Heavenly Crunchies: Fuel Your Day with 1 Bite of Oat and Coconut Bars!

South African crunchies are a tasty and simple treat made with oats, coconut, and golden syrup. You can make this recipe in just a few minutes. If you enjoy Anzac biscuits, you will like them, too.

There are two kinds of crunchies in South Africa. One is a baked oat and coconut bar flavored with golden syrup. The other is a chocolate bar with a honeycomb covered in milk chocolate. Both kinds are yummy in their way.

Crunchies (the baked biscuit bar) remind me of when I was a kid. They were made in my family’s kitchen and the kitchens of my friends and neighbors. These quick and easy biscuits were always at bake sales. Just like Malva Pudding, every family has their special recipe for them.

Must try out this Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar!

Crunchies vs. Anzac Biscuits

In my opinion, crunchies and Anzac biscuits are very similar. They are just made in different shapes. I first tasted an Anzac biscuit in New Zealand in 2019, and I had my doubts.

I have a hand-written crunchie recipe that I have been using for many years, and it was very much like the Anzac biscuit recipes I found.

For my recipe at Salty Ginger, I decided to look at my 1978 copy of Cook and Enjoy It. I wanted to see what this old recipe book said about a traditional crunchie recipe.

My hand-written crunchie recipe and many Anzac biscuit recipes I found used the same amount of flour, oats, and coconut. They had a 1 to 1 to 1 ratio. The Cook and Enjoy It recipe used a 1 to 4 to 3 ratio of flour, oats, and coconut. I experimented with the amounts and created a recipe that was a mix of both. I wanted to make sure it was a biscuit and not just a granola bar.

In the end, I made the best South African crunchies I could! They weren’t as sweet as my original crunchie recipe or the Anzac biscuits, but they were still very tasty.

What You Need for this Recipe..?

Equipment

For this recipe, you will need a few mixing bowls, a kitchen scale, and a 9″x9″ or 23x23cm cake or brownie tin. You will also need some baking paper.

Ingredients

Here are some notes on the ingredients used in this recipe. Please see the recipe card for quantities.

Rolled oats and desiccated coconut give the crunchie its crunch.

Butter makes it taste better, but you can also use baking margarine.

Golden syrup adds a nice light flavor, but you can use honey or maple syrup instead.

Milk or water adds a little more liquid to the mixture.

Baking soda can be replaced with the same amount of baking powder.

White or brown sugar can be substituted for either in this recipe.

Note: Crunchies are oat and coconut bars that do not contain eggs.

Substitutions/Variations

If you want to use self-raising flour instead of plain/all-purpose flour, you can do that. If a recipe asks for ½ to 1 teaspoon of baking powder per cup (150 grams) of plain flour, just use self-raising flour and skip the baking powder. If the recipe needs more than 1 teaspoon of baking powder per cup (150 grams), add the extra baking powder.

For this recipe, you can substitute the flour one for one and leave out the extra baking soda.

Salt is important in all baked goods. I use table salt in all my recipes. One teaspoon of table salt is the same as 1.5 teaspoons of Morton Kosher Salt or 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal salt.

Weighing and Measuring Ingredients

Weighing ingredients with a kitchen scale is more accurate than using measuring cups. All my recipes are developed and tested using grams only.

However, check out the recipe card for cup measurements. For these conversions, cups are equal to 240 millilitres/8 fluid ounces, tablespoons are 15 milliliters and teaspoons are 5mL

Making Crunchies

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (or 180°C if you have a fan oven). Grease and line a baking sheet, slice tray, or cake tin that is about 23×23 cm (or 9″x9″).

• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, coconut, sugars, cinnamon, and salt.

• Melt the butter and golden syrup together in the microwave or on the stovetop. Mix the baking soda with milk or water. Then, stir the baking soda mixture into the melted butter and syrup.

• Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well until everything is combined.

• Press the biscuit mixture into the bottom of the prepared tin and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. If needed, rotate the tin halfway through baking.

• Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into 20 equal pieces.

Pro Tips for this Recipe

You might need to rotate your biscuits halfway through baking, especially if your oven is hotter in one corner.

Slice the crunchies while they are still warm!

Weighing & Measuring Ingredients

Using a kitchen scale to weigh ingredients is more accurate than using measuring cups. I develop and test all my recipes using grams only.

However, I have added the option to convert measurements between metric and cups. Just click on “cups” or “metric” for your preferred measurements. For these conversions, 1 cup equals 240 milliliters (or 8 fluid ounces), 1 tablespoon equals 15 milliliters, and 1 teaspoon equals 5 milliliters.

Ovens and Air-Fryers

The temperatures listed are for regular ovens. If you are using a convection oven, fan-forced oven, or air-fryer, lower the temperature by 20°C (or 25°F).

Make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking, and keep the rack in the middle of the oven. Try to open the oven door as little as possible. For the best results, use an oven thermometer.

Remember that all ovens are a little different, so you might need to adjust the baking times for your specific oven.

Bakeware

Metal bakeware is better for baking biscuits, cookies, brownies, muffins, quick bread, scones, and cakes. Metal heats up and cools down faster than glass. Glass is heavier and heats up more slowly, so it is better for things like bread puddings, pies, crisps, crumbles, and cobblers.

All my recipes are tested at sea level.

Storage and Freezing

You can store crunchies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Final Thoughts

Making crunchies is a fun and easy way to enjoy a delicious treat! With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a tasty snack that everyone will love. Whether you enjoy them warm or at room temperature, they are perfect for sharing with family and friends. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the recipe or try different flavors! Enjoy your baking adventure and savor every bite of your crunchy creation!