Irresistible Apple Crisp Blondies: Your Ultimate Guide to a Perfect Fall Dessert

Apple Crisp Blondies – Imagine a delightful soft, cinnamon-spiced cookie base, topped with tenderly sliced tart apples, and crowned with a golden, buttery streusel. This isn’t just a dessert; it’s an experience, especially as apples reach their peak season!

As autumn leaves turn golden and the air fills with a cozy chill, there’s nothing quite like the comforting aroma of baked apples and cinnamon drifting from your kitchen. This season, let me guide you in creating these incredible **Apple Crisp Blondies**! They’re so easy to whip up, yet so satisfyingly delicious, you’ll find it hard not to devour the entire pan. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of a supremely soft, chewy cinnamon-spiced blondie, crowned with a homemade apple filling that perfectly balances sweet and tart notes, all finished with a crumbly, buttery streusel. It’s the ultimate fall treat that combines the best elements of an apple crisp and a classic blondie, elevated to perfection. You might also enjoy these other delightful apple and fall-themed recipes:

• The Best Apple Cheesecake Cookies
• Fall’s Best Caramel Apple Cake
• Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Why You’ll Love Making These Apple Crisp Blondies

If you’re still not convinced that these **Apple Crisp Blondies** are a must-make, let me give you a few compelling reasons why this recipe will become a staple in your fall baking repertoire. They offer a unique twist on classic desserts, promising ease and unparalleled flavor.

Easy to Make: Forget the stress and fuss of dealing with delicate pie dough! This recipe simplifies the entire process. The blondie base comes together in minutes, and the apple crisp topping is straightforward. It’s perfect for both novice bakers and seasoned pros looking for a delicious, low-effort dessert that delivers big on taste.

Better Than a Traditional Apple Crisp: This is a bold claim, but these **Apple Crisp Blondies** truly live up to it. While a classic apple crisp is delightful, these blondies offer an added layer of chewy, buttery goodness. You get the comforting spiced apples and crumbly streusel you love, but with a substantial, soft cookie base that makes each bite incredibly satisfying. It’s the best of both worlds – a tender cakey-chewy blondie and a warm, spiced apple crisp, all in one easy-to-eat bar. And just like a traditional apple crisp, they are absolutely divine served warm with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream!

Perfect Homemade Apple Filling: The heart of these blondies lies in their luscious apple filling. Crafted with fresh, tart apples, a touch of sugar, and aromatic cinnamon, it strikes the ideal balance of sweet and tangy. The apples cook down to a tender, juicy consistency, thickened just right to prevent any sogginess in the blondie base, while retaining that lovely hint of spice that makes apple desserts so irresistible.

Irresistible Cookie Base: The foundation of this dessert is a rich, soft, and remarkably chewy blondie base. It’s deeply flavored with dark brown sugar, which adds a wonderful molasses note and incredible moisture, complemented by a generous hint of warm cinnamon. This perfectly spiced base is robust enough to hold the apple filling and streusel, yet tender enough to melt in your mouth, providing a delightful textural contrast to the soft apples and crunchy topping.

Key Grocery Store Items for Your Apple Crisp Blondies

To help you gather everything you need for these delightful **Apple Crisp Blondies**, I’ve highlighted some key ingredients that you might want to specifically pick up or check for in your pantry. For a complete and detailed list of all ingredients and precise measurements, please refer to the recipe card below!

• Apples: You’ll need about 3 large apples. Granny Smith apples are highly recommended for their crisp texture and tartness, which beautifully balances the sweetness of the blondie and streusel. However, feel free to experiment with other firm, tart-sweet baking apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, or even a mix for a more complex flavor.
• Lemon Juice: A splash of lemon juice is essential. It prevents the apples from browning and adds a bright, fresh tang that enhances the overall apple flavor in your filling. Any standard bottle of lemon juice from a trusted brand will work perfectly.
• Granulated Sugar: This is used primarily in the apple filling and streusel. It provides sweetness and helps create that golden, crisp topping. Any reliable brand of granulated sugar will do the trick.
• Ground Cinnamon: A crucial spice for any apple dessert! Opt for high-quality ground cinnamon from a reputable spice brand to ensure the best, most aromatic flavor for both the apple filling and the blondie base. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice for extra warmth.
• Cornstarch: This acts as a thickening agent for the apple filling, ensuring it’s beautifully jammy and doesn’t make your blondies soggy. Look for a well-known brand of cornstarch for consistent results.
• Unsalted Butter: You’ll need butter for both the streusel and the blondie base. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content in your baking. For quality, consider well-regarded brands such as Kerrygold, Land O’Lakes, or your preferred local dairy. Remember, for the streusel, cold cubed butter is key, while melted butter is needed for the blondie base.
• Dark Brown Sugar: This is the secret to the blondie’s deep flavor and chewy texture. The molasses content in dark brown sugar adds moisture and a rich, caramel-like note that pairs wonderfully with cinnamon and apples.
• All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of your blondie and streusel. Make sure to spoon and level your flour for accurate measurements to achieve the perfect texture.
• Eggs and Egg Yolk: Used in the blondie batter, they provide structure, richness, and moisture. Using one whole egg and an additional yolk contributes to an extra-chewy and tender blondie.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: Don’t skip this! A good quality vanilla extract elevates all the other flavors in the blondie base.
• Baking Powder and Salt: These are essential for the blondie’s lift and to balance the sweetness, enhancing all the flavors.

