I’m finally 21.
Which means, among other things, that it’s fall! (Oh, and also that now I can start posting boozy dessert recipes! And drink.)
My birthday, September 16th, always falls within the first few weeks of the school year, and is always my marker of when everything starts feeling a whole lot more like fall. Classes start to get into full swing. The air gets a crisp, chilly edge to it between the sunny days, and the leaves just start to change color around the edges. Then, of course, fall baking starts, and the smells of pumpkin bread, cinnamon, and apple-y desserts dominate the kitchen. It’s a great time, especially for baking.
Most of my baking, I have pretty good self-control. Anything to do with apples? Powerless. Enter: Apple Cinnamon Blondies.
I paired my favorite blondie recipe with my favorite fall flavors, and the result was fantastic. The idea started when I found these cinnamon chips. I had never used them before, but had always been intrigued…so I grabbed ‘em and decided they were gonna be made into something delicious with apples.
They are the epitome of fall.
(And they make your house smell awesome!)
If you’re like me and love apples, you’ll be in heaven. Enjoy!
Yield: 16 bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium apple, diced into 1/4” chunks (peeled if desired, I didn’t)
- 1/2 cup cinnamon chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cut apples. Stir to combine. Let simmer together on low heat for about 5 minutes, until apples are slightly softened. Set aside to cool while you prepare blondie batter.
- Melt 1/2 cup butter in the microwave. Combine remaining brown sugar and melted butter in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the egg, vanilla, and whisk to combine. Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined, taking care not to over-mix. Fold in the cinnamon chips and apples. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing it lightly with a spatula or offset knife.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the bars are set. The edges will be slightly pulling away from sides of pan. Allow bars to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving into 16 squares. I like to refrigerate them before cutting to make them easier to cut. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
