I was doing a cooking demonstration in health-conscious Los Angeles, and when I melted the half-stick of butter that this recipe calls forāa modest amount by my standardsāa woman near the front row panicked and exclaimed, āOh my God! Look at all that butter heās using!ā Iām not sure these cookies fall into the āhealthyā category, but with just a half-stick of butter for nearly 2 dozen cookies, Iād say you shouldnāt feel all that guilty about indulging in oneāor maybe two, for those of you who really want to live on the edge. These cookies are a riff on Anzac biscuits that were created as sustenance for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac). I adapted a recipe from Cooking Light magazine, adding dried cranberries and naming them ācranzac cookies,ā but Iāve left them lean enough to keep those who eat them in fighting weight.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 26 cookies
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350Ā°F (175Ā°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 2
In a large bowl, toss together the oats, brown sugar, flour, coconut, dried cranberries, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the water, melted butter, and golden syrup until the dough is evenly moistened.
Step 3
Using your hands, shape the cookie dough into 1Ā 1/4-inch (3-cm) balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets and flatten them into 2-inch (5-cm) disks spaced 1 inch (3 cm) apart.
Step 4
Bake, rotating the baking sheets midway through baking, until the cookies are light golden brown, about 12 minutes.
Step 5
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to handle, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.
Storage
Step 6
The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 1 month. The baked cookies will keep well, stored in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
Variation
Step 7
Substitute raisins or dried cherries for the dried cranberries.
tip
Step 8
Lyleās Golden Syrup, available in well-stocked supermarkets, gives these cookies their special flavor, so itās worth seeking out. If you canāt find golden syrup, substitute cane syrup or a mild-flavored honey.
