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The best ever Chewy Maple Brown Sugar Blondies. Homemade brown sugar blondies, made with browned butter, brown sugar, sweet maple, vanilla, and my favorite baking ingredient, spiced apple butter. These blondies are glazed with my sweet, thick, and creamy brown butter maple glaze. The glaze melts along with pockets of sweet melted chocolate and sprinkles of sea salt. Perfect for autumn, on Halloween night, holidays, snacking, and any other day in between.
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I have the best Friday sweet treat for you all. I love these blondies so much and I couldn’t be more excited to share them. If you could see me right now, you would see the big smile on my face over these maple blondies.
These are without a doubt some of the best cookie bars I’ve shared in a long while. And what I love even more is just how simple and easy they are to throw together!
With September officially here, I’m definitely leaning into fall and breaking into my more cozy recipes. Summer is great, but fall will always be my favorite, it is such a magical time!
These blondie bars are the perfect treat. They feel cozy, taste delicious, and have just the right amount of brown butter and chocolate.
These are not overly sweet, but just right. Think soft in the center, with perfect edges, and just the right amount of sweetness. All thanks to a mix of pure maple syrup and brown sugar.
Perfect cookie bars for this month!
On to the details
Step 1: brown the butter
Of course, brown butter comes into play, because every dessert is made better with a little brown butter. Especially a fall-focused dessert.
Simply add the butter to a small saucepan and let it bubble away until it smells toasted. It’s about a 5-minute process that really helps to make these bars feel and taste that much better than all others!
Step 2: make the dough
Now that the butter is browned, you can add it to your mixing bowl along with dark brown sugar, maple syrup, apple butter, an egg, and vanilla extract.
Mix, mix, mix, then simply stir in the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
For the apple butter, I used my homemade maple apple butter. This is one of my favorite things to keep in the fridge all fall long. You can use my homemade apple butter or pick some up at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, your local market, or via Amazon. I will say that the homemade recipe works a little better for the cookies, but either is great! Just make sure your apple butter is spiced for best flavor.
Step 3: bake the cookies and make the glaze
Pour the batter into a prepared pan. Place the blondies in the oven to bake. They’ll take around 25 to 30 minutes to fully bake. Watch closely towards the end. You don’t want to over-bake these.
Under-baked is key here!
Now onto the glaze, which is not needed but oh so delicious. It’s what makes these blondies really melt in your mouth, it’s beyond delicious, and easy to make. Just butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and salt. Simple, yet delicious.
Once the blondies have cooled on a wire rack, you can drizzle over the glaze, then eat these warm and gooey. Or let them cool and store them. They’re great either way!
I keep my glaze on the drizzly side, but still thick and creamy. That way it can really sink into all the nooks and crannies throughout these buttery blondie bars.
And you all, these are SO YUMMY. Buttery flavored with hints of cinnamon, and vanilla, and topped with delicious and perfectly sweet maple glaze. Enjoy alongside a mug of steaming hot coffee, cider…or maybe even your favorite fall latte. The season is here!
Looking for more baking recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Glazed Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Milk Chocolate Stuffed Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies
Lastly, if you make these Chewy Maple Brown Sugar Blondies be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Chewy Maple Brown Sugar Blondies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped chocolate chunks or pecans
Glaze
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2– 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.2. Add 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter to a skillet set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour the brown butter into a mixing bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter. Let cool for 5 minutes. 3. To the butter, add the brown sugar, maple syrup, apple butter, egg, and vanilla, Beat until creamy. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and chunks/pecans.4. Spread the dough into the prepared dish. Bake 18-22 minutes, until the edges are just setting and the center is still doughy. Let cool.5. To make the glaze. Melt together the butter and maple syrup in a small pot over medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.6. Drizzle the glaze over the bars. Let set for 5 minutes. Cut into bars, snack, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
What do you think of making these into cookies. Look delicious
Hi Debbie! I haven’t ever tried to make these into cookies before so I can’t say for sure! xT
In the words of my 5 year old: “why is these called blondies? They should be called goodies!”
I’d definitely make these again, maybe just add a smidge more salt to balance the sweetness.
Haha oh my goodness I LOVE to hear that!! Thank you!
In step 3 of the description, the baking time is 25-30 minutes. On the recipe, the baking time is 18-22 minutes.
Which baking time direction should I follow? Thanks in advance!
Are there any substitutes for apple butter?
You can use apple sauce! xT
Easy to make. It’s just not my thing. They needed a stronger maple flavor. Chocolate chips were not necessary.
Thank you Brynne! Glad you enjoyed this recipe! xT
These are AMAZING! I will be making them often!
Thank you so much!! So glad you love these blondies! xT
SO DELICIOUS!!
Thank you Jessica!!
So excited to make these!! What would you suggest for a substitute for the Apple Butter??
I would use applesauce! xT
I don’t have apple butter or apple sauce, could I omit completely?
This recipe is unbelievably and mouthwateringly delicious!
https://theopeninghour.com/lizard-thicket-breakfast-hours/
These are easily assembled and so yummy. Serving w/butter pecan ice cream scoop & dab of maple syrup.
Thank you so much for trying out these blondies! xT
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Do you think I could use gluten free flour? Making them for a friend who is gluten intolerant and sharing with her.
Hi Carol! I haven’t ever tried this gluten free before so I can’t say for sure! I think the 1:1 ratio with GF flour should be fine though! xT
I made second batch but with pumpkin butter instead and it was so good!
Hey Ashley! So glad you loved these blondies! xT
This recipe is absolutely INSANELY delicious! The entire pan was gone in under 24 hours. I followed to a tee (never have browned butter before~amazing!) and used the double chocolate in lieu of the pecans. Although, I bet they’d be just as great. Definitely do the glaze. So easy it’s not worth skipping.
Awesome! Love to hear this Gretchen! xT
Mine are still in the oven, but as I was waiting I read the instructions more fully and you say ‘add the flour and soda’ but the ingredients say baking powder… I’ve used baking power so I hope that’s the right one, you also say 25-30 cooking time in the blog but say 18-20 minutes in the recipe….
These seriously are the best Blondies ever!!! Perfect for late summer and so easy- will be making for every get together this month!
Thank you so much Lynn!