Apple brownies are soft, cinnamon-spiced dessert bars loaded with tender apple chunks that practically melt into every bite! With pantry staples, fresh apples, and a simple one-bowl method, these cozy treats come together fast and fill your kitchen with the most incredible fall aroma.
Love More Apple Desserts? Try My Apple Bundt Cake or this Apple Spice Muffins next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Moist, chewy, and packed with fresh apple flavor, these apple brownies are a delicious twist on the classic dessert. With warm cinnamon spice and a soft, buttery texture, they’re the perfect treat for fall or anytime you crave a cozy homemade sweet.
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Irresistible Apple Brownies (Easy Fall Dessert Bars!)
- Total Time: 50 minutes (plus 1 hour cooling)
- Yield: One 8×8-inch pan
Description
These easy apple brownies combine the best of brownies and apple desserts! Made with simple pantry ingredients, fresh apples, warm cinnamon, and optional nuts or cinnamon chips, these soft and chewy bars come together in one bowl. Perfect for fall gatherings, potlucks, or cozy weekend baking!
Ingredients
For the Brownies:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups (about 2 medium) apples, peeled and finely chopped (use crisp, baking-friendly varieties like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala)
- Optional add-ins: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans; ½ cup cinnamon chips
For the Topping (Choose One):
- Cinnamon-Sugar Sprinkle: 2 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Simple Vanilla Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar + 2–3 tablespoons milk or cream + ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Substitution Notes:
- Butter: You can use coconut oil for a dairy-free version, though the flavor will be slightly different
- Brown sugar: All granulated sugar works in a pinch, but you’ll lose some moisture and depth
- Apples: Stick with firm, tart varieties that hold their shape when baked—avoid Red Delicious or overly soft apples
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend
Instructions
Heat oven 350°F. Rip parchment and stick it in your pan with edges hanging over. Makes lifting easier later. Or spray it if you’re lazy like me half the time.
Nuke butter til melted. 45 seconds usually. Dump in bowl with both sugars. Whisk til shiny and not grainy. Maybe 30 seconds. Crack eggs, splash vanilla. Whisk more. Til it’s smooth with no egg streaks. Another 30 seconds tops.
Other bowl. Flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt. Whisk it so cinnamon doesn’t clump. Takes like 15 seconds.
Pour flour stuff into butter stuff. Fold with spatula. Stop when you don’t see white flour. Don’t keep mixing. Makes them tough. Batter’s thick and lumpy. Good.
Fold in apples. Nuts or chips if using. Fold til distributed. Batter looks super thick now. Like cookie dough. That’s right. Apples release liquid while baking.
Scrape into pan. Spread to corners. Smooth top. Cinnamon-sugar on top now if doing that.
Bake 30–40 minutes. Check at 28 with toothpick. Want moist crumbs on it. Not wet batter. Not clean. Moist crumbs. Mine always takes 35 minutes but ovens vary. Top should look golden and set not jiggly. Juicy apples need longer.
Hardest part. Smell amazing. Want to cut immediately. Don’t. Need 45 minutes minimum. Hour is better. Set on cooling rack and leave it alone. Cut early and they’re crumbly disaster. Done this like ten times. Regretted every time.
Wait til completely cool for glaze. Whisk powdered sugar with milk and vanilla til smooth and pourable. Not watery though. Drizzle all over. Let set 10 minutes. Lift out with parchment. Cut into 9 or 16 squares. Wipe knife between cuts for pretty edges.
Notes
- Pan size matters: If you only have a 9×9-inch pan, that’s fine—your brownies will be slightly thinner and will bake a bit faster (check around 25–28 minutes). A 9×13-inch pan will give you thin, crispy-edged bars that bake in about 20–25 minutes.
- Test your apples first: Take a small bite of your raw apple. If it’s very tart, lean toward more granulated sugar. If it’s super sweet, you can reduce the sugar by 2 tablespoons.
- Room temperature eggs mix better. They incorporate more smoothly into the melted butter mixture without creating little lumps. If you forget to take them out, just place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
- The toothpick test is your friend. It should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it—NOT wet batter, but also NOT completely clean. Those crumbs mean you’ve hit the sweet spot of fudgy and set.
- Common mistake to avoid: Don’t overbake! These continue cooking in the hot pan even after you take them out of the oven. If you wait until the toothpick comes out completely clean, you’ll end up with dry, cakey bars.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Brownies:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted (microwave 45 seconds)
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs (room temp better but whatever)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (the good stuff)
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups (about 2 medium) apples, peeled and finely chopped (whatever’s on sale, not Red Delicious though)
- Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans; ½ cup cinnamon chips
For the Topping (Pick One):
- Cinnamon-Sugar: 2 tablespoons sugar + ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Vanilla Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar + 2–3 tablespoons milk + ½ teaspoon vanilla
Swaps:
- Butter: Coconut oil (smells coconutty though)
- Brown sugar: White sugar works, less chewy
- Apples: Anything firm, Red Delicious turn to mush
- Gluten-free: Bob’s Red Mill 1:1
Why These Ingredients Work
Melted butter because I’m not dragging my stand mixer out. That thing lives on top of the fridge and I’d need a step stool. Also melted butter makes them fudgy instead of cakey. The fat coats the flour differently. Science or whatever.
