One of the things I obsessively collect in my cooking life — aside, apparently, from container lids with no bases and jars of mustard seeds because every time a recipe requires it I presume I’m out because of that one time in 2010 I was — is recipes with very short ingredient lists. It’s not revolutionary to learn that, say, a salad can be made with just lettuce, oil, and vinegar or to find tomato bread, or basil pesto on these lists, but Marcella Hazan’s 3-ingredient tomato sauce is indeed something pretty revelatory, especially when you’re short on time to go to the store or merely patience to cook. So is this Minimalist Barbecue Sauce, Bacon Corn Hash, this summer squash pizza topping that could convert anyone to zucchini, and if does not, this Quick Zucchini Sauté will, the omelet that’s basically Spain’s national dish (and mine), and let us never forget all of the magical things that happen when you let fresh raspberries, brown sugar, and sour cream blister under a broiler, or roast a sweet potato until it almost candies itself inside. It’s not fully populated (I keep finding things I’ve missed and taking liberties when the 6th ingredient is butter or olive oil) but I finally got to pulling together a few of my favorites in this collection this summer. Life is busy; it’s here to help.
Despite all of this, I am a deeply contradictory person. While I assure you that these recipes don’t require any more ingredients than listed to fulfill their delicious destinies, if you were to try to tell me about a recipe with a set number of ingredients, I’d immediately bristle at the limitation. “What was the 6th one? Maybe I have it! I really don’t mind taking it out!”
Regardless, today’s recipe is a long-overdue entry into the high reward for low ingredient count category. Stateside, confusingly, flapjacks mean pancakes but in UK, flapjacks are something completely different, a tray-baked, soft-centered, chewy, crunchy-edged caramel-scented bar made only with oats, golden syrup, brown sugar, and butter*. If they are not already, we need these in our lives. They’re considered the quintessential teatime treat; alas, I don’t have a whole lot of teatime in my life but I do have hangry schoolkids that require nut-free snacks and that these are also gluten-free and ridiculously quick to make (you’ll memorize the recipe after the first time you make them) means that they’ve been on repeat here since the school year began.
“But Deb, flapjacks have only 4 ingredients. What’s the 5th? I might have it!”
Fair enough. I added chocolate. Does it *need* chocolate? For once, I’m totally torn; they’re outstanding either way.
* Although if Queen Mary Berry said marg-reen was okay in 1974, who am I to argue?
Previously
One year ago: Tomato Bread + A Bit About [Last Year’s] Trip to Spain
Two years ago: Plum Squares with Marzipan Crumble and Piri Piri Chicken
Three years ago: Corn Chowder Salad and Caponata
Four years ago: Corn Cheddar and Scallion Strata and Chocolate and Toasted Hazelnut Milk
Five years ago: Buttescotch Pudding Popsicles, Pink Lemonade Popsicles and Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
Six years ago: Vanilla Custards with Roasted Blueberries and Baked Orzo with Eggplant and Mozzarella
Seven years ago: Peach Butter and Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Mint
Eight years ago: How to Use a Kitchen Scale, Peach Shortbread and Grape Focaccia with Rosemary
Nine years ago: Espresso Chiffon Cake with Fudge Frosting, Grilled Eggplant and Olive Pizza and Peach Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting
Ten years ago: Kefta and Zucchini Kebabs, Dimply Plum Cake and Crisp Rosemary Flatbread
Eleven years ago: Hoisin Barbecue Sauce and Layered Lemon Cake
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Luxe Butterscotch Pudding
1.5 Years Ago: Butterscotch Pie
2.5 Years Ago: White Russian, Everyday Meatballs and Roasted Yams and Chickpeas with Yogurt
3.5 Years Ago: Spaghetti Pangrattato with Fried Eggs and The ‘I Want Chocolate Cake’ Cake
4.5 Years Ago: Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel and Kale and Quinoa Salad with Ricotta Salata
Flapjacks
I found that quick-cooking oats (1-minute, not instant) work best here, holding the bars together better than old-fashioned rolled oats did. If you only have them, pulse them a couple times in a food processor to chop them down a little. Instant oats made the bars too tightly packed for my tastes. If you’re serving these to anyone with gluten sensitivities, make sure the oats are labeled gluten-free.
The base recipe here is, I think, lovely — simple, rich, sweet but somehow not excessively so for a treat, and definitely syrupy, a term that makes absolute sense once you bite in. They smell like caramel as they bake. Still, you could tweak the flavors more ways than I could list on two internets. Here are a few to get you started: replacing 1/4 of the oats with an equal weight of dried coconut, adding finely grated lemon zest, ground or candied ginger, ground cinnamon, dried fruit such as dates or figs, or even adding chocolate chunks. The only thing to consider is that the single biggest complaint I read in reviews of other flapjack recipes (but didn’t experience in a way I found problematic) is that the bars are crumbly (which, of course, with so little holding them together) and imagine that adding more chunky ingredients would further this.
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) salted or unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (95 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (85 grams) golden syrup or honey or maple syrup (see Note)
- 2 1/3 cups (about 220 grams) quick-cooking (1-minute) oats (see Note)
- Flaky sea salt
- 2/3 cup (115 grams) semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips (optional)
If you’d like to add chocolate, let them rest in their pan on a cooling rack for 3 to 4 minutes before sprinkling the chips all over, then waiting 5 minutes before spreading them in a single layer.
You can cool the flapjacks at room temperature but it goes faster (especially setting the chocolate) in the fridge. However, flapjacks taste best at room temperature, where they’re still stretchy and tender, so you want to keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep for a week.
Every flapjack recipe on the internet tells you to cut them while they’re still warm or it’s too difficult later but I found them messy to cut while warm and really easy to cut cleanly once cool with a sharp, serrated knife, so I’m going to suggest you cut them once they’re fully cool. Use the parchment paper to slide them out of their pan onto a cutting board and cut them into 16 squares or into 4 large ones, then cut quarter diagonally to form 4 triangles.
First comment!
perfect! Making these Sunday for a dessert for my block party (my other option was your bake sale bars from SKED but these are easier). They look so good!
Let me add a vote for Lyle’s Golden Syrup. It’s a unique flavor that I have loved since childhood.
Never heard of Lyle’s Golden Syrup. What makes it so unique? My kids love syrup but honestly, sometimes the stickiness gets to me. Like silly putty, popsicles and slime. Kids love making slime. Me…not so much.
It’s a pure cane sugar syrup but it tastes lightly cooked/caramelized. It also has a pinch or so of salt, I’d say, giving it an even more complex flavor. I know in the UK it’s put on pancakes and the like.
Every time you lose a sock in the laundry it comes back as a plastic lid to a container you lost years ago.
LOL You win the interwebs today!
Too funny. 😊
Do you think homemade caramel sauce would work in sub of golden syrup? I have some leftover and trying to figure out how to use it!
I’m not confident it would because it also has cream and butter in it.
Omigod how I wish this were true. I seem to have the other problems–containers with no lids. I wish we could run a match-up of people with no lids to people with no containers!
