Easy Bramley Apple Flapjacks
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These Bramley Apple Flapjacks are incredibly simple to make and bursting with flavour. The tart, fluffy apples melt into a buttery sweet oats, spiked with cinnamon and baked until golden. With their chewy texture, nutty notes, and toasty finish, these flapjacks are a comforting treat everyone will love.
If you are a sucker for a really decent flapjack then you’ll totally fall for these sweet yet tart Apple Flapjacks.
Not only is the flavour perfection but we’re also going for major texture here with chewiness from the rolled oats, a nutty crunch, crisp edges then a soft apple filling.
Choosing Bramley apples gives these flapjacks an almost fluffy texture and keeps them from being too dense. Although you can use another kind of apple if Bramleys are not in season (or if you can’t get hold of them). Wild garden apples work really well but equally I’ve made these with simple supermarket Granny Smiths and loved that variation too.
Flapjacks are dead easy to bake but that’s not to say there aren’t a few essential rules you need to follow for an immaculate version. If you have had experience with flapjacks that fall apart, that are too hard, not chewy enough or are overly sweet then you’ll love all the tips and tricks I provide so you can make these flawlessly first time round.
Why You’ll Love These Bramley Apple Flapjacks
- Flavour. Sweet but tangy and with a subtle cinnamon richness. We also include a handful of juicy sultanas to add another layer of flavour. Switching up which nuts you use in the topping also diversifies the finishing taste.
- Gorgeous texture. This is from using both rolled oat and pulsed oats so there is a great chew but they are also not too crumbly. They also have the usual caramelised golden edges. The nutty topping adds crunch.
- Simple to make. I include a few little tricks like pulsing half your oats in a food processor which helps your flapjacks hold together better.
- Naturally gluten-free (but not suitable for those with an avenin intolerance).
Watch the Video
Sometimes it helps to see a visual of what I'm talking about. So watch the video to see what it looks like to make your delicious Apple Flapjacks.
Ingredients Needed
Bramley apples. I specify bramleys are these are my favourite apple to use as they give such a great tart flavour to complement the sweet golden syrupy oats. However, you can use any apple you prefer. Choose a wild garden cooking apple if you want to keep the same tart flavour. Or if you enjoy a bit more sweetness then choose a Pink Lady or Granny Smith.
Sultanas. I use golden sultanas as l love the flavour and the look of them. However you can use any sultanas or indeed leave them out if you like.
Unsalted butter. We need unsalted so we can control the salt content of the recipe. Make sure it is at room temperature.
Golden syrup. This is a thick amber coloured inverted sugar syrup. You can substitute for corn syrup, although it won’t have quite the same flavour.
Light Soft Brown Sugar. Using brown sugar adds a gentle molasses flavour and to the flapjacks, enhancing the depth of taste and providing a subtle caramel undertone
Rolled oats. Rolled oats give a great texture to the flapjacks. You can use porridge oats if that’s all you have. Do note, oats are not suitable for all gluten-free diets. Always choose certified gluten-free brands because they are often cross-contaminated with gluten during growing, harvesting, or processing. However, some people with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance react to avenin, a protein in oats, even if they are certified gluten-free. Because of these concerns, some countries, like Australia, do not classify oats as a safe gluten-free food.
Ground cinnamon. You can leave out the cinnamon as it definitely adds a more autumnal vibe, but that’s what I love!
Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.
Mixed nuts and seeds. These add a great crunch to the oaty topping. You can choose your favourites. I like almonds, pumpkin seeds and cashews. Hazelnuts and pecans also work well. You can omit if you have an allergy.
How To Make Bramley Apple Flapjacks
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Cook the apples: Place the diced Bramley apples in a saucepan with a splash of water. Cover and cook on low for 10–15 minutes until soft. A few lumps are fine for texture.
Add the sultanas: Stir in the sultanas and set the mixture aside to cool.
Prepare the oats: Blitz some of the oats in a food processor until you get a coarse crumble (not flour). Tip into a bowl with the rest of the rolled oats, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
Make the syrup mixture: Melt the butter in a pan over low heat. Stir in the golden syrup and sugar until smooth
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Pour the butter mixture into the oat mixture. Mix well so all the oats are well covered.
Assemble the flapjacks: Spoon half the oat mix (425g) into a lined a 20cm square cake tin and press it down. Spread over the cooled apple and sultana mix, avoiding the edges. Add the rest of the oat mix on top, spreading to fully cover the apples. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and gently press down.
Bake and cool: Bake for 40 minutes at 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4 / 350°F until golden. Cool completely in the tin on a wire rack. Once cool, lift out of the tin and cut into squares.
Expert Tips
The best tip I can give you when making flapjacks is to use rolled oats for a great chewy texture but then set aside a portion of them to grind into a finer flour. This helps the flapjacks hold together.
