How does sweet syrupy flapjacks with a layer of tart Bramley apples sound? These easy apple flapjacks are simply irresistable and perfect for snacks, lunch boxes, or even served as a simple dessert with custard!
It's also a great recipe for using up a glut of cooking apples from your apple tree! You might also like my Bramley apple muffins recipe!
Want to know the best thing about these moist Bramley apple flapjacks? They taste exactly like apple crumble, just in bar form!
An added bonus of these apple bars is their superb on-the-go convenience. I often make a batch to take on autumn picnics, with any spare going into the kid's school lunchboxes for a sweet treat.
👩🍳 Love flapjacks? Try these golden, buttery biscoff flapjacks too!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Apple flapjack is simple and straightforward to prepare, requiring only a few basic ingredients and a minimal amount of time. Perfect for beginner bakers and kids.
- Whether you're looking for a healthy breakfast option, a mid-day energy boost, or a sweet treat after dinner, apple flapjacks are versatile and can cater to all these needs.
- Making apple flapjacks is an excellent opportunity to utilise seasonal Bramley apples. These British classics are renowned for their superb cooking qualities, creating a tart, fluffy texture when baked that perfectly complements the sweetness of the flapjacks.
- Apple flapjacks can easily be customised too. Add in different spices for a warming note, a handful of nuts for crunch, or some dried cranberries for a burst of tartness - the options are endless!
🛒 Ingredients
- Rolled Oats - rolled oats or porridge oats are best for this recipe (jumbo oats are not suitable)
- Sugar - use a mixture of light brown sugar and demerara for the best taste and texture. You will also need 2 tablespoons of caster sugar to sweeten the apples.
- Butter - unsalted is best.
- Golden Syrup - or use honey instead.
- Cinnamon - a spice that goes really well with apples. You can also swap for mixed spice or ginger.
- Apples - Bramley apples provide a lovely tartness against the sweet flapjack bars. If you prefer to use eating apples, the flapjacks will be much sweeter in taste.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Place the chopped Bramley apples into a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and 1 teaspoon of water. Cook on a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Set aside.
Two: In another saucepan, melt the butter, sugars, and syrup on a low heat for a few minutes until combined.
Three: Take the melted butter mixture off the heat and stir in the oats and cinnamon.
Four: Press half the mixture into a lined baking tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
Five: Spread over the apples pressing down lightly with a spoon.
Six: Top with the other half of the flapjack mixture and firmly press down with a spoon. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
💭 Top tips
- Always line the tin to prevent the flapjacks from sticking.
- Firmly pack down the flapjack mixture into the baking tin, to ensure they stick together and don't crumble when cut.
- Make sure not to overcook your flapjacks. They should be golden brown and still slightly soft in the middle as they will firm up while cooling.
- Allow the flapjacks to cool completely before cutting them into squares. To speed up the process you can place the baking tin in the fridge for 1 hour.
🍴 Serving suggestions
These easy apple flapjacks are perfect for snacks, picnics, and lunchboxes. They also make a delicious dessert with creamy custard or vanilla ice cream.
📖 Variations
- Add 75g of dried fruit to the oat mixture. Raisins or chopped apricots would work well.
- Swap the golden syrup for honey.
- Love cinnamon. Double the amount!
- Swap the apples for pears and some chopped stem ginger for delicious pear and ginger flapjacks.
🥡 Storage
Store your apple flapjacks in an airtight container to keep them fresh and moist. They can be stored at room temperature for a few days, or in the fridge for a week. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
If you prefer your flapjacks warm, just pop them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving. Enjoy them on their own, or with a dollop of Greek yoghurt or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
❓ FAQs
Slicing them into bars while still warm can often cause them to fall apart. Instead, if you partially score them and then pop them in the fridge, this will speed up the cooling process and result in solid flapjack bars. Packing the oat mixture down firmly with the back of a spoon in the baking tin before baking, also helps.
Over-boiling the sugar, butter and syrup, is one reason for flapjacks being so hard. Simmering the butter-sugar-syrup mixture on a low heat is better. Baking them for too long in the oven can also cause hard flapjacks.
Bramley apples are an excellent choice due to their tartness and cooking properties. However, other apple varieties can also be used depending on your taste preference.
Yes, you can. However, it may change the texture of your flapjacks, and you may need to adjust the amount of added sugar, as stewed apples can be quite sweet.
😋Related recipes
More delicious flapjack recipes to try!
- Chocolate Chip Flapjacks
- Easy Flapjack Recipe
- Maple Syrup Flapjacks
- Sticky Date Flapjacks
- Peanut Butter Flapjacks
- Biscoff Flapjacks
- Plum Flapjacks
More apple recipes
- Baked Apples with Mincemeat
- Air Fryer Apple Crumble
- Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding
- Eve's Pudding
- Caramel Apple Pie Bars
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Recipe
Easy Apple Flapjacks
Equipment
- 20 cm (8'') Square Baking Tin
Ingredients
- 2 Bramley Apples peeled and chopped into small pieces.
- 2 tablespoon Caster Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Water
- 200 g Butter unsalted
- 5 tablespoon Golden Syrup
- 50 g Light Brown Sugar
- 75 g Demerara Sugar
- 400 g Oats
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c (160 fan/ Gas 4/ 350F) and line a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper.
- Place the chopped Bramley apples into a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and 1 teaspoon of water. Cook on a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the apple starts to soften. Set aside.2 Bramley Apples, 2 tablespoon Caster Sugar, 1 teaspoon Water
- In another saucepan, melt the butter, sugars and syrup on a low heat for a few minutes.200 g Butter, 5 tablespoon Golden Syrup, 50 g Light Brown Sugar, 75 g Demerara Sugar
- Stir in the oats and cinnamon.400 g Oats, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- Press half the mixture into a lined baking tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
- Spread over the apples, pressing them down lightly with your hand or a spoon.
- Top the apples with the other half of the flapjack mixture, firmly press it down with the back of spoon and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Score into bars lightly then allow to cool completely in the tin. I often place the tin in the fridge for an hour to help the flapjack set.
Notes
- Always line the tin to prevent the flapjacks from sticking.
- Firmly pack down the flapjack mixture into the baking tin, to ensure they stick together and don't crumble when cut.
- Make sure not to overcook your flapjacks. They should be golden brown and still slightly soft in the middle as they will firm up while cooling.
- Allow the flapjacks to cool completely before cutting them into squares. To speed up the process you can place the baking tin in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Add 75g of dried fruit to the oat mixture. Raisins or chopped apricots would work well.
- Swap the golden syrup for honey.
- Love cinnamon. Double the amount!
- Swap the apples for pears and chopped stem ginger for delicious pear and ginger flapjacks.
Tara Teaspoon
These are great for kids, but also those of us on the go in the mornings. So taTasty and easy to make. The apple adds wonderful flavor.
Michelle
Loved the flavour from these apple flapjacks -- we've got lots of apples to use, so making this recipe again soon!
Toni
These are amazing! My kids really loved it!
Tavo
It was delicious! I am an apple pie fan, and this recipe truly delivered! So yummy!
Emily
I’m so happy it’s apple season and these apple bars really hit the spot! So flavorful and my kids loved them!
Liz
I took these to an even easier level ( with tiny bit less sugar) I just sliced the Bradley’s ( raw) within the layers of flapjack mix and then put some more sliced on top. They still cooked through and tasted good