My sugar free anzac biscuits are a nut-free and low carb take on Australia's and New Zealand's most famous cookie. They are ready in just 25 minutes!
Every year, my Australian and Kiwi readers ask me to publish a recipe for healthy anzac biscuits. Finally, here it is!
I used my keto breakfast cookies as the starting point because a reader had commented how these reminded her of anzac biscuits. For me, coming up with creative ideas for sugar free versions of classic recipes is (almost) as much fun as eating the results.
Disclaimer! I am a German living in London, so I absolutely cannot vouch that my keto anzac biscuits taste "just like the original".
But I can tell you that they taste delicious - soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside. Not too sweet, deliciously buttery and coco-nutty.
Also check out my keto graham crackers.
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Anzacs, Reinvented
The original Anzac biscuits were invented for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). They were baked by the soldiers' wives during the First World War.
The cookies contained ingredients that do not spoil, which meant they could be sent abroad: Rolled oats, flour, sugar, golden syrup, butter and desiccated coconut.
My healthy anzac biscuits are a keto-friendly interpretation, which meant quite a few changes!
I am especially proud of the fact that the biscuits are not only sugar free, but also low in carbs, gluten-free AND nut free. (Yes, finally a recipe without almond flour!) They are only 2.3g net carbs each.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- Shelled hemp seeds - Also called hemp hearts
- Sesame seeds
- Desiccated coconut - This is dried and finely shredded coconut
- Egg - To bind the cookies.
- Sweetener - I used allulose. This makes the cookies softer, with a crisp edge. For all-over crispy cookies, choose erythritol sweetener blends. You can also use xylitol or Bocha Sweet.
- Butter
- Bicarbonate of Soda - also called baking soda
- Vanilla extract and salt
Note: I decided to omit sugar free fibre syrup because some readers with diabetes have reported that oligosaccharides give them a blood sugar spike.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
It is simple to make nut-free, sugar free anzac biscuits. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with ingredient amounts, timings and nutrition information.
STEP 1
Toast the hemp seeds and the sesame seeds in a frying pan on a low/medium heat until golden.
STEP 2
Toast the desiccated coconut until lightly golden.
STEP 3
Blend the sesame and the hemp into a flour.
STEP 4
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the hemp and sesame flour, desiccated coconut, salt and the egg.
STEP 5
Melt the butter and allulose in a saucepan. As soon as it is melted, take it off the heat. Add the vanilla and the bicarbarbonate of soda and stir. It will foam.
STEP 6
Add the butter mixture to the cookie dough and stir to combine.
STEP 7
Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough each onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and flatten into round cookies.
STEP 8
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until golden. Then, let them cool fully so they can firm up.
Katrin's Top Tips
Get that crunch: Don't miss out on melting the butter and adding the baking soda. This produces an interesting chemical reaction! I found that it increased the crunchiness of the cookies, even when using allulose (which is a sweetener that normally sets soft, unlike erythritol, which is a hard-setting sweetener).
Important! Take the butter off the heat as soon as it has melted. If in doubt, let the mixture cool for a couple of minutes. You don't want it boiling hot as it could cook the egg.
Equally important: Taste the cookie dough and add more sweetener if required. I don't like my cookies too sweet, but your tastebuds may beg to differ!
Variations
Almond flour: You can use almond flour in place of either the hemp seeds or the sesame seeds. Or, replace some of the seeds with sliced almonds. This is a tasty low carb substitute for oats, which I use in my keto oatmeal cookies.
No egg: Try a flax egg instead of the egg. Or, use 3-4 tablespoons of sugar free fibre syrup such as Sukrin Gold and reduce the amount of sweetener accordingly. You may also need ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum or gelatin so the cookies do not crumble.
Chocolate: Most cookies taste great dipped in chocolate, and keto anzac biscuits are no exception! Melt 90% dark chocolate such as Lindt in a water bath, then dip the baked cookies. Or, drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies.
Recipe FAQs
You can use a dairy-free butter or coconut oil.
Use an erythritol-based sweetener. It is the only zero carb sugar substitute that makes sugar free cookies crunchy. Also, increase the baking duration so the cookies can dry out more. If necessary, place aluminium foil over the cookies so they don't over-brown.
Storage
Keto anzac biscuits stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the cookies for Airtight cookie jar for up to 3 months.
If they are soft after defrosting, just stick them back in the oven at 200C / 400F for a few minutes. This removes any excess moisture and makes them crisp again.
More Sugar Free Cookies
- Sugar Free Nutella Cookies13 Minutes
- 3 Ingredient Keto Almond Butter Cookies15 Minutes
- Keto Butter Cookies (Spritz Cookies)22 Minutes
- Keto Chocolate Amaretti Cookies20 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Sugar Free Anzac Biscuits (Keto, Nut Free)
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- ½ cup hemp seeds 75g, shelled. Also called hemp hearts
- ½ cup sesame seeds 75g
- 1.5 cups desiccated coconut 120g, also called shredded coconut
- 1 egg large
- ⅓ cup allulose for softer cookies, or use erythritol for crispy cookies
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ cup unsalted butter 60g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ teaspoon salt optional
Instructions
Make The Nut Free Flour
- Add the hemp and sesame seeds to a non-stick frying pan. Toast for about 5 mins on a low / medium heat, stirring a couple of times, until golden. Set aside to cool.
- Add the desiccated coconut to the pan and toast for 4 - 5 mins on a low / medium heat until golden, stirring a couple of times. Allow to cool.
- Add the hemp and sesame seeds to a high speed blender like a Vitamix and blend to a fine consistency.
Make The Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 340F / 170C (electric) or 300F / 150C (fan assisted) and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Add the hemp and sesame flour and the desiccated coconut to a large mixing bowl. Add the egg and salt and stir to combine.
- Melt the butter and allulose in a saucepan. Add the vanilla and the bicarbarbonate of soda and stir so it foams. Remove from the heat.
- Add the butter mixture into the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir until a cookie dough forms. Taste and adjust sweetener if required.
- Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking tray, leaving plenty of space between the cookies. Flatten the dough into discs and shape the edges with your fingers to they are smooth and round.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until golden. Then, let them cool fully so they can firm up.
Notes
- Use shelled hemp seeds and not hemp hearts with a casing
- The mix will feel quite wet. It firms up once baked and cooled
- Adding the bicarb to the butter mix is a crucial step to get these Anzac biscuits to have the right texture. Chewy but a little crisp too.
A
I'm offended by the "Airtight cookie jar for up to 1 week. Or, freeze for up to 3 months." Statement in the recipe. These were gone before the end of the 2nd day.
Katrin Nürnberger
Haha, sounds like you enjoyed them!
janet
Katrin,
I just want you to know that this recipe is the find-of-a-lifetime for me. Somehow these always come out perfect! And they smell so wonderful throughout the process of creating them....And the texture is just right for not crumbling apart yet having lots of yummy bits, whilst also being moist. And! full of nutrition and flavour, these have become one of our family staples.
All because of you. Thank you for your creativity.
Blessings, j
Katrin Nürnberger
Tha makes me so happy. Glad you like the Anzacs!!
Ruth Collins
For a nutty version, could you replace the seeds for the same quantity of almond flour?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, absolutely.
Nadine
Could I replace the hemp seeds with sunflower seeds flour?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, that should work just as well.