Apple Brownies
These apple brownies are your new fall craving in bar form. Chewy edges, a soft buttery center, bits of tart apple, warm cinnamon, and toasty pecans in every bite. If that doesn't sound like autumn in your kitchen, I don’t know what does.
Ingredients
- 2 apples peeled and chopped (about 1½ cups total, use Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts toasted if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8-inch pan with parchment or cooking spray.
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often. Set aside.
- Peel and chop apples into small ½-inch chunks.
- In a medium bowl, stir together melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, mixing to combine.
- Sprinkle in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in chopped apples and pecans. Batter will be thick and sticky.
- Scoop into prepared pan and smooth the top. Add extra apples or pecans on top if desired.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and center is just set. Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Don’t overdo the apples—stick to 1½ cups for the best texture. Let cool completely for clean edges. For extra crispiness, broil briefly at the end. These bars are amazing warm with ice cream or drizzled with caramel.