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Apple Cinnamon bars cut into squares and drizzled with caramel sauce.
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5 from 2 votes

Apple Cinnamon Bars

These seasonal blondie bars are doughy on the inside and caramelized on the edges. The cinnamon flavoring is layered throughout and topped with fresh apples. These Apple Cinnamon Bars won't only make your house smell glorious, they taste incredible too!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, bakery, cafe
Servings: 9
Calories: 360kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Rubber Spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • 8 x 8 pyrex pan
  • parchment paper
  • sauce pan

Ingredients

Blondies

  • 1 sliced pink lady apple
  • 1 stick browned butter cooled
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • cup coconut sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup apple cider
  • 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp apple pie spice or ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • dash sea salt

Caramel Drizle

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • ¼ cup almond butter
  • 2 tbsp honey

Instructions

For the Apple Cinnamon Blondies

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat - whisking once it starts to bubble. Continuing stirring in an oscillating motion for 2-3 minutes until butter starts to brown and has a caramel smell. Once the butter is browned, immediately pour butter into a mixing bowl. Let it cool for 3-4 minutes before continuing next steps. 
  • To the bowl, add in light brown sugar, coconut sugar, and apple cider. Fold until the sugars dissolve into mixture and no clumps remain.
  • Crack egg & 1 yolk, and add vanilla extract into the batter and mix until smooth.
  • Add in all the dry ingredients (all purpose flour, apple pie spice, sea salt, and baking powder) into the bowl before combining with the wet ingredients.
  • Line 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Add batter to pan and spread evenly.
  • Slice 1 apple into thin pieces and lay across top of the batter.
  • Bake for 27-30 minutes until the center of the bars are firm.
  • Let blondies cool for 30-60 minutes before adding caramel.

For the Caramel Drizzle

  • In the same pan used for browning the butter, over medium heat coconut oil with the honey. Whisk continuously until smooth throughout.
  • Remove from heat and stir in nut butter: I love date pecan butter, but almond butter works just fine too!
  • Once thoroughly combined, drizzle over your COOLED blondies and enjoy!

Notes

I like to store these in the refrigerator. When chilled, they have the best doughy texture! They'll stay good for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
You MUST line your pan and grease it, too. This is SO important; your cookie bars will stick to the pan if not sprayed or lined properly. The apple cider caramelizes with the brown sugar and butter creating a sticky texture when cooled. Lining the pan is an easy way to ensure clean cuts. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g