Apple blondies have been my favourite new discovery this autumn. These delectable squares have the shape and texture of brownies, but all the delightful flavours of a freshly baked apple pie! Cinnamon-tossed apples and brown butter really enhance this treat.

Apple blondies dipped in glaze on a polkadot plate.

I really love the texture. They're so tender and flavourful. And I love how easy they are to make, too! Try my Irish apple Cake for another scrumptious apple dessert.

Jump to:

Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Honeycrisp apples
Brown sugar
Unsalted butter
All purpose flour
Baking powder
Ground cinnamon
Salt
Eggs
Pure vanilla extract
Confectioner's sugar
Milk

See the recipe card below for quantities.

Instructions

Brown Butter

All three parts of this recipe require brown butter. To save time, I brown all of the butter at once then separate it. If you are making the apple blondies with the glaze, you need a total of 1 cup and 1 tablespoon butter (240 g). If you omit the glaze, you need ¾ cup and 1 tablespoon butter (184 g).

In a medium-sized frying pan, heat butter over medium heat. Stir frequently for a few minutes. The butter will melt and then begin to foam. It is at this point that the butter begins to brown. You will see tiny brown specks and it should smell of toasted nuts.

Be careful not to overdo it. The brown butter can quickly burn and turn the specks black. As soon as you see a little browning and notice the nutty smell, remove the pan from the heat.

Leave 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan for cooking the apples. Divide the rest, ¾ into a large bowl for the blondies, ¼ into a small bowl for the glaze. I ladle out three spoons into one bowl, one spoon into the other bowl, and repeat until I have just 1 tablespoon left.

Blondies

Peel and chop the apples. Toss them with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Apple pieces tossed in brown sugar and cinnamon.

Add them into the pan with the brown butter and toss them to coat. Cook for about 3 minutes or so, until apples have softened. Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350°F / 177°C. Line a 9"x13" baking dish with parchment paper. It's helpful to have a little bit of parchment paper on the sides to assist with lifting the blondies out of the dish later.

In a small bowl, mix together all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until blended. Set aside.

Stir in brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla into large mixing bowl with the ¾ cup (170 g) of brown butter.

The beginning of the blondie batter in a bowl.

Mix in the dry ingredients until just fully incorporated. Be careful to not overmix. The dough will be quite thick.

Gently fold the cooked apples into the dough.

Spread out the dough in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Bake for around 20-25 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out almost clean. Be careful not to overbake.

Cool the blondies in their pan set on top of a cooling rack. If you attempt to move them too soon, there is a risk of breaking them.

When cooled it is safe to lift the blondies out of the pan. Cut them into twenty-four pieces.

Brown butter glaze

The brown butter for the glaze has likely begun to solidify. Melt it if necessary. Mix in confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and milk, whisking until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk in ⅛ teaspoon increments until you achieve the desired thickness.

If dipping the apple blondies, once you have dipped them, set them on a parchment paper-lined tray and wait for the glaze to set before storing them. The thicker your glaze is, the longer it will take to set.

Apple blondies dipped in glaze on a parchment paper lined tray.

Substitutions

I used honeycrisp apples in this recipe. They are specially bred to have larger cells than other apples, giving them a distinctive crunch and the ability to hold up well when cooked. Plus, they have a lovely, sweet flavour. If you can't get honeycrisp apples, then I recommend using another apple that suits baking well, such as a granny smith.

Variations

I decided to dipped my blondies in glaze, however, you could just pour the glaze on top of the uncut blondies while they're still in the pan. Or, you could omit the glaze all together.

Equipment

You will need a good kitchen scale or a measuring cup set, as with most baking recipes.

Remember that if you are using a measuring cup for flour, you should spoon the flour into the cup until it is slightly heaped, then use a knife to scrape off the top. This will give you the most accurate measurement. Using the cup to scoop the flour will cause packing and result in too much flour.

kitchen scale

Buy Now →

measuring cup set

Buy Now →

You will also need a baking dish. I use a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish.

9"x13" baking dish

Buy Now →

Storage

Store your apple blondies in an airtight container. They can be kept at room temperature for a couple days or stored in the refrigerator for about a week. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, stack them in layers separated by parchment paper in an airtight, freezer-safe container. You can freeze them with the glaze, or add fresh glaze after they have completely thawed to room temperature.

📖 Recipe

Recipe Card powered by

Apple Blondies with Brown Butter Glaze

Ingredients