Gluten free banana and chocolate flapjack with cacao nibs

Overripe bananas are good for two things - banana bread and banana flapjack. I love cooking with bananas because they add a lovely sticky texture to bakes and they contribute a sweetness with a much greater nutritional profile than just sugar.

I have been playing around with my Sweet Freedom Choc Shot I found in Aldi's gluten free specialbuys week, and I thought it would work really well in this flapjack.

Banana and chocolate is a classic combination - it reminds me of barbecues as a child where we would split a banana and bake it in foil, stuffed with chocolate. Bliss.

I was initially going to add chocolate chips but found some cacao nibs in the cupboard and thought these would work well. They added a nice crunch and a bitter tang to the otherwise very sweet flapjacks.

I've cut my flapjacks into little squares and am planning to take them to work to eat as my mid-afternoon snack. They would be lovely with a coffee and would give me a boost before heading straight to the gym after work.

It was hard not to eat the entire flapjack mix before popping it in the oven! But these flapjacks are lovely and chewy, deliciously sweet without being overbearing. They are made with honey, Choc Shot and banana to add sweetness so are also refined sugar free.

I hope you enjoy these goodies - I also made a banana and nut butter flapjack recently which is a different variation, or you could experiment and combine the two!

Banana and chocolate flapjack

3 ripe bananas

300g gluten free oats

60g butter

4 tbsp honey

3 tbsp Sweet Freedom choc shot

30g cacao nibs

Extra 1 tbsp cacao nibs to sprinkle over the top

1. Preheat the oven to 140'C and line a square baking in.
2. Place the butter, honey and choc shot in a large saucepan and melt gently over a low heat.
3. Mash the bananas up using a fork and once the butter mix has completely melted, turn off the heat and add the bananas.
4. Stir the oats and cacao nibs into the banana/butter/honey/choc shot mix until it is combined well. Pour into the baking tin and press down the surface.
5. Sprinkle the remainder of the cacao nibs on top and then bake for 55 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.
6. Store these in an airtight container and they will last the week - a perfect sweet treat to take to work in your lunchbox.

Approx macros per serving (for 16 squares): 146 cals; 5.3g fat; 21.8g carbs; 2.9g protein.

If you make these flapjacks or want to share your favourite gluten free flapjack recipe, please share them on my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages. Happy baking!

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