These Mince Pie Flapjacks are an easy recipe that really deliver on festive flavour! It's super simple to make these oaty bars, and they're filled with a layer of fruity mincemeat that can be shop bought or homemade. They are a great recipe to make with the kids, and to gift to loved ones over the holiday season. For extra flair I've added a drizzle of icing on top, which again is so easy to do.
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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- I used unsalted butter for the flapjacks, you can also use a baking spread like Stork, or a dairy free spread.
- I really recommend using light brown soft sugar if you can for the flapjacks, but if you can't get hold of it, caster sugar will work too.
- Golden syrup is sold all over the world, so check the international section in your supermarket if you're not based in the UK. You can also buy it online from Amazon (see link in my recommended ingredient section further below). If you can't get hold of it, you can replace it with maple syrup or honey.
- I use shop bought mincemeat for this recipe, but feel free to use a homemade version.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Mince Pie Flapjacks
Add the porridge oats, cinnamon, mixed spice and salt to a bowl and stir together. In a pan on a low heat, melt together the butter, light brown soft sugar and golden syrup.
Pour the melted butter and sugar mixture into the oats and stir until the oats are fully coated. Put half of the mixture into a greased and lined tin and press it down with a silicone spatula to smooth into an even layer. Add the mincemeat over the oats in an even layer. Cover the mincemeat with the remaining oat mixture carefully and smooth the top to create a neat finish.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are golden all over. Leave them to cool completely in the tin, then remove from the tin and use a sharp knife to cut it into squares. You can optionally decorate them with a drizzle of water icing.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
What kind of oats should you use?
For these flapjacks I used standard porridge oats (also known as scottish oats or rolled oats). They do not have any additional ingredients, so make sure not to get them confused with instant oatmeal which has added sugar and milk powder.
How long do the flapjacks last and can they be frozen?
They'll keep for up to 1 week in an air tight container - if they last that long! They can be frozen, wrap them well or freeze in an airtight container.
Can these flapjacks be made gluten or dairy free?
Yes! For gluten free flapjacks, you will need to make sure the oats you are using are gluten free. For a dairy free version, replace the butter with a dairy free block butter alternative. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make the flapjacks if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
Why are they called flapjacks?
A flapjack is a baked oat bar that is a classic British bake. They are similar to granola bars and cereal bars. The "flap" part means a flat cake and the "jack" part means something common or ordinary. This could be in reference to the very simple method and basic ingredients for making flapjacks. In North America, a flapjack is something very different and refers to a type of pancake, so they are known as oat bars, granola bars or oat slices.
What is the best mincemeat to use?
If you have the time, you can absolutely make a homemade mincemeat to fill your mince pies with. Shop bought mincemeat is so delicious and convenient. I do always get a luxury or finest version, for extra indulgence, and I always choose a booze infused one for extra flavour. Don't forget to also check the ingredients as some mincemeat can contain animal derived suet, which is not suitable for vegetarians.
What is mincemeat?
The name can be confusing as mincemeat doesn't actually contain meat! It did used to contain meat a very long time ago, which is how it got its name. Now it just contains dried fruit, sugar, citrus fruit and alcohol. Sometimes it contains suet, which can be animal derived or vegetarian.
What size tin do you need for this recipe?
This recipe requires an 8 inch (20cm) square tin.
Are flapjacks healthy?
Flapjacks can sometimes be thought of as a healthy snack, but as you may notice from the ingredients they contain high amounts of sugar and butter. While oats do have many nutritional benefits, sugary foods should of course be enjoyed in moderation and as part of a balanced diet.
More tips for making the Mince Pie Flapjacks:
- The flapjacks will look very loose when they come out of the oven, and won't seem to have set. Let them cool and they will firm up. Don't be tempted to over bake them.
- Let the flapjacks cool fully before trying to remove them from the tin, you can pop them in the fridge to speed this up if you're desperate to tuck in!
Troubleshooting
My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients
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More mince pie recipes...
Mince Pie Flapjacks
Ingredients
For the flapjacks
- 500 g Porridge oats
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Mixed spice
- Pinch of Salt
- 200 g Butter unsalted
- 175 g Light brown soft sugar
- 100 g Golden syrup
- 350 g Mincemeat
For decoration (optional)
- 50 g Icing sugar
- 2 tsp Water
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4 and line a 8" square tin with baking paper. I grease the tin first with a little butter to help the paper stick to it
- In a large mixing bowl, measure out the porridge oats, add the cinnamon, mixed spice and salt, and stir together
- Put the butter, golden syrup and light brown soft sugar into a medium sized saucepan on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and everything is melted. Stir it all together as it melts
- Add the butter and sugar mixture to the bowl of oats and stir it in until all of the oats are fully coated
- Spoon half of the mixture into the lined tin and use the back of a spoon or a silicone spatula to smooth it out and make it all an even layer. Add the mincemeat in an even layer over the oats. Spoon the remainder of the oat mixture over the top of the mincemeat and smooth out into an even layer
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown all over, then leave to cool fully in the tin. They will not look set when you get them out of the oven, but they will firm up as they cool down
- Remove from the tin and use a sharp knife to slice the flapjacks into squares
- Store in an airtight container in a cool place and eat leftovers within 1 week
Notes
- I used unsalted butter for the flapjacks, you can also use a baking spread like Stork, or a dairy free spread.
- I really recommend using light brown soft sugar if you can for the flapjacks, but if you can't get hold of it, caster sugar will work too.
- Golden syrup is sold all over the world, so check the international section in your supermarket if you're not based in the UK. You can also buy it online from Amazon (see link in my recommended ingredient section further below). If you can't get hold of it, you can replace it with maple syrup or honey.
- I use shop bought mincemeat for this recipe, but feel free to use a homemade version.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
Teresa Broadhead
Made today Found it easy to follow recipe taste amazing