Every Sunday after service our church served donuts and juice in the fellowship hall and as an eager little girl with a sweet tooth, I looked forward to this every week. There was one in particular I would always look for and they didnt have it every week so when they did, I felt like I won the lottery. This donut was an apple fritter. I remember thinking this donut was so bougie and sophisticated amongst all the other plain donuts and it quickly became one of my favorites.

As much as I love them, frying can be a messy project — and sometimes I just want an easier dessert I can whip up and share. That’s exactly why I created these Apple Fritter Bars. They have all the gooey apple-cinnamon goodness of a traditional fritter, baked into soft, chewy blondie-style bars and finished with that signature glaze drizzle on top.

These bars are everything you want in a fall dessert: warm spices, tender apple filling, and a sweet glaze that melts into each bite. They come together with simple pantry ingredients, bake in just one pan, and make your kitchen smell like fresh apple cider donuts. Whether you’re making them for a cozy weeknight treat, a fall gathering with friends, or even as a twist on a bake sale favorite, these Apple Fritter Bars are sure to be a new seasonal staple. Enjoy!

Apple Fritter Blondies

✨ Yield: 9 blondies

⏱️ Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 30 min

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Ingredients:

For the bars:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt

Apple filling:

• 1 medium apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and diced
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp water

For the glaze:

• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1–1 ½ tsp milk (or apple cider for extra flavor)

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Directions:

1. Make the apple filling:
   • In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced apple, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook until apples soften, about 5 minutes.
   • Stir cornstarch into water, then add to skillet. Cook until mixture thickens slightly, 1–2 minutes. Let cool.
2. Make the blondie base:
   • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper.
   • In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
   • Whisk in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
   • Fold in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until just combined.
3. Assemble the bars:
   • Spread half the batter in the pan.
   • Spoon apple filling evenly over batter.
   • Drop remaining batter on top in dollops, then gently spread (doesn’t need to fully cover).
   • Swirl lightly with a knife.
4. Bake:
   • Bake for 28–32 minutes, until edges are golden and center is set. (30 min was the sweet spot for me but just watch yours!)
   • Cool in pan.
5. Glaze:
   • Whisk powdered sugar, milk (or cider), and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars before slicing. ENJOY!