And I’m trying this recipe this weekend! Thank you, Deb.
Perfect!
I wish! LOL. Still waiting for the return of socks AND plastic container lids.
oh. my. god.
these look amazing.
in canada we have roger’s golden syrup – my grandpa was the president of roger’s sugar for many years, so it always feels very familial to cook with the syrup! (we also used to make sandwiches with it – white bread, buttered inside, thick layer of syrup between slices. would 10/10 recommend.)
Yes! Rogers Golden Syrup in the big tins. It was heaven used as a topping on vanilla ice cream with fresh raspberres. Mmmmm!
I’m near Toronto and have never seen the Roger’s syrup. I can get Lyle’s pretty easy though in most any grocery store and we love it. Where are people finding the Roger’s??
Jean – I can find it at any grocery store. Not sure if you have the same chains as us – but Sobey’s, Safeway, Co-op, Save-On Foods, etc all carry it.
YUM!!! I should do this! we have so many frozen raspberries.
Yum! These look very similar to a recipe I grew up with, we called them “O’Henry Bars” and the base/bar was basically the same, although I remember vanilla and salt, and maybe an egg in there too, and none of it heated prior to baking. The lid was chocolate and peanut butter. I’m sure your husband will want you to try that lid for future flapjacks ;)
Yes, I remember O Henry Bars too. As I recall, they are very similar to this recipe, with the chocolate on top. My kids have been missing out so it’s time to get baking.
I wanted to make something to bring on our glamping trip this weekend – this will be perfect! Making tonight!
My husband and I just got back from our first visit to the UK! We kept seeing flapjacks or flapjack-flavored things and finally asked our guide about it, and realized these would not be pancake-flavored. Thank you for this amazingly timed recipe! I will be making them soon while also trying your cream scones recipe (with strawberry jam and clotted cream, of course) in my quest to re-live the high of afternoon tea :)
We made these and they were great – however, does anyone have an idea on how to lessen the sweetness without everything becoming too crumbly? My partner and I have a low sweetness threshold – we love your recipes, Deb, but usually automatically use less sugar. With this we were a bit afraid that with less sugar the whole thing wouldn’t hold – we used about a quarter less sugar and syrup but still found it a bit sweet for our taste (the rest of my family however had no problem whatsoever wolfing it down…)
I know sometimes sweetened condensed milk is added to give the flapjacks more “squidgy-ness” as some UK folks say. What do you think adding in some sweetened condensed milk would do?
Yes, this! I’ve tried a lot of flapjack recipes in the past (hi from the UK) but the best so far has been the Miranda Gardiner recipe for Waitrose that includes condensed milk. Others I have found greasy, or crumbly, or teeth-shattering. Now I wouldn’t make them any other way. https://www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/m/miranda_gardiner_s_flapjack.html
Oh yay! I’ve made some peanut butter flapjacks before and I added in some condensed milk. I think the texture was great! I will try out the above version too. What are your go to flapjack flavors/add-ins?
Well, unfortunately my kids are dried fruit deniers, so I don’t normally add anything, but I’m a fan of some chopped unsulphured apricots. It’s not traditional though!
These look delicious! Deb, if you ever tire of cutting flapjacks give Anzac biscuits a try (a similar tasting cookie famous in New Zealand and Australia). They’re equally delicious with the oats, golden syrup, coconut combination, then drizzled with melted chocolate. The chocolate isn’t necessarily traditional but hey, what cookie isn’t made better with chocolate?!
ANZAC biscuits are the reason I first purchased golden syrup! It would be nice to have 2 recipes to use it in.
ANZAC biscuits are the reason I’ve bought golden syrup, too. Yum. Never tried them with chocolate, though.
Also, this is the first time I’ve heard of this type of flapjack. I was only familiar with the kind of pancake.
Donna Hay has THE best ANZAC cookie recipe:
https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/anzac-biscuits
And so very easy…
I don’t seem to have a copy of her recipe, which I will have to rectify, but after learning to make Anzac Biscuits in Australia, my mother Americanized the recipe she’d been using after we moved back to the States. She substituted half molasses, half light (?) corn syrup for the golden syrup. The results are delicious (and come out looking like florentines).
super helpful tip for a substitute to the elusive syrup; thanks!
Hi,
Has anyone tried using agave syrup?
Thank you!
Those look really good! I’m getting hungry just looking at this. *wink*
Sounds yummy and easy, but i just see myself adding a bunch of stuff to them until they are basically like your thick chewy granola bars – aside from celebrating simplicity, are these a similar experience? I’ve never had a flapjack.
Yes, they are although definitely on the chewier side of the spectrum. I’ve been getting flapjacks in my Graze boxes for a year now and am very excited to make them at home!!
I resisted the urge to add things to them, even though I’m a person who can’t make a recipe without tweaking it. I’m glad I did; they’re incredibly delicious and unfortunately more-ish. I did use the golden syrup, and making them as is allowed that unique butterscotch-adjacent taste to shine.
Do you think it would work to substitute brown rice syrup?
I think the main thing that would be compromised is the flavor. Golden syrup has a very distinct flavor that I think is apparent in the flapjack. Although if you plan on adding mix-ins I bet the absence of the golden syrup flavor wouldn’t be missed as much.
I’ve used brown rice syrup for chewy granola bars before and it worked great, but you may want to add a splash of vanilla or use the chocolate topping for additional flavor.
I’m in NYC, and have had luck finding golden syrup at Whole Foods, in the baking section.
Lyle’s Golden Syrup is also a key ingredient in Treacle Tart, which only my London grandmother could make properly (according to my dad!) I’ve tried to make it several times, but it’s never been as good as her’s, and she is no longer with us. Please tackle that one sometime!!
Then there’s Treacle Pudding. Of course it’s English so “pudding” means something different than in the US. It’s a boiled cake with treacle in the bottom of the bowl. So easy to make but delicious.
This is the best treacle tart I’ve made. Ignore the ice cream and tuile guff, but as a Brit this is the kind of sticky, sweet pudding I dream about. Lemon isn’t traditional but cuts through a little of the cloying sweetness. I haven’t used this particular recipe (I have a magazine cut out of the same thing) but this looks and sounds right.
https://www.eattherightstuff.com/blog/2009/2/23/best-treacle-tart-in-the-world.html
From a mom with a gluten free & nut free kid…THANK YOU! So many GF recipes have nuts. And I get it. But it doesn’t help us. My son has been gluten free for 9 years but only but free for a year.
My mom used to make these. They’re so good! She called them O’Henry Bars.
The recipe for flapjacks is the first one in “Baking with Mary Berry.” However, it calls for corn syrup, rather than golden syrup, in what must be a concession to U.S. bakers. IMO, there’s no substitute for golden syrup.
I have been reading the Miss Read novels–lovely cozy stories set in England spanning the post World War II to the 1990s–and they often have mentioned flapjack and until now I never knew what it was! Will be making this ASAP.
