The Best Flapjack Recipe in the Whole Wide World. Ever. Quite a claim huh? Well, all I can say is give this recipe a go and see what you think, I’m pretty sure you’re not going to be disappointed ;)
What makes this the best flapjack recipe ever?
Well, I take my flapjacks very seriously. I have spent the past 6 years or so trying every flapjack recipe I stumbled upon with very varied results.
Either too dry, too plain, too sweet, too crumbly, too dull, too greasy, too sticky (never thought that would be a problem as I love ’em gooey).
Anyway, I’m rambling.
The search is over.
This is the one.
This is the best flapjack recipe in the whole wide world. Ever. Fact.
The Best Flapjack Recipe in the Whole Wide World – Ever!
It may be the best flapjack recipe, but are flapjacks good for you?
OK, so ‘healthy flapjacks’ may not be the first description which comes to mind for the flapjacks made using this ‘best flapjack recipe in the whole wide world ever’, however as an occasional treat they are damn delicious!
Flapjacks in general are a high energy food, and are perfect for taking camping or hiking.
I particularly think that flapjacks make for a fantastic snack for cyclists too, given their high energy content. Take a flapjack or two for your next outdoor-sports adventure!
There is also a question as to whether dried fruit is good for you. Having done a little bit of research into this area myself, this article suggests that unsweetened, dried fruit does indeed pack a big nutritional punch.
The article states that dried fruits can provide a source of fibre, antioxidants and the B vitamin folate.
Can you use honey in place of golden syrup?
Absolutely you can make flapjacks with honey! If you can’t find Golden Syrup in your corner of the world, do feel free to substitute it with the same amount of honey instead.
When using honey, you will still get a deliciously sweet bake. But it will taste slightly more ‘wholesome’ than when you use Golden Syrup.
How to Make Date Flapjacks, Step by Step
1/ Chop the dates into small pieces. Pop them into a small saucepan along with the water or orange juice. Put the lid on the pan, and gently heat them for around 5 minutes, until they are *really soft and form a loose, squishy paste.
*Add more water/juice as they cook if they start to look dry in the pan. Do not boil or let them burn.
2/ In a large saucepan, place the butter, Golden Syrup (or honey) and sugar. Gently heat and stir together until the butter has melted, and the sugar dissolved.
Take off the heat and stir in the oats and mixed spice, combining thoroughly.
3/ To assemble the flapjacks, tip half of the oat mixture into a lined 8inch x 8inch baking tin. Spread it out across the tin evenly, then press it down all over firmly with the back of a spoon.
Next, tip the date mixture on, and again, smooth that out into an even layer with the back of a spoon.
Finally, add the remainder of the oat mix. Spread it out, and firm down again. The firmer you are at this stage, the more your flapjacks will hold together once cooked. So get pressing!
4/ This step is entirely optional, but tasty all the same: try sprinkling a tablespoon of demerara sugar over the top of the flapjacks and pressing down lightly with the back of the spoon. It will give you a lovely crunchy top (whilst also adding extra calories to the final bake – only you can decide if that crunch is worth it!)
Please note, as this step is optional the calories are not included in the nutritional breakdown below.
5/ Bake as per the recipe below, then let cool in the pan. Cut into 16 squares (or more/less to suit you) and place into an *airtight tin.
Finally, enjoy!
*They will stay safe and tasty for around 5 days. Although good luck trying to get them to last that long!
Need more Lunch Box Inspiration?
Sometimes only a sweet treat will do! If you’ve made these date flapjacks using this best flapjack recipe (ever), congratulations! The prize is that delicious end result! If you love them as much as we do, why not give some of my other favourite bakes a go to?
My soft and chewy coconut pyramids are a retro treat that are great fun to make. And these chocolate orange muffins smell as good as they look!
If you have any leftover dates, you may also like to try my date and dark chocolate muffins a go too.
*
If you fall head over heels with these little beauties as much as I have, please be sure to share a pic with me on social media.
Alternatively, please leave a comment below letting me know what you and your family think of my date flapjack recipe!
Janie x
PS I love this recipe sooooo much that I made a little video showing you just how easy it is to make ;) If you like it, please hit the thumbs up & subscribe!
- 250 g dried dates destoned & chopped
- splash of water or orange juice
- 175 g butter
- 75 g sugar
- 3 tbsp Golden Syrup or honey
- 350 g oats
- 1.5 tsp mixed spice
-
Preheat the oven to 190c/170 fan/375f or gas 5.
Line an 8 inch by 8 inch baking tin with baking paper.
