If you've ever wondered are Anzac biscuits vegan, the short answer is: usually not, but they're one of the easiest Australian treats to veganize. The same goes for lamingtons. Both are baked goods soaked in tradition, and that tradition happens to lean heavily on honey, butter, and eggs.
That doesn't mean vegans have to skip the bakery case entirely. It just means knowing what to look for, what questions to ask, and which substitutions actually work. This guide breaks down exactly why these two iconic treats aren't automatically plant-based, and how bakeries and home cooks around the world are adapting them without sacrificing the flavor that makes them worth eating in the first place.
Are Anzac Biscuits Vegan? The Honest Answer
Anzac biscuits have a specific, historically rooted recipe. They were originally made by families in Australia and New Zealand to send to soldiers overseas during World War I, which is part of why the classic formula has stayed so consistent over the past century. Bakers wanted something that wouldn't spoil on a long sea voyage, so they leaned on shelf-stable ingredients like golden syrup and desiccated coconut.
That historical consistency is exactly why so many traditional recipes still aren't vegan.
The Two Main Culprits: Honey and Butter
A standard Anzac biscuit recipe typically includes:
- Rolled oats
- Desiccated coconut
- Flour
- Sugar
- Butter
- Golden syrup or honey
- Baking soda
- Boiling water
The butter is the obvious non-vegan ingredient, but it's the syrup that trips people up. Many home cooks and smaller bakeries substitute honey for golden syrup, especially outside Australia where golden syrup can be harder to find on grocery shelves. Honey isn't considered vegan because it's an animal product harvested from bees, so a recipe that swaps in honey moves further from plant-based territory rather than closer to it.
This is the exact problem hiding in plain sight for a lot of shoppers. A biscuit can look completely plant-based, no eggs, no dairy milk, nothing overtly "meaty" about it, and still fail a strict vegan standard because of a spoonful of honey mixed into the dough.
Golden Syrup vs. Honey: Why It Matters
Golden syrup is a byproduct of sugar cane refining, not an animal product, which means it's naturally vegan. Traditional Anzac biscuits made with true golden syrup are already halfway to being plant-based, since the only remaining non-vegan ingredient is the butter.
This is genuinely good news for anyone trying to veganize the recipe at home. Swap the butter for a plant-based alternative, confirm the syrup is golden syrup and not honey, and you've got a biscuit that's remarkably close to the original in taste and texture.
Are Lamingtons Vegan? Usually Not, But For Different Reasons
Lamingtons run into a bigger list of non-vegan ingredients than Anzac biscuits do. A traditional lamington is a square of butter cake or sponge cake, dipped in chocolate icing, then rolled in desiccated coconut. Sometimes there's a layer of jam or fresh cream sandwiched in the middle.
Here's where the animal products typically show up:
- The sponge cake usually contains eggs, butter, and dairy milk
- The chocolate icing is often made with butter and sometimes milk or cream
- The filling, if there is one, frequently includes whipped dairy cream
Because there are more components involved, a lamington has more opportunities for a non-vegan ingredient to sneak in compared to a simpler biscuit recipe. Even a bakery that uses a plant-based cake base might still ice it with a butter-based chocolate coating, so it's worth checking each layer rather than assuming the whole thing is fine because the cake itself sounds simple.
Why Sponge Cake Is Trickier to Veganize Than You'd Think
Traditional sponge relies on whipped eggs to create its light, airy structure. That's a functional ingredient, not just a flavor one, so simply leaving eggs out of a classic recipe usually produces a dense, flat result rather than the fluffy cake lamingtons are known for.
This is why a successful vegan lamington recipe isn't just "the same recipe minus eggs." It typically involves a different leavening approach altogether, often using a combination of plant-based milk, vinegar or another acid, and baking powder to mimic the lift that eggs would otherwise provide.
How Bakeries and Home Cooks Adapt These Recipes
The good news is that both treats have well-established vegan versions, and they're not obscure or hard to find if you know what to search for.
Vegan Anzac Biscuit Substitutions
Because the traditional recipe only has two non-vegan ingredients, the fix is fairly direct.
- Replace butter with a plant-based butter alternative or coconut oil. Coconut oil actually complements the coconut already in the recipe, so it's a popular choice among home bakers.
- Confirm the syrup is golden syrup, not honey. If a recipe calls for honey, substitute it with golden syrup, maple syrup, or agave nectar at a roughly equal ratio.
- Check the oats. This one surprises people, but oats can sometimes be processed in facilities that also handle animal products, or blended with additives that aren't strictly vegan. It's not the norm, but it's worth a glance at the label if you're being thorough.
