Gluten Free Anzac Biscuits

Recipe

This gluten free version of the classic Anzac biscuit is everything you'd want it to be: chewy, caramelly, oaty centres (but no oats in sight!) with crisp edges, they're a national treasure for a reason. Simple to make and moreish to eat, these Anzac biscuits will cure that craving once and for all.

What are Anzac Biscuits?

Anzac biscuits are a classic biscuit originating from Australia (though someone from New Zealand might dispute that!). They're called Anzac biscuits because they're said to have been sent to ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) soldiers during the First World War. Made from oats, flour, sugar, golden syrup, bicarb soda and desiccated coconut, the biscuits keep well and the ingredients were easy to source during war time, making them the perfect gift from home.

A gluten free version of this antipodean treasure is a tricky business. Oats are not considered safe in Australia for people with coeliac disease, so it took a bit of creativity on my part to come up with a replacement that I was happy with. Quinoa flakes are a pretty common gluten free replacement for oats, but for me the taste of the quinoa gets in the way of a great biscuit. The solution I finally come up with was a mixture of quinoa flakes and flaked almonds. The quinoa flakes give that chewy texture that we're after and the addition of the almond flakes help with the flavour!

How to Make Gluten Free Anzac Biscuits

1. Toast the quinoa and almond flakes: I know it seems a bit of a faff, but this step really is worth it, I promise! Substituting quinoa for oats isn't really a perfect solution, the flavour of the quinoa is usually too strong and intrusive, and you'll have a hard time convincing yourself that you're eating oats. Toasting the quinoa with the almonds first gets rid of that funny, slightly bitter taste of the quinoa and turns it into something that could very easily be oats!

2. Melt the butter and golden syrup: melting these together before mixing into the dry ingredients helps to get that thin, chewy texture.

3. Combine the mixture: you should end up with a biscuit dough that's reasonably soft, but still easy enough to form into balls.

4. Roll the mixture into balls: most Anzac Biscuits start life as a ball, and they then flatten out in the oven. I like to roll about 3tsp of mixture at a time, which results in a good medium-sized biscuit. It's essential to leave at least 4cm in between each biscuit on the tray - Anzac biscuits spread a LOT and we've all accidentally made one giant Anzac biscuit instead of a batch!

5. Bake: I love Anzac biscuits that are chewy in the middle and a little bit crisp on the edges, so I bake mine for 10 - 12 minutes. If you like yours chewy all the way through you'll need to take them about a couple of minutes sooner, and if you like them super crisp you'll need to give them a little bit longer.

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How to Store Gluten Free Anzac Biscuits

This is where the true beauty of an Anzac Biscuit comes in - they last brilliantly! I keep them in an airtight container at room temperature and they should last for a couple of weeks at least. They always disappear faster than that in my house, though!