How to make the perfect flapjacks and the common mistakes to avoid (2024)

FAQs

How to make flapjacks that don't fall apart? ›

5 Bake for 25 minutes until golden. After five minutes cooling, press the flapjacks with something heavy and flat (this compresses them and stops them falling apart). Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

For me, too much golden syrup makes them hard to bite through and dunking is simply not an option with flapjacks. Golden syrup can also make flapjacks sickly sweet. Cooking times and oven temperature are important.

Why do my flapjacks go hard? Flapjacks can go hard if the temperature is too high when heating the butter, sugar and syrup mixture on the hob. Instead, keep it on a low heat, stirring occasionally. During baking, rotating the tray in the oven can help them cook more evenly.

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.

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.

Put it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. It should look a bit runny still, because it will keep cooking in the tin for another five minutes. Leave it to cool for ten minutes and then cut it into 12 pieces.

The lumps form because flour contains gluten, a sticky substance that activates when it gets wet and mixed. If gluten is over-mixed it becomes tough, rubbery, and unappetizing.

Use as a crumble topping for fruit, yogurt, ice cream. Or sundae - layers of fruit, yogurt and crumble. Or custard.

Not to overbake!

When you first take them out of the oven they will look slightly wet and bubbly on the top. This is completely normal and as soon as they cool the bubbles will set and the mix will almost look glazed over. This is exactly what we want. If you overbake, the flapjacks they will turn out hard and crumbly.

The larger "jumbo" (old fashioned) oats tend to give a crumblier flapjack as they don't seem to bind so well. If the mixture continues to be crumbly then you may like to increase slightly the amount of golden syrup in the mixture.

How to tell 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!

Run a knife round the edge to release the flapjack, leave for 5 minutes, then mark into bars or squares. Leave in the tin until nearly cold before cutting into pieces and removing to a wire rack. The flapjacks will keep in an airtight tin for up to 10 days.

Splitting the oats in two and blending half into a flour really helps everything stick together.

Make sure your flapjack is completely cool before you try and remove it from the tin. If it's still warm, it will stick to the greaseproof paper. As this is a chewy flapjack recipe, the middle of the flapjack can be a little sticky when you cut it.

Too greasy - this is trial and error with the butter and syrup ratios, I've found a lot of recipes have too much butter, also margarine doesn't work! Too crumbly - oats too large or too many additions if you're adding nuts and fruit etc, use the small cheap oats, or grind them with a pestle and mortar.

In my experience they don't last long enough to be stored, but if your family is resisting too much temptation, you can store the flapjacks in an airtight container for about 7 days. In the freezer You can also freeze them in portions for up to a month.

Make sure your flapjack is completely cool before you try and remove it from the tin. If it's still warm, it will stick to the greaseproof paper. As this is a chewy flapjack recipe, the middle of the flapjack can be a little sticky when you cut it.

If they do turn hard, leave them in the open air for a few hours to help soften them a little. TIP: You can also store them with a slice of bread to keep them soft, or to help soften hard oat bars.