These gooey brown butter apple bars are everything you want this fall! Rich with brown sugar, brown butter, and soft-yet crisp cinnamon apples. When it comes to fall desserts and apples vs. pumpkin… I almost always choose apples. So if you love apple desserts as much as I do, you HAVE to make these. They’re perfect for dessert and breakfast!
THE BROWN BUTTER APPLE BARS EXPLAINED:
An ooey-gooey brown butter blondie base with soft-yet crisp cinnamon apples throughout every bite. The topping is a layer of cinnamon sugar and a salted caramel drizzle.
FAQS:
how should i store these bars?
in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 14 days.
HOW TO MAKE THESE BROWN BUTTER APPLE BARS:
brown the butter:
-
Brown butter first, cut butter into small pieces in place into a light-colored saucepan if you have one so that it’s easier to see the color of the butter. Melt the butter over medium heat, you want the milk solids to separate and start to become golden. One minute after the butter starts to foam, pour into a heatproof bowl and set aside.
prepare the apples:
-
Prepare apples, use the same pan that was used for the butter and toss the apples in along with sugar, syrup, and cinnamon. Stir over medium heat until apples are a bit softened about 4 to 5 minutes.
make the blondies:
-
Preheat the oven to 345°F line a 9 x 13″ baking dish with parchment paper.
-
In a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment mix together on medium-low speed, brown butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients: flour, salt, cinnamon, and allspice and mix until combined. Scrape sides with a rubber spatula as you go, then with the rubber spatula, fold in the apples.
-
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly within the pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly golden. The toothpick shouldn’t come out clean. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes then cut and serve.
salted caramel drizzle:
-
Add sugar to a saucepan and heat on medium-high until melted and a medium amber color. Cube the butter and stir immediately with a heat-proof spatula. Once the butter has melted and stopped bubbling, remove from heat and slowly pour in heavy cream and sea salt.
-
Pour caramel into a heat-proof or glass container and let cool in the refrigerator until needed to drizzle on the bars. There will be extra to top on ice cream, add to coffee, or to eat with a spoon- no judgments.
grocery list:
- butter
- apples
- maple syrup
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- flour
- allspice
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- salt
- granulated sugar
- heavy cream
equipment list:
click here to purchase the equipment listed below
- 9×13 baking pan
- saucepan
- mixing bowls
Brown Butter Apple Bars
These bars are full of fall flavor. The nuttiness from the brown butter, the crisp apples in each bite, and a salted caramel drizzle on top!
Ingredients
Apple Mixture
- 2 cups apples peeled, cored, cubed
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp brown sugar packed
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Blondies
- 1 cup butter unsalted, cubed
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Drizzle
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 1/2 tbsp butter cubed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Bars
- Brown butter first, cut butter into small pieces in place into a light colored sauce pan if you have one, so that it's easier to see the color of the butter. Melt the butter over medium heat stirring constantly you want the milk solids to separate and burn. The melted butter will start to foam continue stirring it should take about 5 to 8 minutes once butter is a golden amber color, pour into heat proof bowl and set aside.
- Prepare apples, use same pan that was used for the butter and toss the apples in along with sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Stir over medium heat until apples are a bit softened about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 345°F line a 9 x 13" baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk flour, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, with paddle attachment mix together on medium-low speed, brown butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Scrape signs with rubber spatula as you go, then with the rubber spatula fold in the apples.
- Transfer batter to prepared baking dish and spread evenly within pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly golden. The toothpick shouldn't come out clean. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes then cut and serve.
Salted Caramel Drizzle
- Add both sugars to a saucepan and heat on medium-high until it starts melting towards the bottom of the pan. Put in a couple cubes of butter and stir around with heat proof spatula and let the sugar and butter continue to melt until it's all liquid.
- Add all the butter and stir constantly and stir until melted. It'll be bubbling so you will barely see the color of the caramel, just don't cook it for too long because it will taste burnt. Remove from heat and add cream slowly while stirring until all combined and smooth. Stir in salt.
- Strain caramel into a glass container in case there are some pieces that didn't melt down and let cool in fridge until needed.
Notes
Apples- Granny Smith & Honeycrisp are my absolute favorite to use. These apples don't get soggy as fast as the others, they keep their crisp even after cooking!
To store- Keep in airtight container refrigerated up to 14 days or not, for up to 7 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 230kcal
did you make this recipe?mention @jennabaked or tag #jennabaked!
Thanks for the recipe.. Sounds Scrumptious!
Thanks, one of my favorite things I’ve ever made!