Cinnamon Apple Blondies: Chewy Fall Bars With a Crackly Cinnamon Top
Cinnamon apple blondies turn a handful of pantry staples into a chewy, spice-swirled bar that tastes like the best parts of fall. Tender chunks of apple and a real dose of ground cinnamon run straight through a rich brown sugar base, and a scatter of white chocolate chips adds a mellow sweetness that never competes with the spice. This is the kind of fall blondies recipe worth keeping on repeat once the weather turns. The whole batch mixes in one bowl, bakes in a single 9x9 pan, and is ready start to finish in about 50 minutes.
What sets this batch of cinnamon apple blondies apart from a plain apple bar is where the cinnamon goes: straight into the batter, not dusted over the top, so the spice runs through every layer instead of sitting on one bite. A second hit of brown sugar tossed directly with the chopped apples before they go in also keeps the fruit from turning the pan watery as it bakes. Anyone who has made blondies with apples that turned soggy in the middle will notice the difference in these cinnamon apple blondies right away.
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Why You'll Love These Apple Blondies
- One bowl, no mixer needed. Everything comes together with a whisk and a spatula, so there is no stand mixer to haul out or wash.
- Chewy centers, crisp edges. Classic blondie texture, built from butter and brown sugar rather than the eggier crumb of a cake bar.
- Real apple in every bite. The apple chunks in these cinnamon apple blondies hold their shape instead of melting into the batter, which is the usual problem with apple blondie bars baked in a wetter batter.
- A quiet sweetness from white chocolate. The chips keep these apple cinnamon blondies from tasting purely like spiced apple, without turning them candy-sweet. If a richer, deeper bar sounds better some days, the chocolate walnut brownies use the same one-bowl approach with fudgy chocolate standing in for the fruit.
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
- Apples: Choose a firm, crisp variety that holds its shape in the oven, such as Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Jonagold. Soft baking apples break down into mush and leave the batter wet instead of studded with tender fruit chunks, which is the one mistake that can undo a whole pan of cinnamon apple blondies. The trick with blondies with apples is controlling moisture, not flavor.
- Brown sugar, divided: Most of it goes into the batter for the classic blondie chew, and the reserved two tablespoons get tossed with the chopped apples before they're folded in. The peaches and cream crumble bars use that same toss-with-sugar step on their fruit; the FAQ below covers why it matters here.
- Ground cinnamon: Two teaspoons is a generous amount for a 9x9 pan. Many apple bar recipes use half that, which is why a plainer version tastes more like apple and less like spice. That same warm cinnamon shows up in the carrot cinnamon bundt cake, balanced there against a tangy glaze instead of apple.
- White chocolate chips: Optional, but they add pockets of sweetness that complement the apple and cinnamon rather than competing with them the way milk or dark chocolate would.
How to Make Cinnamon Apple Blondies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9x9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
Combine the butter and 1 ½ cups of brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth and lightly fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold until the batter is smooth, taking care not to overmix.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
Toss the chopped apples with the remaining brown sugar in a small bowl.
Gently fold the apples and the white chocolate chips, if using, into the batter.
Let the cinnamon apple blondies cool to room temperature before slicing. They continue to set as they cool.
Recipe FAQs
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week if the kitchen runs warm.
Yes. Wrap cooled, sliced cinnamon apple blondies individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. This fall blondies recipe freezes about as well as any bar cookie does.
This is the most common problem with cinnamon apple blondies, and it usually means the apples released moisture into the batter during baking. Tossing the chopped apples with the reserved brown sugar before folding them in, as the recipe calls for, pulls some of that moisture out ahead of time. Cutting the apples into small, even pieces rather than large chunks also helps them cook through fully.
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Cinnamon Apple Blondies
Equipment
- 9x9-inch square baking pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter softened at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed (divided)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1-½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large apples peeled and chopped
- ½ cup white chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9x9-inch square baking pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and 1 ½ cups of brown sugar. Whisk until smooth and lightly fluffy.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract; continue whisking until smooth and combined.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold until the batter and smooth, taking care not to overmix.
- Toss apples with remaining brown sugar in a small bowl. Gently fold the apples and the white chocolate chips, if using, into the batter.
- Transfer the blondie batter into the prepared baking pan and place in the oven to bake until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out mostly clean, around 30-40 minutes. The blondies will set as they cool down.
- Allow the blondies to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- When choosing apples for baking, look for apples that are crisp, firm, sweet-tart and can stand up to the heat of the oven or stove without turning mushy, such as Braeburns, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Jonagold.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze sliced and wrapped for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary with the specific ingredients used.
