise.
The Anzac Biscuit recipe came about during the first World War, when people still at home would make biscuits from their ration packs to sell to raise money for the war effort, and the ingredient list originated from what was available - flour, rolled oats, sugar, butter, golden syrup, coconut, and baking soda.
Anzac biscuits are made around Anzac day, which is the 25th of April. This marks the day that the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (hence the name Anzac) landed at Gallipoli in 1914 and is a day of remembrance.
Testing Variables for the perfect Anzac Biscuit
I did switch a couple of things up during my Anzac Biscuit Testing which I think made a difference to the final outcome. The variables I was playing around with were:
- Ratios of brown to white sugar
- Flour quantity used in the recipe
- Baking temperature for the Anzac biscuits
Ratio of brown to white sugar.
For the most part, as is with most cookie recipes, brown sugar gives you a thicker biscuit. White sugar promotes spreading. So, coming up with a balance of the two lead to a cookie that has a nice spread and bakes up flat but still has enough thickness to give some chew in the middle.
I definitely went both ways with this, making some that were totally flat and crunchy and a couple that were like rocks. It was really interesting to see how the final outcome was affected by that ratio.
Flour content.
This is a pretty standard one that I tweak when making a cookie recipe, playing around with the ratio of butter to flour to change how the cookie spreads. I added too much after the first test and my cookies hardly spread, so I dropped the quantity for the third test and we got there.
A note: I have made these a few times since coming home to New Zealand. I have been struggling with the biscuits spreading more which I think is due to a change in ingredient quality compared to the USA (I developed the recipe when I live in NYC) and found that increasing the flour by 20g means that the biscuits do not spread as much and I prefer the texture a little more. I have updated the recipe to include this, if you have had success making them with the 135g flour, please keep using this amount.
Oven temperature.
Aside from the flour content the other variable I played around with was the oven temperature. This is a super easy one to test - I usually just divide up my batch and bake half at each temperature when I am testing.
Temperature really makes a difference in the final shape of the cookie - those baked at a higher temperature tend to spread a little more quickly than those baked a little lower, and for these a lower temperature was perfect, as it allowed them to spread a little slower, giving a chewier middle.
This highlights how important it is to make sure your oven is running to temperature - an oven thermometer is a great investment if you don’t have one already.
Why are there two quantities of butter in your recipe?
The 175g butter quantity comes from adding a little extra to the initial quantity to account for the loss in volume when browning the butter. You are cooking off the moisture, so you need to start with more regular butter than the quantity of brown butter called for in the recipe (I usually multiply the quantity of brown butter I need by 1.3 to work out how much I need to start with). It's not a typo in the recipe. You need to start with more butter to get the right quantity of brown butter for the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Help, my biscuits spread!
An oven thermometer is a great investment if you don’t have one, just to check your oven temperature and calibrate if needed. I found that if people have issues with spreading and their biscuits coming out flat, it is often to do with an oven that is running hot.
Do I have to brown the butter?
If you don’t want to brown the butter in these, just use 135g melted butter.
Can I chill the dough before baking?
I tested this, and found that the dough doesn't keep particularly well, so you are best baking them all off then storing the biscuits.
How to store Anzac Biscuits
Anzac biscuits keep super well - up to five days at least at room temperature. Store in an airtight container.
A few more tips and tricks for making Anzac Biscuits (important, please read)
- If possible, bake these two trays at the same time. I found that the dough doesn’t rest super well, so you are best to bake them off just after mixing if you can. It isn’t the end of the world if you can’t but the texture of the second batch may be different to that of the first.
- Watch your Anzac biscuits carefully as they can get a little toasty on the bottoms! Mine needed 15 minutes. If you want them a little less golden and a bit softer drop the baking time by a minute or so. Check on them at 12 minutes and go from there.
- This recipe would halve very well as there are no eggs. However, the biscuits last a long time in an airtight container if you only have a few people in the house. (These will disappear quick though, promise!)
- I get you to roll the mixture into balls. You don’t need to flatten them down - they will flatten off themselves in the oven.
- If you would like to get your cookies super round you can do a #cookiescoot. Take a cutter slightly bigger than the cookie and place it over the top and use it to scoot it into a round shape when it is hot out of the oven.
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!
Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Thank you so much to Taste of New Zealand of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise for Sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own.
Print
30 Minute Brown Butter Anzac Biscuits
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 45 Minutes
- Yield: 12 Cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: New Zealand / Australia
Description
With over 200 five star reviews, these easy Anzac Biscuits are a crowd favourite. Made with all the usual suspects, my recipe also includes brown butter for the most amazing toasty depth of flavour. These Anzac Biscuits come together in 30 minutes, and my post includes all the tips and tricks for making the perfect Anzac Biscuit!
