In Defense of Oatmeal Cookies

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In Defense of Oatmeal Cookies

Exhibit A: Anzac biscuits. Because who wouldn’t want a crispy, caramel-y cookie packed with oats and coconut?

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By

Mia Leimkuhler

April 25, 2026,

11:00 a.m. ET

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Good morning! Today we have for you:

Golden, oaty

Anzac biscuits

Easy

preserved lemon pasta

And,

a peek into one of Japan’s last natural sake breweries

Image

Brian Levy’s Anzac biscuits.

Credit...

Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

I’ve never understood the disdain for oatmeal cookies. What’s not to like about a hefty, chunky cookie with extra texture and toasty flavor? Squint at an

oatmeal cookie with raisins

(or any other dried fruit) and it’s almost a granola bar, a snack I tell myself is better for me than most other cookies. (I mean,

oats

are

pretty good for you

.)

Of course,

Anzac biscuits

are not simply oatmeal cookies. Brian Levy writes in the headnote to his recipe that they “originally gained popularity after World War I as a way to celebrate the veterans from the Australian continent (ANZAC, an acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, had recently been coined).” There’s a sweet thought that Anzac biscuits were sent to soldiers by loved ones, but in reality “the original Anzac ‘tiles’ or ‘wafers’ were army rations that were notoriously hard, unpalatable and bland.”

Unlike their predecessors, Brian’s Anzac biscuits are loaded with flavor and texture from shredded coconut, brown sugar and golden syrup (honey is a perfectly suitable sub here). And, as with many recipes that have a history, you’ll want to scroll through the comments for reader wisdom, suggestions and raves — there’s a lot of love for these hearty oatmeal treats.

Featured Recipe

Anzac Biscuits

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