Isn’t Miss Read great? Would eat anything mentioned in any of the books, and so want to live there! Have seen some recipes somewhere based on the stories. Would be worth trying to find them…more uses for Golden Syrup no doubt!
As an expat Brit, I’m skeptical about the chocolate; as an expat Brit, I will definitely be making these flapjacks tomorrow!! I’ll review!
Yum! I’m wondering how it would be to brown the butter before adding the other ingredients. Thoughts?
Oh I loooove this idea, I mean, not just because I’m predictable but because I think the flavor would really show up here and it’s a simple as just putting the butter in the pot first.
would you use more butter if you browned it? THANKS!
No, I don’t think I would. Browning it cooks off water content, not fat.
If you want your flapjack to hold together a bit more, add a peeled and grated apple and a couple of tablespoons of apple juice. Finely grated if you don’t want it to be too obvious that it’s there. With the apple the mix will be clarty enough for you to chuck in whatever you want in the way of chocolate chips and the like. You haven’t lived until you’ve had chocolate chip flapjack.
What does “clarty“ mean?
Clarty means kind of thick and sticky…. a bit claggy (please tell me you know what claggy means…?!)
‘clarty’ ❤️
A mashed banana also works well and means you can cut down the amount of sugar and butter if you’re so inclined.
Your pecan pie with golden syrup is the best. I’m totally making these this weekend.
I also find Lyle’s Golden Syrup at World Market! I always stock up before making your pecan pie.
Yes! World Market is the only store near me that has it. I just bought 5 bottles. I like to use it in the pretzel linzer cookies as well.
These look amazing! The chocolate topping reminds me of scotcheroos, and I’m really glad to have a nut-free alternative to those at last. Looking forward to tracking down golden syrup.
I thought the same thing! Scotcheroos are divine.
OMG! These loo amazing! I need to make these flapjacks! I never thought about putting chocolate on them! So simple, but I bet yummy!
I used to get Graze boxes to pack into my work lunches and my very favorites to get were their flapjacks, they had some truly outstanding flavors, I may have to make up a batch of these and see if I can replicate the pumpkin spice with dates and the honeycomb chocolate drizzle versions!
Definitely with chocolate!
A version of these are the only “treat” my mom has ever made and are everyone’s favorite. We call them Frosted Oatmeal Squares. They are made with corn syrup instead of golden syrup, in a pyrex pan, and cooked in the microwave. Topped with chocolate chips melted with peanut butter. Seriously the best thing in the world. I will try them with golden syrup! Thanks, Deb.
These look Delicious. I’m getting hungry looking at this.
Thanks for the recipe!
Have you ever made fårikål? Maybe a bit of an obscure one, but it’s hugely popular in Norway in fall, and it’s ridiculously simple and only requires like 5 ingredients (lamb, cabbage, water, salt and peppercorns). I probably sound like a Norwegian sterotype, but there’s nothing like going out for an autumn hike in the mountains and coming home to pot of fårikål–the whole house smells like heaven.
I haven’t but it sounds like something I’d love and … not even have to share with my kids. Like this dish, my winter happy place.
How long will these keep at room-temp?
1 week
This may be a crazy question and I realize they wouldn’t be true flapjacks even if it worked, but your description of the taste & smell made me wonder…do you think this would work if you used 1 ¼ cups of caramel instead of the butter & sweeteners????
Not sure at all — but I trust your caramel would be delicious here than anything that the oven will bake out of butter and sugar. :)
I’m going to totally confuse things here, and throw myself on the mercy of Deb and her followers. Many, many, many years ago, my mother would make something she called flapjack. It was made in the ancestral (ie, great, great grandmother’s) cast iron frying pan, and had an almost biscuit-like consistency. Def not a pancake, or other form of sweet. Served with dinner, which might’ve been fried or scrambled eggs (this was post WWII, when money was tight). Any ideas? I’d love to replicate it, and have no one left to ask. Many thanks!
Not the same, but at my German grandparent’s house “flapjacks” were little pieces of bread dough (not tiny, maybe ping pong ball sized?) Flattened out a bit and then deep fried & tossed in cinnamon sugar. It’s funny how many different foods have this name!
I am going to try these today with Steen’s cane syrup, which is unfortunately even harder to find than Lyle’s, but I always have in the pantry for pecan pie. Sigh…maybe there are some good things about living in the South (besides BBQ). And I am going to brown the butter first :) Will report back.
Sounds delicious! If I’m making this for a dairy-free friend, could I use coconut oil instead of butter? Would I need to add anything else?
Thank you for your sweet recipes!
It should work just fine.
With a different base recipe I have tried coconut oil, and found it too greasy. However, I often sub dairy free butter/ spread and find that works great.
This threw me for a loop: flapjacks in the US and Canada refers to pancakes.
I love making these with cranberries and spices — usually star aniseed and Sichuan peppercorn/chilis. (Use a light hand tho! )
I am a big fan of Golden Syrup and use only it in pies calling for that *other* syrup. However, oats: given the recent findings of the main ingredient in Round-Up to be present in MANY oat products (from Cheerios to whole oats, steel cut oats and even granola bars; from Quakers to even organic Annie’s) I am not sure I ever want to cook with oats again. I have found one company whose oat products are not tainted, but gosh….what a conundrum!
I can usually get golden syrup at Cost Plus World Market.
I just made flapjacks (from a mix). We’re an American family living in England now, and I have a pancake-loving, Celiac-having five-year-old and I bought this mix and had a case of mistaken identity! She seemed to like it anyway, though!
Next time, I’ll have a go-to for making them from scratch.
Made it with maple syrup. Had to be kept in the fridge to stay together well but still delicious.
I’ve made a version of these before and wow! Think a completely unadulterated oatmeal cookie. As a side note, I think that adding in other ingredients (ie dried fruits or coconut) might tip this too far into granola bar territory for me. They are so good as is. I will definitely be trying this version with chocolate!
Is Sugar in the Raw Syrup is the same as golden syrup?
https://www.amazon.com/Raw-Liquid-Turbinado-12-5-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B0078DPSPY
Never saw the product before! Would have to try it to see. Should be thick, as thick as honey at least.
THIS IS SO EXCITING! I bought some boxed flapjacks eons ago at a specialty shop and they were SO DELICIOUS. I have attempted to recreate them at home a few times with limited success. I trust you implicitly so I cannot wait to try this out! Once upon a time golden syrup was hard to find but now I know I can get it at certain local groceries and/or online easily, so I’m going to give it a go!
I grew up making a version of these, only we called them Rickety Uncles. In my recipe, the proportion of oats to butter/sugar/syrup is slightly higher, and they come out very dense and crisp. Delicious, a childhood favourite.
Love the recipes for exhausted parents! But oh my when did Jacob get so grown up?!
I first had flapjack while I was studying abroad, and I’ve never been able to recreate the texture. Going to give this one a try :D
This sounds like the perfect recipe for all thise folks who need a contribution to the school/church/community bake sale but forgot ‘til 10pm the night before. Stock up on these ingredients & you’re saved.
