This is my favorite raw Vegan Flapjack recipe. They are easy to make with no baking required. Each nutritionally dense flapjack is packed with plant protein, complex carbohydrates, good fiber, brain-boosting fats, and essential minerals. They make a fantastic healthy snack any time of day!
I'd like to give a shout-out to my good friend Jay Halford for the inspiration for this recipe. We worked together in Portugal for Prestige Bootcamps, cooking at sports and fitness retreats.
I introduced this flapjack recipe to Thanyapura Sports & Health Resort in Phuket where I was Culinary Director for 2 years. This is a fantastic recipe full of natural wholefood ingredients and it's versatile to adapt different ingredients to use up what's in your store cupboard.
No baking is required for this recipe, it's blended and mixed together then packed into a tray and covered with a layer of cacao glaze.
What is a flapjack?
Flapjacks may be ubiquitous in the UK, but they aren't particularly common elsewhere. In the USA, a similar recipe would be a granola bar, cereal bar, or oat bar.
The origins of Flapjack dates back to 16th century Britain; Shakesphere even mentions flap-jack in one of his plays; Pericles, Prince of Tyre.
"Come, thou shant go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome."
Traditionally flapjacks are made with lots of butter and golden syrup. Here I share my healthier and 100% vegan flapjack free from any refined sugars. It's an easy, no-bake, and gluten-free recipe.
The best way I can think to describe them is that they are like a dense, chewy, fruity, chocolaty, oatmeal cookie bar. They are naturally sweet, sticky, and addictive!
Ingredients for vegan flapjack
Dry Mix
- Muesli or oats
- Raisin
- Apricot
- Goji berries
- Flax seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Walnuts
Wet Mix
- Banana
- Dates - stoned
- Plant milk
- Coconut oil
- Maple syrup
- Tahini
- Orange zest
- Pink salt
- Cinnamon
Chocolate glaze
- Raw cacao powder
- Coconut oil
- Maple syrup
Equipment you will need
- Digital weighing scales
- Blender
- Spatula
- Whisk
- Mixing bowls
- Chefs knife
- Chopping board
- 12'' x 10'' tray with parchment paper
How to make healthy vegan flapjacks
(For ingredient quantities and full instructions see the recipe card below)
There are three simple steps to this recipe:
- Wet mix: blend the dates, bananas, plant milk and melted coconut oil.
- Dry mix: Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl, then stir into the wet mix.
- Glaze: Pour the cacao glaze ontop and leave to set in the freezer.
*For the best results make sure to follow the recipe closely. I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are not always accurate enough and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.*
Assemble all the wet ingredients. You can add all the ingredients to a bowl or straight into a blender. Blend the wet ingredients in a blender until nice and smooth.
Assemble all your dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
Add the wet mix to the dry mix in a large bowl.
Mix everything together very well, making sure the flapjack mix is compact.
Line a 12'' x 10'' tray with parchment paper. Pack the flapjack mix into the tray. You can use the back of a spatula, fork, or spoon to do this.
To make the chocolate glaze; melt the coconut oil and syrup in a stainless steel mixing bowl.
Whisk in the raw cacao powder until the glaze is smooth and shiny.
Pour the chocolate glaze over the flapjack mix and smoothen it out to cover the top evenly.
Transfer the glazed flapjack to the fridge or freezer to set for at least 2 hours to set.
I use a hot sharp knife to portion the chocolate glazed flapjack. Run your knife under the hot water tap, dry it off, and then carefully cut through the chocolate glaze.
Recipe variations and substitutions
These flapjacks are simple to customize and flavor as you like.
- You can add any type of nuts or seeds at the same ratio as the recipe calls for.
- I used a muesli mix for this recipe, you can also use rolled oats or even try a blend of buckwheat, millet, quinoa, and hemp.
- Fresh bananas and dates are key to the delicious binding sauce, but you can add whatever other dried fruits you have in place of apricot, goji, and raisin.
- Drop some additional flavor in by adding ground cardamom, vanilla extract, or lemon zest.
- You can omit the chocolate glaze to simplify the recipe and try rolling the mix into balls and roll them in desiccated coconut or raw cacao powder.
How to store no-bake vegan flapjack
This recipe is best stored in the freezer. I portion the flapjacks into small bars and keep them in the freezer. They only take 5 minutes to soften up enough to eat. You may also store them in the refrigerator.
As this is a raw no-bake recipe, it will go soft when left at room temperature. Keep this in mind if you are planning to take some out in your lunch box.
Nutritional highlights of vegan flapjack
This is an all-around super healthy snack bar. It's filled with an array of nutrients. Fresh bananas and dates provide natural sweetness. Here is a short introduction to five of the star ingredients.
- Bananas help relieve muscle cramps caused by exercise. They also provide excellent fuel for exercise and daily activities.
- Oats contain complex carbohydrates that are mostly starch and fiber. Oats pack more protein and fat than most other grains and are a good source of beta-glucan, a unique, soluble fiber linked to multiple health benefits.
- Goji Berries have high fiber content and complex carbohydrates which helps to balance blood sugar levels, reducing your risk for a sugar crash.
- Sesame seeds are an excellent source of copper, a very good source of manganese, and a good source of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, molybdenum, and selenium.
- Flax seeds have been linked to health benefits, such as improved digestion and a reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
More healthy sweet recipes to try
- Vegan banana bread
- Chocolate hazelnut balls
- Brazil nut and fig balls
- Chocolate goji berry balls
- Vegan chocolate spread
- Chocolate chia seed pudding
We hope you enjoy this delicious recipe. If you give it a try, let us know in the comments below - we love hearing your feedback and seeing your recreations.
📋 Recipe
Vegan Flapjack {No-Bake}
Ingredients
Equipment
Flapjacks contain high levels of sugar, syrup, and butter, meaning it shouldn't be mistaken as a food that has many health benefits. Making your own at home means you can manage what goes into your flapjacks
Oats are among the healthiest grains on earth. They're a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
While oats are naturally gluten-free, they may come in contact with gluten-containing grains such as wheat, rye, and barley at the farm, in storage, or during transportation. If you are allergic to gluten, make sure you select certified gluten-free oats or muesli mix. Everything else in this vegan flapjack recipe is free from gluten.
The chocolate glaze on this recipe will go soft and melt if left too long at room temperature. Always store in the fridge or freezer to keep the chocolate glaze chilled.
BREDA says
These are ao delicious and healthy. Each stage of the recipe is so well explained and the preparations with plenty of knowledge given on the ingredients and their benefits . No baking is a bonus. 🙋♀️
Jamie Raftery says
Happy you enjoy the recipe. It is versatile to make and super healthy! Happy cooking