Tag: fall blondies

Spiced Pecan Blondies

spciedpecanblondiesAre dark and light brown sugar interchangeable? It probably depends on who you ask, but I’d say yes, for the most part. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses, giving it a richer color and flavor than the light variety. And in my kitchen, dark brown sugar turns to a rock in a matter of days after it’s opened, so I try to use up the whole bag quickly when I do bake with it.

These spiced pecan blondies are an adaptation of a recipe I’ve made many times before, and they’re a great way to use up dark brown sugar. I used apple pie spice for my spice in this recipe, and it was very subtle; next time, I’d probably add a full teaspoon. This recipe would also be good with just cinnamon, too.

Ingredients

  • 10 2/3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted and cooled
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with baking spray.

In a large saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture melts and becomes smooth. Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once cool, add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and apple pie spice; batter will become fairly thick. Stir in pecans, then spread into an even layer in the pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until top is a very light golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.

Cut into bars while still warm; when completely cool, remove from pan and store in an airtight container. Makes 24.

Maple Apple Blondies

maple apple blondiesI have a very cool and fulfilling job, but if Better Homes & Gardens ever wants me to work in their test kitchen, I’ll be there in a heartbeat. I’d love to bake all day, coming up with new and interesting recipes. And for me, BH&G recipes are always reliable – I’ve never had them go awry, and that’s something I really value as a baker. Nobody likes kitchen disasters, right?

Adapted from the original BH&G recipe in their 2017 Fall Baking magazine, these blondies take full advantage of seasonal flavors, using pure maple syrup and apples. I chose to enhance the recipe by adding 1/2 teaspoon of apple pie spice to the batter, and as I expected, they turned out incredibly well. 

Ingredients

For the blondies

  • 12 tablespoons butter
  • 2 Fuji apples, peeled and diced (or your favorite baking apple)
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice*
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk

*No apple pie spice? Make your own! For 1 teaspoon, combine 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon with 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon allspice with a dash of cloves.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking tin with foil, extending over the sides, and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, apple pie spice, and baking soda; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add apples and cook on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes, until apples are tender but not mushy. Pour apples into a bowl and set aside.

In the same saucepan, melt remaining butter. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar, sugar, and maple syrup, until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add flour mixture and stir until smooth, then stir in apples. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in the tin on a wire rack before icing.

To make icing, stir together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and melted butter; add enough milk to make an easily spreadable icing (I added 1 tablespoon). Pour over bars and spread evenly; allow to set before cutting. Cut into 24 squares; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.