Apple Cider Doughnut Blondies (Print Version)

Tender apple blondies swirled with cinnamon sugar and drizzled in brown butter glaze for an autumn-inspired delight.

# Components:

→ Blondies

01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
02 - 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 1/3 cup apple cider, reduced to 1/3 cup
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced small (about 1 cup)

→ Cinnamon Sugar Topping

12 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Brown Butter Glaze

14 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
15 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 2-3 tablespoons apple cider
17 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, extending the sides for easy removal. In a small saucepan, simmer 1/2 cup apple cider over medium heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, approximately 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
02 - Melt 1 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally until it foams and develops a nutty brown color (about 3-4 minutes). Pour the browned butter into a large bowl and let it cool slightly. Whisk the packed light brown sugar into the browned butter until smooth. Incorporate the eggs, vanilla extract, and the reduced apple cider.
03 - In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Carefully fold in the diced apple.
04 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter.
05 - Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until the edges appear set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan. For the glaze, brown the remaining 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat, then whisk in the sifted powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2-3 tablespoons of apple cider until a smooth glaze forms.
06 - Drizzle the brown butter glaze over the cooled blondies. Allow the glaze to set before cutting the blondies into squares.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in under an hour from start to finish
  • Uses simple pantry ingredients with seasonal apples
  • Features double brown butter for incredible depth of flavor
  • Perfect make-ahead dessert for fall gatherings
02 -
  • These blondies stay fresh at room temperature for 3 days
  • They freeze beautifully for up to 3 months
  • The brown butter adds a complex toffee flavor that makes these irresistible
  • The reduced apple cider is truly the secret ingredient in this recipe. The first time I made these, I was tempted to skip this step and just use regular cider. Trust me when I say the extra 10 minutes it takes to reduce the cider makes all the difference in the world. It concentrates that apple flavor and gives these blondies their distinctive apple cider doughnut character.
03 -
  • Always let the pan cool completely before cutting for clean edges. Using a plastic knife actually gives the cleanest cuts for blondies. If you prefer perfectly square pieces, refrigerate for an hour before cutting.

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