Apple pie. 😋 What’s better than the combined flavors of cinnamon, apples, brown sugar and butter on a crisp, fall day? Nothing. Nothing is better.
Wait…I stand corrected. Top a slice of warm apple pie with some vanilla bean ice cream. Now that’s damn perfection. 🥧
Homemade apple pie is always delicious but sometimes you don’t want to wait all day (nor put in all that effort) to make it.
So…what’s just as good, yet easier to make than apple pie? Oh…we are so glad you asked. Apple Pie Blondies, of course. 😉
We love our Cinnamon Apple Hand Pies, and these are just as delicious. But (gasp) even easier to make than those! 🫢
These beauties come together in one bowl and in under 30 minutes. 🙌🏻 This leaves the rest of your fall afternoon free to sit and enjoy a sweet treat while binge watching all the things on whatever streaming service you are into. We won’t start that debate… 😂
Grab an apple (you heard us right…you just need one!), and a few easy pantry staples you are sure to have on hand, and you will be in fall heaven in no time.
What you need:
- 1 large apple (we used Granny Smith), peeled & cored, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Optional cinnamon sugar topping: 1/4 cup granulated sugar + 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Tips for the Perfect Blondie Bake:
- Don’t overmix your batter! Mix only until all the ingredients are combined. Fold in your apples until incorporated throughout your dough, then your done. Place in pan, spread evenly and bake. Trust us…this ensures your baked blondie is chewy and dense.
- Remove your blondies from the oven when they look golden brown around the edges (and they may look slightly underbaked in the middle). Keep in pan to cool and during this time they will continue to firm up, creating the perfectly chewy, soft texture.
- We always encourage blondies to be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! 😉
- You can reheat your leftover blondies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, then add a scoop of ice cream. Warm blondie + cold scoop of ice cream = perfection.
Step by Step:
- Pre heat your oven to 350 F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Next, in a large mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar and melted butter until combined. Add in your large egg and pure vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients into your wet, stirring until everything comes together and no lumps remain. Don’t overmix.
- Lastly, fold in the chopped apples until incorporated throughout your batter.
- Pour the blondie batter into your parchment lined 8×8 inch pan. Batter will be very thick. Use your spatula to smooth out the batter across the entire pan.
- Optional: Top batter with cinnamon sugar topping before baking for extra deliciousness.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Look for lightly golden brown edges, then remove from the oven. Let blondies cool in the pan, then cut into 9 or 12 squares!
Note: Store leftover blondies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze blondies for up to 1 month. To thaw. Remove from freezer and let thaw for an hour.
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