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Apple Cinnamon Blondies With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Apple cinnamon blondies with browned butter bake into soft, golden bars with tender diced apples in every bite. Top them with a swirled maple cream cheese frosting for a thick, smooth finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For blondies:
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb unsalted butter Melted and browned
  • 1.5 cup brown sugar Packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup apples Peeled and finely diced
  • 0.5 cup walnuts Optional
For maple cream cheese frosting:
  • 8 oz cream cheese Softened
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter Softened
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and bake the blondies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan so the blondies release cleanly.
  2. Brown the butter in a saucepan until golden and nutty-smelling, then cool slightly so it won’t cook the eggs.
  3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
  4. Whisk the browned butter and brown sugar, then mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until glossy.
  5. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, with no dry streaks.
  6. Fold in the apples and walnuts so the fruit and pieces are distributed throughout the batter.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
  8. Cool completely before frosting so the topping spreads without melting.
Make and spread the maple cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter until smooth.
  2. Beat in powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla until thick and spreadable.
  3. Spread the frosting over the cooled blondies and swirl the top for a decorative finish.

Notes

For the cleanest bars, cool the blondies fully before frosting; if they’re warm, the frosting can loosen. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze frosted bars up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lighter option, you can use low-fat cream cheese—texture will be slightly softer.