Vegan Chocolate Flapjacks
These vegan chocolate flapjacks are quick and easy to make and require just a handful of ingredients. They’re soft, chewy and gooey but can easily be made crunchy if that’s how you prefer! They’re great for snacking, meal prep or dessert.
Following the popularity of my golden syrup flapjack recipe that I posted last year, I decided it was time for another. This time I made vegan chocolate chip flapjacks!
Flapjacks are one of those things that I don’t particularly think of often but if they’re in front of me, I’ll eat the entire batch without blinking. They are so deliciously gooey and addictive.
If you’re not sure what flapjacks actually are… they are sweet, sticky bars made up from oats, brown sugar, golden syrup and melted butter (vegan margarine in this case). They’re very different to the pancake type of flapjacks that are well known in the USA.
British flapjacks can be plain or flavoured. Some popular fillings and toppings include chocolate, coconut, dried fruit and nut butters. Make sure to check out my other flapjack recipes:
For these chocolate flapjacks, I mixed some jumbo chocolate chips into the mixture before baking, and I added a chocolate drizzle on top afterward.
I’m so happy with how they turned out in the end and I know you’re going to love this recipe!
What type of chocolate is best?
It totally depends on your preference. The flapjacks are quite sweet themselves so I like to use a semi-sweet dark chocolate such as Lovett’s. That way, it’s not too sickly sweet nor overly bitter.
If you like things on the sweeter side, you can use a vegan “milk” chocolate such as Nomo creamy choc, or a white chocolate such as The Free From Kitchen Co.
And if you’re not a fan of super sweet desserts, I recommend using a high quality dark chocolate such as Lindt. Check out my vegan chocolate guide for a huge list of other options.
And what about chocolate chips?
You can use any of the chocolate bars I mentioned above and chop them into chunks for ease. You can just use some for baking into the mixture and the rest for melting and drizzling on top.
If you prefer to use actual chocolate chips like I did, here are some of my favourites:
- Dr. Oetker jumbo dark chocolate chips (these are the ones I used, make sure to get the jumbo ones for vegan)
- Asda’s own dark chocolate chips
- Holland & Barrett free-from chocolate “buttons” (these are on the sweeter side and more similar to milk chocolate)
- Moo Free white cocoa baking drops
How to make vegan chocolate flapjacks
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 180°C/325°F and line an 8×10-inch tray with baking paper. Let the baking paper hang over the edges so you can easily lift the flapjacks out after baking.
If you’re using a fan or convection, you’ll need to set the oven to 160°C/325°F instead.
Step 2:
In a large bowl, mix 265g of rolled oats (2+3/4 cups) with 100g of soft brown sugar (1/2 cup). You can use rolled oats or porridge oats, whichever type you prefer.
Step 3:
Gently melt 160g of vegan margarine (2/3 cup before melting) and add it to the bowl of oats along with 3 tablespoons of golden syrup. I used the tinned golden syrup but the squeezy one works just as well.
Mix everything together really well until all of the oats are fully coated.
Step 4:
Measure out 100g of chocolate chips or chunks (~3/4 cup) and mix them into your flapjack mixture.
Transfer the mixture to your lined baking tray and press them in tightly. I used the bottom of a measuring cup to do this. It’s very important to pack them in tightly otherwise the flapjacks will fall apart after baking.
Step 5:
Bake for 25 minutes. If you like your flapjacks more on the crunchy side, you can bake them for an extra 5 minutes if you wish.
Gently score them with a knife where you plan to cut them, while they’re still warm, then leave them to cool completely in the tin. Scoring the flapjacks while warm will prevent them from crumbling later on.
Step 6:
Once they have fully cooled, remove them from the tin using the baking paper.
Melt 45g/1.5oz of vegan chocolate and drizzle it over the flapjacks. You can do this using a small spoon or you can use a piping bag with a small hole cut in the bottom if you want something that looks a little neater.
Step 7:
Let the flapjacks sit at room temperature until the chocolate has fully set, then cut them into squares and enjoy!
FAQ:
Yes! If you would like your flapjacks to be even more chocolatey, you can just add 2-3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder at the same time as you’re mixing the oats and brown sugar together.
If you decide to do this, I’d recommend using chocolate chips that are on the sweeter side as the cocoa powder can make the flapjacks a little more bitter than usual.
I’d highly recommend using golden syrup if you can, as this is what makes the flapjacks sticky and gooey. If you absolutely can’t use golden syrup, you can substitute it for an equal amount of agave nectar or maple syrup. I’d recommend agave nectar over the maple syrup as the flavour is more subtle.
Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place such as a kitchen cupboard. You can also store them in the fridge if you prefer, for extra chewiness.
If stored correctly as above, they should last for around 5 days.
Yes. Chocolate flapjacks freeze very well and I actually think they taste even better after they’ve been frozen.
You can pop them into airtight containers or you can wrap them tightly in tin foil, then freeze them for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to defrost them, just transfer them onto a plate or wire rack and let them sit at room temperature for an hour or two until they’re completely thawed.
That’s all for now. I really hope you love the recipe. If you make it at home yourself, please let me know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comment below.
Happy baking! xo
Vegan Chocolate Flapjacks
Chewy, gooey vegan chocolate chip flapjacks made with oats and golden syrup.
Ingredients
- 160 g Vegan margarine (~⅔ cup)
- 265 g Oats (2+¾ cups)
- 100 g Soft brown sugar (½ cup)
- 3 Tablespoons Golden syrup
- 100 g Vegan chocolate chips or chunks (~¾ cup)
- 45 g Vegan chocolate, for drizzling (~⅓ cup chocolate chunks)
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (or 160°C/325°F if you're using a fan or convection oven). Line an 8×10-inch rectangular tin with baking paper. Let the paper hang over the edges for easy removal after baking.
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In a large bowl, mix together the oats and brown sugar.
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Melt the margarine and add it to the bowl along with the golden syrup. Mix well until the oats are fully coated.
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Add the chocolate chips and mix them in well.
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Transfer the mixture to your lined baking tin and press it in tightly. It's important to pack it in firmly otherwise the flapjacks will be crumbly. I used the bottom of a measuring cup to do this.
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Bake the flapjacks for 25 minutes. While they're still warm, use a sharp knife to gently score where you plan to cut them later. Let them cool completely in the tin.
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Once cooled, use the baking paper to remove them from the tin.
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Melt the chocolate and drizzle it over the cooled flapjacks. Let sit at room temperature until the chocolate has hardened, then cut into squares and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 5 days.
- This recipe makes soft, chewy flapjacks. If you prefer them a little crunchy, you can bake them for an extra 5 minutes.
Rachel McBeth
Sunday 12th of February 2023
Two days ago I made your flapjacks and they were so good that here I am making (and eating most of already) the chocolate flapjacks. So good and such a simple recipe to follow!
Chloe
Monday 13th of February 2023
Thanks Rachel❤️