4 Ingredient Hokey Pokey Biscuits

Name: 4 Ingredient Hokey Pokey Biscuits
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 60 g unsalted butter; 115 g (⅓ cup) golden syrup; 60 g (⅓ cup) brown sugar; 225 g (1½ cup) self-raising flour (sifted)

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These Hokey Pokey Biscuits are a classic New Zealand recipe! Made with only 4 basic ingredients... they're quick, easy and so, so delicious!

If you have butter, golden syrup, brown sugar and self-raising flour on hand, you can have these biscuits prepared, baked and ready to eat in just 20 minutes.

A pile of hokey pokey biscuits on a cake stand

When I was young, my Mum used to make Hokey Pokey biscuits all the time, I guess because they were a quick and simple biscuit recipe that kept us kids happy!

The original recipe for these biscuits was from the NZ Edmonds Cookbook that every New Zealander grew up with. Now, this recipe is not the original Edmonds one, but it is just as good as I remember - and only requires 4 ingredients! So....Easy....

Another NZ classic biscuit from this cookbook is crunchy chocolate Afghans made with cocoa and cornflakes - you really MUST try them!

Hokey pokey is what we, in Australia, would call honeycrunch or honeycomb flavour, and these hokey pokey biscuits get their beautiful caramel flavour from the combo of brown sugar and golden syrup.

A hand reaching out and picking up a golden biscuit from a plate.

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

There's nothing better than a batch of warm cookies out of the oven, especially when they have a comforting, caramel like flavour.....

One bowl - 4 ingredients - that's it! Just butter, golden syrup, brown sugar and flour - melt and mix together, roll into balls and bake - how easy is that? Prepped and baked in 20 minutes!
No fail - simple enough for kids to make - once the butter, sugar and golden syrup has been melted together, the kids can add the flour, mix, and then those little fingers can roll up and flatten the biscuits on a baking tray.
Budget friendly and basic ingredients - I'm pretty sure you will have all 4 ingredients on hand!
Perfect for lunchboxes - and definitely those hungry tummies after school too!

A white cake stand with a pile of Hokey Pokey biscuits served on it

What You Need

Made with basic pantry staples, these Hokey Pokey biscuits require no fancy ingredients at all!

And I just love a one-bowl recipe - just as much as the kids love a wooden spoon to lick!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!

The 4 ingredients required for Hokey Pokey biscuits, in individual bowls on a bench.

Butter - either salted or unsalted is fine to use.
Golden syrup - easily purchased in your supermarket, or you can substitute it for corn syrup, honey or maple syrup. You can even make your own golden syrup, however convenience really is the key here!
Brown sugar - either light or dark brown sugar is fine to use. It is the brown sugar that gives a slightly caramelised flavour to these biscuits.
Self-raising flour - use store-bought self-raising flour (also known as self-rising) or make your own by sifting 2 teaspoons of baking powder through every 1 cup of plain all-purpose flour.

Step By Step Instructions

Such a quick and easy recipe, these Hokey Pokey biscuits are prepped and baked in 20 minutes!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!

Step 1 - Melt

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan forced) and line two baking trays.

Place the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 50% power in 30 second bursts, stirring each time.

Golden syrup, butter and brown sugar in a glass bowl.

Microwave until the butter has melted and the brown sugar has dissolved, then set aside to cool.

Butter and golden syrup mixture melted together for biscuits.

Step 2 - Sift Flour

Sift the self-raising flour into the same bowl.

Fold the flour gently into the melted butter mixture until a soft dough forms.

Hokey Pokey biscuit mixture and a spoon in a glass bowl.

Step 3 - Roll And Bake

Roll tablespoon sized balls and place on your baking tray.

Flatten slightly using a fork gently pressed on top.

Small round balls of biscuit mixture, flattened with a fork and placed on a baking tray.

Bake for 10 minutes or until just golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

I did mention they are easy, didn't I?!

Golden caramel flavoured hokey pokey biscuits on a serving plate.

Expert Tips & FAQ's

What is the Edmonds Cookbook?

The Edmonds Cookbook was first published in New Zealand in 1908. It has been republished many times over the years and contains some old favourite recipes that have survived the decades, as well as some updated ones to reflect more modern cooking tastes. The Edmonds Cookbook is a staple item in just about every Kiwi (New Zealand) home.

What can I use instead of golden syrup?

Golden syrup is readily available in supermarkets, however you can substitute it with corn syrup, honey or maple syrup. You can even make your own golden syrup if you like.

Tips for a crunchy 'outer' but soft 'inner' Hokey Pokey biscuit

Gently fold through the self raising flour - don't overmix!

Storing

Store your Hokey Pokey biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (if they last that long!), or they can be wrapped well in an airtight container and frozen for up to 1 month.

A pile of Hokey Pokey biscuits on a cake stand with one broken in half.

Whipping up a batch of biscuits can be so quick and easy, and really, you just can't compare store bought with the flavour of biscuits home-made with love!

Why not try some of these? The kids will love to help!

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