A few weeks ago (April 25th, to be exact), a reader asked me to create a gluten free ANZAC cookie. It was Australia-New Zealand Army Corps Day, and she was longing to celebrate this holiday with ANZAC Biscuits (cookies are called “biscuits” in Australia and New Zealand).
I did some research and found that these biscuits seemed quite similar to what we know and love as oatmeal cookies. The families of the ANZAC soldiers of World War I baked and shipped these biscuits off to their loved ones during the war and ever since, folks have been baking these treats in honor of those soldiers … and, I’m sure, because they’re really tasty!
It wasn’t hard to come up with a gluten free ANZAC cookie, and luckily I was able to develop it before our elementary school’s “International Night!”
I brought a big batch of these to the Australia table, where a mom who hailed from Australia was unpacking her stuffed roos and koalas, and unfurling her country map. She was thrilled to have these symbolic cookies to share at her table, as were the gluten free kids, since the only other Australian food there was gluten-filled jar of Vegemite! (I also brought gluten free naan to the India table that night – hop here for that recipe!)
You don’t have to be from Australia or New Zealand, or be celebrating ANZAC day to love this buttery, macaroon-like oatmeal-coconut gluten free ANZAC cookie. It’s just plain good!
Gluten Free ANZAC Cookie Recipe
Oatmeal cookies with coconut and a history lesson: Australian Anzac cookies made gluten free!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups gfJules All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 3 cups certified gluten free purity protocol oats
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup desiccated coconut (or unsweetened, dried coconut flakes)
- 1 cup butter or non-dairy alternative (Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 2 Tbs. agave nectar or honey
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 cup boiling water
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to mix.
Place butter and agave in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Meanwhile boil water and dissolve baking soda and salt. Add water mixture to melted butter mixture and stir. Pour saucepan into the dry ingredient bowl and mix to integrate well.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to scoop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, approximately 2 inches apart. Flatten the cookies slightly with the palm of your hand before baking.
Bake 13-15 minutes, or until the cookies are browning at the edges but are not hard. Remove to cool on wire racks.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
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Very Yummy- I used too big of a scoop on the first pan full, so I didn’t get 4 doz. I don’t think anyone minds large cookies. On the last pan, we added cinnamon sugar. It works well. Can’t beat the taste of cinnamon! Another winner recipe- Thanks.
Ooooh I love the addition of cinnamon and sugar, Anita! Brilliant move! So glad you loved this gluten free Anzac cookie recipe! Thanks for letting me know!
~jules
In Australia Oats are still definately not recommended for a GF Diet(sadly for an Aussie!). But the Anzac bikkie tradition started with World War 1, not 2
Hi Jules,
Any recommendations on what to substitute the sugar with and how much as my daughter cannot tolerate refined sugars (plus they aren’t that healthy anyway!). I have date and coconut sugar I can try….. Thanks for your help!
Coconut sugar would be yummy here!
~jules
Cool! Another oatmeal cookies. Thanks for taking the time to share!
Hope you get to try the recipe, RB!
I made these cookies and they are great! I have always been an oatmeal cookie fan… more so than chocolate chip. Actually, what I really am is an oatmeal cookie BATTER fan. And this recipe is great for that, because it doesn’t have raw eggs in it. My youngest son (now 27) and I were often accused of eating half the cookie batter before I put the eggs in. (This was pre-GF…using the traditional recipe on the Quaker oatmeal box.) But today I used your recipe and your Jules Gluten Free Flour and whoo hoo! It was batter time! And then it was warm cookie just out of the oven time! And then it was warm cookie (or 2)just out of the oven for the second batch…and then the third batch. And then it was I don’t feel so good time. But I recovered quickly, so it’s all good! p.s. I took a photo, but I don’t see anywhere to post it.
BJohn – you are a man after my own cookie batter-loving heart! I am so glad to hear that you actually baked some of these off, though, because they’re pretty darned good that way, too! Please feel free to post the pic on my facebook page! I’d love for others to see it! You can also send to Support@JulesGlutenFree.com and I can add it to the post. Thanks again for writing!
YUM! I bet every person there was happy to see you coming!
xo,
Shirley
It was fun to share, Shirley!
Try as I might, I just have been unable to tolerate oats. Since my diagnosis with celiac disease 20 years ago, I have craved oatmeal cookies. I have tried with several different certified gluten-free oats, and the digestive results have been the same. Any suggestions on a reasonably good substitute for the oats?
Hi Susan, some folks are never able to tolerate oats, unfortunately, and that’s something everyone has to figure out for themselves. I understand your frustration, though, because oats are so healthy and so delicious! Have you tried quinoa flakes yet? I used them years ago in a homemade muesli and they worked well. Perhaps you should go on a hunt for those and see how they work in cookies!
Susan, have you tried Oats Only. They are a Canadian company out of Regina Saskatchwan. Certified gf. Big flake and quick oats, they make oat flour as well.
Mmmmmmmm….used to always add coconut to oatmeal cookies! Yum!!
Yes, it’s a wonderful combination!