-
Heat the dates and water/juice gently (lid on) for 5 minutes until soft enough to mash with the back of a fork.
-
In a large pan, melt together the butter, sugar and golden syrup.
-
Tip in the oats and mixed spice and mix until the oats are evenly coated.
-
Put half of the oaty mixture into the baking tin and firm down with the back of a spoon.
-
Scrape on the date mix and squash that flat too.
-
Finally top with the remaining oats and firm down well.
-
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Cut into pieces before tipping out onto a cooling rack and letting cool fully.
This was a hard day in the office ;)
Janie x
Padmasree Vardaraj says
Looks good. I will definitely try it.
Jane Sarchet says
Hope you love it Padmasree!
Paula says
Amazing it’s so delicious although I hadn’t realised I could make so much mess in the kitchen from baking flapjack, best I have made and tasted in a long time, it’s going up to the highlands with us next week for Wild Camping in Landrover Defenders ( in November Crazy) I may make some more with Ginger in to warm the cockles.
Jane Sarchet says
Hahaha, I’m actually glad it’s not just me that has a kitchen that looks like a bomb site after making them Paula!!!
So glad you love them too, and LOVE they they’ll be keeping you warm up in the highlands (actually, I’m a bit jealous! Can we come too?!)
Janie x
Michelle Velma Walsh says
I have a recipe for date bars that is very similar that I got from my mothers years ago, I will try yours as it looks so good. Never heard the bars called flapjacks.
Jane Sarchet says
Hi Michelle, it’s definitely a British thing and has caused much confusion in these comments over the years! Whatever you choose to call them, I hope you adore them as much as we do!
Janie x
Sharon says
An absolutely superb recipe. I’ve been using it for years and it is indeed by far the best flapjack recipe I’ve ever come across. Thank you!
Jane Sarchet says
Yay! Best message of the week goes to you Sharon!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment, it really does make it all worthwhile :)
Janie x
Karen says
Hi Janie, It is a brilliant recipe – until I discovered it all my attempts at flapjack resulted in an emergency trip to the dentist! I make a gluten free version which works really well, as you only have to change the oats.. I have also tried some variations using coconut sugar & agave nectar instead of syrup, I use raisins (because my family won’t eat the dates!) The raisins don’t work quite as well as the dates because they don’t bind it together in the same way so I soak them in orange juice for 24 hours beforehand then heat them up. When the flapjack is made I leave it for a day (which is torture as we want to eat it straightaway!) but it seems to work. Not quite as good as the original but it still doesn’t last long!
Jane Sarchet says
Karen, that’s brilliant feedback, thank you so much for sharing. I’m so pleased that the whole family loves them too :)
Jane x
Rich says
Made this today as had some homemade date paste to use. Really good recipe, excellent flavour.
Is it just me, but I couldn’t read what size tin you used. Went for 9×7 and worked perfectly
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Rich. Thanks for the heads up, I’ve added the pan size to the recipe :)
PS the baking tin I use is 8″x8″, so a 9″x7″ would be just perfect!
Jane x
Angela says
Just made this for the second time in 2 weeks. My whole family agree – it is the best flapjack in the world! Thank you for sharing!
Jane Sarchet says
Yay!!! So glad you all approve Angela :)
Jane x
Janet lombardi says
Would it be okay not to use the sugar in this recipe? Would the honey need to be adjusted? I’m thinking that the dates would give enough sweetness. I’m trying to reduce sugar intake and make it more healthy
Jane Sarchet says
I have cut the sugar pretty drastically in the recipe as I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth.
That said, please play around with the recipe to make it perfect for you :)
Jane x
Colin says
Hi, very enjoyable however it’s the first time I have made flapjacks with mixed spice added.. For my taste it’s it a bit overpowering and detracts from the taste of the dates.
Bws
Colin.
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Colin, sorry the recipe wasn’t for you. Perhaps try halving the Mixed Spice, or just using cinnamon instead :)
Jane x
Fallon Evans-Webster says
My favourite recipe to use when making flapjacks, always receive amazing feedback too!! None of this could’ve been achieved without your expert recipe, so thank you!
Jane Sarchet says
Best message ever! Thanks Fallon, happy baking :)
Jane x
Tracy says
Hi never mad flap jacks before but going to have a go. Do you use salted or unsalted butter? Many thanks tracy
Jane Sarchet says
Either will be fine Tracy, although I only use salted butter for everything, including baking :)
Jane x
Sue says
I’ve made the best flapjack recipe in the world – ever – this morning for my daughters “48th birthday”. I asked her what cake she wanted and her answer was ‘a deep soft flapjack’, so I searched the web and found this recipe and gave it a go.
