After getting loads of positive feedback on my last brown butter recipes (the brown butter frosting and brown butter pound cake with strawberry), I figured, why not whip up some apple blondie brownies next?
And just as I expected, they were a hit. My whole family fell in love with them at first bite!
Why Everyone Around Me Loves Brown Butter Apple Blondies Recipe
- The butter has been browned to adorable perfection, which gives it a rich, almost toffee-like flavor that regular butter can never compete with! It totally boosts the sweetness of the blondie base, you know?
- And then, we throw in some chopped apples — fresh and slightly tart — to balance out all the intensity.
- They’re super easy to whip up! Perfect for a quick weekday treat or when you’re just chilling on the weekend and feel like baking something light.
- We’ve got these blondies with a hint of warm spices (maybe cinnamon or nutmeg) for all the autumn vibes. But honestly, they taste so incredible that you’ll crave them year-round!
11 Simple Steps To Make Brown Butter Apple Blondies
Browning Butter
Step 1.
First, chop your butter into chunks and pop them into a bright-colored skillet. Why bright-colored? It lets you see EXACTLY when your butter starts to get its golden brown goodness!
Step 2.
Melt it over medium heat and stir every once in a while!
Once the butter melts, it’ll foam up like a little bubble. But don’t stop there; keep stirring! In about 6 minutes, you’ll see these tiny brown specks forming at the pan’s bottom, and that’s when you know you’re on track. You’ll also catch a rich, nutty scent; take the butter off the heat immediately!
Step 3.
Pour this butter into a heat-safe bowl and put it aside for now. We’ll get back to that in a bit.
Preparing The Apples
Step 4.
Grab the same pan — you don’t have to clean it — and toss in your peeled, chopped apples, a sprinkle of brown sugar or maple syrup, and a dash of cinnamon. Give it a good whisk and cook it over medium heat ’til the apples are just a tad softer (about 5 minutes). Scoop those aside, too!
Step 5.
And hey, don’t forget to heat your oven to 350°F (177°C) while you’re at it. Grab a 13×9 baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Plus, make sure you leave some overhang at the sides; you will find it a WHOLE LOT easier to pull out those blondies later!
Blondies
Step 6.
Grab a big bowl and whisk together baking powder, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. That’s your dry mix!
Step 7.
Now, in another bowl, let’s work on our wet ingredients! Whisk together one cup of that delicious browned butter you made earlier, eggs, brown sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract. Once that’s smooth, pour it into the bowl with your dry ingredients.
Step 8.
Stir everything together until it’s just combined — don’t overdo it! Fold in some softened apples you prepped. The batter’s gonna be thick, but that’s exactly what we’re after!
Step 9.
Scoop the thick cake batter into your lined baking pan and smooth it out. Pop it into the oven and bake for 35 minutes. We’re looking for the top to get lightly brown, and a small toothpick should come out quite clean when you poke it in the middle. Once thoroughly baked, let those blondies cool off completely on a wire rack.
Icing
Step 10.
While the blondies are cooling, let’s whip up some icing!
Take the rest of your brown butter (about 1/4 cup) and zap it in the stove/microwave for 5-8 seconds to melt it down. Whisk in a little milk, confectioners’ sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract. Adjust it by adding extra sugar if it’s too runny or extra milk if it’s too thick!
Step 11.
After your blondies are cool, drizzle the icing all over them. Then, just cut them into squares and get ready to enjoy one heck of a treat!
Notes
1. Patience is our best friend! Sure, brown butter adds a beautiful depth of flavor, but burnt butter? Nope. It’s bitter and unpleasant.
So ALWAYS keep the heat medium and swirl the pan as the butter melts. As I said earlier, you’ll see it foam, then turn clear, and finally start to turn golden brown. Once it reaches a deep amber color with a nutty aroma, IMMEDIATELY REMOVE it from the heat.
And what if you see any black dots? Bad news: it would be best to start over.
2. Tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp are popular choices for a very good reason: they hold their shape well when baked! The tartness also cuts through the sweet blondie batter like a champ.
But why should that stop you? Feel free to experiment with other varieties! For example, sweeter apples like Pink Lady or Braeburn often add a more complex flavor profile. You can even use chopped dried apples in a pinch, though they won’t have the same juicy texture.
FAQs
My Blondies Turned Out Dry. What Went Wrong?
There are two possibilities. One: overbaking. It’s quite a common culprit, actually, so check the doneness a few minutes before my recommended baking time (about 35 minutes) is up!
Second: too much flour. Measure carefully, my friend, and don’t overmix the batter.
Can I Replace Regular Butter With Browned Butter?
Sure, but your blondies will lose the rich, toasty notes.
Do I Really Need To Peel The Apples?
The peel adds a bit more texture and color to the blondies, but luckily, it won’t affect the taste THAT much. Still, if you go for a smoother texture (like me), peeling them is the best bet!
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Have fun!
Discover More Unique Bar Recipes:
Brown Butter Apple Blondies
Ingredients
Apples
- 2 cups chopped & peeled apples
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or pure maple syrup
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
Blondies
- 1 cup of pieces of butter, unsalted
- 2 ⅓ cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 ⅔ cups packed dark or light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, temperature
- 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Icing
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Browning The Butter
- Chop your butter into chunks and pop them into a bright-colored skillet.
- Melt it over medium heat and stir constantly (6 minutes) until you see tiny brown specks forming at the pan’s bottom and catch a nutty scent. Take the butter off the heat immediately.
- Pour this butter into a heat-safe bowl and put it aside.
Preparing The Apples
- Toss apples, brown sugar/syrup, and cinnamon into the pan. Whisk and cook it over medium heat ’til the apples become softer (about 5 minutes). Put them aside.
- Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 13×9 pan with parchment paper. Make sure there’s some overhang at the sides.
Blondies
- Dry mix: Whisk together baking powder, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
- Wet mix: Whisk together one cup of browned butter, eggs, brown sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract. Pour it into the bowl of dry mix (from Step 6).
- Stir everything together until it’s just combined. Fold in some softened apples you prepped.
- Scoop the thick cake batter into your lined baking pan and smooth it out. Bake for 35 minutes until the top becomes slightly brown and a small toothpick poked in the middle comes out quite clean.
- Let these blondies cool off completely on a wire rack.
Icing
- Zap the rest of your brown butter in the stove/microwave for 5-8 minutes. Whisk in milk, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla. Add extra sugar if it’s too runny or extra milk if it’s too thick!
- Drizzle the icing all over the cooled blondies. Cut them into squares. Enjoy your baking dish!
Notes
- Watch the butter closely as it browns. It can go from perfect to badly burnt in seconds. Start over if you see black dots.
- Tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp hold their shape best but feel free to try other varieties, such as Braeburn, Pink Lady, or chopped dried apples.
