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April 23, 2021

62 Comments

Don’t mess with the good ol’ Anzac biscuit or you will pay a price. A big price!

That’s the message for bakeries and other small businesses in the lead up to Anzac Day commemorations.

The Federal Department of Veterans Affairs says businesses will face hefty fines of up to $51,000 if caught tampering with the traditional Anzac biscuit recipe, while individual sellers could be slapped with a $10,000 fine.

Stick To The Recipe…Or Else!

Under government regulations, a biscuit can’t be sold as an ‘Anzac biscuit’ if it has additions like chocolate chips or almonds.

According to the DVA guidelines, products produced commercially are required to conform to the traditional recipe and shape, and should be referred to as ‘Anzac biscuits’ or ‘Anzac Slice’.

“Referring to these products as ‘Anzac Cookies’ is generally not approved, due to the non-Australian overtones,” the guidelines state.

“There may be some substitution of ingredients for people who are gluten or lactose intolerant, definitely no addition of new ingredients that alter the traditional biscuit and its taste such as egg, chocolate chips or almonds”, said a spokesperson for Veterans’ Affairs.

Simple Ingredients

One of the earliest recipes for Anzac biscuits includes rolled oats, flour, golden syrup and sugar – though later versions also add coconut.

anzac

Where The Biscuits Began

The biscuits were made in Australia during World War I by soldiers’ wives and women’s groups, and favoured because the combination of ingredients kept well during long periods of transportation.

A Gelato chain was forced to rename its Anzac ‘Bikke’ flavoured gelato to ‘Anzac BISCUIT’ at the request of the department a few years ago.

Under the Crimes Act 1914, a penalty of up to $10,200 for an individual and $51,000 for a body corporate may be issued for serious breaches regarding the use of the word ‘Anzac’.

Check out an amazing Anzac “pie” recipe here

Fair call or totally crazy? Share your comments below.

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  • I made these for Anzac Day and they were incredible

    Reply

  • Fair call, if you want to change it, call it something else

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  • Fair call. If you want to change up the recipe, sure, but call it something different.

    Reply

  • Fair enough too. I saw recently that Woolies renamed their Anzac biscuits Oat n Honey or something like that, for this exact reason

    Reply

  • A bit excessive! Might need to call them something else if you choose to add other ingredients

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  • I love the tradition of the original Anzac cookies but this is going a little over the top i think.

    Reply

  • Wow that’s a crazy big fine!

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  • I love the traditional one.

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  • Totally fair, this is a traditional biscuit and it has so much meaning and history. I don’t think it should be altered.

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  • Wow! I had no idea. Not that I was making any alternative, but interesting!

    Reply

  • I never knew this!

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  • I actually agree with this because they are being made in honour of the soldiers who fought for their country and it gives us a bit of an idea of what they had to eat.

    Reply

  • I understand the problematic and the money that goes into advertising and what not but like anything else really theses days, you have to be so careful what you say, write or do as it could always be used against you. One wrong statement and you are “out”

    Eg. Coon cheese or Res skins lollies. People have to much time
    On their hands and make out of nothing a really big fuss.

    Reply

  • Wow, that seems a little over the top. I get wanting to be traditional but if you don’t like a product just don’t buy it! I mean this could be something as harmless as adding cinnamon. What’s the harm?

    Reply

  • Tend to agree – it is either an Anzac biscuit made like the original ones were to send overseas or it is another biscuit type. I am not a fan of Anzac biscuits in any shape or form, but can understand the fines imposed if you deviate from the original recipe and say it is aa Anzac biscuit especially by the commercial stores that sell them these days.

    Reply

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