Jump to Recipe
Crumbly, buttery, and naturally sweetened with dates, these sugar free flapjacks feature warming notes of apple and cinnamon for a comforting after school snack.
I don’t know about you, but I am so looking forward to autumn. This past bank holiday weekend was killer! We reached 32ºC four days in a row, and I am so over the heat. I find it very difficult to do anything when it’s above 30ºC – sleeping, working, eating, even sitting on our sofa is rough because it’s leather. All this to say that I’m starting up the fall treats, like these sugar free flapjacks, now to encourage the seasons to change as quickly as possible!
Grab the Ultimate Guide to Natural Sweeteners Substitutions for FREE!
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy
No spam ever – that's a promise!
I know that for a lot of you, school is back in session next week, so I wanted to kick off September by sharing two after school snacks recipes. Both are inspired by autumn flavours and the top two things you most wanted to see: flapjacks and muffins!
This week we’re making apple and cinnamon sugar free flapjacks. They contain 6 ingredients, are super fast to prep, naturally sweetened with fruit, and utterly buttery, crumbly, and delicious.
Let’s get to it!
What is a flapjack?
Something I learned since moving to the UK is that a flapjack can refer to two different foods. In North America, flapjack is simply another name for a pancake, whereas in the UK, they’re a snack traditionally made with rolled oats, butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup – what I would normally call a granola bar.
In general, I’ve found flapjacks tend to be a bit more crumbly and a lot more buttery than a regular granola bar, and they’re often much sweeter due to the golden syrup.
While flapjacks are a very popular after school snack here in the UK, I would argue they’re closer to a dessert than a snack. Do not be fooled by the fibre-laden rolled oat factor. Just a quick jaunt around my local Sainsbury’s revealed that packaged flapjack bars contain anywhere from 6 to 12 grams of sugar per bar! And all but one of the flapjack bars I looked at used refined sugars.
That’s what makes these sugar free flapjacks so great. They’re naturally sweetened with dates and dried apple, so you know you’re feeding yourself and your kids a healthier alternative.
How to make these sugar free flapjacks
There are only 6 wholefood ingredients in this sugar free flapjacks recipe, making it super fast and easy to prepare. The only equipment you’ll need is a kettle, a food processor, and a 20cm square baking tray. Here’s how to make them:
- Soak your dates. Oftentimes the dates we get in-store aren’t the freshest, which makes them difficult to blend. In this recipe, we’re making a loose purée from the dates and butter, so it’s important that the dates are soft and pliable. To do this, simply soak the dates in boiling water for 10-20 minutes, depending on how old your dates are.
- Make the date purée. Once your dates are soft, the next step is to make the purée from the butter, spices, and pitted dates. Whizz it all up in the food processor until it’s super smooth.
- Add the oats. The fibre in these bars comes from rolled oats. My favourite (and really the only) brand I use is Flahavan’s Jumbo Oats. They’re larger, thicker, 100% organic whole-grains, and contain a whopping 8.3g of fibre per 100 grams. Once you’ve added the oats, be sure to use the pulse function so that you can retain some larger oats for extra texture.
- Fold in the dried apples. Dried apples add a touch of extra sweetness and chew to the sugar free flapjacks. Be sure to pick up a variety that doesn’t contain any added sugars – always read the back of the package!
- Bake the flapjacks. Once you’ve pressed the mixture firmly into the pan, bake them up! These bars are quite crumbly due to the butter, so to alleviate some of the mess, press them down firmly again once they’ve come out of the oven. This helps the bars firm up as they cool in the tray. I use the back of a measuring cup for this, but you can also use a spatula.
Need a little visual help? Follow along with the video tutorial for this Sugar Free Flapjacks recipe:
Volia! Delicious, buttery sugar free flapjacks that are perfect for an after school snack or breakfast on the go.
You and the kids will love making these sugar free apple cinnamon flapjacks! If you make this recipe, let me know by snapping a picture and tagging me on Instagram @naturallysweet_kitchen. I love seeing your creations and sharing them in my Stories. Or let me know you love these flapjacks by leaving a comment and rating below!
Looking for more refined sugar free apple recipes?
- Apple Slice
- 15-Minute Apple Crisp
- Apple Chai Cake
- Apple Crumble Cookies
Grab the Ultimate Guide to Natural Sweeteners Substitutions for FREE!
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy
No spam ever – that's a promise!
4.56 from 9 votes
Sugar Free Flapjacks
Crumbly, buttery, and naturally sweetened with dates, these sugar free flapjacks feature warming notes of apple and cinnamon for a comforting after school snack.
Category Bars, Breakfast, Snacks
Keyword apple cinnamon flapjacks, sugar free flapjacks
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Serves 9 flapjacks
Author Amanda | Naturally Sweet Kitchen
Ingredients
- 8 Medjool dates
- 150 g unsalted butter melted
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 250 g jumbo oats (rolled oats)
- 70 g very finely chopped dried apple (see notes)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and grease and line a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 in) baking tray with non-stick paper. Leave an inch of paper hanging over the sides for easy removal.
Add the dates to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to sit and soften for 10 minutes. Once the dates are soft, drain the water and remove their pits.
Tip the pitted dates, melted butter, cinnamon, and salt into a food processor and blend until it reaches a smooth purée.
Add the oats and pulse 8 times to combine. Do not over-pulse or you’ll lose some of the oats’ texture.
Remove the blade from the food processor and fold in the dried apple. The mixture should come together like a dough when squeezed.
Tip the mixture into the prepared tray and press down very firmly. Bake the bars for 15-17 minutes, or until golden around the edges and on top.
Remove the bars from the oven and immediately press them firmly down again using a spatula or the back of a measuring cup. This will keep them from crumbling too much once cooled.
Allow the flapjacks to cool completely in the tin and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing into 9 equal squares.
Recipe Video
Notes
- These flapjacks will keep for up to 5 days, sealed in an airtight container and refrigerated.
- It’s important the apple is chopped very finely before being added to the mix. It rehydrates in the oven and sometimes causes the bars to crumble once baked if the pieces are too large.
