Gluten Free Anzac Biscuits

Don't you just love an Anzac biccie ?  When they bake they fill your house with the most amazing buttery, oaty yumminess that has you lurking at the oven door just waiting for them to finish baking.


For my UK followers, the best way to describe an Anzac is...think of homemade Hobnob but better!  Oats, butter, coconut all combine to make the most delicious cookie that never sees out the day in my house.  I like my Anzacs soft;  like American cookie soft and fortunately this is how they bake with the GF flour.


Nothing makes me come over all Masterchef'y more than when I bake these babies.  I know the recipe off by heart and I can throw a batch together and get them into the oven in under five minutes  I feel like a pro.


Now there are many variations of this recipe floating around and I've read tons - but basically they're all the same.  This is the version I use.  Its super easy and I guarantee you'll be baking these off the top of your head in no time either and your family will love them.  You can add extra stuff to them too.  I love raisins in mine but you could put choc chips in or dried cranberries, nuts seeds - go crazy.

Ingredients
1 Cup Gluten Free Plain Flour
1 Cup Fine Desiccated Coconut
1 Cup Raw Oats (if you're Coeliac - be careful to use GF certified oats)
3/4 Cup White Sugar ( You can get away with less)
125g Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup Golden Syrup
2 Tbsp Boiling water
1 tsp Baking Soda (Bicarb)

1. Turn oven to 180 C or 160C if fan forced.  Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Measure out your flour, coconut, oats and sugar into a big bowl.
3. Measure your butter into a small microwaveable bowl and add the golden syrup to it.  Place in microwave for 1 minute or until butter has melted.
4. Boil kettle and measure out your baking soda into a glass.  Add the boiling water to the soda and swish about until dissolved.
5. Now you need to move quick.  Place your bowl of butter/syrup right beside your dry mix.  Pour the dissolved soda mix into the butter and syrup.  It should froth up straight away - pour it into the dry mix bowl.  If yours doesn't froth up - check the expiry date on your baking soda as it loses its punch after a while.
6. With a spoon mix the ingredients together until combined.  Your mix should not be overly wet.  If it is you need to add a little extra flour or some more oats.  It should hold together when you make balls but not be too 'wet'.  If the mix is too wet the biscuits will spread and run in the oven.  If too dry they will be stodgy and doughy.  You will find the middle ground with your brand of flour.
7. Make small plum sized balls and place them on a baking tray flattening a little with a fork.
8. Place in middle, to lower part of oven for appox 10-15 minutes or until the beautiful Anzac gold colour appears.  Leave on a cooling rack until completely cool.  These will firm up on cooling and will keep for a couple of days in a sealed container - good luck with that.  Don't tell the kids where you're hiding them...sssshhhh.

I really hope you enjoy these - they are my sons absolute fave - and sugar aside, its got to be healthier and more natural than shop bought biscuits or sweets.  You really can sneak a lot of healthy things into these biscuits and the kids will never know.

L x