Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze

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 15% 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.

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.