Easy 5 ingredient peanut butter flapjacks (oat bars) ready in under 30 minutes. These vegan flapjacks are salty-sweet thanks to the peanut butter and crunchy demerara sugar, syrupy, and oh so moreish. Perfect for after-school snacks, lunchboxes, as well as grab and go breakfasts.
Flapjacks are one of our go-to after school snacks in this house. I’ve made many variations over the years, but I think these vegan peanut butter flapjacks have to be my new favourite.
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Packed full of protein so a great option for post work-out refueling
- Easily transportable for picnics and lunchboxes
- Filling after school snack
- A great base recipe which you can add many different flavours to
What is a flapjack?
Whilst flapjacks are a well known and well-loved oat-based snack here in the UK, the term flapjack actually refers to a type of pancake in the US. Flapjacks in the US and Canada are generally known as oat bars or granola bars.
The most important thing is how good they taste, and these taste really good!
Is golden syrup vegan?
I use Tate & Lyles Golden Syrup which is a certified vegan product. If you aren’t vegan, feel free to use honey instead.
If you’re in the US, and are struggling to source golden syrup, you can substitute it for maple syrup instead, which is also vegan.
🥘 Ingredients
Traditionally flapjacks have a few key ingredients; oats, sugar, syrup and butter. In this recipe I’ve substituted the butter with peanut butter, to make them vegan.
I’ve also added a teaspoon of vanilla extract, which complements the salty peanut butter really well. If you don’t have vanilla extract, just leave it out.
🥄 Equipment
You’ll need a large pan for melting the peanut butter, syrup and sugar together as well as a 20x30cm baking tin, lined with baking paper.
🔪 Instructions
One: Melt the peanut butter, golden syrup and demerara sugar together in a pan on a low heat.
Two: Stir in the oats and vanilla extract and mix to combine.
Three: Make sure all the oats are completely coated in the melted peanut butter mixture.
Four: Press the mixture into a tin and bake for 18-20 minutes. Leave to cool completely before cutting into bars.
💭 Top tips
The peanut butter flapjacks should still be slightly soft when they come out of the oven, but will harden up as they cool. Don’t do what my Nana used to do, and leave them in the oven too long, thinking they weren’t cooked. We used to call her flapjacks tarmac cakes! I’m pretty sure someone broke their tooth on one of her ‘flapjacks’ once!
🍴 Serving suggestions
My kids love these flapjacks as an after school snack, with an ice cold glass of almond milk. Don’t forget to take a look at my after school snack ideas post for more inspiration.
They’re also great for quick and easy breakfasts on the go, and post work out refueling.
📖 Variations
This vegan peanut butter flapjack recipe is a great base recipe for adding in different flavours. Here are a few suggestions:
- Add 100g of milk chocolate chips for a peanut butter chocolate chip flapjack. After you’ve stirred in the oats, wait for a few minutes before adding the chocolate chips to make sure they don’t melt completely.
- Make them fruity by adding 100g dried fruit, such as raisins, chopped dried apricots or dried cranberries.
- Chopped nuts would make a delicious nutty variation. 100g of chopped pecan nuts or walnuts would work well.
- I’ve used smooth peanut butter in these flapjacks, but crunchy peanut butter would give the flapjacks a lovely texture.
🥡 Storage
The baked flapjacks will keep in a airtight container for up to a week. I’ll be surprised if they last that long though!
🧊 Suitable for freezing?
Flapjacks are suitable for home freezing. Allow the flapjacks to cool completely, cut into squares then place in a freezer safe container. Separate each layer with a piece of baking paper to prevent them from sticking together.
😋Related recipes
Here are some more recipes where rolled oats are the star of the show!
- Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies – A grab and go breakfast that tastes like dessert that is all done in about 15 minutes!
- Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola – This granola is refined sugar-free and gluten-free, making it a great breakfast choice for both kids and adults alike.
- Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal – An easy make-ahead breakfast.
- Raspberry Oat Bars – Sweet and chewy oatmeal bars with a rich raspberry filling, topped with crunchier granola on top!
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies – Soft and chewy vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with a hint of cinnamon. These cookies are so fluffy, irresistible, and ready in no time!
- Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins – These vegan banana chocolate chip muffins are made with oat flour instead of wheat flour. They’re perfect for a make-ahead nutritious breakfast or snack.
- Cold Brew Coffee Overnight Oats – Made the night before, these cold brew overnight oats are the perfect start to your day!
- Easy Baked Apple with Oatmeal Filling – A tasty option for a lazy breakfast or a comforting brunch! These easy baked apples are stuffed with sweet cinnamon oatmeal.
- Pistachio Energy Balls – These no-bake energy balls are filled with pistachios, dates, oats, peanut butter, coconut, dark chocolate, and flaxseed.
- Cinnamon, Apple and Oat Ice Cream – This cinnamon, apple and oat milk ice cream is so creamy and delicious, it’s just like your favourite bowl of porridge but better! Ice cream for breakfast anyone?
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Recipe
Peanut Butter Flapjacks (Vegan)
Equipment
- Large Pan
- 20 x 30cm Baking Tin
Ingredients
- 200 g Peanut Butter
- 200 g Demerara Sugar or light brown sugar
- 200 g Golden Syrup
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract optional
- 400 g Rolled Oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160 fan) and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking paper.
- In a large pan melt together the peanut butter, sugar and syrup on a low heat.
- Take the pan off the heat and mix in the vanilla extract and oats.
- Press the oat mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remember, your flapjacks will still be soft to the touch when you take them out of the oven, but will harden up on cooling.
- Allow to cool before cutting into bars.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More after school snack recipes you might like!
#CookBlogShare
I’m linking this up to CookBlogShare which this week is hosted by Lost in Food.
veenaazmanov
Best option for a snack box during the week. Have to stock some this weekend. Delicious, crunchy and flavorful.
Laura
I love how portable these are. It really is the easiest snack for the kiddos. They can just carry it with them, whatever they’re doing. No plate necessary.
Gina
Being from the US I always thought flapjack meant pancake but I think I like this definition even better! Such a delicious snack!
Chris Collins
These are perfect lunch box food! Can’t wait to try out the recipe 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
These look like the perfect snack! The fact that they are vegan, delicious and require just a few ingredients is even better!
Sue
What a yummy and healthy snack. perfect to have around for snack attacks. Thanks, great recipe.
Shelley
I was so intrigued when I saw this recipe post! Like you said, here in the U.S., flapjacks typically refer to pancakes – I had no idea that they could also be these wonderful little snack bars, but I’m so glad to have found this gem of a recipe! The combination of fiber from the oats and protein from the peanut butter makes them a great refueling snack after school!
Jen
Thanks for the tip about not leaving them in the oven too long! They came out perfect!
Liz
Just when I thought I couldn’t love pancakes more, I try them with peanut butter! Haha so tasty!
Angela
With school starting soon I made a batch of these thinking they might be great to put in lunch boxes. Hopefully they last that long. What a great snack.
Michelle Rolfe
Perfect for lunchboxes (or for a cuppa!) Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle
Choclette
Your peanut butter flapjacks sound really dreamy. I’ve made them with tahini before so I can imagine how good they are with peanut butter. Great idea to sub it for the butter to make them vegan.