5 Ingredient Apple Blondies

Love baking with applesauce? Try my applesauce brownies, applesauce cookies, and applesauce bread next. I’m obsessed with baking with applesauce. Seriously, not only does it add moisture and subtle sweetness, but it’s a foolproof, low-calorie swap for eggs and oil. Whenever I use applesauce to make my blondies, they don’t last long–just ask my family!

Why I love this recipe

Made in one bowl. So clean-up is done in seconds. Healthier. These blondies are naturally gluten-free, vegan, and oil-free. How can you beat that? Perfect for apple pie lovers. When I don’t want to commit to making an entire apple pie, I make my apple pie blondies, and the results are just as satisfying. Easy to customize. Not feeling the apple flavor? Omit the apple pie spice, and you won’t notice it at all.

Ingredients needed

Unsweetened applesauce. Make sure it’s 100% unsweetened. Almond butter. For richness and texture. Feel free to swap it for other types of nut butter or seed butter. Maple syrup. Adds sweetness and keeps the blondies gooey and fudgy. Coconut flour. This helps to hold the blondies together. Apple pie spice. Use packaged apple pie spice or make your own (read my tip below for the recipe!). Brown sugar. Optional, but it adds a nice crunchy top when the bars are baked.

How to make apple blondies

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 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

Make your own apple pie spice by combining 1/4 cup cinnamon, 2 teaspoons nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger. Once you remove it from the oven, it will still look undercooked. Allow it to cool completely, and preferably, refrigerate and enjoy cold. Trust me, it tastes best this way! For thicker blondies, add a little extra 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.

For added apple flavor, feel free to fold in some diced fresh apples into the batter. For less apple flavor, omit the apple spice. You won’t be able to taste the unsweetened applesauce. Drizzle the apple blondies with some caramel sauce for a delicious caramel apple flavor.