It really is the best flapjack recipe in the world – we’ve ever tasted. Thank you so much.
Sue x
Jane Sarchet says
Sue, you have officially made my day! Happiest of birthdays to your daughter too, I hope you both make and enjoy the flapjack for years to come!
Jane x
Bella says
Lovely flapjack recipe, Jane -thank you! I’m getting back into baking, your recipe was nice and easy to follow and definitely these are the best flapjacks I’ve made. It’s exactly like you said, for a simple bake flapjacks can be too ‘this’ or too ‘that’ but this was perfect. I used soft brown sugar which helps I think? This is officially now one of my household favourites! xx
Jane Sarchet says
Thank you Bella! I’m so glad the recipe has found another happy new home :)
Jane x
Christine Dicken says
So happy when I realised I had all the ingredients to make this. Really easy and delicious recipe and worked well despite not having quite enough dates. I’ll definitely be making it again.
Even more excited to receive your camping ebook. Can’t believe we’ve had a camper van for 10 years and never once thought about instant noodles. It’s been a revelation! Might need to even cook on our driveway one evening to try a recipe out. So pleased to have discovered your blog.
Jane Sarchet says
Oh Christine, thank you for your lovely message! I’m so glad you enjoyed the flapjack recipe (and you’ve made me realise I haven’t baked it in a while so might have to rectify that this weekend!) and that you enjoyed the noodle book!
Let me know how you get on when we’re finally allowed to get back to our camping adventures, and if you find a new favourite camping recipe using those instant noodles!
Jane x
Bronwyn says
Googled best flapjack recipe and this one popped up! Well, there you have it! Truly the best in world!!!! Thank you so much for sharing. Didn’t have dates, so made up the fruit measurement with prunes, dried cranberries and dried apricots. Cooked that in orange juice and mashed. Amazing! THANK YOU! X
Jane Sarchet says
That’s brilliant Browwyn! And I reckon those subs you made would have tasted awesome!
Jane x
Paula Elvin says
I was given a block of date paste and do a lot of cycling and hillwalking so wanted to combine it with a flapjack. Found this recipe and oh my word delicious question is does it freeze successfully? X
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Paula, so glad you enjoyed the flapjacks! As for whether they freeze well, I’ll admit I’ve never tried – if you give it a go, would you mind popping back and letting us know how it went?
Janie x
john scott foster says
what is the “spice mix”?
Jane Sarchet says
Hi John, I have updated the blog post following your question. I didn’t realise ‘Mixed Spice’ wasn’t a thing everywhere!
Basically, it’s a traditional English spice blend that we buy ready mixed and it gets used in all sorts of cool weather puddings and bakes.
It contains a mix of cinnamon, coriander, caraway, ginger nutmeg and cloves.
Hope that helps!
Jane x
Ruth says
Superb and I’m new to this baking game. Husband loves dates and so do I now. Very very delicious. Will definitely try your other recipes as love cooking. I am mainly no – totally savoury – up to now- like the simplicity, personal notes and guides – very easy to follow – and enjoy !!
Jane Sarchet says
Yay! So glad you both enjoyed it Ruth, and love that you are now a date convert!!!
Happy baking
Jane x
Figgy says
I was highly sceptical about the title ‘best flapjack in the world’; however, you’re absolutely right! Just made it for the first time – a little bit crunchy, soft and gooey – absolutely GORGEOUS! (and I’m not a flan of flapjack!!!) I took out 50g of oats and replaced them with chopped walnuts, replaced the mixed spice with cinnamon. Nom! Can’t wait to make it again with different variations! Thank you xxx
Jane Sarchet says
Hahaha, love this Figgy! So glad you are enjoying the recipe, and love that you are adapting it too – that is what recipes are all about in my mind :)
Thanks for your lovely message
Jane x
Pat Appleby says
Brilliant recipe thank you. Made it two weeks ago and delivered to various family members and friends.
Best feedback ever for my flapjacks (and I’ve been making them for years). Simply yummy….. so simple to make and yummy to eat
Thank you
Pat Appleby says
Sorry meant to say making second batch this evening
Jane Sarchet says
Love this Pat! So glad you (and the family!) enjoyed them, they are a dream to make and certainly don’t last long around here!
Thanks for taking the time to leave your comments, it is appreciated :)
Jane x
Gaby says
Great Recipe! Can you use Prunes as a substitute for the dates?
