Brown Butter Apple Blondies

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These gooey Brown Butter Apple Blondies are filled with perfectly spiced apples, nutty brown butter and drizzled with a simple maple glaze!

These Brown Butter Apple Blondies are the epitome of fall. These gooey blondies are flavored with nutty brown butter, filled with spiced apples and drizzled with a sweet maple glaze. They’re soft, fudgy and so decadent!

For more apple recipes try my Caramel Apple Crumb Cake, Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes or Apple Crumb Donuts!

Ingredient Breakdown

All-purpose flour – gives the blondies structure.

Baking powder- helps give the blondies a little bit of lift.

Brown butter – provides flavor and structure. I always recommend using unsalted butter but salted butter works if that’s all you have on hand, just be sure to omit the 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Apples – Granny Smith is my go-to but you can whatever kind of apple you prefer. See below for more apple suggestions.

Brown sugar – provides sweetness, texture and flavor.

Eggs and egg yolk – binds the ingredients and provides structure. Extra egg yolk helps make blondies rich and chewy.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla extract – enhances flavor. Always use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation for best flavor.

How To Make Brown Butter Apple Blondies

1. Brown the butter: Cut the butter into cubes and place into a small pot. Heat on medium, stirring occasionally. The butter will bubble and foam until it reaches a light brown color, has little browned bits on the bottom and smells nutty and delicious. This happens quickly so don’t walk away from it! Pour browned butter into a heat proof bowl then set aside.

2. Cook the Apples: in the same pot combine the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally until apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Make the Brown Butter Apple Blondies: in a small bowl whisk the all-purpose flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and nutmeg. Set aside.

4. In a medium bowl whisk the brown sugar and brown butter until well combined.

5. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract then whisk until combined.

6. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until almost combined leaving a few streaks of flour. Fold in the apples until just combined then pour the batter into a parchment lined 8×8 inch pan.

7. Bake the blondies at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until the center is just set. Cool on a wire rack.

8. Make the Maple Glaze: in a small bowl whisk the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, milk, maple extract and salt, to taste. Drizzle over cooled blondies. Store Brown Butter Apple Blondies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge.

Pro Tips For Brown Butter Apple Blondies

• Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate; baking is a science after all!
• Don’t overmix the batter after adding the flour. There should still be streaks of flour when you add the apples.
• Don’t be tempted to over bake these. They will still be a little gooey when you remove them from the oven but they’ll continue to bake as they cool.
• Use a metal pan! Glass pans retain heat for longer resulting in unevenly baked blondies.
• Make sure your parchment paper hangs over the sides of the pan for easy removal after baking!
• Wait until the blondies are COMPLETELY COOLED before drizzling with the maple glaze otherwise it will melt.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What’s The Difference Between a Blondie and a Brownie?

Blondies have the same rich and fudgy texture as a brownie except they’re made without cocoa powder. They rely on vanilla extract and brown sugar for their flavor.

What Is Brown Butter?

Brown butter is just regular butter that has been cooked until the water evaporates which allows the milk solids to become toasted. This process gives the butter a delicious nutty flavor (and smell) that makes any dessert extra delicious.

What Kind of Apple Should I Use?

Granny Smith apples are my go-to for baking because they hold up well in the oven. I also like the contrast between the tart apples and the sweet blondies.

Some other great apples for baking are Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or Cortland. It’s important not to use soft apples like McIntosh because they get really mushy when baked.

Can This Blondie Recipe Be Doubled?

Yes just use a 9×13 inch pan and increase the bake time.

If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