Classic Flapjacks

Name: Classic Flapjacks
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 16 bars
Cuisine: Baking
Ingredients: 3 cups (270 g) rolled oats; ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter; ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed; ⅓ cup (113 g) golden syrup; ¼ tsp fine salt

Chewy British oat bars with golden syrup and butter.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Yield16 bars

Before You Start

British flapjacks are chewy oat bars, not pancakes. Four store-cupboard ingredients melt together into a golden, buttery slab. The ratio of syrup to oats decides how chewy or crumbly they are, so weigh if you can.

Instructions

1
Heat the oven to 160°C / 325°F and line a 20 cm square tin.
2
Melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup and salt in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Do not boil.
3
Take off the heat and stir in the oats until every flake is coated.
4
Tip into the tin and press down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon. Pressing hard is what keeps them together.
5
Bake for 22 to 28 minutes until golden at the edges. They will still feel soft in the middle.
6
Cool completely in the tin, then cut. They firm up a lot as they cool.

Ingredients

3 cups (270 g) rolled oats
¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
½ cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
⅓ cup (113 g) golden syrup
¼ tsp fine salt

Baker's Tip

For the most reliable results, weigh your ingredients with a digital scale. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient above to convert it.

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💡 Baker's tips

Press the mixture down really firmly, or the bars will crumble.
For chewy flapjacks, take them out when the middle still looks a little pale. Bake longer for crisp ones.

🔀 Make it your own

Stir in ½ cup (75 g) raisins, chopped dried apricots or chocolate chips.
Drizzle cooled bars with melted chocolate.

📦 Storing & freezing

Airtight at room temperature for 1 week. They freeze well for 2 months.

❓ Frequently asked

Why did my flapjacks fall apart?

Either they were not pressed down firmly enough, or there was too little syrup and butter to bind the oats. Press hard and measure the syrup by weight.

Can I use honey instead of golden syrup?

Yes, honey or maple syrup both work, though the flavour changes slightly. Weigh it with the relevant converter for the right ratio.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.