These banana flapjacks are inspired by the British oat bars but made healthier! Chewy and naturally sweetened with bananas, it is great as a hearty breakfast or snack. A 5-ingredient recipe made in one bowl, ready in just 30 minutes.
I especially love serving these healthy flapjacks with my protein coffee, protein hot chocolate, or tofu smoothie to make a more satisfying breakfast.
These banana flapjacks are what introduced me to baking with bananas five years ago! We still regularly make them because they are simple to prepare, packed with fiber, yet taste SO GOOD.
Since then, we have ventured out into baking other recipes with bananas, including our vegan banana oatmeal muffins, banana applesauce muffins, and pumpkin banana bread. I highly encourage you to check them out next!
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💚Why you will love healthy banana flapjack
- Great as a light breakfast, snack, or wholesome dessert
- Highly customizable - add desired mix-ins to make it your own!
- A healthier recipe that is naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free
- Store well and is freezer-friendly, making it a great meal prep recipe
🍌What you will need
- Banana - Ripe and spotty ones work best as they are the main sweetener in this recipe.
- Nut butter - I am using peanut butter, but any nut butter will work in this recipe.
- Oats - Use instant oats for a smoother texture or rolled oats for a heartier bite.
- Maple syrup - Can be substituted with another liquid sweetener, such as honey or agave syrup.
🔪How to make
Step 1: In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth, then add the nut butter and maple syrup. Combine to mix.
Step 2: Stir in oats and ground cinnamon. Mix until everything is well incorporated.
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Step 3: Transfer batter to an 8x8 baking pan lined with parchment paper and smooth it out. Optionally, top with banana slices.
Step 4: Bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm and golden. Transfer banana flapjacks to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
✔️Helpful tips
- Allow to cool before slicing - They are softer and more crumbly when warm. As they firm up after cooling, you will find them easier to slice.
- Use a sharp knife for slicing - This is to produce a cleaner cut. Also, wipe your knife clean with a kitchen towel between each cut.
- Overhang your parchment paper - As seen in the picture above, I prefer to overhang my parchment paper for easy removal. You can check out this post on how to line pan with parchment overhang.
❄️Storing suggestions
Fridge - These healthy flapjacks can be refrigerated for 5 days in an airtight container.
Freezer - Store them in zip-top bags or freezer containers, and they can be frozen for 3 months. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating - You can reheat flapjacks either in the microwave at 15-second bursts, or an oven for at 180C(350F) for 5-8 minutes, or until warm.
❔Commonly asked questions
It is normal for a freshly baked flapjack to be crumbly and more delicate. It will firm up as it cools.
However, if your flapjack is still dry and crumbly after cooling, it might be a result of an imbalance of your wet to dry ingredients, or you have overbaked it. To salvage dry flapjacks, serve them with a splash of milk, or crumble them up and use them as a granola to top your yogurt or smoothie bowls.
Bananas are a fantastic addition to flapjacks. They naturally sweeten the oat bars, add moisture, and function as a binder; hence, reducing the need for golden syrup and butter. As a result, you will make healthier flapjacks that are lower in sugar, fat, and calories!
The term "flapjack" refers to different foods depending on the region you are in. In the US and Canada, "flapjacks" is just another name for pancakes - a flat, round cake made from cooking batter in a pan.
However, in the UK, flapjacks are something else entirely. It refers to a square baked oat bar that is made from oats, golden syrup, and melted butter.
📖 Recipe
Healthy Banana Flapjacks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats or instant oats*
- 4 medium banana (about 14oz/400g)**
- ½ cup peanut butter or another nut butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup or another liquid sweetener
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- In a bowl, mash bananas until smooth using a fork or potato masher.4 medium banana
- Add nut butter and maple syrup to the bowl and mix well.½ cup peanut butter, ¼ cup maple syrup
- Then, add oats and ground cinnamon. Mix until everything is well incorporated3 cups rolled oats, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour the batter into an 8x8 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Top it with banana slices, if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden. Allow flapjacks to set in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Let flapjacks cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Allow to cool before slicing - They are softer and more crumbly when warm. As they firm up after cooling, you will find them easier to slice.
- Use a sharp knife for slicing - This is to produce a cleaner cut. Also, wipe your knife clean with a kitchen towel between each cut.
- Overhang your parchment paper - As seen in the process shot above, I prefer to overhang my parchment paper for easy removal. You can check out this post on how to line pan with parchment overhang.
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Suse says
So easy! Perfect for my little boy with an egg allergy! And tasty for mum and dad too!