Brown Butter Apple Cider Blondies

Brown butter brings depth of flavor to these Brown Butter Apple Cider Blondies with warm nutty notes. Boiled apple cider is the secret ingredient that amplifies the apple flavor.

Here’s something I can’t get enough of lately – Brown Butter Apple Cider Blondies. They’re are filled with lightly spiced tender shredded apples and loads of chopped pecans. Brown butter adds a craveable toasty note. Although browning butter requires an extra step, it’s so worth it!

One of my favorite ingredients to use in fall and winter months is boiled apple cider. I always purchase Vermont Boiled Cider from King Arthur Baking (or you could try making your own.). It is truly a wonderful addition to this recipe. Nobody’s paying me to say that! As an avid baker I use it in everything from apple pie to apple fritters. You can absolutely still make this recipe if you don’t have boiled cider on hand. See the recipe notes for my suggestions and substitutions.

Browning butter is easy!

Brown butter will elevate nearly any baked good. It’s a special ingredient. When making it, butter solids can change fast from light to brown on the stove top. So watch the butter carefully as it cooks. It has several bubbly/foamy stages, beginning with big shiny soapy bubbles. Then, that will subside to smaller bubbles followed by foam that will start to look golden. And that’s when you need to remove the saucepan from the heat.

Pour the browned butter into a bowl with the milk solids that have browned and fallen to the bottom of the pan. Let it cool before using it in the batter.

Get cookin’!

Next, fry shredded apples in butter. How could that ever be a bad thing? Raw apples give off juices during baking, so cooking off some of that liquid in a saucepan just makes good sense. It also give you the opportunity to spice things up with a little cinnamon.

Mix up the batter.

All the best blondie ingredients are accounted for here. Such as lots of brown sugar. And this is the stage to add in a little boiled cider to give the apple flavor a boost! Next, mix in the dry ingredients and the pecans.

13×9 love.

Spread the batter evenly into a 13×9 inch pan. This recipe makes a big pan of blondies that is made for sharing! Then, you’ll bake it until golden and puffy. And all the while you can enjoy the fragrance that fills your kitchen (which beats any fancy seasonal candle, if you ask me).

Creamy glaze flavored with boiled cider adds yet another layer of apple flavor. Spread it on and scatter the top with more chopped pecans.

It’s recipes like this that really make me feel present in the season. And there’s plenty to share! I hope you’ll enjoy making them (and eating them!) as much as I have.

This blog post is sponsored by Go Bold With Butter! View their other fall recipe right here.

Brown Butter Apple Cider Blondies

Heather Baird

Brown Butter Apple Cider Blondies are filled with lightly spiced tender shredded apples and loads of chopped pecans. Brown butter adds a toasty note. Browning butter requires an extra step, but it's so worth it! Boiled apple cider is the secret ingredient that boosts the apple flavor.

If you don't have boiled cider on hand, you can still make this recipe using regular apple cider. See the recipe notes for my suggestions and substitutions.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Equipment

• 13×9 inch baking pan

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Fried Apples

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup grated apple about 2 medium apples
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Blondies

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar firmly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons boiled cider
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Toppings

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon boiled cider
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

 

Fried Apples

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add grated apples and cinnamon and cook while stirring for about 4 minutes until the apples soften.
• Place fried apples in a bowl and cool.

Blondies

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat nonstick cooking spray in a 13×9-inch baking pan.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter foams and steams. Swirl the pan as the foam subsides and closely watch as the butter turns golden brown and solids form. Pour the brown butter into a large mixing bowl and cool for about 15 minutes. Do not let solidify.
• After letting brown butter cool, add brown sugar, eggs, boiled cider and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined.
• Fold in the cooled fried apples and chopped pecans into the batter and pour into the prepared baking pan. Spread evenly.
• Bake blondie batter for 21-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Take out and cool completely.

Toppings

• Whisk powdered sugar, boiled cider and heavy cream together in a small bowl. Then, spread the glaze over blondies and sprinkle with pecans. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
• Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Substitutions

Substitute 1/4 cup regular apple cider for the boiled cider in the fried apple mixture. Cook the mixture down until all of the liquids have evaporated before using it in the batter. 

Substitute 2 tablespoons regular apple cider for the boiled cider in the glaze recipe. Add a pinch of cinnamon to add a little color to the glaze, if desired.

What to expect:

This is a delicious, chewy fall treat that has huge apple flavor. It’s a great alternative to apple pie at Thanksgiving.

Browned butter is easy to make but requires a watchful eye. Make it in a stainless saucepan so you can best judge its color. It will be much harder to judge the doneness in a dark nonstick pan.

Keyword apple cider glaze, boiled apple cider, brown sugar, browned butter, chopped pcans

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!