Hello! Is there any way to NOT print the “Previously” section of this post? Usually your recipes don’t include that part, but this one does include it, making the recipe three pages long! Thanks.
Oops, now fixed.
I visited a bakery in Glastonbury 3 years in a row so I could buy flapjacks at “Burns The Bread” bakery. They were so delicious that I begged the owner (Mr. Burns) for his recipe. He was kind enough to give it to me – with the huge measurements he used for his large baking trays. I bought golden syrup and brought it back to the U.S., but never made the flapjacks. I’m definitely going to try your recipe! (Yes, I’m hoping my souvenir jar of golden syrup is still good.)
Rhonda,if you opened your syrup tin when you brought it back home, it may have a crystallised (sugary) texture – if so don’t throw it out. Put the tin, minus the lid, in a saucepan with water half way up the tin and heat it gently on the hob, the crystals should disappear. Being English and using golden syrup as a topping for porridge in the winter, I may not use it all. Come summer, when I decide to make flapjacks the syrup may have crystallised. Heating it sorts this problem out.
Thanks, Grace. It’s in a glass jar (never opened) and looks as good as the day I bought it. I hope it’s like honey and ages well – I read that some 3,000-year-old honey was still edible!
I make these fairly regularly. Sometimes I add flax seed so I can say they’re “healthy”. And sometimes some bits of dried apricot. Sooooo delicious.
Made these tonight using lyle’s golden syrup and cinnamon. They are very yummy and stayed together just fine, although I may cook for 22 mins instead of 24 mins next time because I liked the chewier interior pieces more than the crispier edges (personal preference). They remind me a lot of the sunbelt honey oat bars of my youth. Those were more like desserts than snacks anyway!
Some time back I wandered the internet in search of a DIY golden syrup recipe.
Found a video that was pretty simple, and definitely cheaper, but I wound up with more of a burnt sugar syrup instead of golden syrup. Still delicious.
Has anyone else tried this? I just got tired of having to work quite so hard even to find the Lyle’s.
I made golden syrup last year for Deb’s pecan pie recipe and I wad very happy with how everything turned out. I had previously tried to substitute brown rice syrup in the pecan pie, and I was not a big fan of the results. Here is the link for the golden syrup recipe that I used. http://www.internationaldessertsblog.com/make-golden-syrup/
I’d never heard of these so I asked my British friend if they are a popular thing. He and his friend who jumped in agree that “Chocolate on them is a no no. However you could mix chocolate chips in, that would be acceptable especially if you add chopped cranberries.” Then she suggested adding “apricots in a layer in the centre or eating apples and cinnamon, cranberries, stem ginger, crystallized pineapple .. the list is endless but never covered in chocolate.”
I was puzzled by the aversion to chocolate in the land of chocolate, but it’s apparently a totally reasonable thing with texture: “the whole point of flapjack is they have a crisp tending towards hard top and a gooey middle. Putting chocolate on the top softens them and you don’t get the very distinct difference in texture. Tops need to be crunchy.”
So now we know.
neh, i love chocolate topping on mine and im british. It depends on who you are. The non chocolate topped ones are more kid and picnic friendly as hands are less sticky at the end. Flapjacks have all the diversity as granola bars and i frequently fill them with seeds and fruit. My husband makes one with just orange zest through it and chocolate topping and its amazing. My fave is Chocolate topped ginger with a condensed milk recipe
These look and sound very similar to the oat cakes made in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Lots of Scottish/English descendants there. Except that oat cakes have no syrup of any kind. Just brown sugar. I’ll try these with the Roger’s golden syrup that someone mentioned above. They look delicious :)
I was wondering if they’d be like oat cakes. I had some in Newfoundland once, and haven’t been able to find a suitable recipe to recreate them.
They improve on keeping, they soften and go chewy (maybe because I use rolled oats and they start out a bit solid). My mother hid them for the first week to make sure that they got the proper conditioning.
My mother’s recipe for flapjacks and Yorkshire parkin have been closely guarded but my husband managed to sweet talk them out of her.
Flapjacks with Maple syrup are Excellent! Being from Vermont, it was a natural substitution the first time I made them, and now it is preferred in my household and in my office.
I used to get flapjacks at the now-closed Food For Thought restaurant in Covent Garden, London–thanks for reviving them here!
Do you think non-dairy (e.g. vegan) butter is OK here? Wasn’t sure about flavor, since there are so few ingredients.
Thanks!
It’s absolutely fine! I usually prefer to make with butter as I like the buttery-ness but I often make with spread and it still tastes great.
Priya–thanks! I made them yesterday with coconut oil and they were perfect.
making this recipe right now and just noticed that the golden syrup that I bought today has a Best Buy date of August 2018. It’s Lyle’s and it was at my grocery store- maybe not a popular item. Not overly concerned but just wondered if any posters here who use it find the quality goes down after the BBDate. Thank you!
Hey Leti – golden syrup is a really stable ingredient. It will be fine for ages. If it crystalizes you just need to gently warm the tin up to dissolve the crystals.
Cheers, Karen :-)
Thank you Karen!
When I was a kid growing up in rural Michigan, a favorite treat was a bar we called “Chocolate Dreams.” As far as I can tell, it was essentially this recipe, with the addition of chocolate chips mixed in. I’ve tried to reproduce them but didn’t have, and couldn’t find, a recipe and never quite got the proportions of ingredients right. Thanks!
Flapjacks are my favourite. I am definitely saving this recipe to try. Thank you for sharing
Couldn’t find golden syrup anywhere except online for a ridiculous price. Turns out its super easy to make, and much cheaper too!
For the record: fabulous with maple syrup. Took longer to bake; not sure if that was the reason or just my oven. Anyway, 👏👏.
As a concept, I can see how these would be amazing, but the batch that I made turned out somewhat greasy. I followed the directions, used the kitchen scale. My jar of golden syrup was nearly solid, so I threw it in the microwave for 30 to liquify it before adding it to the butter and sugar on the stove. Any thoughts on where I went wrong and more importantly, how to improve them for next time?
I think they’re quite buttery by design. It’s possible you could use less but I wouldn’t know more without testing. In general, when an ingredient list is a short as this, though, changing one ingredient can be a big change. They might just end up chewy.
They look incredible!!!!
I made these today. Added finely chopped walnuts and chopped dates, omitted the chocolate. They were great. Might add orange zest next time.
Thank you for the great recipe! I was looking for a new after school snack and the kids loved these
I admit it: I saw this recipe and went right out to my fabulous local import grocery and picked up a can of Lyle’s Golden Syrup just to make these. Wow, where has Golden Syrup been all my life? That stuff is GOOD! However, it makes a MESS pouring it out of the can. Do you have any tips or tricks for preventing it from getting all in a sticky mess in the channel around the lid?
I bought a squeeze bottle of it most recently.