Bramley apples usually take between 10-15 minutes to cook and soften. If you are using a different variety of apple then they may take a little longer. But you may enjoy a little bite to your apple filling.
Add a splash of water to your cooking apples as this will help create a little sauce so they don’t burn onto the tin when you turn the heat on. And use a lid as well to keep the moisture in the pan.
I recommend lining the baking tin up the sides of the tin as well as it makes flapjacks so much easier to remove from the tin. I also like to bake flapjacks in a tin with a removable base as it helps keep the cooked flapjack in one piece as you’re lifting it out.
FAQs
There are a few reasons but the main ones would be that you have used just rolled (or jumbo oats). Grinding a portion of them into finer crumbs allows the flapjacks to hold together better. Also you must wait until the flapjacks have completely cooled down before removing from the tin as this gives them time to set and solidify.
This is usually because they have been baked too long. The apples in this particular recipe do stop the flapjacks from getting too crispy though.
Absolutely. You can substitute the butter if you have a favourite plant based butter which works well as a 1:1 swap. Or you can swap for the same amount of coconut oil.
These flapjacks store well in an airtight container (but preferably tin rather than plastic as it plastic will keep them too moist). Then store in a cool dark place.
Absolutely. You can freeze the flapjacks successfully for up to 3 months. Allow the flapjacks to cool in their baking tin then wrap tightly in cling film (plastic wrap) and double wrap in aluminium foil for extra protection. Place in a resealable freezer bag or airtight container and store in the freezer. Don’t forget to label including the date. To enjoy, thaw at room temperature overnight, unwrap once thawed, cut into pieces and serve.
More Oat Recipes You’ll Love
If you’re a fan of baking with oats, here are a few more wholesome and delicious recipes to try—perfect for snacking, lunchboxes, or a cosy treat with a cup of tea:
White Chocolate Raspberry Flapjacks. Another lovely flapjack variation. They are sweet and chewy packed with tart raspberries and creamy white chocolate—ideal for bake sales or afternoon pick-me-ups.
Apple and Cranberry Oat Bars. These aren’t quite flapjacks (no golden syrup) but they are tart and fruity and make a great grab-and-go snack or breakfast bite.
Banana Oat Bread. A lovely twist on Banana Bread, this soft and hearty loaf is a sugar-free and nourishing option for breakfast or a mid-morning treat.
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Easy Bramley Apple Flapjacks
Ingredients
- 3 bramley apples - (800-900g whole) (peeled, cored and diced – 325g)
- 75 g golden sultanas
- 160 g unsalted butter
- 160 g golden syrup
- 160 g soft light brown sugar
- 400 g gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 50 g mixed nuts and seeds - roughly chopped (optional) almonds, pumpkin seeds, cashews
Instructions
- Place diced apples in a medium sized saucepan, add a splash of water, and cook them with the lid on until soft (10-15 minutes). A few lumps of apple is fine to add a bit of texture
- Stir the sultanas into the apples and leave to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted / gas mark 4 / 350°F
- and grease and line a 20cm square cake tin (including up the sides of the tin).
- Weigh out 200g of the oats and tip them into a food processor. Pulse them gently so they break down into a finer oat crumble, but not as powdery as oat flour. Toss into a large mixing bowl with the rest of the oats, the ground cinnamon and the salt. Set aside for a moment.
- Melt the butter in a medium pan over a low heat then add the golden syrup and sugar.
- Stir together until combined then remove from the heat and pour into the oat mixture, stirring well until combined.
- Spoon half of the buttery oat mixture (425g) into the tin and press down evenly.
- Pour over the Bramley apple mixture into an even layer, but don’t go right to the edges.
- Spoon the rest of the flapjack mixture evenly over the top to cover all the apples. Crumble the nuts over the top and press the topping together so that it seals in the apple as much as you can.
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin placed on a wire rack.
- Once cool, remove from the tin and cut into squares.
Video
Notes
- Oats. If you use just rolled oats then the flapjacks don’t hold together as well. Grinding a portion of them creates a stronger flapjack. You don’t want oat flour but you do want a finer crumb than the rolled oats. Somewhere in between.
Cooling. Leave the flapjacks to cool in tin before removing and cutting so the flapjacks have a chance to set. If you remove whilst they are still warm then they will fall apart. - Storing. These flapjacks store well in an airtight container (but preferably tin rather than plastic as it plastic will keep them too moist). Then store in a cool dark place.
- Freezing. You can freeze the flapjacks successfully for up to 3 months. Allow the flapjacks to cool in their baking tin then remove and wrap tightly in cling film (plastic wrap) and double wrap in aluminium foil for extra protection. Place in a resealable freezer bag or airtight container and store in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature overnight, unwrap once thawed, cut into pieces and serve.
