Best Ever Fruity Flapjacks Recipe With Golden Syrup
This Fruit Flapjacks recipe is a fibre-rich snack filled with colourful dried fruit, pumpkin seeds and the option to add nuts too! Fruity Flapjacks are sweet and chewy, made with golden syrup and a great source of energy for snacking, lunchbox additions and breakfast on the go.
What Makes Fruit Flapjacks Great!
- Easy To Make – You can have bakery-quality oat flapjacks with easy steps and simple ingredients.
- Freezer Friendly – Yes, you can freeze fruity flapjacks! Making them great for easy meal prep!
- Customisable – Want a different combination of fruit, nuts or seeds? If you keep the amounts roughly the same, you can add in your own favourite fruit and nut mixture.
Flapjacks with fruit make a quick cereal bar for breakfast. The porridge oats provide a slow release of energy, and the seeds and fruit provide some extra goodness.
Dried fruit flapjacks are made with golden syrup which is by far, the best thing to keep the fruit and oat mixture stuck together. You can make your own golden syrup substitute if you cannot find it in the local supermarket.
Dried Fruit flapjacks are a good choice for breakfast, a snack on the go, they make the perfect lunchbox treats and are a great choice for picnics. These oat flapjacks are extremely easy to make with simple ingredients that you’ll be able to find in most supermarkets. They’re a sweet treat with a fruity twist that the whole family will enjoy.
And, if you love chewy flapjack recipes, check out my Bakewell flapjacks next!
Equipment Needed To Make Fruity Flapjacks
Making Fruit Flapjacks is quite a simple process that doesn’t need too much equipment. You will need:
- Medium Saucepan: To melt the butter with the sugar and golden syrup, this combination of ingredients is what holds the chewy flapjacks together. I wouldn’t recommend melting everything in the microwave as it can burn easily.
- Large Spoon/ Rubber Spatula: For mixing and transferring the ingredients.
- Large Mixing Bowl: You’ll need a large bowl that can hold all the flapjack ingredients and mix it altogether.
- 20x25cm (8×10 inch) Rectangle or 23x23cm (9x9inch) Square Baking Tin/Square Cake Tin: To shape and bake the flapjacks in the oven. Try and stick to a similar size for the best results.
- Parchment Paper/Non Stick Baking Paper to line the tin. This prevents the mixture from sticking inside the square tin and helps when you want to lift it out.
- Sharp Knife: To slice the fruit flapjacks into portions. You’ll need a chopping board too!
Ingredients
- Oats – Use Porridge Oats, also known as quick oats for the chewiest texture that holds together. Using Jumbo oats will change the texture and you may find that the flapjacks fall apart when you slice them.
- Soft Light Brown Sugar – I use this type of soft brown sugar to give the flapjacks a treacle flavouring. I recommend sticking to this type of sugar, but you can use caster sugar if you’d prefer. However, the outcome of the flavour will be slightly different.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter in this recipe as it is a sweet recipe requiring no salt. If you want to make these fruity flapjacks vegan, swap out the butter for a plant based alternative. And, if you like adding a little seasoning to your sweet recipes, add in a pinch of salt to suit your tastes separately.
- Golden Syrup – This sweet syrup is the glue that holds everything together. If you cannot find golden syrup, try making your own with our golden syrup substitute recipe. Alternatively, you can use honey or maple syrup but be aware that the resulting flavour and texture may differ to this recipe.
- Dried Apricots – Use dried apricots only, fresh apricots contain too much liquid and will alter the consistency in the flapjacks. You can leave the apricots out or replace with a different type of dried fruit if you’d prefer.
- Pumpkin Seeds – These add a little crunch as well as extra nutrition to these flapjacks. You can leave them out if you’d prefer or replace them with a different type of seed or nut.
- Dried Mixed Berries and Raisins – A mixture of dried berries and raisins gives our flapjacks a jewelled effect. You can use any type of dried fruit you want or stick to one kind if you’d prefer. I have used a mixture of cranberries, cherries, goji berries, and raisins. Just be sure that none of the fruit is larger than a raisin in size. Chop them up into smaller pieces if necessary.
What Types of Fruit, Nuts and Seeds Can I Add To A Flapjack?
While I have listed my favourite fruits and seeds to add to this fruit flapjack recipe, you can also try the following:
- Raisins/Sultanas – Both go really well in fruity flapjacks and are easy to come by.
- Sunflower Seeds – You can halve the amount of pumpkin seeds and add these together or just replace them completely. Both give a little crunch throughout the chewy texture.
- Goji Berries – They are full of goodness, making a colourful addition.
- Dried Figs – These will work but will need chopping into smaller pieces in the same way that the dried apricots are.
- Dried Cranberries – These add a little tart flavour throughout the flapjack with contrasts with the sweetness very well.
- Dried Cherries – They give the flapjacks a pretty red dotting throughout.
- Dried Raspberries or Strawberries – You can add them to the mixture and give them that intense berry flavour throughout. Just make sure the pieces are no bigger than a raisin.
- Cashews, walnuts, peanuts or brazil nuts – If you omit some of the other ingredients you can make these fruit and nut flapjacks instead. Just be sure to chop the added nuts up before mixing in.
Note: While I encourage you to be varied with your own dried fruit and nut flapjacks, I would recommend trying to stick as closely to the measurements of the added ingredients for the best results. If you add too many mix ins, the flapjacks will fall apart.
Step-By-Step Guide – How To Make Fruity Flapjacks
Step 1: Preparing the Mixture
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
- In a saucepan, melt the sugar, butter, and syrup together over low heat, stirring continuously.
