Soft and chewy cinnamon apple blondies loaded with brown sugar and rich melted butter, topped with a quick vanilla glaze. Made with simple melted butter, this scaled-down recipe comes together quickly without any extra browning steps.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Perfect Small-Batch Size: Scaled down to fit a 6×6-inch baking dish so you can enjoy fresh, warm blondies without worrying about stale extras.
• Chewy, Not Cakey: By using a single egg yolk instead of a whole egg, these blondies maintain a rich, fudgy texture with crisp edges.
• Sautéed Apple Fillings: Pre-cooking the apples with maple syrup and cinnamon softens the fruit and concentrates its sweet, warm flavor before it hits the batter.
• Quick & Easy: Uses simple melted butter so there’s no need to wait for butter to soften or take extra steps to brown it.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Apples: Firm, sweet-tart varieties like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Fuji hold their structure best when sautéed and baked.
• Brown Sugar: Packed light or dark brown sugar gives the blondies their signature molasses flavor and dense, chewy bite.
• Egg Yolk: Keeps the moisture level balanced for a small pan size, preventing the center from turning cakey or bread-like.
• Warm Spices: Ground cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg bring classic apple pie notes throughout the apples, batter, and glaze.
• Confectioners’ Sugar & Butter Glaze: Combining melted butter with powdered sugar and milk creates a soft, shiny glaze that sets beautifully on top of the cooled bars.

Instructions

1. Sauté the Apples: In a small skillet over medium heat, combine the chopped apples, maple syrup (or brown sugar), and 1/8 tsp cinnamon. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the apples are slightly softened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Prep the Oven & Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 6×6-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
3. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/3 tsp cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg.
4. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and cohesive.
5. Combine & Fold: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until combined. Fold in the cooked apples along with any pan juices. (Note: The batter will be thick.)
6. Bake: Spread the batter evenly into your prepared 6×6 pan. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 28 to 32 minutes, or until the top is set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the blondies to cool completely.
7. Glaze & Serve: In a small dish, whisk together the 1 tablespoon of melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, milk, 1/8 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/16 tsp salt until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled blondies, use the parchment paper handles to lift the block onto a cutting board, and slice into squares.

Baker’s Tips for Success

• Chop Apples Small: Cut your apples into uniform 1/4-1/2 inch pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the batter and slice cleanly later.
• Don’t Skip Pre-Cooking the Apples: Sautéing the fruit draws out excess water so your blondies won’t turn soggy in the middle as they bake.
• Measure Flour Correctly: Fluff your flour with a spoon, scoop it into your measuring cup, and level it off with a knife (or weigh out 97 grams) to keep the blondies soft and tender.

Storage & Freezing

• Room Temperature: Keep cooled, glazed blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Refrigeration: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Cold blondies are extra fudgy and slice cleanly!
• Freezing: Wrap individual unglazed squares in plastic wrap, store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months, and thaw at room temperature before adding fresh glaze.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best apples for apple blondies?

Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Pink Lady work best. They hold their shape during baking and offer a nice balance of sweet and tart flavor.

Can I use a full egg instead of just the yolk?

Because this recipe is scaled down for a small 6×6 pan, using a full egg adds too much liquid and protein, which gives the bars a spongy, cake-like texture rather than a dense, chewy blondie bite.

Why is my batter so thick?

Blondie batter is naturally much thicker than cake or brownie batter! It should resemble a soft dough. Use a spatula lightly greased or wiped with a drop of oil to press it evenly into the corners of your 6×6 pan.

Cinnamon Apple Blondies

Soft and chewy apple blondies loaded with cinnamon-spiced apples, brown sugar, and rich melted butter, topped with a quick vanilla glaze. Made with simple melted butter, this scaled-down recipe comes together quickly without any extra browning steps.

PREP TIME 15 minutes mins

COOK TIME 30 minutes mins

TOTAL TIME 45 minutes mins

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Ingredients

For the Spiced Apples

• ⅔ cup 80g peeled chopped apples (about ½ medium apple)
• 2 tsp 10ml brown sugar or maple syrup
• ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon

For the Blondie Batter

• ⅓ cup 5 1/3 tbsp / ~75g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• ¾ cup + 2 tbsp 97g all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅓ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ cup + 1 tbsp 110g packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Glaze

• 1 tbsp 14g unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup 60g confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tsp milk
• ⅛ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• In a small skillet over medium heat, combine the chopped apples, maple syrup (or brown sugar), and pinch of cinnamon. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the apples are slightly softened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 6×6-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and cohesive. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until combined. Fold in the cooked apples. (Note: The batter will be thick.)
• Spread the batter evenly into your prepared 6×6 pan. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 28 to 32 minutes, or until the top is set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely.
• In a small dish, whisk together the 1 tablespoon of melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled blondies, use the parchment paper handles to lift the block onto a cutting board, and slice into squares.

Course Dessert

Keyword Bars