Ingredients
For the cinnamon apples:
2 medium firm apples (about 12 oz / 340 g whole), such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, peeled and cut into ¼–½ inch dice
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
1 tbsp (13 g) packed light brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
For the blondies:
¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (213 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine salt
For the topping:
⅓ cup thick caramel sauce, homemade (see Notes) or store-bought
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the middle. Grease a 9-inch square metal pan and line it with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.
Brown the butter: melt ¾ cup (170 g) butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring, for 5–8 minutes, until it stops sputtering, the milk solids turn golden brown and it smells nutty. Immediately pour it, with all the brown bits, into a large heatproof bowl.
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the warm butter and whisk until smooth and glossy. Let cool while you cook the apples.
Cook the apples: melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, 1 tbsp brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for 5–7 minutes, until just tender and the pan is nearly dry. Spread on a plate and cool for 10–15 minutes.
When the butter mixture is warm (not hot), add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Whisk vigorously for 45 seconds, until thick and shiny.
Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Fold with a spatula until only a few dry streaks remain.
Fold in the cooled apples, leaving any liquid behind, just until evenly distributed.
Spread the thick batter into the pan, pushing it into the corners, and smooth the top.
Bake for 32–38 minutes, until the top is golden and slightly crackly, the edges are deeper golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with moist crumbs (no wet batter). The center should read at least 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 2 hours.
Warm the caramel until it flows, then drizzle it in a zig-zag over the slab. Lift out with the parchment and cut 4 by 4 into 16 squares, wiping the knife between cuts.
Notes
Use a light-colored metal pan. Glass or dark pans overbake the edges before the center sets. In an 8-inch pan, bake 40–45 minutes.
Pre-cooking the apples is the key to a chewy (not gummy) center. Keep the dice small, ¼–½ inch.
Quick homemade caramel: melt ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, swirling, until deep amber. Off the heat, whisk in 3 tbsp (42 g) butter, then slowly add ¼ cup (60 ml) warm heavy cream (it bubbles up). Stir in ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp vanilla. Makes about ⅔ cup; use half.
Store-bought caramel: choose a thick sauce and warm it 10–15 seconds so it drizzles in thin lines.
Cooling time (about 2 hours) is not included in Total Time. Chill 20 minutes for the cleanest cuts.
Storage: covered at room temperature up to 1 day, then refrigerated up to 5 days. Freeze individually wrapped squares up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition values are estimates calculated from the ingredient list (16 squares, USDA reference values, including about ⅓ cup homemade caramel).
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American