Ingredients
- 155g all-purpose flour (this quantity has changed recently, please see notes)
- 50g desiccated coconut
- 110g Old-fashioned oats (Rolled Oats)
- 130g light or dark brown sugar
- 90g white sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 175g Unsalted butter, cold from the fridge is fine (see note about butter quantities, salted butter also works great here)
- 40g golden syrup or honey
- 30g water
- ¾ tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°f / 160°c. See notes about oven temp - if your oven is running hot, these will spread a lot. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, coconut, oats, brown sugar, white sugar, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook until the butter has melted, and then continue to cook, swirling the pan often, until the butter foams and turns golden brown and nutty - this should take 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly.
- Weigh out 135g (see Notes section below - note that you need to scale this number manually if scaling the recipe) of the brown butter into a small saucepan, or return to the original saucepan you used for browning the butter. Add the Golden Syrup and water, and place over a low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth and melted together.
- Once the butter and golden syrup mixture is smooth and combined, remove from the heat and add the baking soda, mixing well to incorporate (it will foam up a little). Pour into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until well combined.
- Portion the mixture into 2 Tbsp balls using a #30 cookie scoop or portioning into 50g balls of dough (it will feel a little greasy but that is ok), and roll into balls. Space evenly on the baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 14 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown and set around the edges. Check for doneness after 13 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and using a large cookie cutter, scoot the biscuits into a round shape if desired. Leave to cool on the pans - they will set up as they cool.
- Store biscuits in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
A note: I have made these a few times since coming home to New Zealand. I have been struggling with the biscuits spreading more which I think is due to a change in ingredient quality compared to the USA (I developed the recipe when I live in NYC) and found that increasing the flour by 20g means that the biscuits do not spread as much and I prefer the texture a little more. I have updated the recipe to include this, if you have had success making them with the 135g flour, please keep using this amount.
You may notice that there are two quantities of butter in the recipe - the initial quantity of butter, then a second measurement in the method which is the quantity of brown butter. The larger initial quantity is to account for water loss when browning - read more about that in my FAQ.
If you are using the recipe scaling feature (2x or 3x) be aware that any quantities, measurements, pan sizes, and cooking times given in the method do not scale automatically - it's only the quantities in the Ingredient List that scale automatically.
IMPORTANT TIP. An oven thermometer is a great investment if you don’t have one, just to check your oven temperature and calibrate if needed. I found that if people have issues with spreading and their biscuits coming out flat, it is often to do with an oven that is running hot.
You need to make this recipe by weight. When I was testing I was changing the quantities of the ingredients by as little as 15g and seeing big changes in texture, so it’s super important that you get the right quantities here. This is the scale I have been loving lately if you are in need of a new one!
Golden Syrup is traditional for Anzac Biscuits, however I found it was quite hard to find in the US when I was living there. A 1:1 sub that works well is honey.
Comments
Adrienne says
Made these without browning the butter, couldn't get them to roll into balls but it didn't seem to matter as they baked okay and were delicious on eating
Margarita says
Can never go wrong with Erin's recipes! These biscuits are the best combination of chewy with a crisp shell. So simple and quick to make. Even my husband who is not a big fan of Anzac cookies approved (and had at least 4!)
Thank you for another full proof recipe 🙂
Jo says
Just made and ate one of these. Yuuuuum so bloody good bit crunchy on outside chewy in middle perfect in my opinion 😊🤤
Lauren says
So easy and so delicious! Best anzac biccies I've ever made. Will be making again!!
Hannah Williams says
I made these yesterday and they are all gone! My husband who considers himself a cookie critic rated these as some of the best I’ve made and he’s worked in hospitality. I’ve often avoided brown butter recipes as I’m a lazy baker but it wasn’t that hard and just one extra step than I’d usually do. And the results were amazing.
Olivia says
Amazing ANZAC bikkies. The brown butter is WELL worth it.
Shaelyn Hankins says
I had never heard of these and the first time I saw them on my IG stories I ran to the kitchen to make them. LOVE LOVE LOVE. New household staple. My husband doesn’t love chocolate so these are great for him too!
Rachel says
The ONLY ANZAC biscuit cookie I make now! Everyone loves them, perfect every time.
Carolyn Andersen says
Yummy yummy yummy Anzac biscuits dud not last long need to make more
Adele says
Best ANZAC biscuits ever! We love them and have to make them over and over around this time of year (all year round actually).
