Easy Flapjacks Recipe (2024)

Follow along with our easy flapjack recipe for making Golden Syrup and Oat Bars using simple ingredients. Our recipe makes the best flapjacks ever, thick, chewy and sweet.

What are flapjacks?

Flapjacks are a British recipe made with only four ingredients: butter, sugar, porridge oats and golden syrup.

Not to be confused with an American flapjack which we call a pancake!

These delicious treats have been enjoyed in the UK for generations because they're so easy to make!

How to make flapjacks?

We have the best flapjack recipe for you, follow the video below or continue reading for more tips and tricks.

Jump straight to flapjack recipe card for correct ingredients measurements

Flapjack Ingredients

Delicious and easy to make flapjack recipe, made with ingredients found at any grocery shop.

The simple ingredients, as well as suitable substitutes, are listed below:

Butter - Dairy-free butter alternatives can be used instead.

Light brown sugar - or demerara sugar.

Golden syrup - Honey, agave syrup or maple syrup can be used instead.

Porridge oats - Use instant or quick rolled oats for a soft texture. Jumbo rolled oats or old fashioned oats can be used for a firm, chewy bite.

Optional ingredients

You can, of course, add extra ingredients to this basic flapjack recipe like dried fruit, chocolate chips or seeds.

We also have chocolate flapjack and fruit flapjack recipes on our site that you may want to try!

What baking tin to use?

For lovely thick, soft chewy flapjacks, we use a square baking tin measuring 8x8 inches (20x20 cm). You can use a bigger tray, but they will come out thinner.

You could also use an 8x8 round cake tin instead.

How to line a baking tin?

To line, a rectangular or square tin, put the tray or, if using a bottomless baking tray, the base on top of parchment paper.

Then cut corners away to meet the tin, as seen in the image above.

Once inside the tin, they will cover all the edges.

How to make flapjacks

Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup into a pan. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted with the syrup and the sugar has dissolved.

Finally, stir in the oats to form a sticky mixture.

Transfer the mix to your prepared square baking tin lined with baking parchment.

Use a silicone spatula to flatten the oat mixture evenly into the tin.

What temperature?

Preheat the oven to 180 / 160c fan gas mark 4 - 350 f. Check your oven setting and convert the temperature accordingly.

Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until a pale golden brown is on top. Keep an eye on them; you do not want them to burn around the edges.

Flapjacks too soft after cooking.

When you take the flapjacks out of the oven, they may appear soft and undercooked but don't worry, that's normal. They might also seem a bit greasy, but that's all part of the scrumptiousness.

Here's the secret: you need to let them cool in order for them to set and become firmer. Resist the temptation to cook them for longer, as they will end up too hard once cooled!

To understand why this happens, let's think back to our science lessons. This recipe calls for a generous amount of butter, and when it gets hot, it becomes liquid. The key is to let the butter cool down so it can return to its solid state.

So, be patient and give these flapjacks the time they need to reach their perfect texture. It'll be well worth the wait!

How long to cool?

Flapjacks take a long time to cool (the butter needs to soak into the oats and return to solid state) before being cut into neat squares or rectangles.

First, allow cooling for about 30 minutes in the tin at room temperature.

Then, allow about 2 hours (the longer the better) in the fridge to cool completely. Putting it in the fridge speeds up the cooling time.

Once the flapjack slab has completely cooled, you can cut it into large rectangles or squares for smaller snack-size treats.

We made eight large oat bars. But you can cut them all in half again to make 16 squares.

This is optional, but I like to trim the outside edges.

It smartens up the slaps, and the edges are always chewier than the inside. Don't worry; they don't go to waste; we still eat them!

These are the perfect treat for any picnic, lunch box, after-school snack or afternoon tea. I guarantee that these will be gone before you know it.

How to store flapjacks?

Leftover flapjacks can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Use a napkin between each flapjack slice to prevent them from sticking together.

You can also freeze flapjacks and defrost as and when you want them!

Now these flapjacks are sweet enough as they are! But if you wanted to add a little something to them before serving, try a drizzle of our caramel sauce or chocolate sauce. A drizzle of yoghurt glaze goes well too.

📖 Step by Step Recipe

This post was originally published on 21/09/2021 and has been modified on 20/09/2023 with better advice explaining that the flapjacks will be soft and greasy looking, straight from the oven. They need to be cooled completely before cutting and serving!

More Baking Recipes

Looking for more baking recipes, try our Chocolate Chip Brownies. Another classic British recipe Rock Cakes or our delicious Chocolate Victoria Sponge.

We hope you enjoy this oaty flapjack recipe as much as our family; please let us know how you get on and what you like to add to your flapjacks.