It’s very very rare that I get a recipe just right on the first try.
This was an unusual exception.
I’m not talking about following an already established recipe. That, I can do.
What I’m gettin’ at here is coming up with an original recipe because as far as I know, none exist.
Normally the process takes time and numerous do-overs and eventually destroys my kitchen, my patience, and my ego before it’s all over.
But this time everything just worked.
Occasionally we get these in our Graze* box:
They’re called flapjacks and they’re fabulous! They’re also very small and you only get three, which is fine if your daughter doesn’t steal them all from you and shove them in her face like a chipmunk gathering nuts for the winter.
Flapjacks are lightly sweetened oat bars with dried fruit and a little spice. They’re somewhere between a chewy granola bar and a soft oatmeal cookie.
I ♥ them. So does my kid.
So naturally I knew that I needed to figure out how to make them myself just in case there is ever a flapjacks shortage some day or Graze discontinues them.
Since flapjacks aren’t technically granola bars, my usual granola bar recipe wouldn’t work here.
And since they’re not technically oatmeal cookies, my oatmeal cookie recipe wouldn’t work either.
So I checked the ingredients for all of the different flapjacks on the Graze website and did my best to recreate them.
The end result was pretty darn close.
If you’re a fan of flapjacks, I really think you’ll like these.
If not, I think you will be soon. 😉
Soft & Chewy Spiced Oat Bars
Ingredients:
1 stick of unsalted butter
1/4 cup of honey or golden syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
I also added these to my bars but you could use any dried fruit you prefer. Sweetened coconut, nuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, toffee chips, and mini-chocolate chips would be yummy as well.
Directions
Add the butter, honey or golden syrup, and brown sugar to a sauce pan and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture begins to bubble.
Stir the mixture slowly as it bubbles for 2-3 minutes and then take it off the heat. You don’t need to time it, you’re just looking for everything to become well incorporated. You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules when you stir.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Whisk to combine.
In a large bowl, add the oats and any additional items you might want in your bars.
Add the caramel mixture to the oats and stir until the mixture comes together and everything is well incorporated.
Lightly spray an 8×8 pan with non-stick spray, or line with plastic wrap or parchment paper.
Dump the mixture into the pan and press it with your fingers to even it out. If things start to get too sticky, just dampen your hands a bit.
Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing.
Store in an airtight container.
*Updated 9/5/15: After making these bars several times since the recipe was originally posted, I’ve been able to make a few changes that actually make this recipe much faster and easier than it was before.
I’ve listed a few additional alterations below. I hope you like this new and improved flapjack recipe as much as the original.
Rolled oats can be used instead of quick-cooking oats. Just give them a pulse or two in the food processor or blender first.
I sometimes toast my oats before adding them to the caramel mixture by spreading them onto a dry sheet pan and sliding them into a preheated 350° oven for 1-2 minutes.
For crispier bars: Press the mixture into an 8×8 pan and bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 10 minutes. I’ve actually gotten sidetracked and left them in the oven for up to 15 minutes and they were fine. Allow to cool completely before slicing into bars.
* Graze is a weekly snack subscription service.
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We Should Be Folding Laundry 
Delicious. Great recipe. I added chopped dried cherries and pecan pieces. I want to find a good copy cat for the Graze butterscotch popcorn recipe. So I’m going to work on that. 🙂
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I’m so glad you liked them! Please come back and tell me when you get that popcorn recipe figured out. Yum!
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That’s exactly what I’m looking for too! I’m going to try making homemade butterscotch and pouring that over a rolled oats and leftover buttered popcorn (movie theater) and see how that comes out. According to the nutritionals, the popcorn has toffee so maybe throwing in some toffee chips might work. Please let me know if you figure out a recipe!
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The popcorn is actually caramel corn. Maybe kettle corn would be a good in between?
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So excited to find a recipe – and I cannot wait to try it! Thank you for sharing!
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Hi Shelly! You’re very welcome. I hope you like them as much as we do. 🙂
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Could you use only old-fashion oats, or do you have to use some quick-cook oats? I prefer rolled to quick. Eager to try this recipe, I LOVE Graze’s flapjacks (eating some as I post this…).
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Hi Ashley! That’s a great question. I haven’t used only old-fashioned oats in the recipe because I didn’t think the end result would be soft and chewy goodness. You could certainly give it a try and see how they turn out. If you do, I wouldn’t put the bars in the refrigerator to cool. I would leave them out so that the hot mixture has more time to soften the oats. I think using old-fashioned oats would probably require using less oats so maybe try reducing the amount of oats to 3 cups, mix everything together and if it looks good to you, press into the pan. If not, you can always add more oats. I’d love to know if it works out so keep me posted. Good luck!
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these were so good! the flapjacks are my favorite so I was so excited to see your recipe. I added chopped walnuts and mini chocolate chips to mine. only thing is mine did not form a solid bar. I cut a piece out and it was just crumbles. didn’t stop me from shoving those crumbles into my face. 😉 maybe due to the heat? i put them in the fridge overnight, if they don’t firm up I’ll just eat with a spoon. 😉
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Hi Katrina! I’m so glad you liked them. Mine tend to fall apart too when they’re still hot which is why I give them a good press into the pan. Yours should hold together better once they’ve cooled but if not, break that spoon out or better yet, top some yogurt or ice cream with those crumbles! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that yours get their act together though!
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YAY!!! Those were our favorite part of the Graze box and I cancelled our subscription when they wouldn’t let me have a box of nothing but flapjacks 😛 I am so excited to try this!
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I hear ya Jenn! I love their snacks but I wish they gave you the option to buy bigger sizes of the things that you love.
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I know I’m a little late to the party here but graze is starting a “big box” where you can get 5 big packs of their snacks. Instead of $1.50 each for 4 servings, the big packs are $1.25 each for 20 servings. And good news…they have flapjacks on the list!! 😀 I will definitely be trying out this recipe soon.
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Oooh, I need to check that out! Thanks for the heads up Anna!
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I will be trying these 🙂
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Yay! I hope you like them.
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I love those things!! Yay for a recreation!
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