Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (2024)

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A really easy recipe for Mary Berry flapjacks. With only 4 ingredients, they’re super simple making them perfect for kids and beginner bakers.

Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (1)

Mary Berry Flapjacks are a classic bake that you can’t really go wrong with. With only 4 ingredients, not only are they easy, they’re really quick to make, making them the perfect bake for kids.

My kids love flapjacks and I don’t blame them – they’re really moreish! We’ve tried a few different flapjack recipes – we’ve got a healthier version with no refined sugar and added dried fruit and a really indulgent chocolate flapjack – but this recipe is just a really simple, traditional flapjack. It reminds me of the flapjacks I used to make when I was little.

How can kids help to make Mary Berry’s flapjacks?

This really is so simple so they’re perfect for even young children and toddlers who want to bake something. I think the best easy recipes for children are quick and only use a few ingredients so these flapjacks fit the bill perfectly.

Your kids can enjoy measuring out the ingredients and mixing them all together. You can do this just with a mixing bowl and wooden spoon which also means you don’t need any special equipment.

Why did my flapjacks not stick together?

If you find your flapjacks a bit crumbly, it’s probably because your mixture is too dry. Increasing the quantity of butter or adding fewer oats should help.

Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (2)

Are flapjacks healthy?

No, these ones certainly aren’t but they don’t pretend to be (don’t be fooled by the oats). There’s a lot of sugar and butter in flapjacks, so they’re by no means a healthy snack.

You can make flapjacks a bit healthier by removing the refined sugar and adding dried fruit. Our fruity honey flapjacks do exactly that and are a great alternative if you’re looking for something a little bit healthier.

Can you use honey instead of golden syrup?

Yes. If you don’t have any golden syrup you can swap it for an equal quantity of honey.

Why are my flapjacks hard?

Flapjacks can become too hard if you bake them for too long. You should remove them from the oven when they are a nice golden brown colour, before they turn too dark. They’ll be a little soft when they’re still hot, but will harden as they cool.

Why have my flapjacks stuck to the tin?

Flapjacks can stick to the tin or be hard to remove from the tin sometimes so its best to grease the tin and line it with baking or greaseproof paper.

The best way to do this to make the flapjacks easy to remove, is to cut a a long strip of baking paper and lay it one way in the tin, then do the same the other way. You should then be able to just lift it out.

Do you cut flapjacks when they’re hot or cold?

Mary Berry suggests allowing the flapjacks to cool slightly before removing them from the tin and cutting them.

I personally find it a bit easier to wait until they have cooled completely and hardened before removing them.

How do you store Mary Berry flapjacks?

Flapjacks will keep in an air tight container for up to a week.

Other flapjacks and traybakes

If you liked these simple Mary Berry flapjacks, why not try some of our other flapjack recipes or our easy traybakes:

Raspberry flapjacks
Raisin and honey flapjacks
Millionaires shortbread
School cake
Banana and chocolate chip bars
Apple flapjacks
Tottenham cake

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make these flapjacks:

Digital scales
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
23 x 30cm baking tin
Cake storage

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Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (3)

Ingredients

225g (1 cup) butter or margarine
225g (1 cup) demerara sugar
75g (¼ cup) golden syrup
275g (3 cups) porridge (rolled) oats

How to make Mary Berry’s flapjacks

Preheat your oven to 160C / 140C Fan / 320F and grease a 23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 inch) baking tin. Line the base and sides of the tin with baking / parchment paper to make it easier to remove from the tin later.

Melt the wet ingredients together

Get your kids to measure the butter and sugar and add them to a small pan.

Measure the golden syrup. If you are using digital scales you can set your pan on them and get your kids to add the golden syrup straight in. This way is a bit easier and less messy.

Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (4)

Heat your pan on a low heat until everything has melted. If your kids are old enough to be trusted next to the hob, they can use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir it all together.

Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (5) Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (6)

Measure the porridge oats

While the butter mixture is melting get your kids to measure out the porridge/rolled oats an add them to a large mixing bowl.

Mix everything together

Pour the melted butter mixture over the porridge oats and get your kids to stir it all together. Keep mixing until all the oats look like they’re coated in the melted mixture.

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Bake the flapjacks

Tip the oat mixture into your prepared baking dish then press it down with the back of a spoon or spatula. Make sure you press it down well into the corners and edges.

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Bake the flapjacks in the oven for 35-40 minutes. They’re ready when they’ve turnerd a nice golden brown colour. You don’t want to leave them in the oven for too long – if they turn too dark they can be a bit hard.

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Remove the flapjacks from the oven and leave them in the tin to cool. Once they’re cool, remove them from the tin, cut them into squares, serve and enjoy.

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Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (13)

Mary Berry flapjacks

Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (14)cookingwithmykids

A really easy recipe for flapjacks from Mary Berry. With only 4 ingredients, they're super simple making them perfect for kids and beginner bakers.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine scottish

Servings 20

Calories 162 kcal

Equipment

  • 225g (1 cup) butter or margarine

  • 225g (1 cup) demerara sugar

  • 75g (¼ cup) golden syrup

  • 275g (3 cups) porridge (rolled) oats

Ingredients

  • 225 g (1 cup) butter or margarine
  • 225 g (1 cup) demerara sugar
  • 75 g (¼ cup) golden syrup
  • 275 g (3 cups) porridge (rolled) oats

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 160C / 140C Fan / 320F and grease a 23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 inch) baking tin. Line the base and sides of the tin with baking / parchment paper to make it easier to remove from the tin later.

Melt the wet ingredients together

  • Measure the butter, sugar and golden syrup add them to a small pan.

  • Heat your pan on a low heat until everything has melted.

Measure the porridge oats

  • While the butter mixture is melting measure out the porridge/rolled oats an add them to a large mixing bowl.

