Mary Berry flapjacks recipe | Cooking with my kids (2024)

A really easy recipe for Mary Berry flapjacks. With only 4 ingredients, they’re super simple making them perfect for kids and beginner bakers.

Mary Berry Flapjacks are a classic bake that you can’t really go wrong with. With only 4 ingredients, not only are they easy, they’re really quick to make, making them the perfect bake for kids.

My kids love flapjacks and I don’t blame them – they’re really moreish! We’ve tried a few different flapjack recipes – we’ve got a healthier version with no refined sugar and added dried fruit and a really indulgent chocolate flapjack – but this recipe is just a really simple, traditional flapjack. It reminds me of the flapjacks I used to make when I was little.

How can kids help to make Mary Berry’s flapjacks?

This really is so simple so they’re perfect for even young children and toddlers who want to bake something. I think the best easy recipes for children are quick and only use a few ingredients so these flapjacks fit the bill perfectly.

Your kids can enjoy measuring out the ingredients and mixing them all together. You can do this just with a mixing bowl and wooden spoon which also means you don’t need any special equipment.

Why did my flapjacks not stick together?

If you find your flapjacks a bit crumbly, it’s probably because your mixture is too dry. Increasing the quantity of butter or adding fewer oats should help.

Are flapjacks healthy?

No, these ones certainly aren’t but they don’t pretend to be (don’t be fooled by the oats). There’s a lot of sugar and butter in flapjacks, so they’re by no means a healthy snack.

You can make flapjacks a bit healthier by removing the refined sugar and adding dried fruit. Our fruity honey flapjacks do exactly that and are a great alternative if you’re looking for something a little bit healthier.

Can you use honey instead of golden syrup?

Yes. If you don’t have any golden syrup you can swap it for an equal quantity of honey.

Why are my flapjacks hard?

Flapjacks can become too hard if you bake them for too long. You should remove them from the oven when they are a nice golden brown colour, before they turn too dark. They’ll be a little soft when they’re still hot, but will harden as they cool.

Why have my flapjacks stuck to the tin?

Flapjacks can stick to the tin or be hard to remove from the tin sometimes so its best to grease the tin and line it with baking or greaseproof paper.

The best way to do this to make the flapjacks easy to remove, is to cut a a long strip of baking paper and lay it one way in the tin, then do the same the other way. You should then be able to just lift it out.

Do you cut flapjacks when they’re hot or cold?

Mary Berry suggests allowing the flapjacks to cool slightly before removing them from the tin and cutting them.

I personally find it a bit easier to wait until they have cooled completely and hardened before removing them.

How do you store Mary Berry flapjacks?

Flapjacks will keep in an air tight container for up to a week.

Other flapjacks and traybakes

If you liked these simple Mary Berry flapjacks, why not try some of our other flapjack recipes or our easy traybakes:

Raspberry flapjacks
Raisin and honey flapjacks
Millionaires shortbread
School cake
Banana and chocolate chip bars
Apple flapjacks
Tottenham cake

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make these flapjacks:

Digital scales
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
23 x 30cm baking tin
Cake storage

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Ingredients

225g (1 cup) butter or margarine
225g (1 cup) demerara sugar
75g (¼ cup) golden syrup
275g (3 cups) porridge (rolled) oats

How to make Mary Berry’s flapjacks

Preheat your oven to 160C / 140C Fan / 320F and grease a 23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 inch) baking tin. Line the base and sides of the tin with baking / parchment paper to make it easier to remove from the tin later.

Melt the wet ingredients together

Get your kids to measure the butter and sugar and add them to a small pan.

Measure the golden syrup. If you are using digital scales you can set your pan on them and get your kids to add the golden syrup straight in. This way is a bit easier and less messy.

Heat your pan on a low heat until everything has melted. If your kids are old enough to be trusted next to the hob, they can use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir it all together.

Measure the porridge oats

While the butter mixture is melting get your kids to measure out the porridge/rolled oats an add them to a large mixing bowl.

Mix everything together

Pour the melted butter mixture over the porridge oats and get your kids to stir it all together. Keep mixing until all the oats look like they’re coated in the melted mixture.

Bake the flapjacks

Tip the oat mixture into your prepared baking dish then press it down with the back of a spoon or spatula. Make sure you press it down well into the corners and edges.

Bake the flapjacks in the oven for 35-40 minutes. They’re ready when they’ve turnerd a nice golden brown colour. You don’t want to leave them in the oven for too long – if they turn too dark they can be a bit hard.

Remove the flapjacks from the oven and leave them in the tin to cool. Once they’re cool, remove them from the tin, cut them into squares, serve and enjoy.

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Similar recipes

If you liked these flapjacks you’ll love our Biscoff millionaires shortbread, our simple traybake recipes as well as our favourite easy recipes for kids.

This recipe was first published in February 2016 and reposted with new images and an updated recipe in February 2021.