Not to be confused with American pancakes, British Flapjacks are a delicious bar cookie made from oats bound with butter, golden syrup, and (usually) brown sugar. I ended up cutting these into 8 triangular shaped slices, and they are all gone! Super simple, definitely sweet– reminiscent of a granola bar.
In the March 2010 issue of Bon Appetit, Molly Weizenberg (of the very success blog “Orangette” and a recently published author
, published this recipe. I was definitely intrigued. My definition of Flapjacks, for all of my American life, has been pancakes. But these are different in the US…they are more of a bar cookie. Molly’s version of British Flapjacks requires an ingredient I had never heard of before– Golden Syrup
. I filed this recipe in my “gotta try” part of my brain that reminded me to scout out this elusive ingredient. At last! I found Lyle’s Golden Syrup at my local World Market for less than $4.00. Gripping my new treasure, I was ready to give this recipe a go.
Golden Syrup is made from Cane Sugar. What is the bottle set in? It’s my 8×8 pan, which I have lined with a parchment paper “sling”. I read the reviews from folks who made this recipe. Several complained that they couldn’t get the bars out of the pan. Problem solved…
You need a 1/4 cup of Golden Syrup. TIP: Anytime I need to measure sticky syrups or honey, I wipe a little olive oil in the measuring cup– it helps the syrup to slide right out. If you cannot find Golden Syrup, some reviewers said that Maple Syrup worked great. But please– no pancake syrup. I never buy the stuff anymore– don’t get me started on the ingredients in there! The rest of the ingredients are, unsalted butter, brown sugar, Quick Oats (big no-no on Old Fashioned Oats, Molly says) and a pinch of salt. Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a pot, melt the butter, brown sugar and Golden Syrup (see how it slides right out…clever, eh?) until melted, stirring constantly. Remove the pot from the heat, and add the oats and a pinch of kosher or sea salt.
, made it easy work to cut these into fourths, then each fourth in half– like a triangle. Molly’s version cut eat square into four small wedges. I went for BIG! After cutting them, they sling lifted right out!
British Flapjacks Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
- 1/2 cup golden brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup golden syrup* A type of syrup popular in Great Britain; available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and British import shops. (I found my at Pier 1 – World Market)
- 2 1/3 cups quick-cooking oats not instant or old-fashioned
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Butter 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan**.
- **NOTE: I made a parchment paper "sling" so that the flapjacks would be guarantee to life right out of the pan. You can also use a foil sling, as well.
- Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves, and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
- Add oats and salt; stir until coated. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread out in even layer.
- Bake until top is golden (edges will be darker), about 25 minutes.
- Cool in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut into 4 squares*; cut each into 4 triangles (mixture will still be soft).
- *I used a bench scraper tool to easily cut the bars. Be sure they are still warm when you cut them.
- Cool completely*** in pan before serving.
- ***We ate them slightly warm and loved them this way.
Notes
Your flapjacks look gorgeous, I can never wait for them to cool before wanting to taste them 🙂 The pictures are just beautiful. Lucie x
At first, I was thinking that your flapjacks were a cross between an oatmeal cookie and a scone, but I think granola bars is right. We agree that anything with oats is wonderful! The shots of wildflowers – especially the sweeping colors in the open field – are pretty stunning! Thanks for sharing.
I wouldn't have let them cool completely either;D
Isn't it so much fun when you get the chance to cook with a new ingredient, like your golden syrup?
These look yummy and would be good with your citrus salad that you posted just a week or so ago. Yum!
These are not the flapjacks I know and love…but I'm pretty sure there's room in my belly for these as well. Good call on the parchment paper. That stuff has saved my life (and my bakeware!) many a time. These look great.
I just came back from buying the Golden syrup to try these. The recipe caught my eye a while ago. Thanks for the tips.
What a fun thing to try–they look and sound yummy. Love the wildflower pictures too–so pretty! 😉
I've seen golden syrup on the shelf but have never cooked with it. Isn't it fun to try something new? These flapjacks do look delicious and your photos are terrific as always.
I read that article and thought the recipe sounded quite interesting! Glad to hear that it turned out well. I love your photos of the lupines, so beautiful. I can't wait for spring to hit here!
I am a sucker for British flapjacks! Yum!
These sound delicious! And what beautiful flowers.
These British Flapjacks look wonderfully delicious! I love oats and Golden Syrup and I can't wait to try these! And what gorgeous photos! Happy Spring!
I immediately thought of the flapjacks I bought one year in England, Derbyshire, while I was visiting my friend Catherine in her little 12 house and a church village!
This recipe sounds excellent! Love the photos of California, that state is so beautiful!
I often seen golden syrup at Whole Foods and I was always curious about it. What would I use it in? This answers that question. These look great and do seem like a homier version of granola bars.
I suppose the golden syrup would be good on pancakes too since I don't like maple and don't think pancake syrup is a good idea.
Forgot to say how much I love your wildflower photos. Just beautiful. Spring is making its way to my neck of the woods bit by bit.
I hate to admit it, but I don't think I've ever eaten flapjacks. Wonder where I've been? Thanks for including the pretty wildflowers. They're gorgeous.
Sam
Oh my God! This are definitly a feast for the eyes! You are amazing. Congratulations.
Doña Masita
http://www.donamasita.com
Can't say I've ever seen flapjacks wuite like this. They do look like granola bars! I just bought her book too.
Pretty flowers. They've been lacking here 🙁
IS VERY GOOD..............................
Looks really good! Im definately going to make these!! YUM!
lol seem like no one cant let them cool.. i like the pictures of the wildflowers..good to know where our food come from.
Oh my my, where am I? I feel like Alice in the forbidden world. I am following you.
I have Golden Syrup which I bought at World Market, too!
I'll have to give these flapjacks a try. They look and sound good though you know what I'm thinking vanilla ice cream. Wouldn't that be delish broken up into big chunks and mixed in? Yes, I think so! 🙂
~ingrid
Flapjacks are one of those lovely treats that I would always make with my Granny when I was a little girl and I still make regularly as an adult.
I would also let you know that Golden Syrup is beautiful on Frnech Toast and on plain vanilla ice cream.
I stumbled across your recipe while trying to figure out how two completely different foods got called “flapjacks” on either side of the pond (no luck so far!) and just wanted to comment that “old fashioned” oats (what we in the UK often just call “rolled oats” or sometimes “jumbo rolled oats” these days) are absolutely fine for flapjacks, in fact that’s what I grew up with my mum putting in hers. I think the exact type of oats used is really just a personal preference, I like the way the rolled oats give them more texture, but others prefer the more uniform, dense texture of quick cooking oats. In fact, when I’ve made them myself, I’ve sometimes used a mixture of both types of oats which works quite well. Whatever you do, don’t use oatmeal, though, it definitely needs to be some kind of rolled oat, whether that’s the thinner quick cooking ones or the chunkier “old fashioned” ones.