At first the biscuits were called Soldiers' Biscuits, but after the landing on Gallipoli, they were renamed ANZAC Biscuits. A point of interest is the lack of eggs to bind the ANZAC biscuit mixture together.
The first recorded recipe for 'Anzac biscuits' is completely different to modern Anzacs, though other very similar recipes existed under names like “rolled oat biscuits” and “soldier's biscuits” in cookbooks during the early 1900s.
The majority of rolled oats biscuits were in fact sold and consumed at fetes, galas, parades and other public events at home, to raise funds for the war effort. This connection to the troops serving overseas led to them being referred to as “soldier's biscuits”.
“The first Anzac biscuit was created after 1915 when the word Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] came into being. “Prior to 1915, there were many biscuit recipes baked at home that were precursors to it such as munchies, rolled oat biscuits, surprise biscuits, nutties, brownies, crispies to name but a few.”
Customers claimed online the supermarket giant abandoned the traditional name because some shoppers might have found it offensive. But Woolworths said the name change was at the request of the Veterans Affairs Department and had nothing to do with 'cancel culture'.
Developed during WWI by the womenfolk in soldiers' families, the first Anzac biscuit was not as we know it today. Originally called a 'soldier's biscuit' or 'ANZAC tile', it was very hard, designed to supplement the Diggers' bread supply.
Anzac biscuits should not be confused with hardtack, which was nicknamed "ANZAC wafers" in Australia and New Zealand. Anzac biscuits are an explicit exemption to an Australian ban on commercial goods that use the term "Anzac", so long as they are sold as biscuits and not cookies.
This iconic flavour actually tells us a lot about when they were first made in 1915 during World War I. Australian and New Zealand women used golden syrup to bind the biscuits — not eggs — so that the biscuits could survive the two- to three-month trip to troops in France.
Shopping tip: Make sure you buy whole rolled oats - if you use instant oats, the mixture will spread too much and your biscuits will be flat. Make them your way: Soft and chewy: Omit the brown sugar and increase the caster sugar to 155g (3/4 cup).
Reserve soldiers in WWII were placed in the path of the highly trained and jungle-experienced Japanese soldiers, and it was predicted by some that they would melt in the heat – hence 'chocolate' soldiers. These personnel fought and many died for their country. I take pride in this association, in being called a choco.
So what did they eat? Bully beef (tinned corned beef), rice, jam, cocoa, tea, some bread and above all hard tack fed the Australian soldiers at Gallipoli. Hard tack, also known as "ANZAC Wafer", or "ANZAC Tile", has a very long shelf life, unlike bread.
Many Australians enjoy a 'gunfire breakfast' between the ANZAC Day Dawn Service and mid-morning march. A gunfire breakfast typically involves rum-laced coffee or tea, hot food such as bacon and eggs, and is a chance for veterans – and often other community members – to enjoy shared camaraderie.
“Referring to these products as 'Anzac Cookies' is generally not approved, due to the non-Australian overtones,” the guidelines state. The Department says on its website: “No person may use the word Anzac, or any word resembling it in connection with any trade, business, calling or profession.”
Soldiers often devised ingenious methods to make them easier to eat. A kind of porridge could be made by grating them and adding water. Or biscuits could be soaked in water and, with jam added, baked over a fire into "jam tarts".
In this case, bikkie (the colloquial Australian word for a cookie), is clipped slang for biscuit (the British English word for a type of cookie), and it uses the -ie diminutive suffix. Australian English is full of words based on this formula.
The use of the word 'Anzac' in the commercial production and sale of Anzac biscuits is usually approved, however the biscuits must not substantially deviate from the generally accepted recipe and shape, and must be referred to as 'Anzac Biscuits' or 'Anzac Slice' (not 'Anzac Cookies').
According to taste.com.au Food Editor Miranda Payne, the traditional Anzac biscuit was the harder, crunchy version. Over time, the original recipe was modified with variations being cooked for less time (making them chewier) or adding more sugar (so they're super crispy).
Best substitute for golden syrup is a combination of light molasses or treacle, plus honey. I use 1 part molasses or treacle, and 3 parts honey – the flavour is nearly identical, and the colour is very similar (a bit darker).
The Anzac biscuit is a national treasure for Australians and New Zealanders. It's a recipe shaped by the soldiers who so bravely fought for us in war, and by those back home who rallied behind them.
The popular Anzac biscuit is a traditional, eggless sweet biscuit. Early recipes did not include coconut. The following recipe (without coconut) was published in The Capricornian (Rockhampton, Queensland) on Saturday, 14th August 1926.
An egg shortage
Commercial Egg Producers of WA president Ian Wilson blamed the shortage on a lack of certainty in the industry, caused by the ongoing review of the national standards and guidelines for egg producers, with could see caged egg production phased out altogether by 2036.
1: They were created around the time of WW1
At this time, the biscuits were being baked by volunteers sold in Australia and New Zealand to raise funds for the army. A similar type of biscuit was sent to the soldiers in war. However, these were rock-hard, which was necessary to improve their shelf life.
Description. Individually wrapped 2-packs of delicious Aussie Biscuits Classic ANZAC. 12 month shelf life from date of production.
The original Anzac biscuits were made by soldiers' wives at home and sent overseas, where they could take months to reach their destination. To stay fresh on the journey, they were made extremely hard and tough.