The melt-in-the-mouth butteriness of a traditional flapjack is all the more delicious for a little fruit and spice. This mincemeat flapjacks recipe produces wonderful oaty slices that are impossible to resist.
Mincemeat flapjacks
These lovely classic flapjacks come with a Christmassy twist of spice and fruit and are a great way to use up half a jar of leftover mincemeat. Easy to make and all too easy to eat, they are great for packed lunches, to offer with coffee, for bake sales or to take to a party.
See also
- Mincemeat crumble bars are easy to make and are a delicious alternative to mince pies
- Mincemeat is a delicious addition to tiffin in this Christmas tiffin
- All my mincemeat recipes in one place
I actually associate flapjacks with Bonfire Night and Halloween, as there’s something a little bit autumnal about these lovely, sweet, sustaining oaty treats. This version has a Christmas twist, and if you have leftover mincemeat, they will brighten up lunch boxes through the coldest months of the new year.
Like Goldilocks’ porridge, flapjacks need to be just right. Not too soft, but not too hard or chewy and unlike a brownie, you should not need to warm them to restore the perfect texture. Never fear, though, as in the recipe below I have all the notes you need to get your flapjacks right in the Goldilocks zone.
For those who like their flapjacks a bit chewier around the edges, I’ve got an optional secret ingredient in this mincemeat flapjack recipe that gives just that effect with extra depth of flavour.
This mincemeat flapjack recipes makes a reasonably restrained pan of 16 flapjacks, which is plenty for most families, though it is easy to double the recipe for a crowd.
Why make mincemeat flapjacks
- a beautifully spiced variation on the raisin flapjack
- a great fuss-free alternative to mince pies for festive gatherings and a great way to use up leftovers too
- so easy to make
- a fuss-free fool-proof recipe
Mincemeat flapjacks – ingredients
- Oats – ordinary rolled porridge oats. Jumbo oats can be too big to hold together while quick oats can be too fine and powdery, and pinhead oats are the wrong shape.
- Golden syrup – for that classic flapjack flavour and stickiness. It is harder to find outside the UK and in the US you may need to shop around. In a pinch, you could use American cane syrup.
- Butter – the real thing, for the flavour. If using unsalted, add a pinch of salt too.
- Mincemeat – doesn’t need to be a fancy version but make sure it has plenty of vine fruit in the recipe and don’t buy mincemeat that has apple puree near the top of the ingredients list. This recipe is great for using up leftovers.
- Sugar – I have used a soft light brown sugar. You can use some dark brown soft sugar but do not be tempted substitute the entire quantity. If you don’t have soft light brown sugar you could use a mix of dark and caster or granulated sugar, but see my notes on the treacle below.
- Treacle (optional) – I have swapped some of the golden syrup for treacle, for the extra flavour it brings. It also gives a deeper colour in the flapjacks and a chewier bite to the edges. Balance this with use of dark brown sugar. The darker your sugar, the less treacle you will want to add. And if you don’t have treacle, you can of course use more golden syrup instead.
How to make mincemeat flapjacks – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this mincemeat flapjack recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Put the butter, sugar, syrup and treacle (if using) into a large microwavable bowl or saucepan.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
I now buy my syrup in a squeezy bottle and weigh it directly into the bowl using the tare function on my digital scales. If using a spoon pop it into a mug of boiling water for a few seconds to heat it. The treacle or syrup will slide off the hot spoon.
When measuring with a spoon be very aware that it is so easy to add heaped spoons and thus 50 % more syrup. Squeezy bottle and scales are the best way.
A measuring tablespoon is 15 ml, which is approximately 15 g. This does not need to be too precise.
Step Two – Microwave on half power for 30 second bursts until the butter is melted, or melt over a medium heat on the hob. Then stir well.
Step Three – Add the mincemeat and stir in. Don’t be tempted to do this at the same time as the oats, since this will make the mincemeat very difficult to break up.
Step Four – Add the oats and fold them in so that they are well coated in the butter/syrup mix. I always find it easiest to do it in two stages, mixing in half the oats and then adding the rest.
Step Five – Transfer to a lined 8” / 20 cm tin. Spread out to the corners and edges and press down well.
Helen’s Pro Tip
Don’t even think about using an unlined tin! Foil backed parchment is amazing as it stays put. I use binder clips from the stationers to hold regular baking parchment in place.
With all that butter in the recipe, there is no need to grease the liner.
