Apricot Flapjacks

These apricot flapjacks are made with delicious fresh apricots and make a sweet and sticky treat with delicious crunchy edges!

The soft fruit makes parts of the flapjacks crumbly, soft and gooey, and this contrasts so well with the crunch of the edges around the side of the tin. Sweet and buttery, so good.

Grab your apricots and a few store cupboard ingredients – rolled oats (the same as porridge oats), golden syrup, light brown sugar and butter – and make these tasty fresh apricot flapjacks in minutes!

After about half an hour of baking you’ll be able to dive in (watch our for your fingers though!).

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Step by step
• Recipe variations
• FAQs
• More to try
• Recipe
• Reviews

Flapjacks are one of those easy, no-fail bakes which are perfect to throw together when you have a few minutes free.

As they are so simple to make they are also perfect for baking with kids, they’ll love to help with stirring, weighing out and sampling!

One of the great things about flapjacks is how versatile they are.

In these I’ve used fresh apricots but flapjacks also lend themselves to using all kinds of other additions: sultanas, raisins, cranberries, chocolate chips, sunflower/pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts or whatever floats your boat.

Ingredients

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this recipe – use this as a list for shopping or for gathering together the ingredients in your kitchen. Check the recipe card at the end of the post for the quantities.

• rolled oats – just the normal porridge oats, also known as rolled oats are fine. No need to use any fancy oats.
• golden syrup – used for its delicious caramel flavour and to bind together the ingredients. If you can’t get hold of golden syrup (eg. in the USA) then corn syrup is an acceptable alternative.
• light brown sugar – adds more sweetness to the flapjacks, making a nice contrast to the sweet apricots.
• butter – I normally use unsalted butter as it is what I keep in the fridge, but salted would work too.
• fresh apricots – ripe and in season from May to September in the UK, this often overlooked relative of the peach has a delicious sweet taste with a hint of tartness, and a lower water content than peaches.

Step by step

Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this apricot flapjack recipe perfectly every time.

Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (C, fan oven).

2. In a glass or ceramic bowl, weigh out your butter, golden syrup and light brown sugar.

3. Melt together by microwaving. Two minutes on high, stirring after each minute, should be plenty.

4. Measure out the oats in another bowl. Tip the butter mixture into the oats and stir well so the butter mixture coats the oats fully.

5. Take 4 fresh apricots, remove the stones and chop the flesh into small pieces (about 1 cm/half an inch in size).

6. Mix the apricots into the oat mixture.

7. Line a baking pan with baking parchment. My tin is 11 x 9 inches (28 x 23 cm).
8. Tip the apricot and oat mixture into the lined pan and use a wooden spoon to press it firmly into the tin.
   This helps to prevent the flapjacks being too crumbly and makes them firmer so don’t skip this part.

9. Bake for 30-32 minutes or until the top of the flapjacks are golden. Keep an eye out that any pieces of apricot on top don’t burn.
10. Remove the flapjack tray from the oven, leave to cool for a few minutes, then score the flapjacks into 16 pieces while still warm. As they cool they will harden and you can then cut them fully through using the scored lines.

These gooey apricot flapjacks will be delicious in packed lunches or picnics, as a mid-afternoon snack or with tea or coffee!

Recipe variations

Replace the apricots with chopped plums, nectarines or peaches for more summer flapjack flavours.
Try chopped cooking apple and a touch of cinnamon for apple and cinnamon flapjacks.
If you prefer you can use chopped dried apricots in place of the fresh apricots. The flapjacks won’t be as sweet and sticky if you use dried apricots, but this makes a good alternative for the wintertime.

FAQs

STORAGE
Flapjacks go soft in about 2 or 3 days, possibly less time in the summer time. Because these contain fresh apricots, some parts of the flapjack will probably be quite soft anyway due to the fruit. Once baked keep them in an airtight container placed on fresh baking paper and use within 2-3 days.

FREEZING
You can freeze flapjack in portions wrapped well in plastic wrap or foil, then in a freezer bag, for up to three months.

AVOIDING CRUMBLY FLAPJACKS
To avoid your apricot flapjacks being crumbly make sure you only score them while they are warm, and don’t cut them fully into squares. As the flapjacks cool they will harden, so if you score them while warm then wait until hard before cutting them up fully this will help them stay together.
Other ways to make them firmer include – pressing them down really well with your wooden spoon in the tin before baking; adding a little extra golden syrup.

More to try

If you love flapjacks and apricots, you might also like:

• rhubarb flapjacks
• cherry almond flapjacks
• apricot and almond cake (tray bake)
• apricot curd

Recipe