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Recipe 9 of the Christmas Cookies Around the World Holiday Project for Kids: Anzac Biscuits Cookie Recipe
If you’re looking for a unique way to celebrate how different cultures celebrate Christmas around the world, then you will love this Christmas Cookies Around the World Holiday Project. Take a little inspiration from traditional Christmas cookies from around the world, and bake a unique batch of Christmas cookies from Australia! This classic Australian Christmas cookie recipe is a delicious budget-friendly cookie option that is both crunchy and delicious to make. It is actually the most popular in our informal taste-test too!
GET ALL 12 COOKIE RECIPES AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITH THE FULL CHRISTMAS COOKIES AROUND THE WORLD HOLIDAY PROJECT.
This Christmas Cookies Around the World project is a fun way to teach children about Christmas in other countries while tasting some delightful cookies!
The Christmas Cookies Around the World series will help you gently introduce preschool and early elementary-aged children to:
- World geography
- Holiday traditions
- Popular cookies from various cultures and parts of the world
- Baking skills
- Math and measurement
It is also designed to encourage togetherness through baking and kindness through sharing with others.
Brief History of Anzac Biscuits Cookie
Anzac biscuits originated in the early 1900s. In Australia, volunteers baked Anzac biscuits and packed them in Billy Tea cans. They were then sent to soldiers during WWI because the ingredients allowed them to stay fresh longer than others.
You can store Anzac biscuits for up to two weeks in an airtight container or for up to three months in the freezer. This also makes them excellent for baking ahead of time at the holidays!
Fun Facts About Australia’s Christmas Traditions
- In Australia, Christmas comes towards the beginning of the summer holidays!
- Australians hang wreaths on their front doors and sometimes go out singing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve.
- Australians also decorate their houses with bunches of ‘Christmas Bush’, a native Australian tree with small green leaves and cream colored flowers.
- When he gets to Australia, Santa sometimes gives the reindeers a rest and might use kangaroos.
- However, as it’s the middle of summer, many other families feast on a cold Christmas meal, including cold ham, cold roast chickens and seafood.
- Due to Christmas occurring close to the longest day of the year, often the kids will excitedly wake up with the sun around 5 a.m.
- Christmas pudding or mince pies are served as a traditional Christmas dessert.
- Instead of wishing for a white Christmas, with snow on Christmas Day, most Australians (unless they’re spending the day in the kitchen cooking a roast) instead dream of warm, sunny weather.
Videos About Christmas in Australia
Learn all about what children in Australia do for the Christmas holiday season.
This video will help teach you about the warm weather Christmas celebration in Australia.
Check out this special version of the 12 Days of Christmas that focuses on celebrations in Australia.
Your kids will love this Aussie-inspired version of the 12 Days of Christmas.
Websites to Help Teach Kids About Christmas in Australia
Find out how Christmas is celebrated in Australia.
Head down under to learn about how Christmas is celebrated in Australia.
Books About Christmas in Australia
John Williamson’s Christmas in Australia by John Williamson
Dive into this book and learn all about what Christmas is like in Australia.
Christmas Wombat by Jackie French
Follow this adorable wombat in this adorable Australian Christmas story.
Additional Resources for Teaching Children About Australia
First you may be wondering, “Is Australia a country or a continent?” This may confuse children at first, so it’s helpful to tell them it’s BOTH. Australia is a country and it is also a continent. Interestingly this makes Australia the sixth largest COUNTRY in the world, but the smallest CONTINENT in the world.
Videos About Australia for Kids
This video will take you down under to learn all about the continent and country of Australia.
Experience the only continent that is also an island in this educational video.
Websites About Australia for Kids
Learn all about Australia with this helpful travel guide for kids.
Learn fascinating facts, culture, and history about Australia.
Books About Australia for Kids
An Aussie Year: Twelve Months in the Life of Australian Kids by Tania McCartney
Learn about what Australia is like during other parts of the year in this book.
Living in . . . Australia by Chloe Perkins
Discover what it’s like to grow up in Australia with the help of this book.
Good Night Australia by Adam Gamble
Explore the Sydney Harbour, Great Ocean Road, the Australia Zoo, Mindil Beach, the Great Barrier Reef, Adelaide Oval, Uluru, Kings Park, Salamanca Market, wildlife, and more in this fun bedtime story.
A Kid’s Guide to Australia by Jack L Roberts
This engaging book uses bright illustrations and colorful photos to show what life in Australia is really like.
Australia by Colleen Sexton
Take a trip down under to learn about all the unique animals that call Australia home!
Anzac Biscuits Cookie Recipe
Anzac Biscuits
This classic Australian Christmas cookie recipe is a delicious budget-friendly cookie option that is both crunchy and delicious to make.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Australian
Servings 36 Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt If using unsalted butter increase salt to a heaping 1⁄4 teaspoon.
- 3/4 cup Coconut shredded or flaked
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 2 tbsp golden syrup or dark corn syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 2 tbsp boiling water
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
Stir together the oats, flour, sugar, salt and coconut.
Place the butter and syrup in a small saucepan. Cook until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbling.
In a medium sized bowl, mix the baking soda and boiling water. Stir in the hot butter. This mixture will bubble up quite a lot, so be prepared!! Do not use a small bowl.
Stir the butter mixture into the dry ingredients
Drop the dough by teaspoonful onto the baking sheets. Space about 1 1⁄2 inches apart.....these will spread.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until they are light/medium brown color for chewy cookies and deep brown for crispy cookies.
Remove from oven and cool on the pan. Store wrapped in a container for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.
Keyword Anzac Biscuits, Australian Anzac Biscuits, Christmas Cookies, Cookies
Get Your FREE Christmas Cookies Around the World Taste Test Recording Sheet
Use the taste test recording sheet to have kids record information about the cookie(s) they tasted and rate how well they liked the cookies. Individual pages can be compiled into a taste test booklet for all the cookies you try in the series, or you can choose to have kids record only their favorite cookie if you prefer.
Save paper by printing two or four to a page if preferred.
Get the entire 12 Days of Christmas Cookies Around the World project
For those interested in expanding the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies Around the World project into a class or family project we’ve created a 50+ page activity guide to make it super easy for you.
Inside you’ll find:
- Quick Reference List of Cookies and Countries
- Generic Cookie Taste Test Recording Sheet
- Cookie Taste Test Recording Table
- Class Graphing Header and Voting Cards
- Christmas Cookies Around the World Passport (three versions)
- Taste Test Journal
- Cookie Recipe Cookbook
- Editable Cookie Recipe Page to add in additional family and multi-cultural options
- Gift Tags
- Notecards
- My Family’s Favorite Cookie Recipe (two versions)
- Editable Parent Letter (two versions)
- Ingredient List by Cookie
The project is designed for use in the classroom, at home, or in community programs. Suggestions and modifications for each setting are included in the resource.
Get your Christmas Cookies Around the World Project
This project is also available on Teachers Pay Teachers.
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