Rather than pouring syrup, I usually spoon it out of the tin – if you swirl the spoon a few times, it catches the drips and then you can scrape it off the spoon into your bowl. It’s a bit more time-consuming but does stop the tin getting into a horrible mess and cementing itself to your shelf…
PS: as an Irish person, it’s a real delight seeing everyone rave about golden syrup! I’ve been totally taking it for granted my whole life but I have a new appreciation for it now :)
You can buy Lyle’s golden syrup in a squeeze bottle, but it’s more expensive than the tins. I buy it in the tins and pour it into a squeeze bottle.
Don’t bother with the plastic bottle – the tin is cheaper and nicer to look at! The easiest way is to dip a metal spoon into a mug of boiling/hot water, then spoon the syrup out of the tin using the hot spoon (twirling it as you take it out of the tin to catch any drips). The syrup doesn’t stick to the hot spoon and you can keep dipping it into the mug of hot water if you need to keep the spoon hot (the syrup will just dissolve off the spoon). Incidentally, this is the best way to clean up a syrupy bowl/saucepan – pour boiling/hot water into the bowl/saucepan and the sugar will melt away. Zero mess this way, plus it’s quite pleasurable to look at the syrup as it rolls off the hot spoon. :)
As a brit I was taught to heat a spoon (on a gas burner) but boiling water would be fine and then measure out the syrup. The syrup will glide off the spoon and not leave trails of stickiness everywhere. A word of warning – do not be tempted into licking the spoon straightaway afterwards, I have had done this more than once and ended up burning my lips/tongue!!
Dip a spoon in flour and use to spoon. Don’t tip!!
More like dessert than snack. If I make these again I’ll cut out some or all of the brown sugar, and add more sea salt. Might be nice to include peanut butter. Not sure a full stick of butter was needed here. Very much like nature oat bars, but with more depth of flavor.
I love how you explain everything with steps! It makes the cooking process for us so much easier!
As a Brit I wouldn’t bother with the chocolate (though my children would disagree) but I would try adding chopped dried fruit. Apricots are my favourite, but my most recent batch had chopped dried apple in too and that was very good.
Thank you for this recipe! I made it on Sunday as a gift and it came out well and looked almost like your photo! Do you cool the flapjacks in the pan? I noticed in your photos they were removed from the pan before the chocolate was added.
I did it both ways; either is fine.
Mine came out chewy. Is that the intent? As I have read some flapjacks are crunchy. Thank you!
Some are chewy, some are crunchy. These are more chewy than crunchy with a crispy edge. They age very nicely; the caramel flavor should get more developed. If you want them crispier, just add more oats next time.
Deb, I think you should add socca to your list of recipes with short ingredient lists. I made the Mark Bittman/NYTimes version this past weekend and it was so much more than the sum of its parts. I’m going to have it on repeat as a savory snack or appetizer for the foreseeable future. Technically it’s 7 ingredients but three of those are salt, pepper and water. Also there’s a version I saw in Bon Appétit that has an egg added to the batter, a kind of socca omelet with sautéed vegetables on top, I want to investigate further (yeah, add it to the list, right?)
It’s totally on the list. I confess it’s one of those things I really want to experience in situ, that you get so much more of a sense of how it’s eaten and what it’s like so excuse me I’m off to Genoa now, I can do that right? :)
Ooh, I’ll come, too. I also want to try it in Nice, for comparison. ;-)
Even though I still am not much of a cook, I so love reading all your posts. When having a particulary meh day, I come back to last year’s post about the wedding cake. You are an inspiration to the cook I might have been…
I grew up with these! (Millennial from the SW United States here.) My mom calls them oatsies and we *always* topped with chocolate, and often chopped walnuts or pecans. We use light corn syrup, and they hold together great.
Deb, I adore you, this site has made my life a billion times easier and tastier! Thanks and love from Texas.
Does this post start the commenters sharing their favorite minimal ingredient recipes or non-recipes? I hope so! And here’s mine! One large onion sliced, lay as a foundation for one whole chicken, all in a ceramic casserole dish (I’ve tried no other vessel). Drizzle a little olive oil on top. Salt and pepper only if you’re in the mood! Roast at 425 until chicken is done per thermometer. Onions will burn and combine with rendered chicken fat to make a jammy topping for white rice. It is definitely greater than the sum of it’s parts.
Now I’ve done that obnoxious thing and shared a recipe no one asked for; but I couldn’t help myself!!! I’m with you Deb, minimal ingredient recipes that are also amazing are my favorite. I’ve been making and preaching about the unbelievable pot roast with tomatoes since I read about it here. Thank you forever for that one!
No, I was hoping for a few of these! I think you’re the first. Thank you.
This sounds great. I’m going to try this:)
These sound suspiciously similar to the “Caramel Oat Bars” in my old Betty Crocker Cookie Book. I have made them many times and I adore them!
I had these in England meant years ago and had forgotten about them and how much I’d liked them till now.
Unfortunately, my co-op in longer sells golden syrup, which I found out the first time I made SK oatmeal pie, and used brown rice syrup (never again) instead.
I decided to make my own golden syrup and used this recipe. It worked very well, and I plan on doing it again. http://www.internationaldessertsblog.com/make-golden-syrup/
HI Deb. Two things:
First I want to thank you for creating such a consistently fun, interesting and positive space on your blog. When I need a distraction from concentrating on work I know that clicking over to your site will make me feel happy-distracted (compared to facebook which will make me feel negative-distracted-bleh). So thanks!
Secondly, I had a good laugh at this post! I’m from South Africa, with lots of British influence in our food. We would call this recipe a “crunchie”. To us flapjacks and dropscones are equivalent names for American-style pancakes (diameter of your hand or smaller, thick and puffy). But flapjacks/dropscones are only ever made with white cake flour/all purpose flour and the egg whites are never beaten. And to us pancakes are what you might call crepes.
Language is a funny thing!
Not that you need more recipes to bookmark, Deb, but here is another simple recipe (6 ingredients) that utilizes golden syrup, too, and is REALLY good. Pack well in the lunchbox (and freezer) too.
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/slightly-chewy-ginger-cookies
I just made these using maple syrup, and they are great! They are not crumbly…I put them in the fridge to cool for a bit, and cut with a serated knife. They are really good!
I did 50% maple syrup and 50% golden syrup and they turned out perfectly. Crunch bits on the outside with a delightful chew on the inside. Reminds me of a bar my mom used to make when I was a kiddo.
These are great! I made a first batch as written, chocolate and all, and then decided to omit the chocolate and throw about 1/3 cup peanut butter in a second batch. Honey in both, by the way. I like the more savory peanut butter taste better myself, but both batches were popular and disappeared quickly. It’s a fairly forgiving recipe, so if you want to experiment, go for it!
Flashbacks to my British childhood right here. I need to make these for my kids!
My mother in law makes these, but with peanut butter mixed with chocolate chips melted on top. She calls them oatmeal squares, and they are the go to at family events. She learned the recipe while in Okinawa without an oven on base housing. You can microwave the oat step and it will turn out great.
