You know when they say that if you get three signs it means you should do something? Will that’s how this flapjack recipe came about. Not one, but three different Uniquely Healthy clients asked if I had a good healthy flapjack recipe, and even when I searched online I couldn’t really find anything that jumped out to me as being pretty straight forward to make with out faffy ingredients, and that was of course, healthy!
Regular flapjack recipes tend to be made with oats, butter and golden syrup. As delicious as that sounds, a tonne of butter and sugar isn’t going to do anyone many favours, especially if you really love flapjacks and like to eat them all the time! This recipe can be made in 5 minutes flat so you can enjoy a healthy flapjack treat as often as you want. These are a seriously lightened up, yet nomtastic flapjacks!
- 2.5 cups / 250g jumbo porridge oats (not the Scottish or quick cook type)
- 1 cup / 60g of chopped dried apple
- 1/2 cup / 30g of pecans
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp / 40g butter (use coconut oil to make it vegan)
- 3/4 cup / 200g of apple sauce (I used two pots of pure apple and pear baby food)
- 1/2 cup / 125mls maple syrup (I used Clarks blended with fruit carob brand)
- Pre heat the oven to 180c. Combine the oats, apple, cinnamon and pecans in a large bowl. Add the butter to a separate bowl and melt in the microwave (or on the hob). Add the apple sauce and maple syrup to the melted butter and stir to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Grease a baking tin (I used 8x8 tin) and pour the mix in, patting it down firmly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin before removing and cutting into slices.
I used dried apple and pecans, which of course can be swapped for any other dried fruit and nuts of choice.
I still wanted to use real butter in this recipe for that buttery flavour, also I don’t believe that a little bit of butter will do any harm!
The dried apple gives these a more spongy texture which I really liked, but I expect they would be more dense if a different dried fruit was used. You could also experiment with using honey in place of the maple syrup.
I’d really like to make another version of these for James with cherries and almonds. These passed his high flapjack standards so I was very happy! They also passed the work colleague taste test too :-)
Do you like flapjacks? What combo of dried fruit and nuts would you use?
They sound wonderful! I think cherries and almonds would be my top choice of flavour too.
Yes I have to do the cherry version soon now I think!
I have to admit not being able to eat oats is a sad thing, I used to love making my own flapjacks. I know I can use quinoa and millet flakes but its just not quite the same! These look lovely if i could I would definitely make some!
Oh no :-( Yeah the quinoa and millet flakes aren’t quite the same unfortunately :-(
I’m such a sucker for flapjack! I’m not sure I’d like the dried apple but would definitely love raisins with the apple purée and pecans.
Oh yes raisins or even cranberries would be perfect too :-)
I made peanut butter flap jacks the week and they were fab. They are so quick and easy to make and make great snacks and lovely crumbled over Greek yoghurt like granola.
Oh such a good idea for crumbling them like granola!
These sound really delicious, Nick loves anything like that, so I might have to give them a go!
Thanks – hope you do give them a try. I think they’d be just as good with coconut oil for a vegan version!
Flapjack is my weakness! I used to buy it in the uni canteen and it was so buttery and syruppy, mmmm, filled me up for about 2 weeks mind!
I used to make it when I cooked in a tea room, it was a healthy/organic place and the jacks were full of cashews, hazelnuts and sultanas, and the stickiness was honey, olive oil and some molasses. Wish I had stolen the recipe when I left! Not exactly low calorie, but had lots of nutritional goodness :)
Flapjack reminiscing over, thanks for this recipe! I like making baked oats which can turn out pretty flapjacky, so this will be a good inbetween recipe, yum :)
Oh wow that sounds amazing – love the idea of the honey, olive oil and molasses!
These sound absolutely lovely Laura, I can’t get enough of your recipes and you seem to have perfect timing posting them when I’m most craving something like it!
Oh thanks so much Claire!
Oh my gosh these look amazing! Definitely going onto my recipes to try list… My Dad is completely the same with the high flapjack standards! Maybe there is something about them making them a ‘manly’ cake?! Either way, they are delicious :) thanks for posting xxx
Yes I know just what you mean! Same with muffins – I think they are more appealing to men :-)
I had to google what flapjacks were, but oh goodness… I’m in love. And I have to say that I love the healthy spin you put on them. To be honest, a lot of the time I actually find that I prefer the healthified version of recipes to the original. There are certainly times where indulgences are needed, but for the most part I love to enjoy healthier treats on a daily basis.
Haha I keep forgetting that they are a British thing, but they are so delicious :-) Funnily enough that thing of preferring the healthified version of things is what I’m talking about in my WIAW today. I think it just depends on the food, sometimes richer doesn’t equal tastier!
I love flapjacks – definitely need to give this recipe a go! x
I love flapjacks. This combo sounds gorgeous.
I really want to try cranberry and walnut flapjacks.