Using store cupboard ingredients for this easy chocolate flapjack recipe with chocolate topping is a real sweet treat with a cup of tea. Includes simple steps and video to follow along.
These 5 ingredient chocolate flapjacks are a huge hit in our house, whatever the time of year. This British classic is essentially a basic flapjack recipe, but for chocolate lovers!
But while we're on the topic, to clear up any confusion, British flapjacks are similar to a granola bar and completely different from American flapjacks, which we call pancakes.
But chewy flapjacks can come in many ways and another favourite treat of ours is these fruity flapjacks with raisins.
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🛒 Flapjack Ingredients
Please see the printable recipe card with the full ingredients list and preparation instructions at the bottom of the post.
Light brown sugar - for sweetness and also to help them set after bubbling away briefly in the oven to form a chewy toffee
Milk chocolate - we used Cadbury's Milk Chocolate broken int small pieces. There are different chocolates you could use, such as Bournville for dark chocolate flapjacks, white chocolate chips, etc
Porridge oats - these are quick oats that have been milled more into finer flakes. Avoid using jumbo oats here as they will be much more crumbly
Butter - for flavour and also softening the milk chocolate to prevent the layer of chocolate from breaking in the wrong places while eating or cutting into oat bar squares or bars.
Golden syrup - for sweetness, but it also helps hold the oats together for a soft, chewy texture, or some people's favourite ingredient is honey instead
Sea Salt - a little salt to subtly help enhance the flavours for a slightly salted caramel taste
📋 Instructions
First, preheat your oven to a gentle heat at 160 c fan (180c/ Gas mark 4/ 350F) and grease and line an 8x8" or 20cm x 20cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper.
Start by making a syrup mixture by adding the butter, sugar, golden syrup, and salt in a large saucepan.
Then melt over medium heat.
Once the butter mixture has completely melted and you feel no grit-like grains of sugar along the bottom of the pan, turn off the heat.
Now stir in the oats until everything is coated well.
Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared tin and press down evenly with the back of a spoon or spatula.
Then bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes and remove and place it on a cooling rack.
Note: the edges should have firmed a bit, but the rest of the flapjack mixture will still be wobbly.
After leaving the plain flapjacks to cool for 20 minutes, melt the chocolate and butter in a microwavable bowl.
Then microwave in 15 second bursts and stir until smooth.
Pour on the melted chocolate drizzle topping and spread it all over with a spatula.
Then tilt your square cake tin until all corners are covered, and shake side to side to smooth the chocolate.
Now place in the fridge for a couple of hours to set.
Using a very sharp knife, score 16 square marks in the chocolate layer.
Then use these marks as a guide to cut further into the oats and enjoy a flapjack slice with a cuppa!
Top Tip: it may seem weird to take wobbly flapjacks out of the oven, but they should firm up while cooling. If you overbake them, they can be teeth-breakingly rock solid.
👩🍳 Substitutions
Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple ingredients you can swap and still make a great recipe:
- Butter - swap for coconut oil for Vegan flapjacks
- Chocolate - swap for plant based chocolate, white or dark, etc
- Gluten Free - ensure the oats are produced in a Gluten Free environment
- Healthy flapjack - for a healthy snack, you could try adding mashed bananas to make healthy banana flapjacks instead of using refined sugar
⚖️ Variations
Just by adding a few simple ingredient quantities, here's how you can really personalise and add the best things you love!
- Spiced - add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest and mixed spice
- Deluxe - use honey, dried fruit, cherries, sunflower seeds, salt flakes on top of the chocolate
- Kid friendly - add cocoa powder, top with mini marshmallows, chocolate buttons, smarties, etc
- No bake - using a food processor, you could blitz together sunflower seeds, peanut butter, pitted dates, melted coconut oil to bind the oats
See this healthy flapjacks recipe on my website here.
🔪 Equipment
Please note that as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links.
*You'll need a large mixing bowl or a large bowl if using a small saucepan.
❄️ Storage
Storing - once you've let this chocolate flapjacks recipe cool and hardened, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
But due to their delicious chewy flapjack texture, we recommend separating them with pieces of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
Freezing - cool to room temperature, then wrap in cling film or food bags and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
💡Pro Tips
- Don't be tempted to exceed the cooking time as it's the main reason why flapjacks can be too hard once cooled, proving difficult to cut yourself an oat slice
- Bake your flapjacks in the centre of the oven for consistent results
- Heat the chocolate in short bursts to avoid burning and drying out, or where the fat separates
- For best results, use quick-cook oats (smaller flakes, usually called porridge oats), not large jumbo rolled oats, which will result in a crumbly texture
- While lining the tin, give yourself a slight overhang for handles either side making it easier to remove, or use a tin with a loose bottom.
❓ FAQ
Golden syrup is the glue in flapjacks that holds them together, so if you've gone light on it, or used another syrup, it may be why your flapjacks are crumbly.
It is possible that the flapjacks have overboiled in the oven, which is why we cook them on low heat to avoid the sugar turning into toffee. Also, some believe adding flour will help, so next time, try adding 2 tablespoons of plain flour
➕ More Oatmeal Recipes
Looking for more delicious recipes using oats? Try these:
- Easy Healthy Baked Oats Recipe {Unofficial Slimming World}
- Low Fat Baked Carrot & Parsnip Oats Recipe
- Easy Healthy Oaty Unofficial Slimming World Apple Crumble
- Easy & Healthy Cottage Cheese Scones with Oatmeal
- 3 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Vegan Oatmeal Pancakes {No Banana + Gluten Free}
- Unofficial Cheap Slimming World Recipes Using Leftovers
- Sausages in Onion Gravy {Slow Cooker Recipe}
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Flapjack Recipe
Ingredients
- 290 g Oats (2 & ⅔ cups) Quick cook, not jumbo rolled oats
- 180 g Butter (¾ cup)
- 115 g Golden syrup (⅓ cup) or honey
- 128 g Light brown soft sugar (¾ cup)
- ⅛ teaspoon Sea salt
Chocolate Topping
- 220 g Milk chocolate (8oz), broken into squares
- 1 teaspoon Butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160c fan/ 180c/ Gas mark 4/ 350F).
- Grease and line an 8x8" or 20cm x 20cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper.
- Add the butter, sugar, golden syrup, and salt in a large saucepan and melt over medium heat.
- Once completely melted and you feel no grit like grains of sugar along the bottom of the pan, turn off the heat and stir in the oats.
- Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared tin and press down evenly with the back of a spoon or spatula and bake for 20 minutes in the centre of the oven.
- Remove it from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Note: the edges should have firmed a bit, but the rest will be wobbly.
- After leaving the plain flapjacks to cool for 20 minutes, melt the chocolate and butter in a microwavable bowl.
- Then microwave in 15 second bursts and stir until smooth and pour on your layer of chocolate and spread it all over with a spatula.
- Then tilt your square cake tin until all corners are covered, and shake side to side to smooth the chocolate.
- Now place in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
- Using a very sharp knife, score 16 square marks in the chocolate layer.
- Then use these marks as a guide to cut further into the oats and enjoy a flapjack slice with a cuppa!
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
- Don't be tempted to exceed the cooking time as it's the main reason why flapjacks can be too hard once cooled, proving difficult to cut yourself an oat slice
- Bake your flapjacks in the centre of the oven for consistent results
- Heat the chocolate in short bursts to avoid burning and drying out, or where the fat separates
- For best results, use quick-cook oats (smaller flakes, usually called porridge oats), not large jumbo rolled oats, which will result in a crumbly texture
- While lining the tin, give yourself a slight overhang for handles either side making it easier to remove, or use a tin with a loose bottom.
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