Brown Butter Apple Blondies
These Brown Butter Apple Blondies are soft, chewy, and packed with warm cinnamon spice. They have nutty browned butter, fresh apples, and cozy spices that create a rich, caramel-like dessert that’s easy to make for any occasion! The brown butter maple glaze gets generously drizzled on top after baking.
Ingredients
For the bars
- 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted, browned, and cooled, divided
- 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 large apple or 2 small, diced in small cubes (I used Honeycrisp)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the glaze
- 2 tbsp brown butter
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup or table syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/190℃. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Peel and chop the apples into small cubes. Add in the lemon juice and mix them around. The lemon juice will prevent them from browning, and compliment the sweetness from the apples, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Set aside.1 large apple, 1 tbsp lemon juice
- In a bowl, add the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.1 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- Brown the butter. Add the butter into a pot on medium-high heat and stir it until it's melted. Then continue to stir for the next 2-3 minutes, until it sizzles, foams, and starts to brown. The butter is ready when the nutty aroma of browned butter has arrived, and brown specks have formed at the bottom of the pan. Transfer into a heat-safe glass to cool. Then, take 2 tbsp (28g) and set that aside for the drizzle (meaning there is 3/4 cups total for the dough, and 2 tbsp for the drizzle).3/4 cups + 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- In a large bowl, add the brown butter and brown sugar. Whisk to combine (1-2 minutes) until well combined.3/4 cups dark brown sugar, 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Whisk in the eggs, then whisk in the vanilla.2 tsp vanilla, 2 large eggs
- Add the dry ingredients in. With a spatula, gently fold just until a soft dough forms. Do not over-mix!
- Mix in the chopped apples until well distributed - do not over-mix!
- Transfer into the baking pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 28-36 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Mine took 32 minutes exactly.
- Allow to cool, then make the glaze. To make the glaze, heat the brown butter and then whisk in the maple syrup. Remove from the heat, then add the powdered sugar in until the desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over the cooled bars, allow to set, slice, and enjoy!2 tbsp brown butter, 2-3 tbsp maple syrup, 1 cup powdered sugar
Notes
Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar is best for this recipe, but if you have light brown this will work as well. White won't work in this recipe.
Lemon juice: I freshly squeezed a lemon, but store-bought works too. Adding lemon juice helps prevent the apples from browning, while also complimenting the sweet apple and balancing the flavors evenly.