Best Vegan Flapjacks

These vegan flapjacks are “buttery”, sweet, soft and chewy, with a nice crunchy edge. They’re super easy to make with just 4 dairy-free ingredients and can be put together in less than an hour.

As a food blogger from Scotland (a.k.a in the UK), I’ve felt for quite a while that it was my duty to include a recipe for flapjacks on my blog since they are so popular here.

Now, if you’re from the USA, you might be very confused right now. Because I was too when I found out that USA flapjacks are actually pancakes!

What are flapjacks?

Despite being well known as a kind of pancake in the US, flapjacks in the UK are actually sweet oat bars made with lots of butter and golden syrup. They’re gooey, soft and chewy, and really just such an indulgent delight to eat.

They’re packed with sugar and fat normally, but they’re quite common to have for breakfast, especially if you’re eating on the go. Although my recipe for flapjacks is not much healthier than the traditional version, it is free from dairy!

I did this by simply switching out dairy butter for vegan margarine… Wild concept, right?

But that’s exactly what I love about this recipe! It’s so easy and straightforward that you really can’t go wrong. It can be made in one bowl and takes under 30 minutes to bake.

Perfection.

Ingredients you’ll need

There are just 4 simple ingredients in this recipe:

• Oats: Any kind will work.
• Vegan margarine: I use Vitalite.
• Brown sugar: Soft light brown sugar is my favourite.
• Golden syrup: This sweet, sticky syrup is a key ingredient in British flapjacks.

How to make vegan flapjacks

To make things easier for yourself, I’d recommend measuring out all of the ingredients before you start baking. It saves you from rushing around in the next steps.

Step 1: Preheat your oven and line your tin

Preheat your oven to 180°C or 350°F (160°C/325°F if using a fan or convection oven).

Line an 8×10-inch tin with baking paper. This part is important because you’ll have a REALLY hard time getting the flapjacks out of the tin if you don’t! I’d recommend leaving a little bit of baking paper hanging out of the edges, which will make it really easy to remove them.

Step 2: Melt the margarine

Melt 160g of vegan margarine in a microwave or over a low heat on the stove.

Melting the margarine before adding it to the rest of the ingredients is what’s going to give it that soft, chewy texture that flapjacks are so well known for!

Step 3: Mix everything together

Add the melted margarine to a bowl along with 265g oats, 100g of soft light brown sugar and 3 tablespoons of golden syrup. Mix well.

Step 4: Press into place

Now transfer the mixture into your pre-lined baking tin and spread it out evenly. Press it in firmly using the bottom of a measuring cup or the back of your spoon.

The tighter you can get it, the better! If you skip this step, the flapjacks will probably turn out crumbly.

Step 5: Bake!

Pop your dairy-free flapjacks into the oven for 20-30 minutes. Although 20-30 minutes is quite a broad range, I say that because it depends on how you like your flapjacks. Some like them super soft and some like them a bit crunchy.

I found my own personal sweet spot to be around 25 minutes. They are just ever-so-slightly crunchy on the edges but nice and soft in the middle. If you want them crunchier, just bake them for longer. But keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t brown too much.

Step 6: Score and cool

Remove your vegan flapjacks from the oven. While they are still warm and in the tin, gently score lines in them (go about halfway down depth-wise) using a sharp knife.

You don’t want to cut them completely but marking out where you’ll cut them will make it so much easier later and prevent them from falling apart. I like to make 12 squares out of mine but you can make your slices bigger or smaller if you like. It’s totally up to you!

Once they are completely cold, lift the flapjacks out of your tray using the edges of the baking paper.
Place them onto a flat surface and cut them into squares using the score marks you made earlier as a guide.

FAQ:

Top tips:

• Leave some baking paper hanging over the edges of your baking tin to make it easier to lift the flapjacks out after baking.
• Baking for longer will produce crunchy flapjacks, while less time in the oven will give you soft and chewy flapjacks.
• Score your vegan flapjacks when they are fresh out of the oven. This will make it easier for you to cut them without them crumbling when cooled.
• Allow them to cool completely before handling them. They’ll be very fragile while hot!

More vegan flapjack recipes:

• Chocolate flapjacks
• Peanut butter flapjacks
• Ginger flapjacks

I hope you love these vegan flapjacks! If you make them at home, please let me know what you think by leaving a rating below. If you make any adaptions, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you! Happy baking! xo

5 from 19 votes

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BEST Vegan Flapjacks (Chewy or Crunchy)

Chewy, dairy-free flapjacks. A classic British dessert made with oats and golden syrup.

Course Dessert

Cuisine vegan

Keyword vegan flapjacks

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 12 flapjacks

Calories 158 kcal

Ingredients

• 160 g Vegan margarine (⅔ cup)
• 265 g Rolled oats (2+¾ cups)
• 100 g Soft brown sugar (½ cup, packed)
• 3 Tablespoons Golden syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C/325°F for fan or convection ovens).

2. Line an 8×10-inch tin with baking paper. I recommend leaving a little baking paper hanging out of the edges to make it easier to lift the flapjacks out after baking.

3. Melt the vegan margarine and let it cool for a few minutes.

4. Add the melted margarine to a large bowl then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix everything together thoroughly until the oats are well coated.

5. Transfer the mixture into your lined baking tin and press it down tightly in place. You can do this using the bottom of a measuring cup or the back of a spoon.

6. Bake the flapjacks for 25-30 minutes. If you like them soft and chewy, bake for 25 minutes and if you like them more on the crunchy side, bake for 30 minutes.

7. Once baked, remove the flapjacks from the oven. While they are still warm and in the tin, gently score where you plan to cut them. This will make it easier to cut them once cooled.

8. Leave the flapjacks in the tin to cool completely.

9. Once fully cooled, remove them from the tin using the edges of the baking paper and place onto a flat surface. Cut them into pieces using your score marks as a guide.

Recipe Notes

• Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts

BEST Vegan Flapjacks (Chewy or Crunchy)

Amount Per Serving (1 flapjack)

Calories 158 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Sodium 94mg4%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 1g2%

* All values are an estimate only and will vary depending on the food brands used.