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Our favourite British traybake treat is such a comforting snack, but with so many different ways to make it, it can be tricky to master.
I am happy to say there IS a foolproof way to make Flapjacks that works every single time. In just 6 ingredients and 20 minutes in the oven, you have a chewy, sticky classic goodie – I’m letting you in on the secret to the ultimate recipe!
Learning how to make Flapjacks is a rite of passage and once you’ve found the right recipe, you’ll be turning to it again and again for breakfast-on-the-go option or a packed lunch sweetener, or just because there’s a cup of tea going that needs an accompaniment.
There are so many different ways to make flapjack but I am VERY happy to report that I have done the testing and experimenting on this classic snack so you don’t have to.
This is the ultimate FOOLPROOF flapjack recipe that works. Every. Single. Time. There’s a secret to it too… shhh (but it lies within the oats you use) 🤫
Why you’ll love this Simple Flapjack recipe
⭐️ Only 6 ingredients
⭐️ No faff or fancy equipment needed
⭐️ Energy-packed snack for busy kids (and grown-ups)
A note on oats
After making this many batches of homemade flapjacks over the years, I noticed something about the oats I used. (No exaggeration – I can safely say the success of your baking lies in the type of oats you use!) Once I realised this, there was no going back for me.
💥 HERE IS THE SECRET 💥… I use half rolled oats and half jumbo oats.
Rolled oats are more likely to be used in porridge. They absorb moisture well and carry flavours. Jumbo oats tend to be bigger and crunchier, keep their shape more, and are more likely to be used for biscuits and cereal bars. Instant oats are more processed, are finer in texture and are mushier when cooked.
In summary:
🦴 You can use just rolled oats but the texture is chewy, without much crunch
🍂 You can use just jumbo oats but they will be very crunchy, a little dry, and to be honest? Not my favourite
🌟 HALF AND HALF (rolled and jumbo) are honestly the BEST combo – both crunchy and chewy – yum!
🚫 Instant oats (like Ready Brek) are a no-no for flapjack
IMAGE: See the photo below showing the different between using just rolled oats (the bottom flapjack) and using this recipe with half rolled and half jumbo (the top flapjack)…
How we came up with this recipe for Flapjacks
A traditional Flapjack recipe originated in Great Britain and is made from butter, golden syrup, sugar, oats (my recipe has a touch of salt too and a chocolate topping to give it an edge).
Other recipes that involved using only one kind of oat, as mentioned above, just didn’t work for me. I know how I like my flapjack texture and overly one way or the other isn’t it!
Which is why the half and half method works so well.
Of course, there are a number of variations of flapjack recipes, such as peanut butter flapjacks, honey flapjacks, fruity flapjacks and banana flapjacks. But for me, nothing can top Golden Syrup flapjacks.
To make the best homemade flapjacks, simply melt and mix your ingredients together and bake in a square tin until golden brown, then slice them into squares once everything is cool. The melted chocolate is optional, but I’d highly recommend drizzling it over the flapjacks at the end.
This recipe will forever remind me of coming home from school and raiding the cake tin expectantly (and there is no hunger like that 3:30pm after-school hunger, is there?) Now it’s time for you to make your own memories. Hope you love it!
Some other favourite traybakes
- Chocolate Orange Brownies
- Mini Egg Rocky Road
- Peanut Butter Brownies
- Easy Rolo Rocky Road
- Easter Rocky Road
Flapjack Recipe Ingredients
- Butter – Unsalted or salted is fine. If you use salted, reduce the salt in the recipe to ½ tsp
- Golden Syrup
- Sugar – Soft light brown sugar
- Oats – I use a mixture of jumbo whole oats and rolled oats for a good consistency of both light/crumbly and dense at the same time
- Salt – You can leave this out for small children but it does bring out the flavour and add something
- Milk chocolate – Melted to drizzle (any kind). I use this kind for baking.
How to make Flapjacks
1. Preheat your oven, line your baking tray and then add your butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large pan.
2. Heat gently, then once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and stir in the oats and salt.
3. Put your mixture into your baking tin and pat down flat with a spoon. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
4. Leave to cool well before slicing and drizzling over the melted chocolate.
Substitutions
- Golden syrup – This gives the lovely sticky texture. You can replace it with honey if you prefer but it can be more unpredictable as honey is a natural product where the consistency varies. The flavour can also be quite strong.
- Brown sugar – Soft light brown sugar gives a good flavour but caster sugar will work too.
Storing Flapjacks
In my experience they don’t last long enough to be stored, but if your family is resisting too much temptation, you can store the flapjacks in an airtight container for about 7 days.
In the freezer You can also freeze them in portions for up to a month.
Top tip for making homemade Flapjacks
Which oats to use
As outlined above, I use a mixture of jumbo whole oats and rolled oats in this flapjack recipe.
I find that jumbo oats give a lighter, more crumbly texture. Rolled oats make a more dense texture. Both together work really well.
That said, if you only have one type, you can still follow this recipe. The resulting texture might just be a little different than I’ve explained (it will still be delicious). Just keep an eye on them in the oven as timings may vary slightly.
FAQs
You need to leave them to cool! Make sure they’re completely cooled before cutting them into 16 squares. This will help them to keep their shape and means that you don’t need to overcook them.
No, they’re very different things! In America, a flapjack is a kind of thick pancake, whereas in the UK it’s a gooey, chewy, granola-style oat bar. Any USA readers – please tell all about your flapjacks!
For me the perfect flapjack is a chewy one, with slightly crunchy edges. If you’re a fan of more crunchy flapjack, just cook for slightly longer than the recipe says.
Sure. Just replace the butter with a dairy-free spread, and make sure you use vegan chocolate or omit it altogether.
This is almost always down to overbaking. In future, just turn your oven down by a fraction and cook them for 5 minutes less.
This is usually down to cutting them before they are completely cold. If you want neat slices, let them go totally cold before cutting. It can also be when they are slightly underbaked.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Easy Flapjacks {Foolproof Recipe!}
Ingredients
- 225 g Butter, See notes
- 150 g Golden Syrup, See notes
- 150 g Soft light brown sugar, See notes
- 450 g Oats, See notes
- 1 tsp Salt, See notes
For the topping:
- 100 g Milk chocolate, Melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170C (340F).
- Line a 20×20 cm baking tray with baking parchment.
- Melt your butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large pan over a low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and stir in the oats and salt.
- Give the entire mixture a really good stir so that all of the oats are coated.
- Pour the mixture into your lined baking tin and pat down with the back of a spoon.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. (The edges should be starting to brown but the middle should still be soft and wobbly.)
- When the flapjack is cold, remove it from the tin and slice your flapjacks into 16 squares with a sharp knife.
- Drizzle over the melted chocolate and allow to set.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made them for friends in the states and found Turkey Golden table syrup that worked along with one minute oats. Normal oats failed badly lol! They do also think a flapjack is a pancake!
In my area, golden syrup is difficult to find. Could I use corn syrup instead?
I haven’t tried that Sharon, sorry, you can’t get corn syrup here!