I tried this today… I must have done something wrong… It fell mostly apart in the pan.. I have a few pieces to eat, it tastes good…the rest crumbs… I’m saving to add to the next vanilla ice cream I make..I don’t know…maybe I measured the oats wrong, or cooked the sugar mixture too long. Phooey….
How about when it cooled?
Sounds Yummy!
This Chicken Pie is for anyone who diets low carb or for those who simply enjoy eating a chicken pie – http://1000cookingrecipes.com/2018/09/06/chicken-pie/
Do you know the cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall called “Three Good Things”? It’s a collection of recipes with very short ingredient lists. He’s on my list of “cookbook authors whose recipes Just Plain Work.” (As are you, of COURSE!)
I’ll hunt a copy down! Thank you. [Update: Just ordered one!]
These look so good! I’m having some family over to celebrate my mom’s birthday on Sunday. These may be a good addition to the dessert table…along with the cake! Thanks so much!
These. Are. AMAZING.
I found golden syrup at Wegmans; Whole Foods says it I see a seasonal item. Where the HECK has this stuff been all my life? I could eat it straight. I now need to incorporate golden syrup into at least 2/3 of my meals each day. (I won’t. I need to, but I won’t.)
I browned the butter because I love browned butter. They took the full 25 minutes for me and still looked worryingly wobbly at the end, but firmed up quickly on the counter. I spread half of them with chocolate, half without, and can’t decide which I like better. These will not make it to anyone else this time, but are definitely going in my Christmas cookie tins this year. They are easy, delicious, unique – what more could you ask for? Oh, and incredibly allergen friendly. If you swapped the butter for coconut oil or margarine you could even make them dairy free.
I seriously can’t say enough good things about these. Thank you Deb for another fantastic treat.
Made these with my 2 and 4 year old kiddos and it was a winner in terms of (a) everyone gets to do something, (b) it’s quick, and (c) there’s sprinkles (because, need a say, SPRINKLES!). Used 1/2 honey and 1/2 maple syrup and the taste is lovely. Not too strong on either in the end. Maybe we mis-measured the oats (read: a 2 year old and a 4 year old) or oats vary by brand (we used Bob’s Red Mill quick oaks) but the mixture was very dry. Added a couple glugs of regular milk and things came together. Cooked up beautifully, though it took an extra 10 minutes in the oven. They had a wonderful chewy texture once cooled.
These sound a bit like the “energy bites” I make — a base of golden syrup, peanut butter, rolled oats, and chocolate chips, with a pinch of salt and some chia and flax seeds added in, then rolled into balls and kept in the refrigerator. So messy to make [I wear disposable vinyl gloves and use a measuring spoon to make them a uniform size] but such a yummy snack that I have to force myself to stop eating them. They were a hit when I brought them to a party.
[I get my Lyle’s golden syrup at Meijer, and I’m pretty sure I’ve also found it previously at a local grocery chain –both in the imported foods section. I think sometimes people can’t find it because they don’t think to look there and only look with the other sugars/sweeteners.]
Made four batches of these for a slew of weekend activities. Maybe it’s the dry Colorado air but these turned out quite hard…which was a bummer for little-people mouths that were clamoring to devour them given their delicious smell while baking. I tried decreasing cook time, decreasing the amount of oats, and playing around with how long the liquids boiled but all attempts were still crunchier than expected. I put a batch in a tupperware with slices of bread and that did seem to help soften things after the fact though!
Kelly, did you weigh all the ingredients? I live at 7,000′ and baking by weight is the only way I can get really close to the intended outcome.
BTW, this recipe worked perfectly for me by doing it by weight.
Was planning to make these but my husband accidentally bought quick cooking steel cut oats! Do you think those would work here?
I don’t know their cooking time but if it’s longer than 5 minutes, I’m not sure they’ll bake up right here.
5-7 minutes. I have 1 cup left of quick oats so maybe I will try a mix. I will report back. Thank you Deb!
They look so yummy & simple to make, almost too simple! Like blow my diet simple! Loving the golden syrup too!
My grandmother used to make these, and I’ve been trying to hunt down the recipe! It was called ‘Junk’ in our family.
Wow. I confess that I did add some other ingredients, but that is just the ‘icing’ on one of the best bars I have eaten! I used 1/4 cup less oatmeal and added 2 Tbs cocoa nibs, 1/4 c mini semi sweet chocolate and 3 Tbs dried cranberries (roughly chopped). It was chewy and delish. Thanks Deb. I bought one of these at the farmers market, craved more and tried to find a recipe. Voila, it shows up in my Monday feed. Serendipity.
We went to a house party on our honeymoon in Nova Scotia, Canada and were told there would be flapjacks for dessert. I was picturing piles of hotcakes dripping with whipped cream and breakfast syrup and thought that was brilliant. I was sorely disapponted to see plain old granola bars on the plate instead. Out of politeness, I tasted one. Then I almost reinforced every bad stereotype of Americans before my husband finally pulled me away from the platter after gobbling down my fifth one.
I’ve made flapjacks twice using the American version of Mary Berry’s cookbook. They taste deliciously toasty and caramelized and comforting but they fall apart! Both times, I’ve had to return them to the oven and do all kinds of baking acrobatics to get them to hold together. I will definitely try yours, since I always trust your instructions.
I fell in love with flapjacks when I moved from Canada to the UK, but have never had success in replicating them before. This recipe is PERFECT and my kids think so too. A resounding 6 thumbs up from our house. And it’s even better because it’s so quick to make and in the heat of Singapore, who wants to spend more time than necessary in a hot kitchen?!
hi! i have a massive amount of hazelnut meal and was wondering about subbing in some for a portion of the oats. any ideas on what a good proportion might be? thanks!
I’m not positive, but maybe start with just a few tablespoons, not more than 40/50 grams, because the bars already lean crumbly and will be more so, I’d imagine, with nut meal instead of oats.
My mother made these as an xmas cookie, and now I do too! We call them Highland Toffee. My mom probably got the recipe from a magazine in the 60s or 70s. Love them!
I’ve been wanting to make these since seeing the post and finally did yesterday. I did use golden syrup and pulsed the oats in a food processor, and used bittersweet chocolate. Mine seemed more candy than cookie when I cut them. Perhaps I cooked the butter/sugar syrup too much or the baking of it closer to 25 than 20 min (to ensure crispiness), was the culprit, although I suspect it was the former. Still delicious, but not quite what I expected. And still puzzled by the name flapjack (which to me makes me think of pancakes), and made it more difficult to find the recipe as I was looking for under “oatmeal cookie” recipes. If I make again, I’ll try monitoring the butter/syrup more closely. First I’ll see how my son’s friends like them! :)
LOVE these. I would bake for 20 min next time – mine were a little overbaked at 25 min. I wouldn’t skip the chocolate, used salted butter, and sprinkled with fleur de sel.
I made these with the chocolate on top, plus a full (US-sized) orange’s worth of zest and “some” cinnamon — i didn’t measure, but i’d guess around a tsp.