Mix everything together

  • Pour the melted butter mixture over the porridge oats and stir it all together. Keep mixing until all the oats look like they're coated in the melted mixture.

  • Bake the flapjacks

  • Tip the oat mixture into your prepared baking dish then press it down with the back of a spoon or spatula. Make sure you press it down well into the corners and edges.

  • Bake the flapjacks in the oven for 35-40 minutes. They're ready when they've turnerd a nice golden brown colour.

  • Remove the flapjacks from the oven and leave them in the tin to cool. Once they're cool, remove them from the tin, cut them into squares, serve and enjoy.

Keyword traybake

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Similar recipes

If you liked these flapjacks you’ll love our Biscoff millionaires shortbread, our simple traybake recipes as well as our favourite easy recipes for kids.

This recipe was first published in February 2016 and reposted with new images and an updated recipe in February 2021.
Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (2024)

FAQs

Why do my flapjacks always fall apart? ›

Why do my homemade flapjacks fall apart? This can happen if you overcook or undercook your flapjacks. When you overcook a flapjack, the golden syrup dries out and it becomes crumbly. An undercooked flapjack will have a raw doughy texture that doesn't hold its shape.

What happens if you put too much syrup in flapjacks? ›

Professionals tend to adjust this recipe, increasing the quantity of golden syrup to create a more “saleable” uniform square (with a distinctly less crumbly texture). For me, too much golden syrup makes them hard to bite through and dunking is simply not an option with flapjacks.

Why are my flapjacks not fluffy? ›

Over mixing: Over mixing the ingredients can cause the gluten in the flour to become overdeveloped, which can make the flapjacks tough and crumbly. Over cooking: If you cook your flapjacks for too long, they may become dry and fall apart. Using too much dry ingredients: If you add too much dry ingre.

How to stop flapjacks from sticking? ›

Rub a 20 x 30 cm straight sided baking tin with a tiny bit of butter or tasteless oil. 2 On a low heat, in a large-ish saucepan (big enough to take all the ingredients), melt the butter, golden syrup, sugar and peanut butter, stirring to make an even paste and avoid it sticking.

How to avoid crumbly flapjacks? ›

If your flapjacks appear to be extremely crumbly when cutting, score the top of the bake immediately and put them in the fridge or freezer for a short period to firm up. When you are pressing the mixture into the tin before baking, it's important to pack the mixture in tightly.

How to make flapjacks hold together? ›

How to make flapjacks stick together and not crumble. Splitting the oats in two and blending half into a flour really helps everything stick together. It is also vital to really press the mixture into the tray before you cook. And resist the temptation to take them out of the tray when they are warm.

Can I rescue crumbly flapjack? ›

If the mixture continues to be crumbly then you may like to increase slightly the amount of golden syrup in the mixture. There is also a fairly easily recipe based on the ratio of oats to other ingredients for flapjacks which may be worth trying if Soot's Flapjacks are not quite to your taste.

How do you know when flapjacks are done? ›

Press evenly into the baking tray and bake on a high shelf in the oven for 15 minutes. The flapjack will still feel soft. Leave to cool in the tray for 5 minutes and then lift the baking paper up and out of the tray to cool completely. Cut into bars and enjoy!

How do you make syrup that doesn't harden? ›

Adding a little corn syrup or an acid such as citrus juice will help to prevent this. Selecting a syrup recipe that includes a little brown sugar gives pancake syrup a warm color and the acid in brown sugar helps to prevent crystallization.

Why are flapjacks unhealthy? ›

Flapjacks contain high levels of sugar, syrup and butter, meaning it shouldn't be mistaken as a food that has many health benefits but rather as a delicious treat to have in moderation.

Why hasn't my flapjack stuck together? ›

The oats possibly have not absorbed the syrup, allow to sit before baking. I'm a failure with flapjacks as well! They fall apart, are too dense and solid or as hard as a brick! I must have tried ten different recipes, using differing amounts of ingredients, adding flour ( like Jamie Oliver) or different oats etc.

What's the difference between a crumpet and a flapjack? ›

Unlike pancakes or our SA flapjacks that are cooked on both sides, when crumpets are made, they are traditionally only cooked on one side. But today more often than not, they get turned and cooked for a short time to give the other side a gentle golden colour.

Should you cut flapjacks hot or cold? ›

just made flapjacks for the first time , they've just come out of the oven - when do I cut it up, now that it's still soft or do I wait until it's cooled down? mark them with a sharp knife but do not cut till really cold, as they'll crumble up.

Can I use maple syrup instead of golden syrup? ›

Yes, maple syrup can be used instead of golden syrup in many recipes, however this will result in a slightly different flavour. Golden syrup and maple syrup are generally substituted in a 1:1 ratio, however you may choose to use slightly less maple syrup to maintain texture and consistency.

Can you use tin foil instead of parchment paper for flapjacks? ›

When I first shared this recipe I recommended using tin foil to line the tin… I 110% take that back now! Having experimented with both tin foil and greaseproof paper many, many times, I can confirm that greaseproof paper is far easier to work with.

Do flapjacks harden as they cool? ›

Your flapjack will not look completely baked when you remove it from the oven. Due to the nature of the ingredients, they will still be quite melt-y, but don't worry – it will set as it cools down.

Should flapjacks be soft when they come out of the oven? ›

The flapjack will still feel soft. Leave to cool in the tray for 5 minutes and then lift the baking paper up and out of the tray to cool completely. Cut into bars and enjoy!

How do you soften overcooked flapjacks? ›

Over boiling the sugar, butter, and syrup, and over baking are a few possible reasons for flapjacks being hard and not chewy. Adding flour helps make them chewy and soft. If they do turn hard, leave them in the open air for a few hours to help soften them a little.

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