Step Six – Bake at 170°C (Fan) / 375°F / Gas 5 for about 25 minutes until golden (check after 20 as ovens vary). When baked and ready, the edges will be a deeper golden, there will be some bubbling and the flapjacks will have risen a little.
The flapjacks will be very soft so do not attempt to remove the bake from the tray immediately. It will firm up as it cools and the sugar sets.
If you like more crunch to the edges of your flapjacks, you can leave them in a little longer.
Step Seven – Allow to cool before cutting your mincemeat flapjacks into squares. Check from time to time, and when the bake is firm, you can cut. If you are aiming for a crunchier flapjack, it is good to cut while still slightly warm and soft, so that the freshly cut edges can crisp a little.
Serving suggestion
Mincemeat flapjacks are perfect for elevenses, tea time and lunch box treats.
Variations
- This recipe is fairly forgiving, so you can make additions as long as you don’t change ratios too much. If you make the mix wetter, though, you may need to cook a little longer.
- Add dried cranberries for an extra punchy flavour.
- If you want to add some seeds and/or nuts, substitute them for the same volume of oats, up to three tablespoons.
Storage
Store these flapjacks in a tin for up to a week. They don’t need to be in the fridge and are better in a tin rather than in plastic. I tend to wrap them in the parchment in which they were baked to keep mess to minimum.
Freezer – Flapjacks can be frozen. Put them in an airtight container using the baking parchment to separate layers. Store for up to 2 months.
Hints and tips
- To avoid waste and mess, avoid transferring the syrup and treacle to spoons and different containers as far as possible. If you have a squeezy container, set the bowl on the scales as a tare and pour in from the bottle. If you need to use a spoon, warm it first.
- Don’t even think about putting the mixture in an unlined tin or you will have a horrible job trying to get it out.
- Cut the bake when firm and almost but not quite cold.
FAQs
Sorry for any confusion there, America. In parts of the US, a flapjack is a pancake. On this side of the Atlantic, a flapjack is a sweet, buttery, oaty baked snack.
A certain online encyclopedia says they are similar to granola bars, but to me those are much harder. What we call flapjacks are soft and melting or chewy, or a bit of both with a contrasting texture at the edges.
Flapjacks contain good things and oats are always good. That doesn’t make them a health food, unfortunately, and with all that butter and syrup you still have to think of them as cake or other sweet snacks. Fortunately, the oats mean they are filling and will keep you going through to dinner time.
Are you varying the proportions in your recipe too much? Assuming that you follow the recipe for these mincemeat flapjacks, the biggest risk factor is not baking them for long enough and cutting too soon after taking them out of the oven. Let them firm up first.
More mincemeat recipes
- Mincemeat Christmas fudge – a spicy, fruity treat that’s so easy to make
- Mincemeat ice cream – no churning required
- A dollop of mincemeat is delicious in these Christmas brownies
Easy Mincemeat Flapjacks
Ingredients
- 130 g butter (note 1)
- 130 g soft light brown sugar (see notes)
- 75 g (6 tbsp) golden syrup (55g / 4 tbsp if using treacle )
- 20 g (2 tbsp) black treacle (optional )
- 140 g mincemeat
- 260 g oats
Instructions
- Put the butter, sugar, syrup and treacle (if using) into a large microwavable bowl or saucepan.130 g butter, 130 g soft light brown sugar, 75 g golden syrup, 20 g black treacle
- Microwave on half power for 30 second bursts until the butter melts, or melt over a medium heat on the stove. Then stir well.
- Add the mincemeat and stir in. Don’t be tempted to do this with the oats, or the mincemeat will not break up as it should.140 g mincemeat
- Add the oats and fold them in so that they are well coated in thebutter/syrup mix. You may find it easier to do this in two stages, mixing in half the oats and then adding the rest.260 g oats
- Transfer to a lined 8” /20 cm tin. Spread out to the corners and edges and press down well.
- Bake at 170°C (Fan) / 375°F /Gas 5 for about 25 minutes until golden (check after 20). When ready, the edges will be a deeper golden, there will be some bubbling and the flapjacks will have risen a little.
- Allow to cool and firm up before removing from the pan and cutting into squares.
Notes
- To avoid waste and mess, avoid transferring the syrup and treacle to spoons and different containers as far as possible. If you have a squeezy container, set the bowl on the scales as a tare and pour in from the bottle. If you need to use a spoon, warm it first.
- Don’t even think about putting the mixture in an unlined tin or you will have a horrible job trying to get it out.
- Cut the bake when firm and almost but not quite cold.
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