Ingredients for chewy homemade flapjacks

a tin of condensed milk to make chewy homemade flapjacks

Condensed milk, butter, sugar and syrup in a pan to make homemade flapjack mixture

oats in a pan to make homemade flapjacks

Chewy homemade flapjack mixture in a pan

freshly baked chewy homemade flapjacks, cut into squares

squares of chewy homemade flapjacks served on a cake stand

Who wants flapjacks and who wants the Ultimate Flapjacks?

Long have I suffered from a crippling addiction to one particular food. The tubs of flapjacks from M&S. I have always claimed to be a flapjack lover, but this is, in fact, a lie. I am a flapjack lover only of this one specific brand and type of flapjack. Whenever I have made my own, they just never tasted anything like as good. I tried everything. Adding copious amounts of butter, syrup and sugar, but to no avail. I was always met with bitter disappointment, and an urge to throw them away and drive to M&S to satisfy my craving. Until now.

What is the secret ingredient?

I have finally perfected the recipe that I have been searching for. These flapjacks are fudgy, chewy, soft with beautiful crispy edges, and best of all, they taste EXACTLY like the ones you buy from M&S. If you are looking for a healthy flapjack, these are unfortunately not for you. Made with butter, sugar, syrup and condensed milk, they definitely fall into the category of “sweet treats”.

To make them your own, you can add pretty much whatever you want to the mixture – chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit – anything. Or you could drizzle a layer of melted chocolate on top once cooked for extra sweetness. Personally, I love them plain, but that is probably down to my obsession to imitate the M&S version. Be warned, they are very sweet, which is going to be a given due to the condensed milk. However, if you prefer them slightly less sweet, you could always reduce the amount of sugar by half. The condensed milk will still ensure they are nice and fudgy.

Another warning – this recipe makes a LOT of flapjacks. With these quantities, you’re looking at 24 fairly large squares. I guarantee you will eat them all no problem, as they are so addictively delicious, but if you don’t want to make quite so much, just half the recipe. If you do this, you will need to use a slightly smaller tin to yield the same thickness. The tin I used was 13″ by 10″.

When cooking these, I lower the temperature by 20 degrees after the first 12 minutes. This ensures the flapjacks can cook all the way through, without burning the top layer. I love my flapjacks moist and chewy, but if you prefer them a little more solid, you can leave them in for another 5 minutes or so. Initially, when you take them out of the oven, they may seem to be undercooked and soft in the middle. A crucial step of this recipe is leaving them to rest for 30 minutes after cooking. During this time, the flapjacks will harden a little creating the gorgeous chewiness and solidifying their shape.

The ultimate indulgence, I have to warn you ultimate flapjacks are extremely addictive. But if you want to bake the tastiest, most delicious flapjacks you will ever come across, you have to try this recipe. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Ultimate Flapjacks

Course Dessert

Keyword Chewy, flapjack, fudgey, M&S, oats, sweet

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 18

Servings 24 bars

Ingredients

200 g butter
150 g caster sugar
150 g golden syrup
397 g condensed milk (1 standard tin)
500 g oats
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Add the butter, syrup and sugar to a large pan. Heat on low until the butter has fully melted, and mix ingredients together.
Once the butter has melted, add the condensed milk and the vanilla extract. Heat again for around 5 minutes until the mixture darkens a little.
Remove from the heat, and add the oats. Mix thoroughly until they are evenly coated.
Line a 13" by 10" baking tray with baking paper, and pour the flapjack mixture into the middle. Spread to the sides with a spoon, making sure it is an even layer and reaches the corners.
Place in the oven at 180°C for 12 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 160°C and leave for another 6 minutes. Once the flapjacks are golden brown around the edges, remove from the oven.
Leave in the tin to cool and set for 30 minutes. Then take out of the tin, still in the baking paper, and cut into 24 pieces with a large knife. Serve and enjoy!