A vegan Anzac biscuit recipe made this way tastes remarkably close to the original. The oats, coconut, and brown sugar carry most of the flavor, so removing butter and honey doesn't gut the biscuit of what makes it recognizable.
Vegan Lamington Substitutions
Lamingtons take a bit more reworking, but the formula is well documented at this point.
- Cake base: Plant-based milk combined with a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice creates a quick "buttermilk" effect that helps with tenderness. Baking powder and baking soda do the lifting that eggs would normally handle.
- Butter: Swapped for a plant-based butter or neutral oil, depending on the recipe.
- Chocolate icing: Made with cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and plant-based milk instead of dairy milk and butter.
- Coconut coating: Already vegan in most cases, since desiccated coconut doesn't involve animal products.
- Cream filling (optional): Coconut cream or a store-bought plant-based whipping cream stands in for dairy cream.
The result is a lamington that holds its shape, has the right density, and still delivers that familiar contrast between soft cake, rich chocolate, and coconut texture.
How to Ask Bakeries the Right Questions
If you're at a bakery or café and want to know whether their Anzac biscuits or lamingtons are vegan, a vague "is this vegan?" sometimes gets a vague answer back. Staff at smaller bakeries don't always have the full ingredient breakdown memorized, especially if they didn't bake the item themselves.
More specific questions tend to get more useful answers:
- "Is this made with butter or a plant-based alternative?"
- "Does the recipe use honey or golden syrup?"
- "Is the icing made with dairy butter or milk?"
- "Was egg used in the cake base?"
Asking about specific ingredients rather than the blanket term "vegan" gives staff something concrete to check, and it also protects you if the person you're asking isn't totally sure what "vegan" excludes. Some people assume vegan just means no meat, so a direct ingredient question closes that gap.
Reading Labels at Grocery Stores and Bakeries
Packaged Anzac biscuits and lamingtons sold at grocery stores are required to list ingredients, which makes this part easier than asking a stranger behind a counter. Scan for:
- Butter, milk solids, milk powder, whey, or casein
- Honey
- Egg or egg white
- Gelatin (rare in these specific treats, but worth checking on any glazed or gummy variations)
Some packaged brands now market a dedicated vegan version of Anzac biscuits, since the demand for baked goods vegan and coconut vegan options has grown steadily. These are usually labeled clearly on the front of the package rather than buried in fine print, since brands tend to want credit for the plant-based version.
Why This Matters Beyond Just One Cookie
Anzac biscuits and lamingtons are a useful case study for a bigger pattern in plant-based eating: traditional recipes weren't designed with veganism in mind, so ingredient literacy matters more than assuming a food is "probably fine" because it doesn't look like an obvious offender.
This kind of everyday label-reading and ingredient awareness is part of a broader mindful, compassionate approach to how people eat and live. For anyone looking to carry that same intentionality into what they wear, The Dharma Store makes vegan-themed apparel from organic cotton, built around the same plant-based, ethical values that guide how you might approach a bakery case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Anzac biscuits always made with honey?
No. Traditional recipes often use golden syrup, which is vegan, rather than honey. Some modern or home-cook variations swap in honey instead, especially outside Australia, so it's worth checking the specific recipe or asking the bakery which one they used.
What is the vegan substitute for golden syrup?
If a recipe already calls for golden syrup, it's typically already vegan and doesn't need substituting. If a recipe calls for honey and you want to veganize it, golden syrup, maple syrup, or agave nectar all work as roughly equal replacements.
Do lamingtons contain eggs?
Traditional lamington sponge cake almost always contains eggs, since they help create the light, airy texture. Vegan versions replace eggs with a combination of plant-based milk, an acid like vinegar or lemon juice, and baking powder or baking soda.
Is desiccated coconut vegan?
Yes. Desiccated coconut is made purely from dried, shredded coconut flesh with no animal-derived ingredients, so it's naturally vegan and doesn't need to be substituted in either recipe.
Can I buy vegan Anzac biscuits at the store?
Some grocery brands and bakeries now sell a dedicated vegan version, usually labeled on the packaging. Checking the ingredient list for butter, milk solids, and honey is the quickest way to confirm a specific product is vegan if it isn't explicitly labeled.
What's the easiest Australian sweet to veganize at home?
Anzac biscuits are generally easier than lamingtons because the traditional recipe only involves two potentially non-vegan ingredients: butter and, in some versions, honey. Lamingtons require reworking the cake, icing, and sometimes a cream filling, which involves more substitutions overall.
The information in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding dietary or health concerns.