Expert Tips for Baking Perfect Apple Crisp Blondies

Achieving baking perfection with your **Apple Crisp Blondies** is easier than you think with these helpful tips! While the full, step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below, these pointers will ensure your blondies turn out incredibly delicious every time.

• Choose the Right Apples and Slice Them Thinly: While Granny Smith apples are recommended for their ideal tartness and firm texture, other varieties like Honeycrisp or Fuji also work well. The key is to slice your apples thinly. This ensures they cook thoroughly and become delightfully tender within the baking time, distributing their flavor evenly throughout the bars.
• Prepare and Cool the Apple Filling First: This is a crucial step for success. Cook your apple filling completely and allow it to cool to room temperature before assembling the blondies. A cool filling prevents the blondie base from becoming soggy and helps it set properly, contributing to a perfect texture. To make the apple filling, simply cook the spiced apples until softened, then add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it into a lovely, jammy consistency.
• Start with the Cinnamon Streusel: Preparing your cinnamon streusel in advance can save you time and ensure it’s properly chilled. Using cold, cubed butter and working it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or a pastry blender creates that desirable shaggy, crumbly texture that bakes up beautifully golden and crisp.
• Melted Butter for the Blondie Base: For a wonderfully soft and chewy blondie, ensure your butter is fully melted for the base. Melted butter makes the dough incredibly easy to mix and spread evenly across the pan, contributing to that dense, satisfying texture unique to blondies.
• Even Distribution is Key: Once your blondie dough is pressed into the pan, spread the cooled apple filling evenly over the top. Then, sprinkle the prepared streusel topping uniformly. This ensures every bite of your **Apple Crisp Blondies** contains all three delicious layers.
• Bake Until Golden Brown: Keep an eye on your blondies as they bake. You want the streusel topping to be a beautiful golden brown and the edges of the blondie base to look set. This indicates proper caramelization and doneness, ensuring a delicious texture.
• Cool Completely Before Cutting: Patience is a virtue, especially with blondies! Allowing your **Apple Crisp Blondies** to cool completely, preferably at room temperature for several hours or even in the refrigerator, is vital. This allows the layers to set properly, ensuring clean, neat slices and preventing the bars from crumbling.
• Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients for the blondie base, mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to tough blondies instead of the desired soft and chewy texture.
• Use Room Temperature Eggs: For a smoother, more emulsified blondie batter, ensure your egg and egg yolk are at room temperature. This helps them incorporate more easily and evenly into the butter and sugar mixture.

Essential Tools in Molly’s Kitchen for Baking Blondies

Having the right tools can make all the difference in your baking experience. For these **Apple Crisp Blondies**, here are the essential items you’ll want to have on hand to ensure a smooth and successful process:

• 8×8-Inch Square Baking Pan: This size pan is ideal for achieving the perfect thickness for your blondies. It’s crucial to line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides, to easily lift the entire slab of blondies out after baking for neat cutting.
• Cooking Spray: A quick spray over the parchment paper helps prevent any sticking, especially with the rich blondie batter.
• Parchment Paper: An absolute must! It ensures your blondies don’t stick to the pan and allows for effortless removal and clean cuts once cooled.
• Small Offset Spatula: While optional, an offset spatula is incredibly useful for evenly spreading the blondie batter into the pan and distributing the apple filling smoothly over the base.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accurate measurements are key in baking. Ensure you have a full set for both dry and liquid ingredients.
• Microwave-Safe Bowl: Perfect for quickly melting the butter for your blondie base.
• Mixing Bowls (Medium and Large): You’ll need at least two: one for whisking the wet ingredients of the blondie, and another for combining the apple filling and mixing the streusel.
• Whisk: Essential for combining dry ingredients and whisking wet ingredients until light and fluffy.
• Rubber Spatula: Ideal for gently folding dry ingredients into wet ones without overmixing, ensuring a tender blondie. Also great for scraping down the sides of bowls.
• Wire Rack: Crucial for allowing your **Apple Crisp Blondies** to cool completely and evenly after baking. This prevents sogginess and ensures they set up perfectly for cutting.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Crisp Blondies

Here are some common questions about making **Apple Crisp Blondies** to help you achieve baking success:

Q: Can I use a different type of apple for these Apple Crisp Blondies?

