Peanut Butter Flapjacks Recipe

These perfect no bake Peanut Butter Flapjacks are completely sugar free and made in a small loaf tin to yield just 6 flapjacks. This healthy flapjacks recipe is great for smaller households seeking a deliciously buttery and nutty afternoon snack.

Do you want to know a secret?

Here’s something that may surprise you. The most popular recipe on my blog (to-date, as I’m currently writing this post) isn’t a cake recipe. It’s not cookies, it’s not french toast, it’s not even a savoury recipe.

The most popular recipe – the one that gets thousands of views every month – is my Sugar Free Apple Cinnamon Flapjacks.

I know, right? Never in a million years would I have guessed that recipe would take off like it did.

So as I was planning autumn and back-to-school (are we even going back to school this year?!) recipes this year, I thought why not give the people what they want. And the people are clearly shouting for these no bake Peanut Butter Flapjacks!

This is a crazy simple sugar free recipe that you can throw together in mere minutes and have a delicious buttery, nutty treat on your hands. All you need is a food processor and 5 pantry staple ingredients (not including salt).

And with that (optional-but-not-really) chocolate drizzle, how could you say no?

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This Peanut Butter Flapjacks recipe is sweetened with dates to keep it completely sugar free. And if you use GF-certified oats, these babies are gluten-free too.
• These sweet and nutty bars are super peanut buttery and retain that classic crumble of regular flapjacks without falling completely apart.
• With only 10 minutes of prep, these no bake flapjacks are very easy to make and require only a food processor and access to a fridge.
• This is a small-batch recipe, which is perfect for smaller households or families that only want a few flapjacks on hand at once. However, this recipe is easy to double to suit a bigger house.

Ingredients in these no bake flapjacks

• Rolled oats: To make sure these flapjacks are chewy and not stodgy, we’re using good ol’ jumbo oats.
• Medjool dates: Dates sweeten the flapjacks naturally and their sticky quality keeps the bars from falling apart.
• Unsalted butter: Lends extra richness to the bars and helps keep them moist.
• Natural peanut butter: We can’t have a Peanut Butter Flapjack recipe without the key ingredient. Use a smooth, natural variety for best results.
• Sea salt: Peanut butter’s best friend! Always add a little salt to season.
• Pure vanilla extract: For a dash of flavour.
• Dark chocolate: I state in the recipe card that this is optional, but is it really?

Are porridge oats the same as rolled oats?

No, porridge oats are not the same as rolled oats.

Rolled oats are also known as “jumbo oats” and are larger and chewier than porridge oats. These oats are less processed and create better texture in baked goods.

Porridge oats are rolled oats that have been flattened and then ground finely so that they cook faster. They’re also known as “quick-cooking oats.” They are more powdery and create thicker, stodgy baked goods.

For this Peanut Butter Flapjacks recipe, I would recommend using rolled (jumbo) oats to achieve the best result.

How to make Peanut Butter Flapjacks

These no bake flapjacks are very simple to make, requiring only 10 minutes of your time! Here’s how to make them:

1. Add everything but the oats to a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Add the oats and pulse to combine.
3. Press the mixture into a loaf pan very firmly
4. Place the peanut butter flapjacks in the fridge to set.
5. Slice and serve.

Do flapjacks need to set?

Most flapjack recipes do need some time to set, so they don’t become one big crumbled mess.

I like to pop all the flapjacks I make into the fridge for at least an hour before I try to slice them. It makes it so much easier and they’re less likely to disintegrate.

No bake recipes, like this Peanut Butter Flapjacks recipe, will require more chilling time to set them properly. I recommend a minimum of two hours.

Tips for making these peanut butter flapjacks perfectly

• Soften your dates for easy blending. If your dates are quite old and dry, you’ll want to soak them in boiling water anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour. Soft dates are so much easier to blend and will distribute more evenly.
• Toast your oats for extra flavour. If you have the time, toast the oats for these Peanut Butter Flapjacks before adding them to the food processor to make the bars extra nutty and flavourful.
• Pulse the oats to retain some texture. Don’t over blend the oats or the bars will end up dry and stodgy. Be sure to use the pulse setting.
• Use natural peanut butter for these flapjacks. The natural kinds are free from added oils and sugars and their drippy consistency is perfect for these bars.
• Press the mixture firmly into the pan. This is key. If you don’t compact the bars enough before chilling them, they will end up a crumbled mess. I use my hands, but you can also use the back of a measuring cup or bottom of a jar.
• Make sure to chill for at least 2 hours. Chilling the Peanut Butter Flapjacks helps them set, since we aren’t baking them, and keeps them from falling apart.

Looking for more refined sugar free snack ideas?

Sugar Free Apple Cinnamon Flapjacks
No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
Pumpkin Pie Protein Balls
Sugar Free Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins
Cherry Almond Smoothie
Healthy Carrot Muffins
The Best Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Cookie Dough Protein Balls
Ginger Pear Muffins

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 this no bake Peanut Butter Flapjacks recipe by leaving a comment and rating below!

5 from 2 votes

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Peanut Butter Flapjacks Recipe

These healthy no bake Peanut Butter Flapjacks are sugar free and made in a small loaf tin to yield just 6 flapjacks.

Category Bars, Snacks

Cuisine British

Keyword peanut butter flapjack recipe, peanut butter flapjacks, peanut butter flapjacks healthy, peanut butter flapjacks no bake, peanut butter flapjacks no sugar

Prep Time 10 minutes

Chill 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Serves 6 flapjacks

Author Amanda | Naturally Sweet Kitchen

Ingredients

• 80 g Medjool dates, softened and pitted (see notes)
• 50 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 100 g natural smooth peanut butter
• ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 100 g rolled oats
• 30 g dark chocolate, melted (optional)

Method

1. Grease and line a 20 x 10 cm (8 x 4 inch) loaf tin with non-stick parchment paper. Make sure to leave a couple inches of paper overhanging the sides for easy removal. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, blend the softened dates, butter, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until super smooth. Scrape down the sides of the processor in between blends.
3. Add the rolled oats and pulse 6-8 times until the oats are slightly broken down and everything is well combined.
4. Tip the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and press it down very, very firmly to compact it into a bar. Chill the bar in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
5. Once it’s chilled, loosen the edges of the bar with a knife and then pop it out of the tin using the parchment. Slice the bars into 6 equal sized flapjacks. Drizzle with the optional melted chocolate.

Notes

• To soften dates, simply place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for 15 minutes and then remove the pits and use as directed in the recipe.
• These flapjacks will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• You can double this recipe and make it in a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) square tin to feed a larger crowd.
• These flapjacks will freeze well in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge.