Apple blondies are delicious, soft, and aromatic squares — perfect when you want to make a simple yet irresistible dessert. With a texture similar to classic chocolate brownies, the batter is rich and buttery and enriched with apple pieces and crunchy hazelnuts for a cozy, tender result.
They’re very easy to make and ideal for many occasions: breakfast, snack time, or sharing with friends and family. Cut into squares, they’re convenient to serve and make a lovely homemade gift.
Make them yourself and let their aroma win you over — one bite will lead to another!
Here are more tempting ideas:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 people
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 359.88 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 38.05 (g) of which sugars 20.57 (g)
- Proteins 5.16 (g)
- Fat 22.14 (g) of which saturated 10.40 (g)of which unsaturated 11.32 (g)
- Fibers 2.14 (g)
- Sodium 74.84 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 70 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 apple (about 5 oz (130–140 g) net after peeling and core removal)
- 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg (large)
- 1/2 cup butter (about 4 oz)
- 2 1/4 oz toasted hazelnuts (or walnuts)
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder (vanilla-flavored)
- Half teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Tools
- Baking pan square 8×8 in
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Saucepan
Preparation
Place the butter in a saucepan and melt it until it becomes lightly nutty-brown.
Pour it into a glass bowl and set aside.
In the same small pan, add the apple (peeled and cut into cubes), the cinnamon, and the honey. Let it simmer for 5–6 minutes over low heat (1).
When the butter has cooled slightly, add the brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and the egg to the bowl. Mix with a spoon or a whisk.
Now add the sifted flour, the vanilla baking powder, and a pinch of nutmeg. You’ll obtain a dense, homogeneous batter (2).
Roughly chop the hazelnuts with a knife and add them to the batter, together with the cooked apples. If you like, reserve a handful of hazelnuts for the surface.
Line the baking pan with parchment paper and spread the batter evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle with the reserved hazelnuts (3).
Place in a static oven at 356°F and bake for about 30 minutes, always checking with a skewer before turning off the heat.
When done, remove from the oven and let cool on a rack. Finally, cut the cake into squares: you can get 12 or 16 pieces depending on the size you prefer.
The apple blondies are ready, delicious and very soft!
Tips and notes
You can substitute the hazelnuts with walnuts, toasted almonds, or pecans.
The butter can also be simply melted without browning; the result will be lighter, although the final flavor will be slightly different.
Do not overmix: mix only until the ingredients are combined.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How should apple blondies be stored?
They can be kept for a couple of days under a cloche or in a cool place. If you need to store them longer, I recommend refrigerating them.