- Roughly chop the apricots into small pieces no bigger than a raisin size and place them in a large bowl.
- Add the oats, mixed berries, raisins, and pumpkin seeds (or other fruit and seeds of choice) to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Pour in the melted ingredients and mix everything together until the dry ingredients are evenly coated.
Step 2: Baking the Fruit Flapjacks
- Line a 20x25cm (8×10 inch) baking tin with baking paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
- Press the mixture down firmly and evenly in the prepared tin using a spoon or spatula to remove air pockets.
- Place the flapjacks in the centre of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.
Step 3: Cooling and Serving
- Once baked, remove the tin from the oven and let the mixture cool completely in the tin. It will harden as it cools.
- Once set, lift the flapjacks from the tin using the overhanging paper and slice them with a sharp knife.
- Store the flapjacks according to your preferred method or serve immediately.
Flapjacks Vs Granola Bars
Flapjacks are a traditional sweet British snack, while granola bars are a more modern invention.
Both are a type of sweet baked oat bar, but what sets them apart? Though their ingredients may overlap, the texture is what makes them different. A Granola bar tends to be crunchy, while flapjacks are more dense and chewy in texture.
Both Flapjacks and Granola bars often contain oats. Flapjacks come in a variety of flavours and added ingredients. Granola bars usually contain dried fruit, nuts and mixed seeds.
FAQ
I don’t recommend using frozen fruit in flapjacks. When baked, the fruit will release too much liquid and cause the flapjacks to become soggy. Stick to dried and dehydrated fruits only.
Like frozen fruit, fresh fruit contains too much liquid and will cause the outcome to be far too soggy to hold together.
Wait until the flapjack has completely cooled before slicing, other you will find that they may fall apart.
This could be down to adding too many extra ingredients in too much quantity. Overbaking them can also cause them to become too hard and no longer chewy in texture. Always stick to the recommended baking time for best results.
It is possible, but the texture of a flapjack made with jumbo oats will be much more crumbly and you may find the flapjacks simply fall apart. Especially if you are also adding other ingredients into the mix.
Baking Tips and Guidance
- Slice the flapjacks when cooled – Trying to slice them up too soon will result in crumbly flapjacks that fall apart.
- The flapjacks will be soft when they leave the oven – This doesn’t mean that they need extra baking time, they will harden as they cool.
- You can add different types of dried mixed fruit, seeds or nuts – Just stick to similar quantities as I have added here. See the section on ideas for the types of fruit, nuts and seeds you can add to your own fruit and nut flapjacks.
- Be sure to press the mixture down firmly in the tin before baking – This will help the flapjacks hold together when you slice them up.
- Keep the extra ingredients small in size – Any larger pieces of fruit or nuts will need to be chopped into small pieces, no bigger than raisin size. Otherwise, it will affect the texture and it may prove difficult to hold the flapjacks together.
Storing Fruity Flapjacks
- Store: Fruity flapjacks should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last approximately a week.
- Freeze: You can freeze fruit flapjacks. Wrap them up in individual portions and freeze in an airtight container. You can keep flapjacks frozen for 2-3 months.
Check Out These Flapjack Recipes!
For those Biscoff lovers out there who cannot get enough of those caramel flavours.
Deliciously simple and easy-to-make, these flapjacks are chewy and sweet with the added indulgence of a milk chocolate topping.
A mix between a classic flapjack and a lemon drizzle cake. We promise that you’ll love these!
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The Best Fruity Flapjacks Recipe With Golden Syrup
Equipment
- 1 Medium Sized Saucepan
- 1 Spatula or Wooden Spoon
- 1 20x25cm (8×10 inch) Baking Tin
- Non Stick Baking Paper
- 1 Sharp Knife
Ingredients
- 300 g Porridge Oats, Quick Oats
- 150 g Soft Brown Sugar
- 170 g Unsalted Butter
- 130 g Golden Syrup
- 40 g Dried Cherries
- 40 g Dried Cranberries
- 20 g Dried Goji Berries
- 40 g Raisins
- 40 g Pumpkin Seeds
- 120 g Dried Apricots
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 150C (300F).
- In a saucepan, melt the sugar, butter, and syrup together over low heat while stirring continuously.
- Roughly chop the apricots into small pieces and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Add the oats, mixed berries, raisins, and pumpkin seeds, or any other fruits and seeds of your choice to the bowl. Mix everything together until evenly combined.
- Pour the melted mixture into the bowl and mix everything together until the dry ingredients are fully coated.
- Line a 20x25cm (8×10 inch) baking tin with baking paper, making sure some of it hangs over the edges to help you lift it out of the tin once baked.
- Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to firmly press the mixture down evenly, removing any air pockets.
- Place the baking tin in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.
- Once baked, take the tin out of the oven and let the mixture cool completely in the tin. It might look soft but it will harden as it cools.
- Once set, use the overhanging paper to lift the flapjacks out of the tin and cut them into slices with a sharp knife.
- You can store the flapjacks according to our instructions or serve them immediately.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Wait until the flapjacks have cooled completely before you slice them.
- They will still be soft when they leave the oven – this is normal as they will harden as they cool.
- You can add your own variety of dried mixed fruit, seeds and nuts. Just be sure to stick closely to the quantities we have used here.
- Press the mixture down firmly in the tin before baking.
- Keep the added ingredients small in size. Chop any fruit, nuts or seeds that exceed a raisin size, before adding.
Deliciously chewy!
Delicious chewy flapjacks. I used some chopped dried figs as I didn’t have goji berries and added some sunflower and chia seeds to the recipe
Sounds like some delicious additions. So pleased you enjoyed them Liz :)