Healthy Anzac Biscuits

You won't believe these Healthy Anzac Biscuits don't contain brown sugar and golden syrup. Every time I make these people comment on how good they are, but they have no idea I've switched some of the ingredients to make them healthier! They look the same but they taste even better.

They're crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. They're big, packed with oats, perfectly sweet, and just as mooreish as my Anzac Slice.

What Makes These Anzac Biscuits Healthier?

• No golden syrup. Instead of using golden syrup which is a processed sugar syrup that is typically higher in sugar and calories, this recipe uses pure Maple Syrup which is less processed, has a lower gi and is a more natural sweetener.
• No processed brown or white sugar. Instead uses Coconut Sugar an unprocessed, low gi natural sweetener
• No processed White Flour. Instead spelt flour is used which is higher in fibre and easier for the stomach to digest
• Uses Low Fat Butter instead of regular full fat butter

Recipe Highlights

• They have that unmistakable look, texture and taste of traditional anzac biscuits that many of us in Australia grew up eating
• They're made in the same way as traditional anzacs
• Makes 18 generous "palm sized" biscuits
• They're crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside

Perfect with your morning coffee, these biscuits take a mere 10 minutes to pull the ingredients together, and then its into the oven with that unmistakable anzac biscuit aroma wafting through the house.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Oats:  Any type of oats will work and its really a matter of preference of whether you like to be able to see the oats of have them blend in.  If you use quick oats they will result in a finer crumb, and big oats will result a a bigger more textured crumb.
• Spelt Flour:  Either white or wholemeal spelt is great to use, and plain white or wholemeal flour can be substituted.  The advantage of using spelt is that is it less processed and free from wheat.  
• Pure Maple Syrup:  I use this instead of the traditional Golden Syrup as Pure Maple Syrup is much less processed and a more natural sweetener.  It has much the same taste in the biscuits as golden syrup and people who have tried traditional anzacs and my healthier version can't tell that I have substituted some ingredients to use healthier versions.
• Coconut Sugar:  This is used instead of the traditional brown sugar.  Coconut sugar provides a natural sweetness and golden colour.
• Desicated Coconut:  This provides bulk and flavour and added texture.  
• Butter:  Low fat or full fat butter is fine to use, however a full fat butter will result in a more buttery taste.  My personal preference is to use a low fat butter
• Bicarb Soda:  This helps the biscuits to rise with a slight puff so that they are crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle

How to Make Healthy Anzac Biscuits

1. Preheat fan oven to 160 degrees C, or 320 degrees F.
2. This recipe makes about 18 biscuits, so you'll need a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the oats, spelt flour, desicated coconut, and coconut sugar to a bowl and mix to combine, then make a well in the centre and set aside.

4. Heat a pot on medium heat and add the butter and pure maple syrup. Once melted, add the bicarb and water.  Whisk to combine.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon.

6. Line a couple of large baking trays with baking paper (spray a little oil on to make the paper stick)
7. Use a dessert spoon to scoop out the anzac biscuit mixture, and plop it onto the tray. Dampen your hands, and press down and shape each biscuit into a round about 7cm or 1.5 inches in diameter. (Make sure to leave a good amount of space between each biscuit as they will expand during the cooking process)
8. Depending on your oven/amount of baking trays, you might need to do 1 or 2 bakes. Bake for 20 minutes for a golden firm that is crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle.

Recipe Tips

• Large oats work best in anzac biscuits. Try and avoid the instant oats as they are usually smaller and kind of disappear in the biscuit batter.
• Coconut sugar is available in supermarkets, normally alongside all the other sugars and sweeteners.
• Avoid replacing the coconut sugar with any type of sweetener such as granulated stevia or monkfruit. I made several batches using these sweeteners and they all ended up with a weird taste at the end.  Unrefined coconut sugar (in conjunction with pure maple syrup) creates the perfect sweetness, texture, crunch and chew just like traditional anzac biscuits.
• Sticky Biscuit Mixture? If your hands get to sticky when you're putting the batter onto the baking tray, dampen your hands, but don't make them too wet. This will keep the mix off your hands and allow you to shape and flatten the biscuits.

Flavour Addins

1. Add a teaspoon of dried ginger to the dry ingredients for a Ginger Anzac Biscuit. These are delicious.
2. Add ¼ cup finely chopped macadamia nuts for the ultimate Macadamia Anzac Biscuits.
3. If fruit is your thing, you could try adding two tablespoons of finely diced dried fruit such as raisins, or cranberries. I wouldn't add dates as this would make them way to sweet.

Common Questions

Big, chewy, and full of oats, with a few ingredient substitutions makes these healthy anzac biscuits more filling, and satisfying and something you can year at any time of the year.

More Sugar Free Baking Recipes:

• Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Simple Sugar Free Lemon Loaf with Lemon Glaze
• Double Chocolate Banana Muffin (perfect for lunchboxes)
• Thick Crunchy Peanut Butter Date Cookies
• No Sugar Date, Oatmeal and Ginger Cookies
• Coconut Jam Drops