Brown Butter Apple Blondies

These blondies are a cozy twist on dessert bars: rich nutty brown butter, tender apples spiced with cinnamon, and a sweet icing or glaze make them irresistible. I combine lightly cooked apple pieces with a buttery blondie base, then drizzle them with a brown-butter icing once cooled.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I love this recipe for so many reasons:

• The browned butter gives a deep, nutty flavor that elevates a simple blondie.
• The apples add natural sweetness, moisture, and a pleasant bite in each square.
• It’s not overly cakey — it remains chewy and dense, perfect for a dessert bar.
• The icing or glaze rounds it out with a sweet finish.
• It’s seasonal yet comforting, and it makes enough to share .

Ingredients

Apples

• peeled, chopped apples (e.g. 2 medium apples)
• maple syrup or brown sugar
• ground cinnamon

Blondies

• unsalted butter (for browning)
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• ground cinnamon
• ground nutmeg
• brown sugar (light or dark)
• eggs
• vanilla extract

Brown Butter Icing / Glaze (optional but recommended)

• reserved brown butter (from the butter browned for the blondies)
• confectioners’ sugar
• milk
• vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Brown the butter.
   Place the butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly as it melts, foams, and then begins to brown. Watch carefully — once you see brown flecks and smell a nutty aroma, remove from heat. Scrape into a bowl (including browned bits). Reserve a few tablespoons of that browned butter for the icing.
2. Cook the apples.
   Using the same skillet (no need to wash), add the chopped apples, maple syrup (or brown sugar), and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat for 3–5 minutes until the apples soften slightly but still hold their shape. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Preheat and prepare pan.
   Preheat the oven to about 350 °F (177 °C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan (or equivalent) with parchment paper, leaving overhang to lift the blondies out later.
4. Mix dry ingredients.
   In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
5. Mix wet ingredients and batter.
   In another bowl, whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the cooked apples.
6. Bake.
   Spread the thick batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 35 minutes (or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out mostly clean). Remove and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
7. Make the icing / glaze.
   If the reserved browned butter has solidified, warm it gently until liquid. Whisk it with confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Adjust sugar or milk to reach a pourable but thick consistency. Drizzle or spread over the cooled blondies.
8. Slice and serve.
   Use the parchment overhang to lift out the blondies. Cut into squares and serve at room temperature.

Servings and timing

• Yield / Servings: This recipe makes about 24 blondies (for a 9×13 pan).
• Prep time: ~ 25 minutes (including browning butter, cooking apples, mixing)
• Bake time: ~ 35 minutes
• Cooling + icing time: allow cooling before icing and setting

Total time (including cooling and icing) is around 1.5–2 hours, depending on how long cooling takes.

Variations

• Use apple butter addition. Some versions include apple butter in the batter for extra apple flavor and moisture.
• Swap or omit glaze. If you prefer less sweetness, you can skip the icing or use a lighter drizzle.
• Add nuts. Fold in chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
• Spices. Increase or vary spices — add a pinch of cloves, allspice, or ginger.
• Pan size. Use a smaller pan for thicker blondies; adjust bake time accordingly.

Storage / Reheating

• Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–5 days. If glazed, I like to wait to add the glaze until serving day for best texture.
• Freezing: These blondies freeze well (especially without glaze). Wrap tightly and freeze up to one month. Thaw at room temperature, then add glaze if desired.
• Reheating: Warm individual blondies in a low oven (about 300 °F / 150 °C) for ~5 minutes or microwave briefly. Warm glaze slightly before drizzling.

FAQs

What type of apples work best?

I prefer tart or crisp apples so their flavor balances the sweetness. But you can use whatever apples you have — just avoid ones that turn to mush quickly.

Do I have to brown the butter?

While you can use melted butter directly, browning adds a nutty, caramel nuance that really enhances the flavor. If you skip browning, melt the butter fully and proceed, though the result will be less complex.

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes, you can substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. Be gentle when folding and check bake time.

Can I skip the icing or glaze?

Absolutely. The blondies are delicious on their own. The icing adds sweetness and a finishing touch, but you can omit it or reduce the amount.

How do I know when they’re done?

The edges should be lightly browned and the top set, yet the interior should still be a little fudgy. A toothpick inserted should come out mostly clean (some moist crumbs are fine). Overbaking will dry them out.

Conclusion

I absolutely love how these Brown Butter Apple Blondies come together — rich, buttery, and full of cozy apple flavor in every bite. They strike a balance between dessert bar and apple treat, especially when topped with that silky icing. Whether for fall gatherings or a treat on a quiet afternoon, I hope you enjoy baking and eating these as much as I do.

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