A: Absolutely! While Granny Smith apples are highly recommended for their ideal balance of tartness and firm texture (which holds up well during baking), you can certainly experiment with other varieties. Good alternatives include Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, Braeburn, or even a mix of apples for a more complex flavor. Just remember that sweeter apples might require a slight reduction in the granulated sugar quantity in the filling to maintain that perfect sweet-tart balance.

Q: How do I know when the blondies are done baking?

A: Look for a few key indicators. The streusel topping should be beautifully golden brown. For the blondie layer, a toothpick inserted into the center (making sure it doesn’t hit the apple filling) should come out with a few moist crumbs attached, but not wet batter. The edges of the blondies will also appear set and slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan. Overbaking can lead to a dry texture, so keep a close eye on them!

Q: Can I make this Apple Crisp Blondies recipe in advance?

A: Yes, you can! Both the apple filling and the cinnamon streusel can be prepared in advance. Store the cooled apple filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The streusel can also be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days, or even frozen for longer. When you’re ready to bake, simply prepare the blondie base, assemble, and bake. This makes for a fantastic make-ahead dessert, especially for entertaining.

Q: What’s the difference between a traditional apple crisp and these Apple Crisp Blondies?

A: A traditional apple crisp typically features a baked apple filling topped with a crumbly streusel, often served in a dish with no bottom crust. **Apple Crisp Blondies**, however, introduce a soft, chewy, cookie-like blondie base beneath the apple and streusel layers. This creates a more substantial, hand-held dessert bar with a unique textural contrast – the dense, buttery blondie base perfectly complements the tender apples and crunchy streusel. It’s essentially a hybrid dessert, offering the best qualities of both a crisp and a blondie.

Q: Can I add nuts to the streusel topping?

A: Absolutely! Adding chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts to the streusel topping can introduce an extra layer of crunch and nutty flavor, which pairs wonderfully with apples and cinnamon. Feel free to mix in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of your favorite chopped nuts when preparing the streusel.

Q: How can I prevent a soggy bottom with my Apple Crisp Blondies?

A: The best way to prevent a soggy bottom is to ensure your apple filling is properly thickened with cornstarch and, most importantly, cooled completely before spreading it over the blondie base. A warm filling will steam the blondie, making it soggy. Also, avoid over-saturating the blondie with too much apple filling. Follow the recipe’s recommended quantities for optimal results.

Storing and Freezing Your Apple Crisp Blondies

To keep your freshly baked **Apple Crisp Blondies** at their best, proper storage is essential. Once they have completely cooled to room temperature, you can store them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh and delicious at room temperature for up to 2 days. For extended freshness, especially if you live in a warm climate or want them to last longer, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just make sure they are tightly wrapped or in a sealed container to prevent them from drying out or absorbing other odors from the fridge.

Freezing Your Apple Crisp Blondies

These **Apple Crisp Blondies** are also excellent for freezing, making them perfect for meal prep or enjoying a homemade treat whenever a craving strikes. To freeze, first ensure the blondies are completely cooled. Then, wrap individual pieces tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, or place them in a freezer-safe airtight container. This double layer of protection helps prevent freezer burn. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. For best results, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before serving, or warm gently in the microwave for a quick treat. Enjoying them slightly warm with a scoop of ice cream after thawing is truly delightful!

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Recipe

Apple Crisp Blondies

Molly Murphy

A delightful soft, cinnamon-spiced cookie base, tenderly sliced tart apples, and a golden, buttery streusel topping.

5 from 5 votes

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Course
Dessert

Cuisine
bars

Servings

16
servings

Ingredients

For the Apple Filling:

• 3 large apples thinly sliced (Granny Smith apples work well)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of salt about ⅛ teaspoon
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup cold water

For the Cinnamon Streusel:

• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed

For the Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

For the Apple Filling:

• In a bowl, combine the thinly apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
• Place the apple mixture in a medium to a large pot over medium-high heat. Slowly bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• In a separate bowl, create a slurry by mixing cornstarch with cold water. Set it aside.
• As the apples release liquid and begin to soften, add the slurry to the mixture while stirring constantly. The mixture should thicken within about 30 seconds. If needed, prepare a bit more slurry to reach the desired thickness.
• Once thickened, remove the apple mixture from heat and transfer it to a container. Let it cool down to room temperature . The filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

For the Cinnamon Streusel:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and flour.
• Add the cold cubed unsalted butter and combine everything with your hands until it has a shaggy texture. This takes a minutes, so be sure to really work it! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days if prepared in advance.

For the Cookie Dough:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 pan with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray. Set it aside.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the melted butter and the sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Whisk in the egg and egg yolk for 30 seconds and then add the vanilla. Whisk just until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, corn starch salt, and cinnamon.
• Switch to a rubber spatula and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there are no more signs of flour. Do not overmix.
• Press the dough into the prepared pan. Add the apple filling on top of the dough and, with the back of a spoon, evenly spread it across the top of the dough. Sprinkle the streusel on top.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown.
• Let it cool completely before cutting. Serve at room temperature or warm with ice cream.

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