I have been messing around in the kitchen to find a cheaper alternative to the paleo type bars I have been taking to work to snack on. These healthy frugal flapjacks used up loads of bits I had hanging around in the larder. They are based on the lovely flapjack recipe in my ancient Cranks recipe book. It is absolutely falling apart because I have owned it for at least 30 years and still use it regularly. I made a couple of versions of flapjack – I even attempted a vegan one with oil instead of butter – but this is definitely my favourite.
This quantity made 12 flapjacks. Whether they will get scoffed at home rather than making it to work remains to be seen!
Fabulous frugal flapjacks
Ingredients
200g oats
50g dried fruit (I used raisins)
50g mixed seeds
75g golden treacle
75g brown sugar
150g butter
1 tbsp ground mixed spice
Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees, gas mark 4. Place the butter, sugar and syrup in a small pan and heat gently to combine. Meanwhile place all of your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. When the syrup mixture is liquified, pour it over the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Grease and line a 8 x 8 inch deepish baking tray. Spoon the mixture in and flatten with the back of a wooden spoon.
Bake for around 25 minutes. Leave to cool before slicing whilst still in the tin into 8-12 pieces, depending on how large you like your flapjacks to be. If you attempt this when they are too warm they will fall to pieces. Leave to cool completely before you take them out of the tin.
These fabulous frugal flapjacks are crumbly and delicious. The addition of the seeds adds a touch of protein. I will definitely be making these again. You could substitute the seeds for chopped nuts and vary the dried fruit – dates or chopped apricots would be nice.
For more of my favourite frugal recipes, see here.
I have that Cranks cookbook, too, Jane, and have used some (although only a few) of the recipes, but this is one of them, and good it is, too. When you say golden treacle, do you mean golden syrup? I know a lot of people call syrup “treacle”, but the two are quite different, one golden, the other almost black. I’ve always used Lyle’s Golden Syrup in my flapjacks.
That’s exactly what I meant. The recipe used black treacle but I swap to golden syrup
These sound delicious. I have everything in my cupboards so will try them tonight. Thank you for sharing the recipe.