Jane Sarchet says
Absolutely Gaby!
Enjoy :)
Lele says
These are fantastic! I added 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder so they are chocolate versions of the above. Live it! Thanks :)
Jane Sarchet says
Ooh, nice touch Lele! Glad you love them :)
Sam Robshaw says
Made them today, loved them! Datey, chewy goodness!
Jane Sarchet says
YES!!! So glad you loved them too Sam :)
Tracey Wells says
Would i be able to make these with frozen mixed fruits.
Jane Sarchet says
Hi Tracey, I think you could, but you would need to defrost & probably cook the fruit first, then drain out all the liquid, otherwise you’ll end up with some very soggy flapjacks :)
If you give it a go, please let me know how you get on.
Janie x
Fiona Crowe says
We love this recipe! It’s delicious!
I wonder if you could add that to make it vegan you can exchange butter for 125ml of vegetable oil. This works great :)
Jane Sarchet says
That’s awesome feedback Fiona, thank you so much!
Jane x
Victoria says
I’m now onto my third time making these – believe the title, they are the best flapjacks in the world!
Jane Sarchet says
YES!!! :)
Thanks Victoria, I’m so glad you love them too!
Janie x
Sinead Thomas says
Beautiful.. I made these for 2nd time and I used prunes. My 4 year old daughter just loves them & so does mummy. The mixed spice is a lovely addition that I added this time (I forgot the first time) .. wow love love love x
Jane Sarchet says
That’s wonderful Sinead, I’m so glad you both love them as much as we do!
Janie x
Pamela Church says
Hi’ I wondered if I could do the same recipe with preserved plums.
Jane Sarchet says
Oooh, good question Pamela! If they are soft, and preserved in alcohol or are canned, then I would say absolutely. If they are dried I would think yes, but be sure to rehydrate/soften them a little first.
If you try it, would you let us know how you get on?
Jane x
Teresa says
I made these yesterday. I subbed 50g of the oats with pumpkin & sunflower seeds instead and just used cinnamon instead of mixed spice.
They are YUM! I will definitely be making these again – thanks for a great recipe Jane!
Jane Sarchet says
Yay! Glad you love them Teresa!
Jane x
Jim says
Hi Jane,
Thanks for sharing this. I’ve made it twice now and it’s been lovely (but different) both times! The first time I pulled it out of the over just as it was finishing cooking so it remained fairly soft and chewy. The second time (I’m currently eating it whilst typing out this message, I came here to confirm the calories for this snack) I used nutmeg instead of cinnamon and cooked it a bit longer (by mistake) but it’s made a lovely slightly chewy snack that is reminding me of Christmas… mmmmmmm! My mother loves them too and she has VERY high standards, higher than Michelin star chefs!
Jim says
I forgot to add – for the second batch I reduced the sugar to 50g and a smidge less syrup and I found it took the edge off the sweetness as it was a bit too much, especially if one plans to eat it for breakfast.
:-)
Jane Sarchet says
Hahaha, great tip Jim!!!
Jane x
Jane Sarchet says
Yay! So glad you, and of course your mother, approve!
Jane x
Jacqueline Scanlon says
Oh my.! These flapjacks are really good! I decided to add some orange rinds to the juice for softening the dates. My usually picky 7 year old daughter snapped the “taster”piece of flapjack from my hand before I realised what was happening! Thank you for a brilliant recipe!
Jane Sarchet says
Ahh, I’m so glad you all love them! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely review :)
Janie x
Sarah says
I think I must have made it wrong! Used the ingredients as stated and way too dry, ended up making granola… I did substitute honey for golden syrup (recipe said this would work) so maybe that was my mistake? I will need to try it again without doing this next time! Very tasty granola however…
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Sarah, I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you.
When you popped it in the pan, did you press down really hard? If I’m in a rush and don’t give it some muscle it can end up crumbly.
The honey won’t be the problem, I often use honey instead and it holds together well.
Do let me know if you give it a go again how you get on (I promise it is worth the effort, it really is ridiculously tasty!)
Jane x
Liz Bright says
I have just copied this recipe down and am looking forward to making the best flapjacks in the world! I like the idea of the fruity filling and am already thing of other fillings ie stewed apple? Flapjacks can be a bit bland but yours look delicious, Janie. Thank you.
Jane Sarchet says
What a lovely message Liz! I do hope you enjoy them – if you have any other wonderful flavour breakthroughs, please do pop back and let us all know!
Jane x