Applesauce Blondies
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My applesauce blondies are soft and gooey, with warming apple pie spices laced throughout. Made with 5 ingredients, one bowl, and no white flour or eggs!
Why I love this recipe
When fall comes around, applesauce becomes a staple ingredient for me. The key word is ingredient, because applesauce on its own reminds me of baby food.
I find it works best in desserts, and these apple blondies are a firm favorite. I loosely adapted my peanut butter blondies, swapping the nut butter for applesauce. Applesauce adds moisture and subtle sweetness, and it means I don’t need to use eggs or oil. Here’s why I love them:
- One bowl. Because let’s be real… fewer dishes are always better.
- Naturally gluten-free. I swap white sugar and flour for maple syrup and coconut flour.
- Easy to customize. I’ll be honest- I kept these blondies as simple as possible. You can add in chocolate chips, nuts, flavor extracts, or other spices.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients & substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Unsweetened applesauce. Make sure it’s 100% unsweetened. Sweetened applesauce can make the blondies too sweet and too soft in the center.
- Almond butter. For richness and texture. Feel free to swap it for other nut or seed butter (my partner loves these with cashew butter).
- Maple syrup. Adds sweetness and keeps the blondies gooey and fudgy. Honey works, but it can be a little overpowering.
- Coconut flour. This helps to hold the blondies together. Almond or oat flour works, but double the amount, since coconut flour is much more absorbent.
- Apple pie spice. Use packaged apple pie spice or make your own (I’ll include my mix in the recipe card).
- Brown sugar. Optional, but I sometimes sprinkle a tablespoon or two over the top before baking for a sweet crust.
Variations
- For added apple flavor, fold in some diced fresh apples into the batter.
- For less intense apple flavor, omit the apple pie spice.
- Drizzle the apple blondies with some caramel sauce for a delicious caramel apple flavor.
How to make apple blondies
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 2- Mix the batter. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir until a thick mixture is formed.
Step 3- Bake. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with sugar if using. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
Step 4- Cool and slice. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Remove from the oven while they look undercooked. These blondies firm up as they cool down, so don’t rely on a toothpick.
- Enjoy straight from the fridge. I recommend refrigerating them and enjoying them cold. Something about the texture just works.
- Make thicker/cakier blondies. These are very soft and gooey, so if you like corner pieces or more stability, add an extra tablespoon of coconut flour.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover blondies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Freeze blondies in a freezer-safe container for up to six months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.
More applesauce desserts
Applesauce Blondies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup almond butter can sub for any nut or seed butter
- 1/4 cup coconut flour * See notes
- 3-4 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix very well until a very thick batter is formed.
- Transfer to the greased baking dish and top with a granulated sweetener of choice (optional). Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing.
Hi Arman,
I was wondering… can these Applesauce Blondies be cooked in an Air Fryer? I don’t have a working oven.
Thank you.
Many Blessings
Hi Arman,
I was wondering… can this recipe be cooked in an Air Fryer? I don’t have a working oven.
Thank you.
Many Blessings