Print

Salted Caramel Apple Blondie Bars

salted caramel apple blondie bars - featured image
Print Recipe

Buttery-soft blondie bars with a crisp edge, juicy apple chunks, crunchy walnuts, and a glossy salted caramel drizzle, perfect for cozy fall moments.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 2 large apples (about 1 ½ cups diced)
  • 1 cup (120g) chopped walnuts, toasted
  • ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. Peel (optional), core, and dice apples into ½ inch chunks. Toss with 1 teaspoon cinnamon if desired. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and brown sugar until smooth and glossy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
  5. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture gently.
  6. Fold in apples and toasted walnuts very gently until evenly distributed.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until edges are golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  9. While baking, make salted caramel: heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted and amber.
  10. Whisk in butter until melted and combined. Slowly add heavy cream (careful of bubbling) and stir until smooth.
  11. Remove from heat and stir in flaky sea salt. Let caramel cool slightly.
  12. Once blondies are out of the oven, cool for 10 minutes, then drizzle salted caramel evenly over the top.
  13. Allow bars to cool completely before slicing into squares using parchment overhang.

Notes

Do not overmix the batter to keep blondies tender. Toast walnuts for extra crunch. Use fresh, firm apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith. Stir caramel constantly to avoid burning. Drizzle caramel while bars are warm but not hot. For gluten-free, substitute almond flour; for dairy-free caramel, use coconut oil and coconut milk. Nut-free option: replace walnuts with toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Nutrition

Keywords: salted caramel, apple blondie bars, walnut crunch, cozy dessert, fall recipe, caramel apple bars, easy blondie recipe

Find it online: https://zorbmeal.com/salted-caramel-apple-blondie-bars-recipe-easy-cozy-walnut-crunch/