This recipe is for simply chewy flapjacks, you know the type – all moist and yummy. Flapjacks have always been a big favourite here in The Mad House with all the family and we have been making different types for years. It might only have 5 ingredients and that includes the chocolate that tops them, the secret is all about how you handle them and I am willing to share that secret with you, so keep on reading!
Simple Chewy Flapjacks
When I was talking to an American friend she said they didn’t have flapjacks and they call them English Flapjacks and we came to the combined agreement that they were like granola bars but they were not as crumbly. The brilliant thing about this simple chewy flapjack recipe is you can use it as a base for your flapjacks and add flavouring as you go. We have a great recipe here for peanut butter and chocolate chip flapjacks and have even made flapjacks in the shape of dinosaur feet!
Jump to Recipe
What are the best Oats for Flapjacks?
One of the keys to delicious chewy flapjacks is the type of oasts used. You don’t want to opt for quick cook oats, large rolled oats, or steel cut oats, you want the medium inexpensive porridge oats. I buy mine from Aldi or Lidl in 1kg bags, which are inexpensive. Oats are also naturally gluten-free although if they are processed in a factory with gluten-containing products they will not be classed as gluten-free.
The Secret to Chewy Flapjacks
Flapjacks will become hard if you overcook or boil the light brown sugar, butter and golden syrup in your saucepan. Also, your flapjacks may be hard if cooked at a high temperature in the oven. What is golden syrup, well check it out here!
The ratio of golden syrup to butter and sugar is key, too much golden syrup and you will have sticky and bendy flapjacks, too little and they will be crumbly and hard and no one likes a hard flapjack.
How to Stop your flapjacks falling to pieces
There are two ways to stop your flapjacks from falling apart, the first is making sure that you have compacted your oat mixture well into the baking tray using the back of a spoon or a spatula and the other is allowing them to cool completely before taking them out of the baking tin. You also need t make sure that you cut them with a sharp knife.
Do you have to line your tin?
I avoid using baking parchment or baking paper to line my tin by using a silicon mould. If you do not have a silicone mould then it is essential to line and grease your cake tin when making our simple chewy flapjacks.
Simple Chewy Flapjacks
Ingredients
- 175 grams Unsalted Butter
- 175 grams Golden Syrup
- 175 grams Soft Brown Sugar
- 500 grams Porridge Oats
- 8 Squares Milk Chocolate
Instructions
Start to melt the butter in your heavy bottomed pan on the stove over a low heat.
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees centigrade
When you have some melted butter then grease the inside of your silicone mould. If you don't have a silicon one then you need to line your tin with parchment paper and grease that.
Add the golden syrup and soft brown sugar to the melting butter keeping the heat low as you do not want to boil the mixture.
Once the sugar crystals have all melted and you have a liquid then take it off the heat and stir in your porridge oats.
Pack the mixture in to your tin and compress (this is important as it makes the right texture).
Place in your preheated oven and cook for 45 minutes
When you remove the flapjacks they will still look moist and wobble, this is what they are supposed to look like. You have to trust the process!
Allow to cool completly before removing from the tin.
Melt the chocolate – I do this in a bowl in the microwave on medium heat keeping a close eye on it.
Once the flapjack is cold, drizzle the chocolate over the top and allow to cool before cutting into 16 equal pieces.
Recipe Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make any purchases after clicking one of these links, I will make a small commission (hopefully enough to keep me in tea all year) – at no extra cost to you! This allows me to keep creating and sharing free tutorials and content for you. Thank you!
Pingback: Cooking Oats in 5 Delicious Ways: A How-To Guide - Mum In The Madhouse