Cranzac Cookies

My mom made these cookies come from David Lebovitz’s newest cookbook, “Ready for Dessert”. Anzac is an acronym for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps that fought in World War I. The original Anzac cookie was developed back then to provide a nutritious energy boost for the soldiers. The “cran” in “cranzac” means that there are cranberries in them. I would consider these a healthy alternative to the typical cookie since there are only 4 tablespoons of butter in them, they have rolled oats, and honey is used instead of granulated sugar. Cranzacs are now one of my favorite cookies!

Cranzac Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup dried shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp water
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup (if you can’t find it, use a mild tasting honey…which is what we used)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the flour, oats, brown sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and dried cranberries.
3. Stir in the water, melted butter, and honey until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.
4. Roll the cookie dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place the balls on the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart, and flatten them into 2-inch disks.
5. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until light brown. Rotate the baking sheet midway through baking to make sure the cookies bake evenly. Once cool, store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for longer.