An ANZAC biscuit with collagen protein through the dry mix and buckwheat flour instead of plain. Everything else works the way an ANZAC should: golden syrup or honey, bi-carb, coconut oil.
Fifteen minutes in the oven, and they crisp as they cool.
Key points
- Gluten free. Buckwheat flour, no wheat.
- Dairy free. Coconut oil instead of butter.
- Fifteen minutes. In the oven.
- The bi-carb step matters. Do not skip the foaming.
- They crisp as they cool. Judge them cold.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats (quinoa flakes work as an alternative)
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
- 2 scoops unflavoured Noway Protein
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp bi-carb soda
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 4 tbsp raw honey or sticky sweetener
Method
- Heat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, except the bi-carb soda.
- Melt the coconut oil and honey together over low heat in a small saucepan, stirring to combine. Remove from heat.
- In a small cup, mix the bi-carb soda with 2 tsp water, then add to the oil and honey mixture and stir well, so it becomes aerated and foam-like.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir well.
- Spoon tablespoon-sized balls onto the tray and flatten into cookies.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on the tray for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Store airtight once cooled.
Why does the bi-carb have to be mixed with water first?
Because that reaction is what gives an ANZAC its texture, and adding the bi-carb dry to the flour will not do it.
Bi-carb soda needs moisture and acid to react. Dissolved in water and stirred into the warm honey and oil, it foams immediately, and folding that foam through the dry mix is what makes the biscuit light rather than dense. It is the one step in this recipe that genuinely cannot be shortcut.
If it did not foam, your bi-carb may be old. It loses potency after about six months open.
Chewy or crisp?
You choose, and the lever is bake time rather than anything in the mix.
- Chewy: 12 to 13 minutes. Pull them while the centres still look pale.
- Crisp: 15 to 17 minutes, until evenly golden across the whole biscuit.
- Flatter is crisper. Press them thinner before baking.
Judge them cold, not hot. These firm up substantially on the tray, so a biscuit that seems underdone straight from the oven is often exactly right ten minutes later.
Are these traditional ANZAC biscuits?
No, and it is worth being clear about that.
A traditional ANZAC biscuit is rolled oats, plain flour, desiccated coconut, sugar, butter, golden syrup and bi-carb. This version swaps the plain flour for buckwheat, the butter for coconut oil, the sugar and golden syrup for honey, and adds collagen protein.
The result is recognisably an ANZAC in texture and flavour, and it is a variation rather than the real thing. If you want the original, make the original. It is a very good biscuit.
Worth noting for anyone selling them: in Australia the term "ANZAC biscuit" is protected, and using it commercially requires approval from the Department of Veterans' Affairs, including a general expectation that the recipe stays close to the traditional one. For home baking it does not apply.
Can I use golden syrup instead of honey?
Yes, and it is closer to traditional. Use the same quantity.
Golden syrup gives a slightly deeper caramel flavour and a marginally chewier biscuit. Honey is a touch lighter and more floral. Maple syrup works but is thinner, so the mixture will be looser and the biscuits will spread more.
Can I make them without protein powder?
Yes. Replace the two scoops with an extra 1/3 cup of buckwheat flour or oats.
They will be slightly softer, since collagen protein absorbs a little moisture. You lose the protein, which in a biscuit is a modest amount anyway.
Worth knowing: collagen is not a complete protein. It is low in tryptophan and short on several essential amino acids, so it is not a replacement for whey or a plant protein if muscle is the goal. It suits baking because it does not tighten and dry the way whey does.
Why did they spread flat?
Usually the coconut oil went in too hot, which thins the mixture before it hits the oven. Let it cool a minute or two after melting.
The other cause is too much liquid sweetener. Four tablespoons is the limit here; more and they will run together on the tray.
How long do they keep?
- Airtight container. Up to a week. They soften over time, which some people prefer.
- Freezer. Up to three months.
- Not the fridge. It makes them go soft and slightly stale.
If they have softened and you want them crisp again, five minutes in a 160C oven brings them back.
For more like this, browse the full recipe collection.