I LOVE THESE. An easy, versatile recipe to add to the regular rotation. I don’t recall whether anyone did these in the tray-bake sessions of Great British Bake Off, but if they did I didn’t absorb it. Thanks for bringing it front and center!
OMG – that is amazing. Flapjacks next level. Will be trying this recipe on the family in a couple of days.
I’m always looking for chocolate-free nibbles for after dinner movie watching (chocolate keeps me awake), and these sound perfect! I may try topping them with jam actually…I’ll post results here if so!
I’ve made these three times in the last few weeks, and finally started tweaking them. A half tablespoon of cinnamon and a handful of pulverized freeze dried honey crisp apples (I went to Trader Joe’s Hungry, oops) and they came out delightfully apple cinnamon-y without compromising the texture.
I normally love all your recipes but I must say this was a bit of a meh. Definitely needs salt. I made them with and without chocolate. Both just seemed like ok chewy granola bars, alas,
I discovered flapjacks when I lived abroad in the UK and have tried a few recipes to replicate them. The 1 min oats do seem the best however I couldn’t help using 20g of rolled/old fashioned oats in the mix since I have more of that. No chocolate and kept the base recipe the same so I can test it. Really good flavour. Next time will add more salt, try the chocolate and maybe brown the butter as well. Thanks Deb!
I made these exactly as directed the first time and they turned out perfectly. The second time I ran out and used 50/50 one-minute oats and rolled oats (pulsed a few times in the food processor). The second batch was still tasty but a bit too crumbly, so I think the one-minute oats are key.
Thanks for providing a nut free snack recipe. My son has severe peanut and a few tree nut allergies. So many kid-centric snacks and foods seem to be peanut butter based.
I finally got around to making these last night. My husband is a fiend for oatmeal cookies, I thought these looked like his thing, and he had a bad day yesterday. Y’all, golden syrup tastes like butterbeer. We live in Orlando and we’ve been to the Wizarding World often enough to know. So, yeah, licking the measuring cup was a big thing. I made the recipe with just the four ingredients to see how it turned out, which is unheard of for me. All but two pieces were gone inside 30 minutes, and I’m pretty sure those were spared because Chris forgot to take them to work with him. (They’re in a baggie on the counter.) Butterscotch chips or toffee bits might work well in these, but they’re damned near perfect as is, y’all. And golden syrup is crack.
Delicious! I added toasted coconut on 1/3 of the pan and flake sea salt on another 1/3 for a variety. Everyone loved them as a nice after dinner treat.
I made these tonight and they are delicious. I had UK grandparents so I grew up with Lyle’s syrup and love the taste. I was wondering if it would work if you cut the sugar down to 1/4 cup. Always looking for ways to lower the sugar content whenever possible. Thanks for another great recipe!
Thinking of these for an office party but not entirely sure what “cut quarter diagonally to form 4 triangles” means. If you had 16 squares, would you cut each in half to get 32 triangles or in quarters to get 64?
Oh, is it cut into 16 pieces – either squares or triangles?
I’ve been wanting to do flapjacks for a while! One year in the UK and I was a convert but finding golden syrup here in China is pretty damn near impossible and, like you mentioned, the alternatives might change the flavour.
Still, I might give it a go with some kind of light honey? Or would you recommend mixing it with something else (I can’t find maple syrup around here) ?
Thanks a lot!
Going to have to try these! I don’t have golden syrup, but going to give it a try with 100% real maple syrup. Should be delicious!
Make mouth water.
I just made these twice this week with quick oats. The first time I used dark brown sugar and maple syrup…. They were really good but tasted more like oat candy to me. Way too sweet but the kids loved them. The second time I cut the brown sugar out completely. I was worried maple syrup wouldn’t be sticky enough to hold together on its own so I used half corn syrup and half maple syrup with a tsp blackstrap molasses for flavor. I also accidentally browned the butter. So much better for me!! Great to snack on…. And they held together just fine. They tasted so much like the oat and honey granola bars (in the green wrapper) I used to eat when I was little. (The kids didn’t like them as much though)
I had my doubts – there are many recipes for flapjacks out there and a lot of them aren’t quite right – crunchy vs soft? And would an American know what they’re supposed to be like? Also, chocolate? – but this recipe is excellent.
I used 1/2 rolled oats and 1/2 quick cooking oats, and added an egg yolk (an attempt at helping them hold together, not sure if it made a difference but they didn’t fall apart too much). Then I added a large handful of toasted pecan nuts and a pinch of ground ginger because to hell with tradition (just not chocolate on my flapjacks, please). Bingo.
FYI: It’s the tangling proteins in the egg white that hold things together in cooking/baking, not the yolk.
AH, thank you! Any insight on why some chocolate chip cookie recipes call for one egg + an egg yolk? What might the extra yolk do?
An extra yolk [or just more fat in general] usually makes cookies chewier/less crisp.
Thank you for this. The kids love it!
Made exactly as written except I used half quick oats and half regular rolled oats. Quick oats usually turn out a bit too mushy for me so I did the substitution and crossed my fingers. Thankfully these turned out SUPER yummy! We started eating them before they cooled (because HELLO…oatmeal and butter and brown sugar and liquid sugar and chocolate – who can wait??) and they were falling apart. Fifteen minutes later, they’re holding together much nicer. For flavor alone, I’d give these four stars, but had to bump the overall rating up to five for the ease and speed with which it came together – and only one pot dirtied!!
These are fantastic! I once used every grain of sugar in my house trying, unsuccessfully, to make caramel. I had come to accept the fact that it wasn’t meant to be, but these have given me a glimmer of hope. I know it not exactly the same but I think maybe homemade caramel corn isn’t out of reach! The golden syrup is yummy and easily found in the European section of Metro (Canadian grocery store).
These are so lovely, and not at all too gooey or crumbly. I added a bit of cinnamon and some crushed walnuts, but this recipe really needs nothing else. Lucky enough to be in the UK, and golden syrup is everywhere and really cheap, so it’s a cheap dessert as well! I took your pictures to heart and put on sprinkles; they give a perfect sugary crunch. The perfect (read: very forgiving) recipe to test if my new (read: extremely old and unreliable) oven in my new flat works properly.
Made theses & the house smelled INCREDIBLE. I bake daily & my baked goods usually come out tasting great. That’s where it ended. Turned out TOUGH AS SHOE LEATHER. Waste of good ingredients (1st time ever using “golden syrup,”) So disappointed & confused how something that smelled that incredible could taste the way they did. That said, I did make the Winning-est bars recipe & they were loved by all.
Check out Anzac Biscuits — an oatmeal-coconut cookie made with golden syrup and without eggs. Our favorite cookie right now! I use Dorie Greenspan’s recipe. Good from-the-pantry baking.
My Mom made this (minus the chocolate on top) a lot when I was a girl. She called it nibblenut. A few years ago I was in a local bakery and noticed some “oat bars” for sale. Because they looked much like the nibblenut of my childhood, I asked what the ingredients were. The lady told me it was a recipe her Mum made. The lady was born in the UK (like me) and the bars had the same ingredients as my Mom’s nibblenut.
