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Gluten Free Parkin is a traditional recipe from northern England, which is typically enjoyed around Bonfire Night. It’s a rich, sticky and spicy bake which is best made a week-or-so ahead of time so it can mature and become even stickier!
Notes On This Gluten Free Parkin Recipe
If you love a rich, sticky and spicy bake then you’re going to love this gluten free parkin recipe, which hails from the classic Yorkshire bake.
It’s traditionally made around Bonfire Night in northern England and is basically a ginger cake made with oatmeal – though I use blended gluten free gluten free oats.
Fans of my gluten free ginger cake recipe will love this. If you’ve never have parkin before, I’d describe as if a ginger cake had a baby with a flapjack!
I first published this recipe in 2021 and have loved seeing lots of you make it every autumn – now I’ve updated it for 2026 with a recipe video and step-by-step photos.
Table of Contents
Don’t just take my word for it…
Mo made this and said in my Facebook group: “I made this last weekend. It really does last and tastes wonderful after a few days. Brought back childhood memories of bonfire night growing up in Manchester with mum and dad and my three sisters.“
Katie left a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and said: “Wow, just wow! The worst bit is the wait, but it’s absolutely worth the wait. Great on its own or warmed with ice-cream, or cream or custard! Just delicious! Thank you.”
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s a printable recipe card below for this gluten free parkin recipe with the full quantities. But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any swaps.
- Butter: Swap for a vegan margarine for a dairy free parkin.
- Light Brown Sugar: a dark brown sugar would also work for a deeper flavour.
- Golden Syrup: This is a very British ingredient! In the US I think a light corn syrup is probably the closest replacement. You could try maple syrup or honey but be aware this would add their trademark flavours to the bake.
- Black Treacle: Another classic British baking staple. If you cannot source black treacle, the closest replacement is probably a dark molasses.
- Plain Gluten Free Flour: I use the FREEE flour but any gluten free plain or all purpose flour blend should work.
- Gluten Free Oats: It doesn’t matter what sort of gluten free oats you use, fine or coarse cut, as you’ll be blending them up anyway!
- Baking Powder: Ensure you use a gluten free baking powder.
- Ground Ginger
- Mixed Spice: In the UK this is a spice mix similar to pumpkin spice – if you need to make your own I recommend this BBC Good Food recipe.
- Milk: Use a dairy free milk if needed – I think gluten free oat milk would work best, given the recipe relies heavily on oats!
- Egg
How to Make Gluten Free Parkin
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free parkin recipe is to make.
Sarah’s Top Tip
This gluten free parkin is best made in advance and left wrapped in clingfilm or baking paper for a week for the flavours to develop. This makes an extra sticky and sweet cake with rich spices coming through!
Storing and Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: This parkin can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container and will last quite a while – easily a couple of weeks.
TO FREEZE: You can freeze this gluten free parkin either as a whole, or in portions.
Gluten Free Parkin Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 75 g light brown sugar
- 150 g golden syrup
- 100 g treacle
- 200 g plain gluten free flour
- 100 g gluten free oats, blitzed in a food processor until fine
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 0.25 tsp mixed spice
- 50 ml milk
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160'C / Fan 140'C / Gas Mark 3. Grease an 20 cm / 8-inch square tin and line with baking paper.
- Add the butter, sugar, syrup and treacle to a large saucepan and place on a low heat. Continue to heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until melted and combined. Don’t let it boil.
- Meanwhile measure out the gluten free flour into a bowl, add the baking powder, ground ginger and mixed spice and stir well to combine. Add the blitzed gluten free oats and stir well again.
- In a separate small bowl, add the egg and milk and beat lightly to combine.
- Once the butter/sugar mixture has melted, remove from the heat. Pour in the flour/oat mixture and stir well to combine. Next add the milk/egg mixture and continue to stir until everything is combined.
- Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin and place in the oven, baking for 50-60 minutes. It should be lightly springy to the touch when done.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. For the best gluten free Parkin, once cool wrap in baking paper and place in an airtight container for up to a week before eating – the flavours will develop and it will become deliciously sticky and sweet. When ready to eat, cut into 16 squares and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- TOP TIP: I recommend making this ahead of time if possible, wrapping in clingfilm and leaving for a week. It makes it sticker and more fiery!
- Will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks. This gluten free Parkin can be frozen once baked.
- For dairy free, use margarine instead of butter and a dairy free milk.
- If using self-raising gluten free flour, omit the baking powder from the recipe.
Nutrition
More Traditional British Baking Recipes
If you like this gluten free parkin recipe then make sure you check out these other gluten free baking recipes too…
- Gluten Free Cherry Bakewell Tarts
- Gluten Free Bread and Butter Pudding
- Gluten Free Victoria Sponge Cake
- Gluten Free Scones
- Gluten Free Bread Pudding
- Gluten Free Sticky Ginger Cake
Have you tried this recipe?
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The flavour of this is great, but it’s very crumbly! Does your plain flour blend have xanthan gum in? We used Asda Gluten free plain flour.
It’s got a lovely flavour but I cooked it at too high a temp – didn’t notice the 140 fan – I could kick myself! Anyway, we’re going to serve it with whipped cream to make it more moist. I will definitely make another one and learn from my mistake!
Sarah, by “mixed spìce” are you referring to Pumpkin pie spice”?
It’s very similar, yes!