Healthy Flapjacks

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My easy homemade healthy flapjacks are the perfect way to kickstart your day. Naturally vegan and gluten free, they are packed with lots of flavor, crunchy nuts, and nutritious seeds. I love to serve these low-sugar flapjacks for breakfast on busy mornings or as a healthy afternoon snack to my kids – they’re ideal for anyone looking for a satsifying, make-ahead, grab-and-go recipe!

I have always been a big flapjack and breakfast lover. However, they are usually loaded with sugar and butter making them not so healthy. So I wanted to create a healthier version that would be just as satisfying as a traditional flapjacks recipe. 

And guess what?! I finally did it, and that’s why I am excited to share this amazing recipe with you today. If you love porridge oats and cereal bars, then you will definitely love these healthy flapjacks as much as we do in my house. 

It’s a 45 minute recipe from start to finish that is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. They are totally kid-friendly too. These yummy healthy breakfast flapjacks will keep your family full and energized for hours, especially when paired with my refreshing breakfast fruit salad!

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🥘 Ingredients

My healthy flapjack recipe with maple syrup calls for simple wholesome ingredients that come together to create a hearty breakfast or nourishing snack. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe and nutritional information.

Nut Butter: I’ve used both smooth peanut butter and almond butter for this healthy oat flapjacks recipe. But you can use any nut butter you’d like, and even sunflower butter would work. Just remember that the healthiest nut butters contain just one ingredient, the nut itself.

Maple Syrup: I use just a little maple syrup to add a nice boost of flavor and a touch of sweetness. You can also use agave syrup to add a similar sweetness to the bars. Date paste, honey, or coconut sugar are also other options. 

Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is full of healthy fatty acids (source) and helps the recipe come together. If this recipe doesn’t need to be vegan, you can use butter or ghee instead.

Rolled Oats: I like using rolled oats because it gives these low calorie flapjacks a hearty texture. If you prefer a chewy texture you can try this recipe with quick-cooking oats. Make sure your oats are certified gluten free if that is a priority for you.

Ground Flaxseed: Flaxseeds are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids (source), which makes them a great addition to this healthier flapjacks recipe.

Dates: Chopped dates provide a chewy texture as well as more nutrients and a touch of natural sweetness! I always use medjool dates. If you don’t have any dates on hand, raisins and other dried fruits will be just as delicious. 

Banana & Apple: I use mashed banana as an alternative to eggs to help hold these flapjacks together and add another layer of flavor too. Make sure to use ripe bananas. Grated apple is a tasty way that I add even more fiber to these healthy kids flapjacks.

Vanilla Extract, Spices, Salt: I love how a splash of aromatic vanilla extract complements the fruit flavors. A sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg are optional ingredients that I often include to add warmth. And a pinch of salt ties all the flavors of these healthy seed flapjacks together. So don’t leave it out!

Nuts & Seeds: I used a combination of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds to add both texture and flavor to my low sugar flapjack recipe.

🔪 How To Make Healthy Flapjacks

Making these healthy seeded flapjacks is easy and does not require any hard work! My video below shows you just how easily they come together with very little effort. 

Here’s how to make this English flapjacks recipe:

Preheat The Oven & Combine Wet Ingredients: First, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius). Then, I put the nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut oil into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, I mix the rest of the ingredients: oats, flax, dates, bananas, apples, through seeds.

Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Then I add the dry ingredients to the pot and stir to combine.

Put Into Prepared Tin: Pour the mixture into an 8×8 baking pan lined with parchment paper and press down so it’s even. I like to use a sheet of parchment paper and a rolling pin or the back of a spoon to help press it down into the square pan. Your bars should be about ½ inch thick.

Bake: I bake these nut and seed flapjack bars for 15 minutes in the preheated oven or until the top is golden brown. Just remember every oven is different so be sure to check them after about 13 minutes. 

Let Cool: Let them cool for at least 15 minutes on a wire rack or stovetop before slicing. Then serve your healthy banana flapjacks warm or store them for later. 

📖 Variations

Fall Spices: Add extra cinnamon and nutmeg, along with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to my low calorie flapjack recipe for the perfect mixture of fall flavors.

Banana Flapjack: Replace the apple with 1 banana (so you’d use 2 bananas total for this recipe) to give it a very banana-bread type flavor!

Chocolate Flapjack Recipe: Sometimes I’ll add ¼ cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips to the batter before baking. This is a really tasty option for chocolate lovers.

Fruit Nut And Seed Flapjacks: Mix in your favorite fruits, fresh or dried. Blueberries, chopped strawberries, dried cranberries, or raisins would all be lovely options. Feel free to add chia seeds or whole flaxseeds into the batter for additional protein and healthy fats!

Almond Flapjack Oatmeal Bars: To switch things up, I’ll swap out the vanilla extract for some almond extract, use almond butter, and crushed almonds instead of peanuts or other nuts!

Coconut Flapjacks: Fold coconut flakes into the mixture to add a boost of coconut flavor to this flapjack with nuts and seeds recipe!

High Protein Flapjack: Although these already have protein from the nut butter, nuts, and seeds, you can boost the protein content even more by adding some vanilla protein powder. There are many great vegan protein powders on the market.

Low Fat Flapjack Recipe With Honey: My recipe is vegan, so it uses maple syrup instead of honey. But you could easily substitute the maple syrup for honey to get a vegetarian flapjack.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

I find that these flapjacks are very filling on their own, but also go great with a refreshing smoothie or fresh squeezed orange juice. I’ll even serve them as part of a heartier breakfast. Here are just a few of my favorite ways to serve these bars:

With Smoothies: English flapjacks can be paired with any smoothie for a complete breakfast on the go. My family loves these bars with my kale apple smoothie or apple carrot smoothie. 

As a Side: You can serve these with my silken tofu scramble and roasted rosemary potatoes for the perfect family weekend breakfast. They are also wonderful with my flaxseed pudding. 

As a Starter: Hosting a brunch or afternoon tea? I’ve served these bars many times as part of a spread with my savory vegetable muffins and Nutella pizza with banana. 

For Dessert: Turn this recipe into a healthy dessert by topping the warm bars with a dollop of whipped cream! Even better, top them with a scoop of my lychee ice cream and mango nice cream for the ultimate dessert. 

🫙 Storage Directions

Fridge: Once the flapjacks have adequately cooled, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Freezer: First, let them cool completely. Then wrap each one individually with some plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Flapjacks will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Reheating: I warm them up for 10-15 seconds in the microwave. However, if frozen, you need to let them thaw out in the fridge or at room temperature prior to reheating.

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