Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze

Fall is BY FAR my favorite season for so many reasons. The cool weather, changing of the leaves, flannels and oversized boots, excitement of my three favorite holidays approaching…I could go on and on! But as someone who loves whipping up delicious baked goodies, there is no better season to bake than the fall because of all the warm, heavenly flavors—especially pumpkin and apple!

Simon and I were out driving this past weekend and we picked up some fresh apples at a farm stand on the side of the road. And I just couldn’t wait to put them to use in a delicious dessert recipe! I was craving some warm, gooey blondies…and that is how these Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze came to be!

These blondies are soft and gooey with baked cinnamon and brown sugar apples in each bite. And we really take them up a notch with the most insane, melt-in-your-mouth, sweet cinnamon maple butter glaze. With an incredibly moist blondie base and rich topping, this recipe could not scream fall anymore than it already does. Plus, they’re full of protein and each blondie is just 116 calories. It’s the best of all the worlds here!!

Seriously, there’s nothing to NOT love about them! I hope you give them a try!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE APPLE BLONDIES

• So many delicious flavors! Sweet and perfectly spiced with hints of apple, butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Seriously, a fall STAPLE!
• They’re soft and GOOEY. Combined with soft baked apples, drippy butter, and a smooth frosted maple glaze, these blondies are truly melt-in-your-mouth good.
• It’s a straight forward recipe. Hard to mess this one up, even for the amateur baker!
• Lightened up and low calorie at just 116 calories per blondie!
• Macro-friendly and protein-packed. 14g carbs, 3g fat, and 8g of protein per blondie. SAY WHAT!
• No one will guess they are healthy, not even for a second! 😉

BLONDIE INGREDIENTS

• Protein powder – I used PEScience Snickerdoodle. A vanilla or peanut butter flavor would also work here. If you want to use another brand, just make sure it is also a whey + casein blend. Not all protein powders respond the same when baked, so just make sure you use one you know bakes well. For all PEScience products, you can use my affiliate code Laurenfitfoodie to save 10% off your purchase.
• Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. If you need to substitute another flour, I recommend oat flour or a 1:1 gluten-free flour. I haven’t tried these blondies with almond flour, but I bet it would work well, too. I would avoid coconut flour for this recipe as it will make the blondies more cake-like and less gooey!
• Brown sugar – This really complements the blondies well. I used Swerve Brown Sugar. Feel free to substitute with normal brown sugar or another brown sugar alternative.
• Sweetener – While the brown sugar adds a lot of flavor dimension and sweetness, it’s usually not as sweet as standard sweetener. This is where a normal “white” sweetener comes into play.  I used Swerve Granular Sweetener. You can use whatever sweetener you would like here.
• Baking essentials – We’ll be using baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract.
• Non-fat Greek yogurt – If needed, you can substitute more applesauce, but it will make the blondies more cakey.
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Light butter – I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light. If you need to substitute, use normal butter, oil, or more peanut butter chips. There needs to be some fat in the recipe or the blondies won’t be as gooey.
• Peanut butter chips – Adds delicious fall flavor and contributes to how moist these blondies are. I’ve found peanut butter to be the best, but you could also use butterscotch chips if you prefer the flavor or you’re in a crunch.
• Apple – I recommend a red one! Honey-crisp, gala, etc.
• Pancake syrup – We’ll use this to help make the maple glaze. I used sugar-free Cary’s brand to keep calories down, but you can use pure maple syrup if you would like.
• Confectioner’s sugar – I also used Swerve Confectioner Sugar for the glaze. If needed, you can replace with normal powdered sugar.

HOW TO MAKE THESE APPLE BLONDIES WITH CINNAMON MAPLE GLAZE

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
   
2. FOR THE BLONDIES: In a large bowl, add protein powder, flour, sweetener, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir dry ingredients until mixed well. Then, add yogurt, applesauce, vanilla, butter, and melted peanut butter chips. Using a hand mixer, combine. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. 
   
3. FOR THE CINNAMON APPLES: In a small bowl, combine the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Toss to coat, and then evenly sprinkle the apples over the blondie batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let the bars set in the pan for 10 minutes.
   
4. FOR THE CINNAMON MAPLE GLAZE: While bars are setting, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow butter to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Then, remove from heat and whisk in the syrup, cinnamon, and confectioner’s sugar. After the bars have set for 10 minutes, drizzle glaze on top. Let glazed bars set for 5 minutes before cutting.

TIPS FOR BEST APPLE BLONDIES

• Use the ingredients called for in the recipe. I know, I know. Sometimes you gotta find a sub in a crunch. But just remember, baking is a science. And using different ingredients can result in different reactions when baked. Especially when protein powder is involved. So, for the best results, try to match ingredients I used as best as you can.
• Don’t over-bake. These blondies will continue to bake after you remove them from the oven. Because of this, I recommend taking them out when the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. This will result in the best gooey texture! Baking until the toothpick comes out totally clean will result in a more cakey blondie.

HOW TO STORE

Let blondies cool to room temperature. Then, store them in the fridge in an airtight container. They are best the next day after allowing the flavors to come together overnight!

To freeze, let blondies cool to room temperature. Then, cut into bars. Wrap the bars individually in parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil. Store in a Ziplock bag. To prevent freezer burn, make sure to remove as much air as possible. If stored properly, your bars will stay fresh for 6 months.

MORE FALL DESSERTS

• THE BEST PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BLONDIES
• SKINNY PUMPKIN PIE DIP
• FUDGY PUMPKIN SWIRL BROWNIES

WANT TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?

If you try these apple blondies and love them, please rate this recipe!

You can also tag me on Instagram, @LaurenFitFoodie. It makes my day seeing your yummy recreations!

RECIPE OF THE MONTH CHALLENGE!

These apple blondies with cinnamon maple glaze are the recipe of the month for October 2021! At the end of the month, I will pick a winner of the challenge to receive a $50 Amazon gift card!

To enter the recipe of the month challenge:

1. Make the recipe of the month– these apple blondies.
2. Tag me on instagram (@LaurenFitFoodie), if you have an instagram (if not, it’s cool!)
3. RATE and REVIEW the recipe.
   
   To leave a review, simply click on the stars in the recipe card OR scroll to the bottom of the page where you see comments, and hit the tab right next to it (reviews).

I will pick a winner at the end of the month! Make sure to enter your email correctly! 😉