English Flapjacks—Brooklyn Style

Makes 8 bars

A few months ago I tasted the most delicious breakfast bar at a bake sale. Though my intention was to share this very generous portioned bar with the baby and the Mr., I couldn’t help but gobble it all up. It was beyond addictive and instantly reminded me of a granola bar. I went home and started researching this new mysterious treat made by Anna a.k.a London Foodie in New York.

Turns out they are a very popular tea-time staple in England. The only problem is every recipe calls for golden syrup, and I needed more of these flapjacks now. There was no time to wait for shipping. It was time this recipe assimilated, and so here you have it. English Flapjacks—Brooklyn style.  I’ll bet your kids love them as much as mine.

Be sure to buy quick oats—old fashioned just won’t work here. I tried, and failed just for your benefit. For a great tutorial on the various types of oats, checkout this post over at Simple Bites.

1 stick (4 ounces) butter

1/2 cup (115 grams) sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 1/2 cups (9.25 ounces) quick oats*

1/2 cup (75 grams) raw pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup (45 grams) dried sweetened cranberries

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Generously butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish.

In a small pot, melt the butter, sugar, molasses and maple syrup. Stir to mix well.

Add the oats, pumpkin seeds, cranberries and salt to a deep bowl. Stir to combine. Pour in the melted butter mixture and stir, using a rubber spatula, until well combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish, patting down into the corners and edges of the pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly in the pan before cutting into 8 even bars.

*If making these for a gluten-free diet, be sure to check the label to be certain the oats are certified gluten-free.