Lemon Drizzle Flapjacks

Name: Lemon Drizzle Flapjacks
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 150 g Unsalted butter; 120 g Soft light brown sugar; 2 Tablespoons Golden syrup; 300 g Oats; Zest 2 Lemons ((plus more for topping if desired)); 80 g Icing sugar; 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice

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If you're looking for a fresh, summery dessert recipe that's easy to make without much effort, these lemon drizzle flapjacks are just the thing! They're soft and chewy with fresh lemon flavour throughout and a drizzling of sweet, zesty icing on top.

a pile of lemon drizzle flapjacks on a plate

If you thought flapjack recipes were boring, think again! These lemon drizzle flapjacks are bursting with flavour and have a chewy, gooey texture that is just irresistible. You won't be able to stop at just one!

One flapjack slab can serve up to 16, so this is an ideal dessert to make for bake sales, parties or meal prep. Lemon flapjacks also make a super handy (and delicious) on-the-go breakfast snack.

For the beginner bakers reading my blog, I have written some detailed notes below, as well as step-by-step instructions with images. I hope you find it helpful. If you prefer to read the bullet-pointed "TLDR" version, feel free to skip straight ahead to the recipe card at the end of the post.

And if you'd like to do a deep dive on these oaty bars, check out my ultimate flapjack baking guide before you go. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Butter: Use unsalted butter for flapjacks. The fat will help to create that decadent, chewy texture and of course, give a buttery flavour. Some types of margarine can also work but I really recommend using butter if you can- the flavour and texture of the final product will be so much better.
Oats: Porridge oats are the best type to use for this recipe because they absorb just the right amount of liquid, meaning you won't end up with hard flapjacks or a greasy texture. I'd advise steering clear of steel-cut oats and instant oats for this recipe.
Lemons: You'll need the zest of 2 lemons to go inside the flapjack mixture, plus a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice for the icing.
Brown sugar: To add sweetness and moisture. Soft light brown sugar is best as dark brown sugar is likely to overpower the lemon flavour.
Golden syrup: This sticky syrup helps to bind the rest of the ingredients together. You can usually find it in the baking aisle or near the sugar in the supermarket. There are a few golden syrup alternatives you can use instead, such as honey or maple syrup.
Icing sugar: For the lemon drizzle icing. Icing sugar is also known as powdered sugar and confectioner's sugar in some other countries.

Equipment

Kitchen scales: To measure the ingredients. I don't include imperial measurements in most of my recipes because accuracy is super important for baking.
8x8 tin: Use this size of tin for the perfect thickness and chewiness. You can use my cake tin converter to adjust the recipe for a larger tin.
Baking paper: This makes it so much easier to get your lemon flapjacks out of the tin once they've cooled down. You can leave a bit hanging over each edge of the tin to easily lift them out.
Utensils: A wooden spoon for mixing, and a tablespoon for measuring the lemon juice, and a sharp knife for cutting.
Saucepan: To melt the wet ingredients. A large one is best so you can pour the oats straight in there instead of using a bowl.
Grater: For zesting the lemons.
Piping bag: This is optional but I find it's easier to drizzle the icing using a piping bag with the end cut off. If you don't have one, you can use a teaspoon instead.

How to make lemon drizzle flapjacks

Ready? Let's get baking!

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 180℃ (or 160℃ if you have a fan oven) and line an 8x8-inch tin with baking paper. Set aside for now.

Step 2: Place 150g butter in a saucepan along with 120g soft light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of golden syrup. Place it over low heat on the stove and stir gently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Step 3: Remove from the heat and add 300g of porridge oats and the zest of 2 lemons. Mix well until the oats are evenly coated.

Step 4: Transfer the mixture to your lined baking tin then press it in firmly with the back of a spoon or spatula to ensure it's evenly packed and level.

Step 5: Bake the flapjacks for around 20 minutes, until the edges are golden. The middle will look a bit wobbly at first but don't worry- this is actually the key to a chewy flapjack! It will firm up as it cools.

Step 6: Let the flapjack cool in the tin for about 5 minutes then use a knife to gently score lines where you plan to cut it later. Leave it in the tin to cool completely, around 2-3 hours.

Step 8: While your lemon flapjacks are cooling, prepare the icing by mixing 80g of icing sugar with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until smooth. If it's too thick, add more lemon juice or water and if it's too runny, add more icing sugar.

Step 9: Remove the cooled flapjack from the tin and drizzle the icing over the top. For an extra burst of flavour and a vibrant finish, sprinkle some extra lemon zest over the icing while it's still wet.

drizzling lemon icing on top of baked flapjack

Step 10: Let the icing harden then cut the flapjack into squares. I cut mine into 9 large slices but you can get up to 16 smaller slices.

Flapjack tips

Use porridge oats or rolled oats for best results. Jumbo oats and instant oats won't work very well in this particular recipe.
Press the mixture firmly into the tin. This helps the flapjacks hold their shape and prevents them from falling apart when you cut into them.
If your flapjacks won't cut into neat squares, pop the whole slab in the fridge for an hour or two. If you'd like to learn more about this, I've covered this in more detail in my How to Cut Flapjacks Cleanly post.

FAQs

How long do lemon drizzle flapjacks last?

These will last up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container. They're best kept in the fridge to maintain their chewy texture.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, you can freeze lemon flapjacks. Place slices in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To stop them from sticking together in the freezer, you can separate them with small pieces of baking paper. Check out my How to Freeze Flapjacks post for more info.

Can I use orange zest instead?

Yes, any other type of zest such as orange or lime would work well! If you're in need of more ideas, check out my flapjack mix-ins post.

single lemon drizzle flapjack on a white surface

More flapjack recipes:

I hope you like my lemon drizzle flapjacks. If you try them at home, leave a comment and rating below to let me know how it goes. Enjoy!