The lady then went on to tell me that the bakery here had a contract with Starbucks to supply them with oat bars!! We live in British Columbia (west coast of Canada) and I don’t remember now how many Starbucks the bakery supplied but it was way more than the local Starbucks. I’m not sure if the same bakery is still making the oat bars for Starbucks or not.
Mom’s recipe didn’t include the golden syrup. She noted (on back of recipe) that rolled oats vary in how they absorb the melted fat). Mom often added a cup of raisins to the recipe (which my Dad liked).
Hi from my ranch kitchen outside Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Like other folks, I am isolation baking to pass the time. I made these this past weekend and they are awesome. Substituted agave syrup and a dollop of fancy molasses for the golden syrup (no Lyle’s in the grocery store) and they turned out just fine. These are going on repeat. My horses are going to enjoy them as a treat too :)
Absolutely love your blog!!!
Have been meaning to make these for a while, and quarantine is helping me get to a lot of saved recipes! I was a bit disappointed, I was hoping for more caramel-y tasting bars…but that flavor just wasn’t there. With the chocolate on top, it dominated everything. I also thought they lacked in salt (used unsalted butter, with a couple pinches of sea salt). I tested one with some maldons flakes on top and it made a huge difference. Still, I’m sad to say, probably not something I’ll make again. Not worth the calories, as Pru would say. Just one girls opinion- and the minority based on other reviews!
Just made these for the third time in four weeks. Reduced the oats to 180g, added 100g mixed chopped apricots and pecans, and pine nuts, and a large handful of chocolate chips. Wasn’t sure what would happen to the chocolate, turns out it melts and oh. My. God. Chocolate caramelly marvellousness. Never making them without chocolate again 😳 😋!!!
Deb, I honestly feel as though I know you. I have to thank you personally for this recipe for our Honey Squares (just can’t call them Flapjacks). Just checked in today to see if there were updates. I continue to make them the very same way as the first time. I had honey that needed to be used. The other ingredients have always been the same. Now, my husband has become an expert on honey and we keep at least three jars at all times so we never run out. The Honey Squares have their own fancy covered container that sets on the counter at all times. Got to go replace the ones my neighbor gobbled up last night! Have a great day!
Annoying question of the day! I wonder if these would work with coconut oil instead of butter? My daughter has a dairy allergy but I haven’t baked much for her yet.
You can absolutely use coconut oil here.
I live in the UK and make flapjacks A LOT. The key to the perfect texture that holds together is to use half rolled oats, half quick cooking oats. It really makes all the difference.
We are flapjack fiends here and one of the things I find that make them better is using European butter. The more fat in the butter the better. I find that the stick butters can have too much water content and make it difficult for the ingredients to stick together. Can’t wait to try your version!
Golden syrup is at Wegmans :-)
I made this tonight, and I’ve already eaten about 1/3. So easy and delicious.
Deb, I recommended this recipe to my cousin in Denver. I live in Oklahoma and the oven temp for me is best at 300. Do you have any high altitude recommendations for Denver? He said his are crumbly. Thank you!
Just made these this morning and they are delicious! Chewy, rich caramel taste, just great all around. Will put these into my quick bake rotation.
Hi Deb,
Lately I haven’t been able to pin the photo of your recipes. What comes up is the cover of your book, a chocolate cake or some sort of green soup. Is anyone else having this problem?
Many thanks
Hi Kit — I’m sorry, it’s not just you, but we (well, they!) are trying to get to the bottom of it. In the meanwhile, can you repin from here? https://www.pinterest.com/pin/340514421822180572/
Lyle’s Golden Syrup is one of life’s great pleasures. Spread it on top of good butter on a slice of fresh white bread is the food of the gods. Btw: flapjacks are called ‘Crunchies’ in South Africa.
Here in the U.K. I have two recipes with the luscious addition of condensed milk.
I made these this morning and liked them. I used extra thick oats, bc that’s what I had, blitzed a bit in the food processor. They took more like 30 minutes to bake, maybe bc my oats weren’t as absorbent as minute oats? They are a bit sweet for my taste; next time I will cut the brown sugar a bit, maybe to a third of a cup, and add some walnuts. And a bit more salt. Thanks, Deb!
These are so good: buttery, caramely, chewy, not overly sweet and so easy. I’ve added it to my Covid weight gain arsenal. I made my own golden syrup (I have corn syrup that must be 5 years old, so why invest the money?). It was pourable when warm but turned to concrete at room temperature. Soften by microwaving at medium intensity for 1-2 minutes, and you won’t get a hernia spooning it out. I can’t say the golden syrup is exactly like store-bought but the final product is so good, I don’t think it’s that far off.
Thank you for the hilarious clip of Queen Mary baking with Marg-reen. Made my day.
Easy and delicious! I followed the recipe but added a teaspoon of vanilla (suggestion from another site), a healthy pinch of flaky salt and an extra tablespoon of golden syrup and they are shiny, chewy and hold together perfectly once they are room temp. Such an easy treat.
These are SO good. I didn’t have golden syrup so I used agave syrup and added the salted caramel chips from Trader Joe’s, + added the melted chocolate on top. Ridiculous – this should not be allowed in my house. This is my kind of cookie – came together on the stovetop and was in the oven in under 5 minutes. Fell apart a bit because I’m impatient and wouldn’t let them cool – later in the day they were fine, with the middle part more chewy and the outer bits crunchy. I’m (totally lying to myself) never making these again.
Can I use old fashioned oats here? We have a massive container we need to use up.
I forgot to say (in my post just a few down) I used ALL old-fashioned rolled oats. BUT, at someone’s suggestion, I put half in my food processor and that did the trick. Process about halfway between original shape and flour, if that makes sense. You basically just want them to be much smaller pieces of oats.
Dip a spoon in flour and use to spoon. Don’t tip!!
Made these this morning (to take to my physical therapy). I did half chocolate, half plain, and of course had to “test” them before I left the house. I’m a huge chocolate fiend, but I have to say, in this case, I liked them a LOT better plain. I used honey and they “gelled” beautifully. I’ll probably make them again–if I can stop myself from eating them all!
i made this but added an egg to it, after reading how crumbly it is. a simple solution that seems to work. unfortunately, i also took deb’s suggestion to top it with chocolate; this is not a good idea! no one loves chocolate more than i do, but in this case, it completely overwhelmed the delicate aroma of caramel which comes from the golden syrup. i will make this again (with the egg added), but never again with chocolate. i am going to try browning the butter next time i make it…
Just made these on Saturday. I have been on a real oatmeal kick! Used your suggestion of running a knife through regular oats. And the butter/brown sugar/Lyle’s syrup goo was to die for—could have bottled it for the best sauce yet for ice cream. I added chopped candied ginger chunks and skipped the chocolate. Very happy me!
Thank you for the recipe for flapjacks — I had twigged that they were some kind of spectacular cookie/treat, but I couldn’t work out what they were. I appreciate the recipe very much.