These Apple Cider Blondies are chewy, buttery dessert bars made with apple cider and topped with a sweet mix of apple pie spice and sugar for a tasty Fall treat! After enjoying these Apple Cider Blondies, you’ll love my Cinnamon Roll Blondies, which offer a warm cinnamon flavor and whipped cream cheese frosting. Both would be a perfect addition to your list of Fall desserts, but can be baked and enjoyed any time of the year!
Apple Cider Blondies Ingredients & Smart Substitutions
- Apple Cider: These are apple cider blondies, so we can’t leave out the apple cider! They give the blondies the apple flavor and add moisture to the bars. I have a wonderful homemade apple cider recipe you could use! Or, use store-bought cider. The first step is to reduce it to bring out the most concentrated flavor, so try not to skip this step.
- Butter: These are buttery bars, so you will need 2 sticks of unsalted butter. If using salted butter, you may want to lessen the amount of salt.
- Sugar: Light brown sugar is used in the bar batter–perfect for the moist and chewy texture! I don’t recommend dark brown sugar as that can be too overpowering. Granulated sugar is needed for the spiced sugar topping.
- Eggs: You will need a total of 3 large eggs–2 whole eggs and one egg yolk. Save the egg white for another recipe like my Almond Paste!
- Dry Ingredients: All-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt help create a balance of texture and flavor.
- Topping: Don’t forget about the apple pie spice and sugar mixture for the topping. It brings out even more apple flavor in each bite. If you don’t have apple pie spice on hand, cinnamon is a substitution option.
Can I Use Apple Juice Instead Of Apple Cider?
Yes, you can use apple juice instead of apple cider in these bars. However, you will miss out on the more concentrated flavor that apple cider brings. If using apple juice, reduce it, just like you would do to the apple cider, to bring out the most flavor.
How To Tell When Blondies Are Done
To check if the blondies are done, first look at the edges—they should be golden brown and be starting to pull away from the pan. When you take them out of the oven, the center should still look a little soft. You can also test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out with a few crumbs but no wet batter. Avoid overbaking–you don’t want the blondies to lose their dense, chewy texture!
How To Store Apple Cider Blondies
To store these apple cider blondies, first, let the bars cool completely. Then, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Refrigerating the bars can give them a few extra days, but that can dry out the bars faster. For longer storage, freeze the bars.
Freezing Apple Cider Blondies
To freeze blondies, let them cool completely. Next, wrap the bars in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container. Label and date the packaging; the bars will be fine for up to three months.
Apple Cider Blondies
Ingredients
Blondies
- 2 cups (478 g / 16 fluid ounces) apple cider
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ¾ cups (350 g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (285 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Topping
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground apple pie spice
Instructions
- To a small saucepan over medium heat, add the apple cider. Cook for 20-22 minutes, or until it is reduced to about ¼ cup. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and light brown sugar until fully incorporated.
- Add the eggs and the egg yolk, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Stir in the reduced apple cider until well combined.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir the flour mixture into the butter and egg mixture until completely combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and apple pie spice. Whisk to combine. Sprinkle evenly over the blondie batter.
- Bake for 35-38 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden brown and the center is no longer jiggly.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
These are really good! They remind me of mini donuts! Yum!
Elizabeth
I love all of our blondie recipes, and this one did not disappoint! The apple pie spice/sugar topping was the perfect finishing touch.
Annabelle
I like how chewy these bars are. It's a great recipe to use up apple cider!
Bella
I love these! Sweet and soft with a little crunch from the sugary topping.
Selena
These are a new favorite for me! I can see myself enjoying one on a crisp, Fall day with a cup of hot coffee!
I like how there’s a large variety of things to bake that all look good