Caramel Apple Blondies

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Caramel Apple Blondies are soft, spiced, and packed with sweet apple goodness.   They are topped with rich caramel frosting and a sprinkle of crunchy pecans for the perfect bite of autumn bliss!

Let’s talk about blondies.  I am a huge fan of blondies.  They are like the anti-brownie as they are vanilla in flavor, soft, and chewy.

What is a blondie?

A blondie is a type of dessert bar that’s very similar to a brownie, but instead of being made with cocoa powder or melted chocolate, it’s flavored with brown sugar, butter, and vanilla.

I’ve made a lot of different types of and flavors of blondies over the years.  One of my favorites is the classic Brown Butter Blondie.   In the fall I love White Chocolate Pumpkin Blondies filled with spices.  Cinnamon Roll Blondies are good anytime of year and are filled with delicious cinnamon flavor.  My most popular blondie is the Peanut Butter Cup Blondie.

I had a ton of apples sitting in our fruit basket and thought I’d like to make a blondie with them.  I haven’t made many blondies with fruit because I know it adds moisture to blondie and makes them softer.

What type of apple should I use in my blondies?

While you can use any type of apple you want, I do have a few suggestions.  If you want a tart apple to contrast with the sweet frosting Granny Smith is a great choice. Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples are firm, will hold their shape, and are both sweet and tart.   Gala apples are softer and a bit sweet so they have a more mellow flavor.

However, I was willing to give it a try.  I was hoping with the addition of pecans that I could make the perfect apple blondie.

After doing a little research I decided to that adding a caramel frosting on top would be the best way to add caramel flavor to the blondies. While most blondies are not frosted, these bad boys are.

Do I have to frost my blondies?

No you don’t have too.   However, if you don’t they will just be apple cinnamon blondies, not caramel apple blondies.  The frosting is what adds that big caramel flavor to the blondies.

Ingredients:

• light brown sugar (though you can use dark brown sugar if you prefer)
• salted butter (or unsalted if you prefer)
• egg
• vanilla extract
• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• cinnamon
• apples (I used Gala but use your favorite type)
• pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil or spray it with cooking spray.  In a large bowl combine the brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla.  In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

Add the flour to the butter and mix well.  Fold in the apples and pecans.  Pour batter into the baking dish and bake for 45 minutes.  Frost with the caramel frosting.

These blondies are so good!  The blondie itself is solid but soft and chewy with an apple cinnamon flavor.

The frosting is creamy and has a caramel flavor.   Then the pan is sprinkled with pecans.  The entire combination is amazing and is perfect for fall.

Caramel Apple Blondies

Moist and delicious apple blondies topped with caramel frosting.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 24 bars

Author: Hezzi-D

Ingredients

For the Blondies:

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup butter melted
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 large apples peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans chopped

For the Caramel Frosting:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup pecans chopped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl combine the brown sugar, butter, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla.
• In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir to combine.
• Fold in the apples and pecans.
• Pour the batter the prepared baking dish. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
• To prepare the frosting heat the brown sugar, butter, and milk in a heavy saucepan. Whisk continuously until the mixture boils. Boil one minute.
• Remove from heat and add in the vanilla and powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth.
• Place the frosting in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes or until it thickens up.
• Pour the frosting over the blondies. Quickly sprinkle with pecans.
• Wait until the frosting hardens. Cut into 24 squares.

Notes

Adapted from Gonna Want Seconds