Mel says
I've just made these because well why not?! I used nutelex instead of butter and for the life of me couldn't get it to brown! I also lost a lot more weight trying so added more to get back to 135g. The batter ended up quite buttery so added a smidgen more flour to thicken it up a tad. They did spread out quite a lot but found I could reshape them once out of the over, before they set, and they look like cookies again 😂 I tell you, this is such a delicious Anzac biscuit! Not all of them made it to the picture 😅
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! Brown butter is made by cooking the milk solids so if you don't use milk, then it's not going to brown 🙂 they look great though!
Sasha says
Hands down best Anzac cookies!! Chewy in the middle and crunchy on outside. My brown butter took ageeeeees, might try a bigger saucepan next time. I also had heaps left over.
Hazel says
My first time baking my own ANZAC biscuits and they were perfect! Easy, delicious, and super chewy.
Jo says
Best recipe. Made these for our little cafe and sold out of 3 double batches in 4 days! Thanks for a delicious and well written and easy to follow recipe. Will come back here for sure.
Amy Lovell says
The brown butter makes for a divine ANZAC biscuit
JY says
These ANZAC biscuits are superior!!
Erin’s recipes are great, but ANZAC biscuits are generally pretty simple, so I didn’t know how much better they could get. But trust me, the brown butter is the star of the show, 100% with it! So so good, as always!
Milla says
My favorite recipe for my favorite cookie!
Frances says
Made again this year for the obligatory Anzac Day baking - the best as always! Brown butter just adds that little bit extra *chefs kiss*
Georgia says
This is the best Anzac biscuit recipe I’ve ever tried! So yummy, will definitely make again.
Janeane says
Yum! I was hesitant with the extra faff of brown buttering but so worth it. The best ANZAC cookies!
Greentree Greentree says
Super easy to make (even if you don’t have cups, Marilyn 👀) and tasted delish. 10/10 from my whānau. My new go to Anzac biscuit
Sophie says
I made a double batch of these, wish I could review how they kept but we scoffed the lot within 2 days. Exceeded expectations, perfectly sweet, crunchy and chewy. Will make this recipe on repeat as the whole family loves them!
Bek says
This ANZAC cookie recipe is the BEST! So easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Vicki leigh-mackenzie says
Great recipe, delicious raw and cooked.
I doubled the recipe, I probably could of added a touch more flour. But everyone in my malta office loved them
Debbie says
Yum yum yum! These are the best Anzac cookies I’ve made. Super easy and so tasty.
Craig says
Amazing, crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Anzac Biscuits can be tricky but with this recipe you can’t go wrong.
Britt says
These are the best ANZAC cookies I have ever made! Crispy on the outside chewy on the inside. Delicious! Amazingly clear and helpful instructions. Thank you Erin 🤍🤍
Kylie says
Nah but did anyone else eat what felt like half the raw mixture before even beginning to bake them?
Best ANZAC biscuits hands down! Baked them 3 different ways and all of them turned out delicious in their own unique way!
Baked per the recipe - perfect
Burnt (whoops!) - chopped off the burnt edges and the remaining biscuit was crunchy
Left an hour before baking (left the house so had to wait) - cooked for a couple minutes less and it’s got the perfect chew to it
10/10 would recommend
Erin Clarkson says
hahahah the recipe when I was testing made 13, but I just made it into 12 so it was 12 plus a little raw dough snack
Sophie says
I didn’t brown the butter but even without that step these are delicious. I made 3 different recipes of Anzac’s this week and these win hands down! Going to be my new go to recipe
Sharryn says
Love this recipe
Liz says
Really yummy cookie! For GF, I subbed in Cup4Cup 1:1 which was a great substitute! These cookies are like oatmeal meets a caramel/toffee cookie in one! Thank you for this recipe! Very easy to make!
Erin Clarkson says
Ohh perfect thank you so much for this - I don't get to test my baking with gf flour so when people do and report back is amazing!
Juliana says
I don't know what ANZAC cookies are before an Aussie friend asked for this, (we are living in HK). Found this recipe, made it for the first time, all my Aussie friends are loving it and said it brings them back home instantly!
I guess this will be on the menu for the upcoming Aussie day!
Vanessa Tobin says
Great recipe. So deliciously buttery and very easy to make
Ruth says
The best Anzac biscuits! I’ve tried lots of recipes but this is my fave. Perfect balance of crispy and chewy, I make these year round. Thanks for another amazing recipe Erin.
Miriam says
Soooo delicious! Thanks for a great (and easy) recipe
Amanda says
Third time making these this week…. My husband can’t get enough and doesn’t request anything else! Thank you for such an amazing recipe, so chewy and delicious!
