Print

Brown Butter Salted Caramel Apple Blondies Recipe with Easy Oat Streusel Topping

brown butter salted caramel apple blondies - featured image
Print Recipe

These blondies feature nutty brown butter, juicy diced apples, and ribbons of salted caramel, topped with a crunchy oat streusel for a cozy, texturally rich dessert perfect for autumn.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
  • 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 medium apples, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp preferred)
  • ½ cup (120ml) salted caramel sauce, store-bought or homemade
  • For the oat streusel topping:
  • ½ cup (45g) rolled oats, old-fashioned
  • ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brown the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden-brown with nutty bits. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until thick and glossy.
  3. Slowly add the cooled brown butter to the sugar and egg mixture, stirring continuously to avoid cooking the eggs. Batter will be rich and shiny.
  4. In a separate bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  6. Fold in the peeled and diced apples carefully to distribute evenly.
  7. Pour half of the blondie batter into a prepared 9×9-inch baking pan, spreading evenly. Drizzle half of the salted caramel sauce over the batter in thin ribbons. Spoon the remaining batter on top and smooth out. Drizzle the remaining caramel in swirls across the surface.
  8. In a small bowl, combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or fingers to work butter into the dry mix until crumbly and clumpy.
  9. Scatter the streusel evenly over the blondie batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until edges are golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Cool blondies completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing to allow caramel to set and textures to meld.

Notes

Use a light-colored pan to brown butter for better color control. Avoid overmixing batter to keep blondies tender. Use firm apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp to prevent mushiness. Cool blondies completely before slicing to prevent caramel from making them fall apart. For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free blend and oat flour in streusel. Vegan adaptations include using browned coconut oil, flax eggs, and dairy-free caramel sauce.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter blondies, salted caramel blondies, apple blondies, oat streusel topping, autumn dessert, easy blondies, caramel apple dessert

Find it online: https://zestynora.com/brown-butter-salted-caramel-apple-blondies-recipe-with-easy-oat-streusel-topping/