Brown sugar has molasses which keeps everything moist. Tried all white sugar once when I ran out. Tasted like cardboard. Threw the whole pan away. My husband watched me do it and didn’t even argue.
Cinnamon makes them taste like fall. Without it they’re just weird apple bars. My house smells like Thanksgiving when these are baking. Husband can smell them from the driveway. Not exaggerating.
Small apple pieces or they get soggy. First time I made these I was lazy. Chopped big chunks. The brownies were basically apple soup with brownie bits floating in it. Husband asked if I was “trying something new” which is code for “this is bad.”
Baking powder lifts them just enough. Not too much or they’re cupcakes. Just enough to not be hockey pucks.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- 8×8-inch square baking pan (metal preferred for crisp edges)
- Parchment paper or cooking spray
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Sharp knife and cutting board (for apples)
- Wire cooling rack
- Toothpick or cake tester
How To Make Apple Brownies
Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven
Heat oven 350°F. Rip parchment and stick it in your pan with edges hanging over. Makes lifting easier later. Or spray it if you’re lazy like me half the time.
Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients
Nuke butter til melted. 45 seconds usually. Dump in bowl with both sugars. Whisk til shiny and not grainy. Maybe 30 seconds. Crack eggs, splash vanilla. Whisk more. Til it’s smooth with no egg streaks. Another 30 seconds tops.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients
Other bowl. Flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt. Whisk it so cinnamon doesn’t clump. Takes like 15 seconds.
Step 4: Fold Dry Into Wet
Pour flour stuff into butter stuff. Fold with spatula. Stop when you don’t see white flour. Don’t keep mixing. Makes them tough. Batter’s thick and lumpy. Good.
Step 5: Add the Apples (and Optional Mix-Ins)
Fold in apples. Nuts or chips if using. Fold til distributed. Batter looks super thick now. Like cookie dough. That’s right. Apples release liquid while baking.
Step 6: Spread and Top
Scrape into pan. Spread to corners. Smooth top. Cinnamon-sugar on top now if doing that.
Step 7: Bake Until Golden and Set
Bake 30–40 minutes. Check at 28 with toothpick. Want moist crumbs on it. Not wet batter. Not clean. Moist crumbs. Mine always takes 35 minutes but ovens vary. Top should look golden and set not jiggly. Juicy apples need longer.
Step 8: Cool Completely
Hardest part. Smell amazing. Want to cut immediately. Don’t. Need 45 minutes minimum. Hour is better. Set on cooling rack and leave it alone. Cut early and they’re crumbly disaster. Done this like ten times. Regretted every time.
Step 9: Glaze (Optional) and Slice
Wait til completely cool for glaze. Whisk powdered sugar with milk and vanilla til smooth and pourable. Not watery though. Drizzle all over. Let set 10 minutes. Lift out with parchment. Cut into 9 or 16 squares. Wipe knife between cuts for pretty edges.
You Must Know
Apples MUST be tiny. Corn kernel size. Maybe slightly bigger. Quarter inch max. First batch I was lazy and chopped big. Soggy disaster that fell apart. Husband just stared at the mess on his plate.
Don’t cut warm. Need full hour to set. Cut early equals crumbly mess. I have zero patience and I’ve done this five times minimum. Learn from my failures.
Personal Secret: Always peel apples. Mom doesn’t and hers have weird chewy bits. Peels add moisture you don’t want. They separate during baking and get stringy. Takes five minutes. Worth it. Fight me on this.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- 9×9 pan? Thinner bars. Check 25 minutes.
- Taste apple first. Super sour? More sugar. Super sweet? Less sugar.
- Cold eggs? Warm water bath 5 minutes.
- Toothpick with moist crumbs good. Clean bad. Clean means overbaked.
- They keep cooking after you pull them. Pull a little early.
- Metal pans better than glass. Glass bakes different. Lower temp to 325°F if using glass.
Flavor Variations & Suggestions
Caramel Apple: Swirl caramel in batter before baking. Drizzle more on top after. Forget powdered sugar glaze. Husband requests these specifically every time.
Maple Pecan: Half the white sugar becomes maple syrup. Real maple not pancake syrup. Add pecans. Maple glaze instead of vanilla. Tastes like Vermont in fall.
Apple Pie Spice: Use apple pie spice blend instead of plain cinnamon. Has nutmeg and allspice and stuff. Fancier.
Chocolate Chip: Half cup chocolate chips with the apples. Kids prefer this version. Melty chocolate pockets everywhere.
Citrus: Lemon or orange zest in wet stuff. Bright and fresh. Cuts the sweetness.
Cranberry: Half cup dried cranberries with apples. Very Thanksgiving.