Abby McKerchar says
I love Anzac biscuits but, I've always struggled to make them.
I decided to give this recipe a crack as I've found the other recipes on this site to be reliable. Sure enough, this was another reliable recipe. I've made 3 batches today.
Next time, I'll try without browning the butter to see what difference it makes flavour wise. I found it took longer than suggested to get the correct level of browning and I'd like to see if the flavour is worth the time.
I also highly recommend scooting the biscuits. It's not something I had tried before but, it gave the biscuits a great aesthetic. It'll be a technique that I try with other recipes.
Liz Kempton says
Using brown butter is really taking it up a notch - spectacular biscuits, great size, chewy on the inside and they look amazing (especially after a bit of a scoot!). Another fantastic recipe from Erin!
Hannah says
Loved this recipe and super easy for the kids to make unsupervised. We didn't brown the butter this year as couldn't be bothered, and they were still amazing. One alteration I made was made them 30g per biscuit (by accident) but the size was perfect so would use this measurement next time. I love that they are not overly sweet. Would also make a great base for monte-carlo biscuits....
Bre says
Made these this afternoon. They looked pretty standard but omg I just ate one and I've genuinely never had an Anzac biscuit this good. I've never commented on a recipe either, but this needed to be said!
Wow yum wow thank you
Ro says
Best ANZAC biscuits I’ve ever had, let alone made! My oven is cactus, I put them too close together and I had a 3 year old helping me so they came out a bit ugly but the taste was exceptional.
Tina says
Erin’s recipe has never failed me, I make these every year on the 25th of April to commemorate ANZAC Day. The perfect ANZAC biscuit!
Erica K says
Oh my goodness. These are a winner! I have been doing the ‘scoot’ technique to help their shape. They did melt out but scooting made them look great and they taste amazing.
Amy says
Mine look nothing like this. The mixture was very dry and they didn’t spread at all - they look more like Anzac rock cakes?! No idea what I did wrong.
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, something has to have gone wrong here! Maybe the butter measurement wasn't correct?
Janey says
These are delicious. For reasons unknown, I could not get the butter to brown (just Western Star unsalted butter). Tried upping the temp but after 15 minutes of it just bubbling and going around in circles not changing colour etc, I just moved on with the rest of the recipe. The end result was still perfect in texture and flavour so no idea what happened haha. Will make again next ANZAC day 😊
Lisa says
Best Anzac cookies I have made in a long time!! I tried these because of the reviews and they didn’t disappoint. One tray did spread a little but read the notes about oven temperature later!! Very addictive and this will be my go to recipe every year!!
Kate Stanley says
First time making these ANZAC biscuits and the making of the brown butter really adds something. I don’t know if they’ll last a week
Flea says
Kia ora Erin - thanks so much for this recipe. I've tried loads of different ANZAC biscuit recipes over the years, and this is definitely my favourite. For a few years now, the ANZAC biscuit that the Koru Club has, has been my partner's gold standard for an ANZAC biscuit - and he declared the biscuits I made from your recipe to be as good as the Koru ones, which is pretty high praise! I did brown the butter, and I used honey. Your auto calculator for doubling and tripling the recipe was perfect too - I did a triple bake as I was baking for the charity Good B*tches Baking this weekend. Thank you!
Phillipa says
I made this for Anzac Day just gone and they were nice, crispy and chewy. My family love them. I didn’t brown the butter and just used normal melted butter which was very nice. I found that if I used 200g of butter instead of 175g the biscuit dough doesn’t end up so dry and crumbly. Will use again in the future and give brown butter a go.
Ben says
I found that the biscuits didn’t spread at all. At 15 minutes they had barely spread from the ball they were formed into. Unfortunately the quantity of brown butter contained in the method isn’t adjusted when you scale up the recipe, so it wasn't obvious to me at first. I used 350gm of butter and then the whole amount went into the biscuit dough.
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, something must have gone wrong - there are notes in the recipe regarding scaling of the recipe, I have just added a note in the body of the recipe itself too.
Indianna says
Best anzac biscuit recipe ive ever made 🩷
Louise says
They were lovely thank you. But way too sweet for my liking. Too much sugar PLUS the honey.
Claire says
Yummmmm!!! I used manuka honey instead of golden syrup and loved the honey notes. I also drizzled some whitakers creamy milk over the top and they were heaven. I took them into the office and they were inhaled!
Emma says
This recipe is hands down the best anzac biscuit recipe I have ever encountered - soft, chewy, sweet and delectable.