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Posted on by Debbie

ANZAC biscuits on ANZAC Day

Always a special day

Today is a special day here in Australia.

We commemorate ANZAC Day on 25 April each year with ceremonies, marches, the laying of wreaths, special prayers, poppies, tributes and most importantly of all, gratitude, as we thank those who have fought to save our country. You can read more about the meaning of ANZAC Day from the Australian War memorial site.

The spirit of Anzac, with its qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity.

I wrote this post in 2014 – ANZAC Day – and it tells you a little about our small town’s service on this special day. The 25 April is always declared as a Public Holiday.

I also included the Ode in this post  – Half light – as it’s a beautiful poem first and foremost, but it’s is also used at such services.

Anzac biscuits

We also make ANZAC biscuits.  These biscuits came into our history during WW1.  As they are made with oats, flour, coconut, golden syrup, and no eggs are used, it gives them the ability to stay fresh for long periods of time. They were made by wives, mothers and girl friends and were packaged up to be sent off to ANZAC soldiers fighting overseas.

They are still a popular biscuit here  and everyone knows the story behind them. Some like them crunchy while others like them soft – they are easy to make and are delicious. Here’s the CWA recipe which I use.

**CWA of NSW Anzac Biscuit Recipe**

150g (1 cup) plain flour
220g (1 cup) sugar
100g (1 cup) rolled oats
90g (1 cup) desiccated coconut
125g butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup or treacle
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and lightly grease two baking trays. Combine the flour in a bowl with the sugar, rolled oats and coconut. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the golden syrup over medium heat. Combine the boiling water with the bicarbonate of soda and stir to dissolve. Add to the butter mixture and mix well,then stir into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Drop teaspoons of the mixture onto the trays, allowing room for spreading.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

img_0675
ANZAC biscuits

Kokoda Track connection

at Isurava Memorial along the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea
at Isurava Memorial along the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea

This photo is one of my favourites from my time walking the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea in 2008.  It is a photo of my husband and I at the Isurava Memorial in front of the plinth that read mateship.  

There are 4 such granite plinths,  carved in stone to express what the Kokoda campaign stood for – courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice.

  • On the Kokoda Track in 2008
    On the Kokoda Track in 2008
  • Bomana War Cemetery
    Bomana War Cemetery
  • Kids playing with bubbles on Kokoda track
    Kids playing with bubbles
  • Kokoda group at the finish
    Kokoda group at the finish

We were fortunate to spend ANZAC Day 2008 in Isurava and participated in the very moving service. It is one ANZAC Day I will never forget! (Update April 2019, my husband is again in Kokoda with a group of Tumbarumba High School students and volunteer leaders – this is his 8th time on the track. They had a special service planned for today).

Thanks to all those brave souls who have served, are currently serving and to those who will serve in the future.

Lest we forget.

Deb x

PS: On a lighter note I often joke that I could have picked any of these four words to describe marriage but I chose mateship  🙂

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27 Replies to “ANZAC biscuits on ANZAC Day”

  1. Lovely and loving post Deb. ANZAC Day is a special day in our household…at least growing up it was too. I used to make ANZAC biscuits on the day, watching the March on TV. Now many years have passed, and there is no longer anyone we might have known or known of, in the March. My Dad, at 99, wasn’t allowed to enlist for WW2 as he worked in a protected industry. His Dad, met his Mum thanks to WW1. What a story! Your images are very impressive…Great to see your post in the link up for Wednesday’s Words and Pics. Thank you! Hope to see you next week too. Denyse.

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  2. Mateship is the correct word, I think – that’s why we say ‘mate for life’. That’s the aim of a marriage. I’m impressed you did Kokoda – that’s such a tough one. You really have a drive for adventure.

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    1. Thanks Lydia, Kokoda wasn’t a walk in the park but I’m glad i did it! I don’t need to do it again though, my husband has done it about 8 times!

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  3. I knew nothing about Anzac Day until a few decades ago when I was sent to a Royal Marines base in the UK, as a reporter, to write about their annual Anzac Day ceremony. The biscuits sound lovely, I’ll have mine soft please!

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  4. I haven’t made or eaten Anzac biscuits in a very long time. I remember making them with my kids when they were little and we were homeschooling, and being shocked that they liked them so much, since they wouldn’t eat coconut. For some reason in Anzac cookies it was fine. Visiting from WEdnesday Words & Pics

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  5. Love the pics from the Kokoda track and such important memories to have.

    I used to love Anzac biscuits – the chewy ones, but unfortunately if you’re coeliac you can’t eat oats so they’re not an option for me nowadays.

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  6. Hi Deb, I love ANZAC biscuits but never seem to get the right texture – too chewy or too crisp. The Kokoda would have been a wonderful experience. My Dad served in PNG so I was thinking about him yesterday and also Mike and his national service in Vietnam. You are Grant so are inspirational with all the activities you have done and continue to do. xx

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    1. I haven’t made them for a while Sue but like them soft rather than hard and crunchy. Kokoda was tough, I’ll admit that, and I don’t need to do it again! x

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  7. I love Anzac biscuits but never think to bake or have any on hand for ANZAC day!! I didn’t know you’d done the Kokoda track. I bet that was tough! Emotional too. I did a claytons kinda Kokoda track here in Brisbane back in 2012 – the Brisbane Kokoda Challenge. There’s a choice of three distances – 18km, 30km or 48km. I did the 30km one. It was all loose gravelled steep hills and nearly killed me. I was so unprepared. Couldn’t walk the next day. LOL So you have my admiration that you did the real thing! Have a great week Deb xo

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    1. Hi Min, I have to say Kokoda was one of the hardest things I’ve done, physically and emotionally! I don’t need to do it again, my husband has been about 8 times. Well done on doing that challenge, I’ve heard of it and think it’s a great way of doing a tough walk.

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  8. Pingback: ANZAC Day 2017 – Deb's World

  11. Thanks for this Deb. It explained why there is an Aussie flag flying at someone’s house in town today.
    I’ll have to try baking Anzac biscuits although I’m not too keen on the coconut. Could substitute something else in I suppose! xx

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    1. Yes it is always a special day regardless of where we are. My daughter in Cheddar would be remembering despite it being a work day there. Not sure what you could replace the coconut with.

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        2. I agree it is beautiful in the Mendips but sadly the Gorge was full of grokels yesterday so we just passed through. We used to go there a lot as children – it hasn’t changed much over the years. Now I really must go to sleep at its 01.19 here!! x

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  12. LOL. Mateship was a good choice. I love ANZAC biscuits but I haven’t made any in ages. The cafe across the road from me advertised ANZAC muffins on their Instagram so I ran over there at lunchtime and grabbed one – so delicious!

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