Brown Butter Toffee Apple Blondies
If there’s one flavour combination that instantly makes me think of autumn, it’s toffee apple. Sweet, sticky apples, warming cinnamon and rich, buttery brown sugar are such a lovely combination, and these toffee apple blondies bring them all together in one delicious bake.
Part of my Baked in 30 Instagram baking series, these easy apple blondies are made for cosy autumn afternoons, Bonfire Night gatherings and those moments when you fancy something homemade without spending hours in the kitchen.
With a layer of soft, cinnamon-spiced apples tucked between a rich brown sugar blondie batter, every slice is buttery, sweet and full of autumn flavour. Even better, they take just 30 minutes in the oven, making them a brilliant addition to your autumn baking list.
Why you'll love these toffee apple blondies
Full of autumn flavour: sweet apples, warming cinnamon and rich brown sugar bring all the flavours of a classic toffee apple.
Easy to make: simple ingredients and straightforward steps make this a lovely bake for a weekend afternoon.
Ready in 30 minutes: these blondies are Episode 2 of my Baked in 30 series, where I share seasonal bakes that spend 30 minutes or less in the oven.
Perfect for Bonfire Night: serve them warm or chilled for an easy autumn dessert to share with friends and family.
Even better the next day: leave them in the fridge overnight for an even fudgier texture and deliciously concentrated apple and cinnamon flavour.
Ingredients for toffee apple blondies
You'll only need a handful of everyday baking ingredients to make these cinnamon apple blondies.
Unsalted butter: browning the butter adds a lovely nutty, caramel-like flavour that works beautifully with the brown sugar.
Pink Lady apples: I love using Pink Lady apples for their balance of sweetness and gentle tartness. Peel and thinly slice them so they soften quickly and create a juicy layer through the blondies.
Light brown sugar: This gives the blondies their rich, toffee-like flavour and helps create that deliciously soft centre.
Eggs: two large free-range eggs help bind the batter together.
Vanilla: vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract adds warmth and rounds out the caramel notes.
Plain flour: forms the base of the blondie batter.
Ground cinnamon: cinnamon is added to both the batter and the apples for that classic autumn flavour.
Salt: just a pinch helps balance the sweetness.
My tip for the best apple blondies
Make them the day before you want to serve them. Once cooled, pop the blondies into an airtight container and leave them in the fridge overnight. The texture becomes wonderfully fudgy, and the cinnamon apple flavour has even more time to develop.
Of course, I completely understand if they don't last long enough to make it to the fridge!
How to store toffee apple blondies
Store your cooled blondies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. They're delicious straight from the fridge, where they have a lovely dense, fudgy texture, or you can bring them to room temperature before serving.
You can also freeze individual slices in a freezer-safe container, separating the layers with baking paper. Defrost thoroughly before enjoying.
Brown Butter Toffee Apple Blondies
Episode 2 of Baked in 30
A little bit crunchy, a little bit soft, and full of buttery, cinnamon-y goodness. Just the sort of bake you'll find yourself coming back to.
Makes 9
Prep Time 20 mins
Bake Time 30 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Ingredients
For the blondies:
270g unsalted butter
4 Pink Lady apples
1 tbsp ground cinnamon, for the batter
1 tsp ground cinnamon, for the apples
320g light brown sugar
2 large free-range eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
330g plain flour
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp water, for the apples
For the salted caramel drizzle:
60 ml water
100 grams caster sugar
120 ml double cream, at room temperature
Pinch flaky sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin.
Brown the butter by melting it in a saucepan over a low-medium heat, cooking until golden brown and nutty. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Mix the brown sugar into the browned butter. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, and mix until gloss. Add the flour, one tablespoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Mix until a thick batter forms.
Peel and thinly slice the apples. Place in a microwave-safe bowl with the water and remaining teaspoon of cinnamon. Cover and microwave at 900W for two minutes, or until softened and juicy. You can microwave for additional 30 second bursts if they need to be a little softer.
Spread half the blondie batter into the prepared tin. Add the cinnamon apples in an even layer, then spread the remaining batter over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes, until golden at the edges and just set in the centre.
While the blondies cook, make your caramel: put the sugar and water into a saucepan set over a low-medium heat. Allow the sugar to melt and then turn a beautiful golden, amber colour. Don’t touch or stir the mixture. Once it turns golden, remove from the heat and add the double cream - being careful as it may bubble up. Stir vigorously until you have a smooth caramel, then add the flaky seat salt.
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out and slicing. Drizzle with your salted caramel sauce for a beautiful toffee flavour.
For an extra fudgy texture, chill overnight before serving.
More from Baked in 30
These toffee apple blondies are Episode 2 of Baked in 30, my Instagram baking series celebrating cosy autumn bakes that take 30 minutes or less in the oven.
If you love simple seasonal baking, keep an eye out for more recipes in the series, from comforting cinnamon-spiced treats to bakes that are perfect for Bonfire Night.
