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These British flapjacks combine rolled oats and golden syrup to make crispy, crunchy, delightfully sweet bars. They’re naturally dairy-free and need only 4 ingredients!
Need more oat bar recipes? Try my nut-free granola bars, no bake chocolate oat bars, and oatmeal raisin bars next.
When I say ‘flapjacks,’ you’re probably picturing a massive stack of fluffy pancakes. I’ll admit pancakes are awesome, but these crispy, crunchy, buttery treats are every bit as satisfying.
British flapjacks vs. American flapjacks
In America, flapjack is a term for thick, diner-style pancakes. UK flapjacks are quite the opposite. They’re thick, chewy oatmeal bars held together by golden syrup and butter or oil.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- 4 ingredients. Just a combination of oats, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and syrup.
- They’re healthier homemade. Traditional chewy flapjacks use tons of butter and sugar, but this recipe replaces the butter with coconut oil and uses a fraction of the sugar.
- Naturally vegan. There is no dairy or eggs needed.
- Easy to customize. Change up the flavors, add fruit, chocolate, and more.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“As a Brit living in California, this flapjack recipe is a life-saver. I love that they are healthier too (no butter!)” – Elaina
Ingredients needed
- Rolled oats. Also known as old-fashioned oats or porridge oats. You can use quick-cooking oats, but your bars will be slightly chewier and softer in the middle. For gluten-free flapjacks, use gluten-free oats.
- Brown sugar OR coconut sugar. Sweetens the bars and keeps them soft in the middle. White sugar will work but will make for denser bars.
- Coconut oil. I used refined coconut oil, so there’s no coconut flavor. You can also substitute this for unsalted butter.
- Golden syrup. A thick, viscous syrup popular in Australia and England. I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup, but if you can’t find it, use honey.
How to make British flapjacks
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper.
Step 2- Make the bar batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats and brown sugar. In a separate microwave-safe bowl or saucepan, melt the coconut oil and golden syrup. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Step 3- Shape. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press into an even layer and smooth on top. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown.
Step 4- Cool and slice. Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, then slice them into bars.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make sure the sugar dissolves completely. I noticed that when the brown sugar completely dissolved, it made for denser, less crumbly bars.
- Don’t over-bake them, as they’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
- Cover with foil. If you notice coconut oil bubbling too much on top of the bars while baking, cover the pan with foil so it seeps back into the bars.
- Make thinner bars. Bake them in a 9×13-inch tray and reduce the cooking time to 15 minutes.
- Or make cakier, fluffier bars. Add all ingredients to a food processor, blend to combine, then press into the pan and bake.
Flavor variations
The beauty of these flapjacks is just how customizable they are. I prefer to keep them plain so the golden syrup flavor shines, but here are some delicious flavors I’ve experimented with:
- Banana. Omit half a cup of the rolled oats, but add 2 large overripe bananas, mashed. Add 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon for some added flavor.
- Honey. Instead of using golden syrup, use good-quality raw honey. I love using Manuka honey, as it has a more mellow flavor.
- Peanut butter. Replace half the coconut oil with smooth peanut butter, and replace the golden syrup with honey.
- Apple. Replace half the coconut oil with unsweetened applesauce, and add 1/2 cup of dried apples OR 2 chopped granny smith apples.
- Chocolate. Add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and drizzle the baked flapjacks with melted chocolate.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover bars at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to six months.
Frequently asked questions
Homemade flapjacks are much healthier than store-bought ones, as they are much lower in sugar, fat, and saturated fats. They also skip the excessive sugar and butter.
More oat-based snacks to try
- Strawberry oatmeal bars
- No bake oatmeal bars
- Oatmeal chocolate chip bars
- Oatmeal protein bars
- Healthy granola bars
4-Ingredient Flapjacks
Video
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 cups rolled oats gluten free, if needed
- 1 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
- 1/2 cup golden syrup or honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the oats and brown sugar and mix until combined. Add the coconut oil and golden syrup and mix until fully incorporated.
- Transfer the flapjack mixture into the lined pan and press down until smooth on top. Place the flapjacks in the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes, until the edges are beginning to go golden brown.
- Remove the flapjacks from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, slice into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published October 2022, updated and republished July 2024
Amazing recipe. Oats I have always in my home haha. Thanks!
My family came from the UK years and years and years ago and so I’ve had flapjacks growing up. This is a good solid recipe and it is delicious and it brings back so many memories. Thank you so much.
I’m from England so I remember my Mum making these.
So will be trying these
Could I use dates in this recipe and less sugar?
I haven’t tried but you are welcome to experiment and see.
Can I use all maple syrup instead of honey?
Yes!
Thank you for sharing your recipe, I had to end up using a mixture of 1/2 molasses and 1/2 pancake syrup because I realized I had run out of golden syrup so apart from them looking a little dark, they were still very tasty!
Can you use something besides corn syrup? Maybe agave ?
Yes that works!
Can I use an artificial sweetener instead of sugar?
Yes!
Great flavors, but, like Brenda, my flapjack was not the brown color in your picture, nor as crispy looking.
It sounds like you underbaked it, cook it several minutes longer.
Can I half the recipe and pour into large cupcake tin molds? How long would I need to bake if I do that?
I don’t see why not! Bake it for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.
Great recipe. Very easy to make. Accurate instructions. Excellent result. I used half rolled oats and half porridge oats as I like the density:)