While in many parts of the world the word flapjack refers to a type of pancake, in the UK and Ireland, flapjacks are simple four-ingredient oat bars, great for lunch boxes or an after school snack. They can be jazzed up with all sorts of additions, such as dried fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, toffee bits… Just don’t count the calories 😉

While they are usually made with golden syrup, I got a tin of treacle for Christmas all wrapped up under the tree (thanks Nuala!) and used some for an amazingly deep toffee flavour in these scrumptious treats.

Makes 16 bars (depending on size)
Preparation 10 minutes
Baking 30 – 35 minutes

Ingredients

175g (1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup) unsalted butter, diced
175g (3/4 cup, packed) light brown (demerara) sugar
120g (1/3 cup) black treacle
335g (12oz or 4 cups) rolled oats

Directions

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a square or rectangular baking pan, approximately 16 x 26cm (6 x 10”), with baking paper.

Place the butter, brown sugar and treacle in a medium, heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat and stir just until it starts to bubble and the sugar has melted. It should take about 5 minutes.

Pour the butter mixture into the oats and mix well.

Tip the mixture into the baking dish, spread out evenly and press down well with a spatula or palette knife.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan once. You can increase the baking time by 5 minutes for crunchier bars, but they can be quite hard to bite.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. When the flapjack starts to set, use a knife to score it into bars, then allow to cool completely in the pan.

Use the baking paper to lift it from the pan and cut along the scored lines.

Store in an airtight container.