David's Cranberry Anzac Cookies

I have long been a fan of David Lebovitz, famed pastry chef, best-selling author, and award-winning food blogger. These “Cranzac” cookies are his variation of Australia’s famous Anzac biscuits. The cookies (or biscuits as they’re traditionally called) are crunchy around the edges, chewy in the middle, and chock full of wonderful texture. They also contain one of my favorite baking ingredients - Lyle’s Golden Syrup. If you love golden syrup, but you’re not a fan of coconut, you might be interested in trying my Chewy Golden Syrup Cookies. Honestly though, my son-in-law isn’t a fan of coconut, but he gave these cookie two thumbs up!

This recipe comes together pretty fast by hand, but you can use a stand mixer as well.

To get 36 perfect cookies from this recipe, use level #50 scoop (my favorite size scoop for cookies).

Flatten the mounds of cookie dough a bit with your finger tips. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container (they freeze beautifully).

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• #50 cookie scoop https://amzn.to/3rJygUk

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/35Z1GFA

• silpat liner https://amzn.to/3GM5ois

• dried cranberries https://amzn.to/2Wawj3D

• spoonula https://amzn.to/3fsxOSc

• unsweetened shredded coconut https://amzn.to/3dpQ6Sz

• old fashioned oats https://amzn.to/3dydbTd

• Lyle’s golden syrup https://amzn.to/2YCYPMP

• my favorite digital scale https://amzn.to/3LuBz9J

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David’s Cranberry Anzack Cookies

makes 36 cookies (#50 scoop)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200g packed dark brown sugar

• 1 cup (95g) old fashioned oats (not instant or quick-cooking)

• 1 1/4 cup (175g) all purpose flour (bleached or unbleached)

• 1 cup (90g) unsweetened shredded coconut or desiccated grated coconut (DO NOT use sweetened coconut)

• 1/2 cup (60g) dried cranberries (or raisins, currants, dried chopped cherries, dried blueberries)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/4 cup lyle’s golden syrup

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

• 3 tablespoons warm water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, place rack in center position, and line 3 half sheet pans with silpat liners.

2. Place the dark brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and break up any clumps by hand.

3. Add the oats, flour, shredded coconut, dried cranberries, baking soda, and salt; mix well.

4. In a 1 cup heat-proof measure, combine lyle’s golden syrup, melted butter, and warm water; mix to combine and pour over oat mixture.

5. Use a silicone spoonula to combine everything together until no dry ingredients remain.

6. Use a #50 scoop to portion even mounds of batter, 12 per sheet pan; flatten each mound of cookie dough with your fingers until their height is reduced in half (as shown above).

7. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes until the cookies darken around the edges.

8. Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow cookies to cool on the sheet pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

• If the cookie dough is too dry to form, David says you can add a teaspoon of water at a time until it’s wet enough to hold together.

• If you can’t find Lyle’s golden syrup, you can use a lightly flavored honey or light corn syrup instead (although I highly recommend finding golden syrup - you will definitely thank me!).

• These cookies are sweet so I would NOT use sweetened shredded coconut. Look for UNsweetened coconut in the baking, health food, or international section of the grocery store. Also, try your local international grocery store. Desiccated coconut can be substituted.

• If you don’t have 3 sheet pans, reuse the one(s) you do have, but make sure each pan is completely cool before using it again.

adapted from Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz

Small Batch Dream Biscuits

What do you get when you cross drop biscuits with cream biscuits? You get a Dream Biscuits! This is my small-batch take on ATK’s dream biscuit recipe. My revision makes only 3 biscuits so it’s perfect for times when you don’t need an entire batch of a dozen biscuits in the house. The recipe comes together in mere minutes using just a mixing bowl and silicone spatula.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking powder.

Next we need to add the heavy cream that has been warmed to 95-100F. If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, just warm the cream until it’s about body temperature. DO NOT attempt to use cream that has not been warmed to the proper temperature. Warming the cream makes it more viscous thereby enabling it to moisten all the dry ingredients. Cold cream is too thick to work effectively in this recipe.

Pour the warm cream over the dry ingredients.

Use a silicone spatula to mix until a smooth paste forms.

To portion the biscuit dough, spray a 1/4-cup measure with nonstick cooking spray. You should get 3 biscuits from the dough. Turn the measure upside down and allow the dough to fall onto a parchment-lined mini sheet pan (I used a small 1/8 size sheet pan). Sorry, I missed getting a photo before the biscuits were baked.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden on top.

Melt the tablespoon of butter and immediately brush on biscuit tops.

Mmmmmmmm.

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• Breville counter-top oven https://amzn.to/3Lx7CpO

• my measuring cups https://amzn.to/3oGh0NN

• silicone spatulas https://amzn.to/3vZ6DqL

• silicone pastry brush https://amzn.to/39bZXcE

• eighth size mini sheet pan https://amzn.to/37VALGd

• extra small measuring spoons https://amzn.to/3ccAQZw

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Small Batch Dream Biscuits

makes 3 biscuits

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 plus 1/16 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/16 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 cup heavy cream, heated (95-100F)

• 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat toaster oven (or regular oven) to 450F and place rack on upper middle position.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add the warmed heavy cream and use a silicone spatula to mix until a smooth paste forms.

3. Spray 1/4 cup-size dry measure with nonstick cooking spray to portion 3 biscuits; place on parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and brush with melted salted butter.

adapted from Cooks Illustrated