Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Base and Mix-ins
- 250 g rolled oats
- 80 g dried apricots, finely chopped
- 40 g desiccated coconut
- 40 g pumpkin seeds
- 2 g salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 bananas, overripe and mashed
- 100 g coconut oil, melted
- 100 g maple syrup
- 50 g light brown sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 193 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 79 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 225 mg
- Calcium
- 47 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 32 mg
- Phosphorus
- 57 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 17 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.13 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 18 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 20cm square baking tin with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
Place the coconut oil, maple syrup, and light brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Gently warm until the oil is melted and the sugar has completely dissolved.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mash the overripe bananas until mostly smooth.
Add the rolled oats, chopped dried apricots, desiccated coconut, pumpkin seeds, and salt to the mashed banana. Pour in the melted sugar and oil mixture. Stir thoroughly until every oat is evenly coated.
Transfer the coated oat mixture into the prepared baking tin. Use the back of a metal spoon to press the mixture down extremely firmly and evenly into the corners.
Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 25 minutes, or until the edges are deep golden brown and the center is slightly firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven and allow the flapjacks to cool completely in the tin before using the parchment overhang to lift them out and slice them into 12 rectangles.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to a flapjack that holds together beautifully is pressure. Do not be gentle when pressing the mixture into the tin; compact it as tightly as possible.
- For the best natural sweetness and flavor, your bananas should be heavily speckled with brown spots or entirely black on the outside.
- If you prefer a more traditional British flapjack flavor profile, substitute the maple syrup with golden syrup.
- Topping the flapjacks with a few extra pumpkin seeds before pressing them down adds an appealing visual finish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container to maintain chewiness.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual flapjacks in parchment paper and place in an airtight container.
Reheating: Enjoy at room temperature, or microwave for 10 to 15 seconds for a warm, softer texture.
Troubleshooting
Flapjacks crumble heavily when sliced
Cause: The mixture was not compacted tightly enough into the tin, or it was sliced while still too warm.
Fix: Chill the uncut block in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up the coconut oil before slicing. Crumbled pieces can be saved and used as a delicious granola over yogurt.
Prevention: Compact the raw mixture aggressively with a heavy spoon before baking and ensure it is fully cold before cutting.
Center remains mushy after cooling
Cause: The bananas were exceptionally large or the oven temperature was slightly too low.
Fix: Return the sliced flapjacks to a 150°C oven on a baking sheet for 10 minutes to dry out slightly.
Prevention: Ensure banana quantity is around 200g total and check oven calibration.
Cultural Context
In the United Kingdom, flapjacks are completely distinct from American pancakes. They are dense, chewy baked bars traditionally made from a simple mixture of oats, butter, and golden syrup. This modern vegan twist incorporates fresh banana for natural binding and moisture, along with fruits and seeds, creating a satisfying cross between a classic flapjack and a wholesome breakfast bar.
