These chewy, spiced Apple Cider Blondies pack all the cozy flavors of fall into one incredible bar. Brown butter meets reduced apple cider and warm apple pie spice, creating a dessert that tastes like autumn in every bite. I first made these on a chilly October afternoon when I had way too much cider left over from our apple orchard trip, and now they're the treat my family asks for every single year. They're surprisingly easy to make, and the rich, caramel-like flavor from the brown butter is absolutely worth the little extra effort.
If you love fall baking, you'll also want to try these Cranberry Orange Icebox Cookies or this Lemon Velvet Cake for your next gathering.
Why You'll Love This Apple Cider Blondies
Apple Cider Blondies are everything you want in a fall dessert. They're rich but not heavy, spiced but not overwhelming, and they come together without any fancy techniques. You don't need a mixer for most of the recipe, just a good whisk and a little patience while the cider reduces.
They're perfect for potlucks, bake sales, or just keeping in the fridge for when you need a sweet bite with your afternoon coffee. The flavor actually gets better after a day or two, once the spices have had time to settle in. And if you love bars with a little extra oomph, these Banana Cream Bars are another favorite around here.
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Apple Cider Blondies Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make these Apple Cider Blondies from scratch.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- Unsalted butter: You'll brown this to create a nutty, caramel-like base that makes these blondies taste extra special. Room temperature butter won't work here since you're melting and browning it.
- Apple cider: This gets reduced down to concentrate the apple flavor. You'll start with 3 cups and cook it down to just ½ cup, which takes about 35 minutes. Make sure you're using apple cider, not apple juice.
- Granulated sugar: Mixed with a bit of apple pie spice, this creates the sweet, spiced topping that adds a nice crunch.
- Apple pie spice: Divided between the batter and the topping, this brings all the warm fall flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. You can make your own blend or use store-bought.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the blondies and keeps them chewy and dense.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out all the other flavors.
- Baking soda: Gives the blondies a little lift without making them cakey.
- Light brown sugar: Packed brown sugar adds moisture and a molasses-like depth that pairs perfectly with the brown butter and cider.
- Large eggs: Bind everything together and add richness.
- Pure vanilla extract: A little vanilla rounds out the spiced flavors and adds warmth.
How to Make Apple Cider Blondies
Follow these steps to make the best Apple Cider Blondies with brown butter and reduced cider.
Brown the butter: In a medium, light-colored, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. Keep cooking and stirring constantly until the butter foams and then subsides. Watch for brown specks at the bottom and a nutty aroma. Once it's browned to your liking, immediately remove from heat and pour into a large heatproof bowl to stop the browning process.
Reduce the apple cider: Pour the apple cider into the same saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to ½ cup, which takes about 35 minutes. Use a liquid measuring cup to confirm. If you've over-reduced it, just add a little more cider to reach ½ cup.
Cool the cider and butter mixture: Pour the reduced cider into the bowl with the browned butter and let it cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes. This cooling step is important so the eggs don't scramble later.
Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy removal. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of the apple pie spice, then set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining apple pie spice, salt, and baking soda.
Combine wet ingredients: Once the butter and cider mixture has cooled, add in the brown sugar and mix until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, whisking until everything is fully combined and smooth.
Incorporate dry ingredients: Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula until smooth and fully incorporated. Don't overmix, just fold until you don't see any dry streaks.
Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer. Sprinkle the apple pie spice-sugar mixture evenly over the batter and gently press it in with your fingers. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs.
Cool and slice: Let the blondies cool for at least 1 hour in the pan before slicing into squares. This cooling time helps them set up properly and makes cutting much easier.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. The flavors deepen after a day or two.
Substitutions and Variations
You can adjust this Apple Cider Blondies based on what you have on hand.
Apple cider: If you don't have fresh apple cider, you can use unfiltered apple juice in a pinch, though the flavor won't be quite as rich. Don't use regular filtered apple juice.
Apple pie spice: Make your own by combining 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon allspice, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
Brown sugar: You can swap light brown sugar for dark brown sugar if you want a deeper molasses flavor.
