In my continued apple kick, I was looking for something to make that wasn’t just baked apples or your other standard desserts. I make brownies all the time, but I don’t frequently make blondies, so this time I figured, why not? Blondies are rich and sweet, so apple-cinnamon is a great flavor profile for them.
This is a pretty standard recipe for blondies, just with diced apple added to it. The apple bits are large enough to still have a bit of bite to them when you eat the treat, but not so large that they’re just big chunks of apple in batter.
The spice profile is also pretty standard, and you can feel free to adjust it to your tastes. I used a pretty small amount of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, but you could easily double the spices or add more, like a whole pumpkin spice mix instead.
I’ll tell you the secret to making these perfect, though: browned butter. Browning your butter gives it a deep butterscotch-like flavor that takes these to the next level.
Also, a note on cooking. The timing I used to bake these left them soft and almost cake-like, with chewy edges. If you want crispier edges and a chewier center, bake them for another minute or two, testing occasionally.
Apple Blondies
Equipment
- 9×9" Baking Dish
- Sauce Pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Parchment Paper
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 1¼ Cups Flour
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
- ½ Cup Butter Browned and cooled.
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg Warmed to room temperature.
- 1½ Cups Diced Apples
Instructions
- Start by browning your butter. Melt it in a sauce pan over medium heat and stir constantly until it smells nutty and stops sizzling, about 5-8 minutes. Set this aside and let it cool.½ Cup Butter
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Line your baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later.
- In a bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.1¼ Cups Flour, ½ Tsp Baking Powder, ½ Tsp Cinnamon, ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
- In another bowl, beat the brown butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla to this mix and combine them.1 Cup Brown Sugar, 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract, 1 Egg
- Add the flour mix to the butter-sugar mix and stir it until it's mostly combined. Don't worry about small bits of flour, but get the big lumps out.
- Add the apples and fold to mix together, which finishes mixing any stray flour.1½ Cups Diced Apples
- Transfer your batter to your baking dish, spreading it out flat and even. It'll be thick, almost like a cookie dough; that's fine.
- Bake your blondies for 30 minutes, testing near the end to reach the consistency you prefer.
- When done, remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes. Top with ice cream, whipped cream, or more apples, and enjoy!