Healthier I Guess: Half whole wheat flour. Replace some butter with applesauce. More cakey less fudgy. Still good if you care about that stuff.
Make-Ahead Options
Better next day honestly. Flavors meld. Make 3 days early. Store room temp in container. Still perfect.
Freeze individual squares. Do this all the time. Freeze on sheet til solid. Bag with parchment between. Three months easy. Thaw counter or microwave 30 seconds. Dessert emergencies solved.
Freeze raw batter in pan. Wrap super tight. Plastic then foil. Month frozen. Bake from frozen. Add 10–15 minutes. For busy weeks.
Chop apples day before. Lemon juice so they don’t brown. Fridge in container. Or measure dry ingredients week ahead. Bag or container. Makes baking day faster.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
- Honeycrisp super juicy. Pat dry after chopping. Too much moisture makes them gummy and takes forever to bake.
- Metal pans better. Conduct heat better. Crispy edges. Glass heats different. Lower temp add time.
- High altitude? Three quarter teaspoon baking powder. Two tablespoons more flour. Check 5 minutes early. Things bake faster up there.
- Thick batter normal. Like cookie dough. Apples release moisture baking. Evens out perfect.
- Clean cuts wipe knife between. Long thin knife better than short. Must be completely cool.
- Store with bread piece in container. Bread gives moisture keeps brownies soft. Replace bread every couple days. Weird but works.
Serving Suggestions
Warm with vanilla ice cream. Microwave 15 seconds then ice cream on top. Temperature contrast insane. Husband’s favorite dessert ever. Add caramel if feeling extra.
Room temp with morning coffee. Eat for breakfast way too often. Cinnamon and apples basically healthy right?
Parties cut small. 16 pieces not 9. Dust powdered sugar. Pretty platter. Apple slices and cinnamon sticks around edges. Looks fancy. Actually just arranged store props.
Works everywhere. Fall potlucks everyone wants recipe. Thanksgiving way easier than pie nobody complains. Random Tuesday wanting sweet. Weekend baking with kids. Bake sales. Gift boxes. Coffee dates. After dinner. Lunch boxes. Everything.
How to Store Your Apple Brownies
Counter: Container or plastic wrap. 3 days. Stay moist and chewy. Better day two actually.
Fridge: Container week. Let warm 20 minutes or microwave 15–20 seconds. Cold ones hard and weird.
Freezer: Wrap individual squares plastic wrap. Container or bag with parchment between. 3 months. Thaw counter hour or microwave 30–40 seconds.
Reheat: Microwave 15–20 seconds for one. Whole pan foil covered 300°F for 10–15 minutes. Edges get crispy again.
Allergy Information
Has: Wheat, eggs, dairy
Dairy-Free: Coconut oil or vegan butter. Almond milk oat milk or coconut milk for glaze.
Gluten-Free: Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur 1:1 flour. Add quarter teaspoon xanthan gum if blend doesn’t have it. Sister makes this way for her celiac daughter all the time.
Egg-Free: Trickier. 2 flax eggs maybe. Two tablespoons ground flax plus 6 tablespoons water. Let sit 5 minutes. Texture more crumbly though. Haven’t tried chia eggs.
Nut-Free: Skip optional nuts. Check chocolate chips and cinnamon chips processed nut-free if severe allergy.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I use apple pie filling instead of fresh apples?
Hell no. Canned filling nasty and way too wet. Sugar overload. That weird gel. Brownies will be soggy sweet disaster. Fresh apples essential. Right moisture right texture. Desperate maybe use plain canned apples not pie filling. Drain really well pat super dry chop small. But honestly just use fresh. Five minutes to peel and chop.
My brownies turned out gummy in the middle. What happened?
Apples too wet or not baked long enough. Both maybe. Pat chopped apples dry with paper towels before folding in. Removes surface moisture. Bake extra 5 minutes if toothpick shows wet center. Honeycrisp super juicy need full 40 minutes sometimes. Center should look set not jiggly at all.
Do I have to peel the apples?
Don’t have to but really should. Peels tough and chewy in soft brownie. Weird. Not pleasant. Add moisture don’t need. Sometimes separate from apple during baking. Stringy bits. Five minutes with peeler totally worth better texture.
Can I skip the cinnamon?
Can but why. Makes them special. Cozy fall flavor. Hate cinnamon genuinely? Try half teaspoon nutmeg half teaspoon cardamom instead. Different spice thing. Or use way less cinnamon. Half teaspoon instead. But cinnamon important here.
Why are mine dry and crumbly instead of fudgy and moist?
Overbaked. Most common mistake. Pull when toothpick has moist crumbs not clean. Keep cooking in hot pan after removing from oven. Also check flour measuring. Too much flour makes dry. Spoon into cup and level. Don’t scoop with cup or pack down. Compacts flour get way more than need.
💬 Made these? Comment below tell me everything! Caramel version? Walnuts? Ate whole pan before cutting properly? Kids fought over corners? Need all details!