Add-ins: Fold in ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts for a little crunch, or stir in ½ cup white chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
Equipment For Apple Cider Blondies
Having the right tools makes this Apple Cider Blondies much easier.
- Nordic Ware Metal 9×13 Covered Cake Pan: A sturdy metal pan ensures even baking and makes cleanup simple.
- Pre-Cut Parchment Paper Baking Sheets: These make lining the pan quick and easy, plus they help you lift the blondies out for clean cuts.
- Medium saucepan: A light-colored, heavy-bottomed pan is best for browning butter since you can see the color change.
- Liquid measuring cup: Essential for checking when the cider has reduced to exactly ½ cup.
- Rubber spatula: Makes folding the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gentle and easy.
How to Store Apple Cider Blondies
These Apple Cider Blondies keep well, and the flavor actually improves after a day.
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They'll stay chewy and soft.
Refrigerator: Keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. The texture firms up a bit when cold, which some people actually prefer.
Freezer: Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
Apple Cider Blondies are delicious on their own, but here are a few ways to make them even better.
With vanilla ice cream: Warm a Apple Cider Blondies in the microwave for 10 seconds and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The contrast between warm and cold is perfect.
Drizzled with caramel sauce: A little salted caramel sauce on top brings out the brown butter flavor even more.
Alongside hot cider: Serve these with a mug of warm apple cider for the ultimate fall snack.
Dusted with powdered sugar: A light dusting of powdered sugar makes them look bakery-pretty and adds a touch of extra sweetness.
Expert Tips
Don't rush the brown butter: Keep a close eye on it and use a light-colored pan so you can see when it's ready. It should smell nutty and have visible brown specks at the bottom.
Measure the reduced cider carefully: You want exactly ½ cup. Too much and the batter will be too wet. Too little and you'll lose some of that intense apple flavor.
Let the butter-cider mixture cool completely: If it's too warm when you add the eggs, they'll cook and you'll end up with scrambled bits in your batter.
Use parchment paper: It makes removing the Apple Cider Blondies from the pan so much easier and gives you cleaner cuts.
Don't overbake: The Apple Cider Blondies should look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out. They'll firm up as they cool.
Cool completely before cutting: I know it's tempting, but warm Apple Cider Blondies are hard to slice neatly. Give them the full hour.
FAQ
What does apple cider do in baking?
Apple cider adds moisture and a natural apple flavor to baked goods. When you reduce it down like in this recipe, the flavor becomes more concentrated and intense, almost like a syrup. It also brings a subtle sweetness and acidity that balances out richer ingredients like brown butter.
What can I do with extra apple cider?
You can use leftover cider in all kinds of fall baking recipes, like apple cider bars, cakes, muffins, or even pancakes. It's also great for making glazes or reductions for pork or chicken. Or just heat it up with a cinnamon stick and enjoy it as a warm drink.
How to get fudgy blondies?
For fudgy blondies, use more brown sugar and less flour, and don't overbake them. Pull them out when the center still looks a little soft and underdone. The residual heat will finish cooking them as they cool, and you'll end up with dense, chewy bars instead of cakey ones.
Should I boil my apple juice before making cider?
You don't need to boil apple juice to make cider since cider and juice are different products. Apple cider is raw, unfiltered apple juice, so if you're starting with juice, just use it as is. However, if you want to concentrate the flavor like in this recipe, reducing it by simmering (not boiling) works great.
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Pairing
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Apple Cider Blondies
Ingredients
Method
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Once melted, continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the butter foams, subsides, and brown specks appear.
- Remove the pan from heat once the butter has reached a rich brown color. Pour into a large heatproof bowl.
- Pour the apple cider into the same saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to ½ cup. This will take about 35 minutes.
- Pour the reduced cider into the bowl with browned butter and let cool for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring there is an overhang on the sides, then spray with nonstick spray.
- In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, remaining apple pie spice, kosher salt, and baking soda.
- When the butter and cider mixture has cooled, add brown sugar and mix until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla, whisking until smooth.
- Stir in the dry ingredients using a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth evenly. Sprinkle with the apple pie spice-sugar mixture and gently press it in.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the blondies cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before slicing.
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