I needed to make a non-pie dessert for Thanksgiving again this year. Last year, I made these spice cupcakes with apple pie filling and cinnamon buttercream. I didn’t want to do a cake this year, but I also wanted to do something unique. I thought about cranberry white chocolate chip blondies, but I also really wanted to incorporate some apples. I ended up making two batches of these. The first batch was partially eaten by a naughty dog. I wanted to make a second batch anyway because the first batch wasn’t quite as dense as I wanted, and I felt like they needed a tad more cranberries. The base of these is similar to my Charleston chews, but with not quite as much sugar because I didn’t want them to be insanely sticky.
Apple & Cranberry Blondies
A unique, non-pie dessert for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or fall.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Cranberry Soaking Time3 hrs
Total Time3 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 1 batch
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Baking dish
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- ¾ cup brandy
- 2 cups whole fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1½ cups flour
- 2 apples peeled and grated
- 1 stick butter softened
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Soak the cranberries in the brandy for about 3 hours or longer (overnight is fine).
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Drain the cranberries and add transfer them to a bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse to puree. Set aside.
- Sift together flour and baking powder and set aside.
- Cream butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating until well-incorporated.
- Beat in vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Add flour gradually, about ¼ cup at a time. and stir until all flour if well-incorporated.
- Stir in apples and cranberry puree.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Transfer batter to the pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.