This chewy Apple Blondie recipe is loaded with fresh apples, cinnamon and walnuts in each bite. Serve these blondies warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce (recipe below)!
Apple Blondies
2 sticks unsalted butter, plus additional for buttering pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups peeled, small-diced apples (from 1 to 2 apples)
1 cup chopped walnuts
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat the sugars and butter with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat to combine. Fold in the apples and walnuts.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it out into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool completely. Then lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 24 pieces.
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- Add the sugar and water to a 3-quart heavy bottomed saucepan; stir a little so it sits in a flat, even layer.
- Warm pot over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, turns clear, and starts to bubble. (It will be cloudy at first, but will turn into a clear, bubbling liquid.) This takes about 3-4 minutes.
- (At this point, do not stir again – simply allow to bubble, swirl the saucepan occasionally and brush down the sides of the pan, as needed, to prevent crystallization.)
- Sugar will form clumps, but continue swirling and cooking until the mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color like honey (this can take anywhere from 8-12 minutes), keeping a watchful eye so the mixture doesn’t burn.
- Carefully add the butter and whisk until completely melted. (The caramel will bubble up rapidly, so be careful and continue to whisk.)
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly pour in the cream, whisking continuously until all of the cream has been incorporated.
- Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
- Set aside to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Then pour into a lidded glass jar and allow to cool completely. (It will thicken as it cools).
