Brown Butter Cinnamon Apple Blondies
These blondies take the cozy warmth of apple pie and wrap it in a buttery, sweet bar. Brown butter brings a deep, nutty richness, while tender apple pieces add juicy bursts of flavor. Cinnamon ties it all together in a comforting, handheld dessert perfect for autumn.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes (including cooling)
- Yield: 9–12 blondies 1x
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 medium apple (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup)
Optional: pinch of nutmeg or a touch of ground ginger for extra warmth
Instructions
Brown the Butter: Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl occasionally; continue until it turns golden-brown with a nutty aroma—about 4–5 minutes. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking.
Mix Wet Ingredients: Stir the brown sugar into the warm browned butter until dissolved. Add the egg and vanilla, whisking until smooth.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon (and nutmeg or ginger, if using).
Build the Batter: Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—don’t overmix. Fold in the diced apple.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line an 8×8-inch (or similar) baking pan with parchment paper or grease it lightly. Spread batter evenly in the pan.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Cool & Serve: Let cool completely in the pan before slicing into squares. For cleaner slices, chill briefly in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g