BRIT. Flapjack: a sweet dense cake made from oats, golden syrup, and melted butter, served in rectangles.

While flapjack in the US is a thick pancake in the UK it is an oat bar. Here in the KateMiddletonLand a flapjack is a tray bake very quick to make and rather cheap. Since it reaches the density of a black hole, a traditional British oat bar can even be my only meal of the day (I feel too sick to eat food afterwards). This is a healthier recipe than a traditional flapjack; a bar I can enjoy without feeling the butter take possession of my body.

To make it both tasty and healthy I said no to butter, rejected sugar and added honey, cinnamon and chopped nuts instead. Pumpkin puree was just the right ingredient to give a moister texture and a touch of color so in vogue right now.

pumpkinoatbar-0059pumpkinoatbar-0043Remember when I announced my will to delve into all things pumpkin?  Here I am finally directing my pumpkin-mania into a real recipe worthy of being shared (first I came up with a pumpkin spiced latte tasting like minestrone. No idea how I managed to make such a sick drink).

I had the flapjack for breakfast this week every day (two bars every morning with berries and almond milk. You know, I got to get my calories to tackle the beast, the London tube) and I’m planning to make more bars  – with or without pumpkin – this weekend so to get through the week with a quick and hearty first meal.

pumpkinbarfallHave you ever tasted a British flapjack? If so, how did you survive it?

Healthier Pumpkin Flapjack Bar

  • 4 cups oats
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons creamed tahini
  • ½ cup walnuts (crumbled (or your favorite nut mix))
  • ½ pumpkin puree
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup water
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the dried ingredients. Stir in honey, tahini and pumpkin puree. Add water and stir until no clumps remain (how much water depends on the type of oats you use, just add as much as it needed to get a stiff but still wet mixture).
  2. Add the honey and vanilla extract, then stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly moistened.
  3. Press the mixture into a oiled 8″x 8″ baking pan and bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees (350 F, gas mark 4).
  4. Take out of the oven and leave to cool for 30 minutes. Cut into rectangles or squares.

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  1. The recipe says 1/2 pumpkin puree — is that 1/2 cup, 1/2 can?
    It looks great, can’t wait to try it. With thanks! Jane

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  3. I can’t wait to make these! They look delicious! Do you store them in the fridge or at room temp?

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