3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies Recipe

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: You’ll love this 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies recipe because it’s a delicious fusion of classic flavors and textures that will satisfy any sweet tooth:

• Quick and easy: You can whip up this dessert with only 30 minutes of prep time, making it perfect for busy days.
• Irresistible layers: A chewy blondie base, spiced apple pie filling, and a crispy streusel topping create a perfect bite every time.
• Cozy fall flavors: The warm notes of cinnamon, buttery caramel, and tender apples make it the ideal autumn treat.
• Versatile dessert: Serve it warm with ice cream for a comforting dessert for any occasion or enjoy it on its own as a sweet snack.

I’ve shared this before in my Best-Ever Blondies, but it bears repeating—I actually prefer blondies to brownies! What I love more about this is that the streusel topping is very similar to Apple Crumble, which is the first thing I baked with my mom at the age of seven. It gave me unforgettable fond food memories and I’ve loved the scrumptious caramelized, deep, rich flavor of baked apples ever since.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 9/29/2024, to include make-ahead and storage instructions and Pro Chef Tips. 

Table of Contents

• What are 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies?
• Tools You Need to Make 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Apple Recipes

What are 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies?

• 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies are a mash-up of blondies, everyone’s favorite butterscotch-flavored apple pie filling, crowned with buttery streusel topping.
• Blondies first appeared as molasses-flavored bar cookies in the Fannie Farmer Cookbook 1896. They exploded in popularity in the 1980s, and now there’s even a National Blondie Day on January 22.
• You can enjoy 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies as is, like a bar cookie, or in a bowl with Vanilla Ice Cream, whipped cream, and Apple Cider Caramel Sauce.

Tools You Need to Make 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies

• 9×13-inch baking dish and parchment paper
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• Whisk
• Silicone spatula

Key Ingredients and Why

• All-Purpose Flour

All-purpose flour is the base of these blondies with a protein content of around 11%, so the blondies will be tender, not tough.

• Brown Sugar

  • Brown sugar sweetens the blondies and gives them a lovely hint of caramel.
  • It has more moisture than white sugar to create a gooey center for the blondies.
  • Not only does it cook with the apple juices to make a rich sauce, but brown sugar also creates a pleasant crunch in the topping once baked with butter, oats, and nuts.
  • Make your own or enrich it using my recipe How to Make Brown Sugar.

• Quick-Cooking Oats

  • Oats give the 3-Layer Apple Pie Brownies an irresistible crispy, crumbly layer of texture.
  • Quick oats are old-fashioned oats that have been rolled even thinner and broken into smaller pieces. Since the pieces are smaller, they cook much faster than old-fashioned oats.
  • Learn about the different types of oats in Baking with Oats: A Complete Guide

• Cinnamon

Cozy, spicy, and sweet cinnamon gives the apple pie and streusel layers their distinctive, comforting flavor.

• Butter

  • Butter enriches the flavor of the blondie base.
  • It cooks with brown sugar and apple juices to make a luscious thick syrup. And it’s kneaded into the brown sugar to form the crispy oatmeal top.

• Pecans

Chopped nuts add crunch, and they offset the recipe’s sweetness perfectly.

• Granny Smith Apples

  • Use Granny Smith apples for the best flavor and texture.
  • Bramley apples will be your go-to cooking apples in Ireland or UK, which are very sour to eat but work beautifully in baking, such as Apple Crumble.

• Eggs

  • Eggs give the blondies moisture and rich flavor without a mushy texture.
  • Beaten eggs retain air to help blondies rise and make them lighter.

• Baking Powder

  • Once mixed with liquid, bakingpowder causes a quick chemical reaction that creates carbon dioxide, creating bubbles in the batter and forming an airier crumb and an overall light, fluffy texture.
  • Make your own with Learn How to Make Baking Powder and Baking Soda Explained and you’ll never run out.

How to Make 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies

Prep

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter pan and line with parchment paper.

Make the Topping

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, oats, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Rub in the cold butter with your fingers (or use a pastry blender) until the mixture is crumbly, then toss in the pecans. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the Apple Layer

4. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped apples with the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Make the Blondie Base

5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and melted butter, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.
6. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt, then stir into the brown sugar mixture until just combined.

Assemble and Bake

7. Spread the blondie base evenly into your prepared pan, then top with the apples and finally the streusel topping.
8. Bake for 45 – 55 minutes, until the apples are tender and the topping is nicely browned. Let cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• For the streusel, if you don’t have quick-cooking oats, just lightly chop regular old-fashioned oats.
• You can replace the pecans in the streusel with walnuts or hazelnuts. Toast the nuts for extra flavor.
• We like tart Granny Smith apples that retain their shape for baking but you can replace them with any variety of apples that you like. Keep in mind that some apple varieties will break down more than others when baked and that may affect the final texture.
• For an extra sweet treat, make Gemma’s Signature Salted Caramel Sauce and drizzle some on top of the cooled blondies just before serving.
• You can serve these blondies warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, just like you would for a pie!
• Serve with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and Apple Cider Caramel Sauce on top.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make-Ahead:

• You can prepare the apple filling and streusel topping a day in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
• Let the apple filling come to room temperature before assembling and baking the blondies.

Storage:

• These 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies are best enjoyed the day they’re made, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• For the best experience, reheat individual squares in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.

FAQs

Can I make 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies egg-free?

Yes, you can make this recipe egg-free. Use my guide to 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking and How to Use Them to see specific egg substitutes for brownies, which will also work well well in blondies.

Can I make 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies gluten-free?

I’d suggest using my Gluten-Free Blondie Recipe as a base in this recipe. It uses almond flour and coconut oil and has a crisp outside and a moist, rich center.

I made blondies once before and they came out greasy. How do I avoid this?

• Be sure not to over-mix, which will separate fat from oil or butter to yield a greasy result. Also, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
• Overheating butter would separate fat from it or adding eggs to the HOT butter and sugar mixture would cook eggs to cause lumps which led to overmixing. Both would lead to an oily result.
• DO NOT REMOVE the blondies too early from the pan. Let them cool completely to room temperature in the tin. The remaining heat will yield a perfect fudgy center without overcooking it. Removing it too early will also lead to a raw result.

How do I keep my blondies from getting too dry?

• Do not over-cook! This is important to remember when making blondies.
• Bake the 3-Layer Apple Pie Blondies just until the apples are tender and the streusel is browned.

More Apple Recipes

• Caramel Apple Tarte Tatin
• The Perfect Classic Apple Pie Recipe
• My Mum’s Irish Apple Cake
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake
• Classic Irish Apple Tart
• Apple Cider Donut Cake
• Microwave Mug Apple Crisp

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 9/29/2024, to include make-ahead and storage instructions and Pro Chef Tips. 

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